character-第47章

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

strength；　for　Myro　and　Ofellius　were　not　happy；　not　in　wealth；　for

Croesus　was　not　happy；　not　in　power；　for　the　Consuls　were　not

happy；　not　in　all　these　together；　for　Nero　and　Sardanapulus　and

Agamemnon　sighed　and　wept　and　tore　their　hair；　and　were　the　slaves

of　circumstances　and　the　dupes　of　semblances。　　It　lies　in

yourselves；　in　true　freedom；　in　the　absence　or　conquest　of　every

ignoble　fear；　in　perfect　self…government；　and　in　a　power　of

contentment　and　peace；　and　the　even　flow　of　life　amid　poverty；

exile；　disease；　and　the　very　valley　of　the　shadow　of　death。〃　（3）



The　sense　of　duty　is　a　sustaining　power　even　to　a　courageous　man。

It　holds　him　upright；　and　makes　him　strong。　　It　was　a　noble　saying

of　Pompey；　when　his　friends　tried　to　dissuade　him　from　embarking

for　Rome　in　a　storm；　telling　him　that　he　did　so　at　the　great　peril

of　his　life：　〃It　is　necessary　for　me　to　go；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　not

necessary　for　me　to　live。〃　　What　it　was　right　that　he　should　do；

he　would　do；　in　the　face　of　danger　and　in　defiance　of　storms。



As　might　be　expected　of　the　great　Washington；　the　chief　motive

power　in　his　life　was　the　spirit　of　duty。　　It　was　the　regal　and

commanding　element　in　his　character　which　gave　it　unity；

compactness；　and　vigour。　　When　he　clearly　saw　his　duty　before　him；

he　did　it　at　all　hazards；　and　with　inflexible　integrity。　　He　did

not　do　it　for　effect；　nor　did　he　think　of　glory；　or　of　fame　and

its　rewards；　but　of　the　right　thing　to　be　done；　and　the　best

way　of　doing　it。



Yet　Washington　had　a　most　modest　opinion　of　himself；　and　when

offered　the　chief　command　of　the　American　patriot　army；　he

hesitated　to　accept　it　until　it　was　pressed　upon　him。　　When

acknowledging　in　Congress　the　honour　which　had　been　done　him　in

selecting　him　to　so　important　a　trust；　on　the　execution　of　which

the　future　of　his　country　in　a　great　measure　depended；　Washington

said：　〃I　beg　it　may　be　remembered；　lest　some　unlucky　event　should

happen　unfavourable　to　my　reputation；　that　I　this　day　declare；

with　the　utmost　sincerity；　I　do　not　think　myself　equal　to　the

command　I　am　honoured　with。〃



And　in　his　letter　to　his　wife；　communicating　to　her　his

appointment　as　Commander…in…Chief；　he　said：　〃I　have　used　every

endeavour　in　my　power　to　avoid　it；　not　only　from　my　unwillingness

to　part　with　you　and　the　family；　but　from　a　consciousness　of　its

being　a　trust　too　great　for　my　capacity；　and　that　I　should　enjoy

more　real　happiness　in　one　month　with　you　at　home；　than　I　have　the

most　distant　prospect　of　finding　abroad；　if　my　stay　were　to　be

seven　times　seven　years。　　But；　as　it　has　been　a　kind　of　destiny

that　has　thrown　me　upon　this　service；　I　shall　hope　that　my

undertaking　it　is　designed　for　some　good　purpose。　　It　was　utterly

out　of　my　power　to　refuse　the　appointment；　without　exposing　my

character　to　such　censures　as　would　have　reflected　dishonour　upon

myself；　and　given　pain　to　my　friends。　　This；　I　am　sure；　could　not；

and　ought　not；　to　be　pleasing　to　you；　and　must　have　lessened　me

considerably　in　my　own　esteem。〃　（4）



Washington　pursued　his　upright　course　through　life；　first　as

Commander…in…Chief；　and　afterwards　as　President；　never　faltering

in　the　path　of　duty。　　He　had　no　regard　for　popularity；　but　held　to

his　purpose；　through　good　and　through　evil　report；　often　at　the

risk　of　his　power　and　influence。　　Thus；　on　one　occasion；　when　the

ratification　of　a　treaty；　arranged　by　Mr。　Jay　with　Great　Britain；

was　in　question；　Washington　was　urged　to　reject　it。　　But　his

honour；　and　the　honour　of　his　country；　was　committed；　and　he

refused　to　do　so。　　A　great　outcry　was　raised　against　the　treaty；

and　for　a　time　Washington　was　so　unpopular　that　he　is　said　to　have

been　actually　stoned　by　the　mob。　　But　he；　nevertheless；　held　it　to

be　his　duty　to　ratify　the　treaty；　and　it　was　carried　out；　in

despite　of　petitions　and　remonstrances　from　all　quarters。　　〃While

