character-第4章

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in　man　or　Godneither　social　peace　nor　social　progress。　　For

reverence　is　but　another　word　for　religion；　which　binds　men　to

each　other；　and　all　to　God。



〃The　man　of　noble　spirit；〃　says　Sir　Thomas　Overbury；　〃converts　all

occurrences　into　experience；　between　which　experience　and　his

reason　there　is　marriage；　and　the　issue　are　his　actions。　　He　moves

by　affection；　not　for　affection；　he　loves　glory；　scorns　shame；　and

governeth　and　obeyeth　with　one　countenance；　for　it　comes　from　one

consideration。　　Knowing　reason　to　be　no　idle　gift　of　nature；　he　is

the　steersman　of　his　own　destiny。　　Truth　is　his　goddess；　and　he

takes　pains　to　get　her；　not　to　look　like　her。　　Unto　the　society　of

men　he　is　a　sun；　whose　clearness　directs　their　steps　in　a　regular

motion。　　He　is　the　wise　man's　friend；　the　example　of　the

indifferent；　the　medicine　of　the　vicious。　　Thus　time　goeth　not

from　him；　but　with　him；　and　he　feels　age　more　by　the　strength　of

his　soul　than　by　the　weakness　of　his　body。　　Thus　feels　he　no　pain；

but　esteems　all　such　things　as　friends；　that　desire　to　file　off

his　fetters；　and　help　him　out　of　prison。〃　（11）



Energy　of　willself…originating　forceis　the　soul　of　every

great　character。　　Where　it　is；　there　is　life；　where　it　is　not；

there　is　faintness；　helplessness；　and　despondency。　　〃The　strong

man　and　the　waterfall；〃　says　the　proverb；　〃channel　their　own

path。〃　　The　energetic　leader　of　noble　spirit　not　only　wins　a　way

for　himself；　but　carries　others　with　him。　　His　every　act　has　a

personal　significance；　indicating　vigour；　independence；　and　self…

reliance；　and　unconsciously　commands　respect；　admiration；　and

homage。　　Such　intrepidity　of　character　characterised　Luther；

Cromwell；　Washington；　Pitt；　Wellington；　and　all　great　leaders

of　men。



〃I　am　convinced；〃　said　Mr。　Gladstone；　in　describing　the　qualities

of　the　late　Lord　Palmerston　in　the　House　of　Commons；　shortly　after

his　death〃I　am　convinced　that　it　was　the　force　of　will；　a　sense

of　duty；　and　a　determination　not　to　give　in；　that　enabled　him　to

make　himself　a　model　for　all　of　us　who　yet　remain　and　follow　him；

with　feeble　and　unequal　steps；　in　the　discharge　of　our　duties；　it

was　that　force　of　will　that　in　point　of　fact　did　not　so　much

struggle　against　the　infirmities　of　old　age；　but　actually　repelled

them　and　kept　them　at　a　distance。　　And　one　other　quality　there　is；

at　least；　that　may　be　noticed　without　the　smallest　risk　of

stirring　in　any　breast　a　painful　emotion。　　It　is　this；　that　Lord

Palmerston　had　a　nature　incapable　of　enduring　anger　or　any

sentiment　of　wrath。　　This　freedom　from　wrathful　sentiment　was　not

the　result　of　painful　effort；　but　the　spontaneous　fruit　of　the

mind。　　It　was　a　noble　gift　of　his　original　naturea　gift　which

beyond　all　others　it　was　delightful　to　observe；　delightful　also　to

remember　in　connection　with　him　who　has　left　us；　and　with　whom　we

have　no　longer　to　do；　except　in　endeavouring　to　profit　by　his

example　wherever　it　can　lead　us　in　the　path　of　duty　and　of　right；

and　of　bestowing　on　him　those　tributes　of　admiration　and　affection

which　he　deserves　at　our　hands。〃



The　great　leader　attracts　to　himself　men　of　kindred　character；

drawing　them　towards　him　as　the　loadstone　draws　iron。　　Thus；　Sir

John　Moore　early　distinguished　the　three　brothers　Napier　from　the

crowd　of　officers　by　whom　he　was　surrounded；　and　they；　on　their

part；　repaid　him　by　their　passionate　admiration。　　They　were

captivated　by　his　courtesy；　his　bravery；　and　his　lofty

disinterestedness；　and　he　became　the　model　whom　they　resolved　to

imitate；　and；　if　possible；　to　emulate。　　〃Moore's　influence；〃　says

the　biographer　of　Sir　William　Napier；　〃had　a　signal　effect　in

forming　and　maturing　their　characters；　and　it　is　no　small　glory　to

have　been　the　hero　of　those　three　men；　while　his　early　discovery

of　their　mental　and　moral　qualities　is　a　proof　of　Moore's　own

penetration　and　judgment　of　character。〃



There　is　a　contagiousness　in　every　example　of　energetic　conduct。

