character-第46章

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another；　for　he　that　loveth　another　hath　fulfilled　the　law；〃



Thus　duty　rounds　the　whole　of　life；　from　our　entrance　into　it

until　our　exit　from　itduty　to　superiors；　duty　to　inferiors；　and

duty　to　equalsduty　to　man；　and　duty　to　God。　　Wherever　there　is

power　to　use　or　to　direct；　there　is　duty。　　For　we　are　but　as

stewards；　appointed　to　employ　the　means　entrusted　to　us　for　our

own　and　for　others'　good。



The　abiding　sense　of　duty　is　the　very　crown　of　character。　　It　is

the　upholding　law　of　man　in　his　highest　attitudes。　　Without　it；

the　individual　totters　and　falls　before　the　first　puff　of

adversity　or　temptation；　whereas；　inspired　by　it；　the　weakest

becomes　strong　and　full　of　courage。　　〃Duty；〃　says　Mrs。　Jameson；

〃is　the　cement　which　binds　the　whole　moral　edifice　together；

without　which；　all　power；　goodness；　intellect；　truth；　happiness；

love　itself；　can　have　no　permanence；　but　all　the　fabric　of

existence　crumbles　away　from　under　us；　and　leaves　us　at　last

sitting　in　the　midst　of　a　ruin；　astonished　at　our　own　desolation。〃



Duty　is　based　upon　a　sense　of　justicejustice　inspired　by　love；

which　is　the　most　perfect　form　of　goodness。　　Duty　is　not　a

sentiment；　but　a　principle　pervading　the　life：　and　it　exhibits

itself　in　conduct　and　in　acts；　which　are　mainly　determined　by

man's　conscience　and　freewill。



The　voice　of　conscience　speaks　in　duty　done；　and　without　its

regulating　and　controlling　influence；　the　brightest　and　greatest

intellect　may　be　merely　as　a　light　that　leads　astray。　　Conscience

sets　a　man　upon　his　feet；　while　his　will　holds　him　upright。

Conscience　is　the　moral　governor　of　the　heartthe　governor　of

right　action；　of　right　thought；　of　right　faith；　of　right　life

and　only　through　its　dominating　influence　can　the　noble　and

upright　character　be　fully　developed。



The　conscience；　however；　may　speak　never　so　loudly；　but　without

energetic　will　it　may　speak　in　vain。　　The　will　is　free　to　choose

between　the　right　course　and　the　wrong　one；　but　the　choice　is

nothing　unless　followed　by　immediate　and　decisive　action。　　If　the

sense　of　duty　be　strong；　and　the　course　of　action　clear；　the

courageous　will；　upheld　by　the　conscience；　enables　a　man　to

proceed　on　his　course　bravely；　and　to　accomplish　his　purposes　in

the　face　of　all　opposition　and　difficulty。　　And　should　failure　be

the　issue；　there　will　remain　at　least　this　satisfaction；　that　it

has　been　in　the　cause　of　duty。



〃Be　and　continue　poor；　young　man；〃　said　Heinzelmann；〃　while　others

around　you　grow　rich　by　fraud　and　disloyalty；　be　without　place　or

power　while　others　beg　their　way　upwards；　bear　the　pain　of

disappointed　hopes；　while　others　gain　the　accomplishment　of　theirs

by　flattery；　forego　the　gracious　pressure　of　the　hand；　for　which

others　cringe　and　crawl。　　Wrap　yourself　in　your　own　virtue；　and

seek　a　friend　and　your　daily　bread。　　If　you　have　in　your　own　cause

grown　gray　with　unbleached　honour；　bless　God　and　die！〃



Men　inspired　by　high　principles　are　often　required　to　sacrifice

all　that　they　esteem　and　love　rather　than　fail　in　their　duty。

The　old　English　idea　of　this　sublime　devotion　to　duty　was　expressed

by　the　loyalist　poet　to　his　sweetheart；　on　taking　up　arms　for

his　sovereign：…



　　　　　　　　　　〃I　could　love　thee；　dear；　so　much；

　　　　　　　　　　Loved　I　not　honour　more。'　（1）



And　Sertorius　has　said：　〃The　man　who　has　any　dignity　of　character；

should　conquer　with　honour；　and　not　use　any　base　means　even　to

save　his　life。〃　　So　St。　Paul；　inspired　by　duty　and　faith；　declared

himself　as　not　only　〃ready　to　be　bound；　but　to　die　at　Jerusalem。〃



When　the　Marquis　of　Pescara　was　entreated　by　the　princes　of　Italy

to　desert　the　Spanish　cause；　to　which　he　was　in　honour　bound；　his

noble　wife；　Vittoria　Colonna；　reminded　him　of　his　duty。　　She　wrote

to　him：　〃Remember　your　honour；　which　raises　you　above　fortune　and

above　kings；　by　that　alone；　and　not　by　the　splendour　of　titles；　is

glory　acquiredthat　glory　which　it　will　be　your　happiness　and

