character-第54章

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reserve　and　awe　which　his　great　name　was　calculated　to　inspire。

〃He'll　come　here；〃　said　the　keeper　of　the　ruins　of　Melrose　Abbey

to　Washington　Irving〃he'll　come　here　some…times；　wi'　great

folks　in　his　company；　and　the　first　I'll　know　of　it　is　hearing　his

voice　calling　out；　'Johnny！　Johnny　Bower！'　　And　when　I　go　out　I'm

sure　to　be　greeted　wi'　a　joke　or　a　pleasant　word。　　He'll　stand　and

crack　and　laugh　wi'　me；　just　like　an　auld　wife；　and　to　think　that

of　a　man　that　has　SUCH　AN　AWFU'　KNOWLEDGE　O'　HISTORY！〃



Dr。　Arnold　was　a　man　of　the　same　hearty　cordiality　of　manner

full　of　human　sympathy。　　There　was　not　a　particle　of　affectation

or　pretence　of　condescension　about　him。　　〃I　never　knew　such　a

humble　man　as　the　doctor；〃　said　the　parish　clerk　at　Laleham；　〃he

comes　and　shakes　us　by　the　hand　as　if　he　was　one　of　us。〃　　〃He　used

to　come　into　my　house；〃　said　an　old　woman　near　Fox　How；　〃and　talk

to　me　as　if　I　were　a　lady。〃



Sydney　Smith　was　another　illustration　of　the　power　of

cheerfulness。　　He　was　ever　ready　to　look　on　the　bright　side　of

things；　the　darkest　cloud　had　to　him　its　silver　lining。　　Whether

working　as　country　curate；　or　as　parish　rector；　he　was　always

kind；　laborious；　patient；　and　exemplary；　exhibiting　in　every

sphere　of　life　the　spirit　of　a　Christian；　the　kindness　of　a

pastor；　and　the　honour　of　a　gentleman。　　In　his　leisure　he　employed

his　pen　on　the　side　of　justice；　freedom；　education；　toleration；

emancipation；　and　his　writings；　though　full　of　common…sense　and

bright　humour；　are　never　vulgar；　nor　did　he　ever　pander　to

popularity　or　prejudice。　　His　good　spirits；　thanks　to　his　natural

vivacity　and　stamina　of　constitution；　never　forsook　him；　and　in

his　old　age；　when　borne　down　by　disease；　he　wrote　to　a　friend：　〃I

have　gout；　asthma；　and　seven　other　maladies；　but　am　otherwise　very

well。〃　　In　one　of　the　last　letters　he　wrote　to　Lady　Carlisle；　he

said：　〃If　you　hear　of　sixteen　or　eighteen　pounds　of　flesh　wanting

an　owner；　they　belong　to　me。　　I　look　as　if　a　curate　had　been

taken　out　of　me。〃



Great　men　of　science　have　for　the　most　part　been　patient；

laborious；　cheerful…minded　men。　　Such　were　Galileo；　Descartes；

Newton；　and　Laplace。　　Euler　the　mathematician；　one　of　the　greatest

of　natural　philosophers；　was　a　distinguished　instance。　　Towards

the　close　of　his　life　he　became　completely　blind；　but　he　went　on

writing　as　cheerfully　as　before；　supplying　the　want　of　sight　by

various　ingenious　mechanical　devices；　and　by　the　increased

cultivation　of　his　memory；　which　became　exceedingly　tenacious。

His　chief　pleasure　was　in　the　society　of　his　grandchildren；　to

whom　he　taught　their　little　lessons　in　the　intervals　of　his

severer　studies。



In　like　manner；　Professor　Robison　of　Edinburgh；　the　first　editor

of　the　'Encyclopaedia　Britannica；'　when　disabled　from　work　by　a

lingering　and　painful　disorder；　found　his　chief　pleasure　in　the

society　of　his　grandchild。　　〃I　am　infinitely　delighted；〃　he　wrote

to　James　Watt；　〃with　observing　the　growth　of　its　little　soul；　and

particularly　with　its　numberless　instincts；　which　formerly　passed

unheeded。　　I　thank　the　French　theorists　for　more　forcibly

directing　my　attention　to　the　finger　of　God；　which　I　discern　in

every　awkward　movement　and　every　wayward　whim。　　They　are　all

guardians　of　his　life　and　growth　and　power。　　I　regret　indeed

that　I　have　not　time　to　make　infancy　and　the　development　of

its　powers　my　sole　study。〃



One　of　the　sorest　trials　of　a　man's　temper　and　patience　was　that

which　befell　Abauzit；　the　natural　philosopher；　while　residing　at

Geneva；　resembling　in　many　respects　a　similar　calamity　which

occurred　to　Newton；　and　which　he　bore　with　equal　resignation。

Amongst　other　things；　Abauzit　devoted　much　study　to　the　barometer

and　its　variations；　with　the　object　of　deducing　the　general　laws

which　regulated　atmospheric　pressure。　　During　twenty…seven　years

he　made　numerous　observations　daily；　recording　them　on　sheets