The　brave　man　is　an　inspiration　to　the　weak；　and　compels　them；　as

it　were；　to　follow　him。　　Thus　Napier　relates　that　at　the　combat　of

Vera；　when　the　Spanish　centre　was　broken　and　in　flight；　a　young

officer；　named　Havelock；　sprang　forward；　and；　waving　his　hat；

called　upon　the　Spaniards　within　sight　to　follow　him。　　Putting

spurs　to　his　horse；　he　leapt　the　abbatis　which　protected　the

French　front；　and　went　headlong　against　them。　　The　Spaniards　were

electrified；　in　a　moment　they　dashed　after　him；　cheering　for　〃EL

CHICO　BLANCO！〃　（the　fair　boy）；　and　with　one　shock　they　broke

through　the　French　and　sent　them　flying　downhill。　（12）



And　so　it　is　in　ordinary　life。　　The　good　and　the　great　draw　others

after　them；　they　lighten　and　lift　up　all　who　are　within　reach　of

their　influence。　　They　are　as　so　many　living　centres　of　beneficent

activity。　　Let　a　man　of　energetic　and　upright　character　be

appointed　to　a　position　of　trust　and　authority；　and　all　who　serve

under　him　become；　as　it　were；　conscious　of　an　increase　of　power。

When　Chatham　was　appointed　minister；　his　personal　influence　was　at

once　felt　through　all　the　ramifications　of　office。　　Every　sailor

who　served　under　Nelson；　and　knew　he　was　in　command；　shared　the

inspiration　of　the　hero。



When　Washington　consented　to　act　as　commander…in…chief；　it　was

felt　as　if　the　strength　of　the　American　forces　had　been　more　than

doubled。　　Many　years　late；　in　1798；　when　Washington；　grown　old；

had　withdrawn　from　public　life　and　was　living　in　retirement　at

Mount　Vernon；　and　when　it　seemed　probable　that　France　would

declare　war　against　the　United　States；　President　Adams　wrote　to

him；　saying；　〃We　must　have　your　name；　if　you　will　permit　us　to　use

it；　there　will　be　more　efficacy　in　it　than　in　many　an　army。〃　　Such

was　the　esteem　in　which　the　great　President's　noble　character　and

eminent　abilities　were　held　by　his　countrymen！　（13）



An　incident　is　related　by　the　historian　of　the　Peninsular　War；

illustrative　of　the　personal　influence　exercised　by　a　great

commander　over　his　followers。　　The　British　army　lay　at　Sauroren；

before　which　Soult　was　advancing；　prepared　to　attack；　in　force。

Wellington　was　absent；　and　his　arrival　was　anxiously　looked　for。

Suddenly　a　single　horseman　was　seen　riding　up　the　mountain　alone。

It　was　the　Duke；　about　to　join　his　troops。　　One　of　Campbell's

Portuguese　battalions　first　descried　him；　and　raised　a　joyful　cry；

then　the　shrill　clamour；　caught　up　by　the　next　regiment；　soon

swelled　as　it　ran　along　the　line　into　that　appalling　shout　which

the　British　soldier　is　wont　to　give　upon　the　edge　of　battle；　and

which　no　enemy　ever　heard　unmoved。　　Suddenly　he　stopped　at　a

conspicuous　point；　for　he　desired　both　armies　should　know　he　was

there；　and　a　double　spy　who　was　present　pointed　out　Soult；　who　was

so　near　that　his　features　could　be　distinguished。　　Attentively

Wellington　fixed　his　eyes　on　that　formidable　man；　and；　as　if

speaking　to　himself；　he　said：　〃Yonder　is　a　great　commander；　but　he

is　cautious；　and　will　delay　his　attack　to　ascertain　the　cause　of

those　cheers；　that　will　give　time　for　the　Sixth　Division　to

arrive；　and　I　shall　beat　him〃which　he　did。　（14）



In　some　cases；　personal　character　acts　by　a　kind　of　talismanic

influence；　as　if　certain　men　were　the　organs　of　a　sort　of

supernatural　force。　　〃If　I　but　stamp　on　the　ground　in　Italy；〃　said

Pompey；　〃an　army　will　appear。〃　　At　the　voice　of　Peter　the　Hermit；

as　described　by　the　historian；　〃Europe　arose；　and　precipitated

itself　upon　Asia。〃　　It　was　said　of　the　Caliph　Omar　that　his

walking…stick　struck　more　terror　into　those　who　saw　it　than

another　man's　sword。　　The　very　names　of　some　men　are　like　the

sound　of　a　trumpet。　　When　the　Douglas　lay　mortally　wounded　on　the

field　of　Otterburn；　he　ordered　his　name　to　be　shouted　still　louder

than　before；　saying　there　was　a　tradition　in　his　family　that　a

dead　Douglas　should　win　a　battle。　　His　followers；　inspired　by　the

sound；　gathered　fresh　courage；　rallied；　and　conquered；