pride　to　transmit　unspotted　to　your　posterity。〃　　Such　was　the

dignified　view　which　she　took　of　her　husband's　honour；　and　when　he

fell　at　Pavia；　though　young　and　beautiful；　and　besought　by　many

admirers；　she　betook　herself　to　solitude；　that　she　might　lament

over　her　husband's　loss　and　celebrate　his　exploits。　（2）



To　live　really；　is　to　act　energetically。　　Life　is　a　battle　to　be

fought　valiantly。　　Inspired　by　high　and　honourable　resolve；　a　man

must　stand　to　his　post；　and　die　there；　if　need　be。　　Like　the　old

Danish　hero；　his　determination　should　be；　〃to　dare　nobly；　to　will

strongly；　and　never　to　falter　in　the　path　of　duty。〃　　The　power　of

will；　be　it　great　or　small；　which　God　has　given　us；　is　a　Divine

gift；　and　we　ought　neither　to　let　it　perish　for　want　of　using　on

the　one　hand；　nor　profane　it　by　employing　it　for　ignoble　purposes

on　the　other。　　Robertson；　of　Brighton；　has　truly　said；　that　man's

real　greatness　consists　not　in　seeking　his　own　pleasure；　or　fame；

or　advancement〃not　that　every　one　shall　save　his　own　life；　not

that　every　man　shall　seek　his　own　glorybut　that　every　man　shall

do　his　own　duty。〃



What　most　stands　in　the　way　of　the　performance　of　duty；　is

irresolution；　weakness　of　purpose；　and　indecision。　　On　the　one

side　are　conscience　and　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil；　on　the

other　are　indolence；　selfishness；　love　of　pleasure；　or　passion。

The　weak　and　ill…disciplined　will　may　remain　suspended　for　a　time

between　these　influences；　but　at　length　the　balance　inclines　one

way　or　the　other；　according　as　the　will　is　called　into　action　or

otherwise。　　If　it　be　allowed　to　remain　passive；　the　lower

influence　of　selfishness　or　passion　will　prevail；　and　thus　manhood

suffers　abdication；　individuality　is　renounced；　character　is

degraded；　and　the　man　permits　himself　to　become　the　mere　passive

slave　of　his　senses。



Thus；　the　power　of　exercising　the　will　promptly；　in　obedience　to

the　dictates　of　conscience；　and　thereby　resisting　the　impulses　of

the　lower　nature；　is　of　essential　importance　in　moral　discipline；

and　absolutely　necessary　for　the　development　of　character　in　its

best　forms。　　To　acquire　the　habit　of　well…doing；　to　resist　evil

propensities；　to　fight　against　sensual　desires；　to　overcome　inborn

selfishness；　may　require　a　long　and　persevering　discipline；　but

when　once　the　practice　of　duty　is　learnt；　it　becomes　consolidated

in　habit；　and　thence…forward　is　comparatively　easy。



The　valiant　good　man　is　he　who；　by　the　resolute　exercise　of　his

freewill；　has　so　disciplined　himself　as　to　have　acquired　the　habit

of　virtue；　as　the　bad　man　is　he　who；　by　allowing　his　freewill　to

remain　inactive；　and　giving　the　bridle　to　his　desires　and

passions；　has　acquired　the　habit　of　vice；　by　which　he　becomes；　at

last；　bound　as　by　chains　of　iron。



A　man　can　only　achieve　strength　of　purpose　by　the　action　of　his

own　freewill。　　If　he　is　to　stand　erect；　it　must　be　by　his　own

efforts；　for　he　cannot　be　kept　propped　up　by　the　help　of　others。

He　is　master　of　himself　and　of　his　actions。　　He　can　avoid

falsehood；　and　be　truthful；　he　can　shun　sensualism；　and　be

continent；　he　can　turn　aside　from　doing　a　cruel　thing；　and　be

benevolent　and　forgiving。　　All　these　lie　within　the　sphere　of

individual　efforts；　and　come　within　the　range　of　self…discipline。

And　it　depends　upon　men　themselves　whether　in　these　respects　they

will　be　free；　pure；　and　good　on　the　one　hand；　or　enslaved；　impure；

and　miserable　on　the　other。



Among　the　wise　sayings　of　Epictetus　we　find　the　following：　〃We　do

not　choose　our　own　parts　in　life；　and　have　nothing　to　do　with

those　parts：　our　simple　duty　is　confined　to　playing　them　well。

The　slave　may　be　as　free　as　the　consul；　and　freedom　is　the　chief

of　blessings；　it　dwarfs　all　others；　beside　it　all　others　are

insignificant；　with　it　all　others　are　needless；　without　it　no

others　are　possible。。。。　You　must　teach　men　that　happiness　is　not

where；　in　their　blindness　and　misery；　they　seek　it。　　It　is　not　in

stren