I　feel；〃　he　said；　in　answer　to　the　remonstrants；　〃the　most　lively

gratitude　for　the　many　instances　of　approbation　from　my　country；

I　can　no　otherwise　deserve　it　than　by　obeying　the　dictates

of　my　conscience。〃

Wellington's　watchword；　like　Washington's；　was　duty；　and　no　man

could　be　more　loyal　to　it　than　he　was。　（5）　　〃There　is　little　or

nothing；〃　he　once　said；　〃in　this　life　worth　living　for；　but　we　can

all　of　us　go　straight　forward　and　do　our　duty。〃　　None　recognised

more　cheerfully　than　he　did　the　duty　of　obedience　and　willing

service；　for　unless　men　can　serve　faithfully；　they　will　not　rule

others　wisely。　　There　is　no　motto　that　becomes　the　wise　man

better　than　ICH　DIEN；　〃I　serve；〃　and　〃They　also　serve　who　only

stand　and　wait。〃



When　the　mortification　of　an　officer；　because　of　his　being

appointed　to　a　command　inferior　to　what　he　considered　to　be　his

merits；　was　communicated　to　the　Duke；　he　said：　〃In　the　course　of

my　military　career；　I　have　gone　from　the　command　of　a　brigade　to

that　of　my　regiment；　and　from　the　command　of　an　army　to　that　of　a

brigade　or　a　division；　as　I　was　ordered；　and　without　any　feeling

of　mortification。〃



Whilst　commanding　the　allied　army　in　Portugal；　the　conduct　of　the

native　population　did　not　seem　to　Wellington　to　be　either　becoming

or　dutiful。　　〃We　have　enthusiasm　in　plenty；〃　he　said；　〃and　plenty

of　cries　of　'VIVA！'　We　have　illuminations；　patriotic　songs；　and

FETES　everywhere。　　But　what　we　want　is；　that　each　in　his　own

station　should　do　his　duty　faithfully；　and　pay　implicit　obedience

to　legal　authority。〃



This　abiding　ideal　of　duty　seemed　to　be　the　governing　principle　of

Wellington's　character。　　It　was　always　uppermost　in　his　mind；　and

directed　all　the　public　actions　of　his　life。　　Nor　did　it　fail　to

communicate　itself　to　those　under　him；　who　served　him　in　the　like

spirit。　　When　he　rode　into　one　of　his　infantry　squares　at

Waterloo；　as　its　diminished　numbers　closed　up　to　receive　a　charge

of　French　cavalry；　he　said　to　the　men；　〃Stand　steady；　lads；　think

of　what　they　will　say　of　us　in　England；〃　to　which　the　men　replied；

〃Never　fear；　sirwe　know　our　duty。〃



Duty　was　also　the　dominant　idea　in　Nelson's　mind。　　The　spirit　in

which　he　served　his　country　was　expressed　in　the　famous　watchword；

〃England　expects　every　man　to　do　his　duty；〃　signalled　by　him　to

the　fleet　before　going　into　action　at　Trafalgar；　as　well　as　in

the　last　words　that　passed　his　lips；〃I　have　done　my　duty；

I　praise　God　for　it！〃



And　Nelson's　companion　and　friendthe　brave；　sensible；　homely…

minded　Collingwoodhe　who；　as　his　ship　bore　down　into　the　great

sea…fight；　said　to　his　flag…captain；　〃Just　about　this　time　our

wives　are　going　to　church　in　England；〃Collingwood　too　was；　like

his　commander；　an　ardent　devotee　of　duty。　　〃Do　your　duty　to　the

best　of　your　ability；〃　was　the　maxim　which　he　urged　upon　many

young　men　starting　on　the　voyage　of　life。　　To　a　midshipman　he　once

gave　the　following　manly　and　sensible　advice：…　〃You　may　depend

upon　it；　that　it　is　more　in　your　own　power　than　in　anybody　else's

to　promote　both　your　comfort　and　advancement。　　A　strict　and

unwearied　attention　to　your　duty；　and　a　complacent　and　respectful

behaviour；　not　only　to　your　superiors　but　to　everybody；　will

ensure　you　their　regard；　and　the　reward　will　surely　come；　but　if

it　should　not；　I　am　convinced　you　have　too　much　good　sense　to　let

disappointment　sour　you。　　Guard　carefully　against　letting

discontent　appear　in　you。　　It　will　be　sorrow　to　your　friends；　a

triumph　to　your　competitors；　and　cannot　be　productive　of　any　good。

Conduct　yourself　so　as　to　deserve　the　best　that　can　come　to　you；

and　the　consciousness　of　your　own　proper　behaviour　will　keep　you

in　spirits　if　it　should　not　come。　　Let　it　be　your　ambition　to　be

foremost　in　all　duty。　　Do　not　be　a　nice　observer　of　turns；　but

ever　present　yourself　ready　for　everything；　and；　unless　your

officers　are　very　inattentive　men；　they　will　not　allow　others　to

impose　more　duty　on　you　than　they　should。