prepared　for　the　purpose。　　One　day；　when　a　new　servant　was

installed　in　the　house；　she　immediately　proceeded　to　display　her

zeal　by　〃putting　things　to…rights。〃　　Abauzit's　study；　amongst

other　rooms；　was　made　tidy　and　set　in　order。　　When　he　entered　it；

he　asked　of　the　servant；　〃What　have　you　done　with　the　paper　that

was　round　the　barometer？〃　　〃Oh；　sir；〃　was　the　reply；　〃it　was　so

dirty　that　I　burnt　it；　and　put　in　its　place　this　paper；　which　you

will　see　is　quite　new。〃　　Abauzit　crossed　his　arms；　and　after　some

moments　of　internal　struggle；　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　calmness　and

resignation：　〃You　have　destroyed　the　results　of　twenty…seven　years

labour；　in　future　touch　nothing　whatever　in　this　room。〃



The　study　of　natural　history　more　than　that　of　any　other　branch　of

science；　seems　to　be　accompanied　by　unusual　cheerfulness　and

equanimity　of　temper　on　the　part　of　its　votaries；　the　result　of

which　is；　that　the　life　of　naturalists　is　on　the　whole　more

prolonged　than　that　of　any　other　class　of　men　of　science。　　A

member　of　the　Linnaean　Society　has　informed　us　that　of　fourteen

members　who　died　in　1870；　two　were　over　ninety；　five　were　over

eighty；　and　two　were　over　seventy。　　The　average　age　of　all　the

members　who　died　in　that　year　was　seventy…five。



Adanson；　the　French　botanist；　was　about　seventy　years　old　when　the

Revolution　broke　out；　and　amidst　the　shock　he　lost　everything

his　fortune；　his　places；　and　his　gardens。　　But　his　patience；

courage；　and　resignation　never　forsook　him。　　He　became　reduced　to

the　greatest　straits；　and　even　wanted　food　and　clothing；　yet　his

ardour　of　investigation　remained　the　same。　　Once；　when　the

Institute　invited　him；　as　being　one　of　its　oldest　members；　to

assist　at　a　SEANCE；　his　answer　was　that　he　regretted　he　could　not

attend　for　want　of　shoes。　　〃It　was　a　touching　sight；〃　says　Cuvier；

〃to　see　the　poor　old　man；　bent　over　the　embers　of　a　decaying　fire；

trying　to　trace　characters　with　a　feeble　hand　on　the　little　bit　of

paper　which　he　held；　forgetting　all　the　pains　of　life　in　some　new

idea　in　natural　history；　which　came　to　him　like　some　beneficent

fairy　to　cheer　him　in　his　loneliness。〃　　The　Directory　eventually

gave　him　a　small　pension；　which　Napoleon　doubled；　and　at　length；

easeful　death　came　to　his　relief　in　his　seventy…ninth　year。　　A

clause　in　his　will；　as　to　the　manner　of　his　funeral；　illustrates

the　character　of　the　man。　　He　directed　that　a　garland　of　flowers；

provided　by　fifty…eight　families　whom　he　had　established　in　life；

should　be　the　only　decoration　of　his　coffina　slight　but

touching　image　of　the　more　durable　monument　which　he　had　erected

for　himself　in　his　works。



Such　are　only　a　few　instances；　of　the　cheerful…working…ness　of

great　men；　which　might；　indeed；　be　multiplied　to　any　extent。　　All

large　healthy　natures　are　cheerful　as　well　as　hopeful。　　Their

example　is　also　contagious　and　diffusive；　brightening　and　cheering

all　who　come　within　reach　of　their　influence。　　It　was　said　of　Sir

John　Malcolm；　when　he　appeared　in　a　saddened　camp　in　India；　that

〃it　was　like　a　gleam　of　sunlight；。。。。　　no　man　left　him　without　a

smile　on　his　face。　　He　was　'boy　Malcolm'　still。　　It　was　impossible

to　resist　the　fascination　of　his　genial　presence。〃　（3）



There　was　the　same　joyousness　of　nature　about　Edmund　Burke。　　Once

at　a　dinner　at　Sir　Joshua　Reynolds's；　when　the　conversation　turned

upon　the　suitability　of　liquors　for　particular　temperaments；

Johnson　said；　〃Claret　is　for　boys；　port　for　men；　and　brandy　for

heroes。〃　　〃Then；〃　said　Burke；　〃let　me　have　claret：　I　love　to　be　a

boy；　and　to　have　the　careless　gaiety　of　boyish　days。〃　　And　so　it

is；　that　there　are　old　young　men；　and　young　old　mensome　who　are

as　joyous　and　cheerful　as　boys　in　their　old　age；　and　others　who

are　as　morose　and　cheerless　as　saddened　old　men　while　still　in

their　boyhood。



In　the　presence　of　some　priggish　youths；　we　have　heard　a　cheerful

old　man　declare　that；　apparently；　there　would　soon　be　nothing　but

〃old　boys〃　left。　　Cheerfulness；　being　generous