character-第56章

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is　simply　wilfulness　in　the　wrong　direction。　　It　is　wilful；

because　it　might　be　avoided。　　Let　the　necessitarians　argue　as　they

may；　freedom　of　will　and　action　is　the　possession　of　every　man　and

woman。　　It　is　sometimes　our　glory；　and　very　often　it　is　our　shame：

all　depends　upon　the　manner　in　which　it　is　used。　　We　can　choose　to

look　at　the　bright　side　of　things；　or　at　the　dark。　　We　can　follow

good　and　eschew　evil　thoughts。　　We　can　be　wrongheaded　and

wronghearted；　or　the　reverse；　as　we　ourselves　determine。　　The

world　will　be　to　each　one　of　us　very　much　what　we　make　it。

The　cheerful　are　its　real　possessors；　for　the　world　belongs

to　those　who　enjoy　it。



It　must；　however；　be　admitted　that　there　are　cases　beyond　the

reach　of　the　moralist。　　Once；　when　a　miserable…looking　dyspeptic

called　upon　a　leading　physician　and　laid　his　case　before　him；

〃Oh！〃　said　the　doctor；　〃you　only　want　a　good　hearty　laugh：

go　and　see　Grimaldi。〃　　〃Alas！〃　said　the　miserable　patient；

〃I　am　Grimaldi！〃　　So；　when　Smollett；　oppressed　by　disease；

travelled　over　Europe　in　the　hope　of　finding　health；　he　saw

everything　through　his　own　jaundiced　eyes。　　〃I'll　tell　it；〃

said　Smellfungus；　〃to　the　world。〃　　〃You　had　better　tell　it；〃

said　Sterne；　〃to　your　physician。〃

The　restless；　anxious；　dissatisfied　temper；　that　is　ever　ready　to

run　and　meet　care　half…way；　is　fatal　to　all　happiness　and　peace　of

mind。　　How　often　do　we　see　men　and　women　set　themselves　about　as

if　with　stiff　bristles；　so　that　one　dare　scarcely　approach　them

without　fear　of　being　pricked！　　For　want　of　a　little　occasional

command　over　one's　temper；　an　amount　of　misery　is　occasioned　in

society　which　is　positively　frightful。　　Thus　enjoyment　is　turned

into　bitterness；　and　life　becomes　like　a　journey　barefooted

amongst　thorns　and　briers　and　prickles。　　〃Though　sometimes　small

evils；〃　says　Richard　Sharp；　〃like　invisible　insects；　inflict　great

pain；　and　a　single　hair　may　stop　a　vast　machine；　yet　the　chief

secret　of　comfort　lies　in　not　suffering　trifles　to　vex　us；　and　in

prudently　cultivating　an　undergrowth　of　small　pleasures；　since

very　few　great　ones；　alas！　are　let　on　long　leases。〃　（5）



St。　Francis　de　Sales　treats　the　same　topic　from　the　Christian's

point　of　view。　　〃How　carefully；〃　he　says；　〃we　should　cherish　the

little　virtues　which　spring　up　at　the　foot　of　the　Cross！〃　　When

the　saint　was　asked；　〃What　virtues　do　you　mean？〃　he　replied：

〃Humility；　patience；　meekness；　benignity；　bearing　one　another's

burden；　condescension；　softness　of　heart；　cheerfulness；

cordiality；　compassion；　forgiving　injuries；　simplicity；　candour

all；　in　short　of　that　sort　of　little　virtues。　　They；　like

unobtrusive　violets；　love　the　shade；　like　them　are　sustained　by

dew；　and　though；　like　them；　they　make　little　show；　they　shed　a

sweet　odour　on　all　around。〃　（6）



And　again　he　said：　〃If　you　would　fall　into　any　extreme；　let　it　be

on　the　side　of　gentleness。　　The　human　mind　is　so　constructed　that

it　resists　rigour；　and　yields　to　softness。　　A　mild　word　quenches

anger；　as　water　quenches　the　rage　of　fire；　and　by　benignity　any

soil　may　be　rendered　fruitful。　　Truth；　uttered　with　courtesy；

is　heaping　coals　of　fire　on　the　heador　rather；　throwing

roses　in　the　face。　　How　can　we　resist　a　foe　whose　weapons

are　pearls　and　diamonds？〃　（7）



Meeting　evils　by　anticipation　is　not　the　way　to　overcome　them。　　If

we　perpetually　carry　our　burdens　about　with　us；　they　will　soon

bear　us　down　under　their　load。　　When　evil　comes；　we　must　deal　with

it　bravely　and　hopefully。　　What　Perthes　wrote　to　a　young　man；　who

seemed　to　him　inclined　to　take　trifles　as　well　as　sorrows　too　much

to　heart；　was　doubtless　good　advice：　〃Go　forward　with　hope　and

confidence。　　This　is　the　advice　given　thee　by　an　old　man；　who　has

had　a　full　share　of　the　burden　and　heat　of　life's　day。　　We　must

ever　stand　upright；　happen　what　may；　and　for　this　end　we　must

cheerfully　resign　ourselves　to　the　varied　influences　of　this　many…

coloured　life。　　You　may　call　this　levity；　and　you　are　partly

right；　for　flowers　and　colours　are　but　trifles　light　as　air；　but

such　levity　is　a　constituent　portion　of　our　human　nature；　without

which　it　would　sink　under　the　weight　of　time。　　While　on　earth　we

must　still　play　with　earth；　and　with　that　which　blooms　and　fades

upon　its　breast。　The　consciousness　of　this　mortal　life　being　but

the　way　to　a　higher　goal；　by　no　means　precludes　our　playing　with

it　cheerfully；　and；　indeed；　we　must　do　so；　otherwise　our　energy　in

action　will　entirely　fail。〃　（8）



Cheerfulness　also　accompanies　patience；　which　is　one　of　the　main

conditions　of　happiness　and　success　in　life。　　〃He　that　will　be

served；〃　says　George　Herbert；　〃must　be　patient。〃　　It　was　said　of

the　cheerful　and　patient　King　Alfred；　that　〃good　fortune

accompanied　him　like　a　gift　of　God。〃　　Marlborough's　expectant

calmness　was　great；　and　a　principal　secret　of　his　success　as　a

general。　　〃Patience　will　overcome　all　things；〃　he　wrote　to

Godolphin；　in　1702。　　In　the　midst　of　a　great　emergency；　while

baffled　and　opposed　by　his　allies；　he　said；　〃Having　done　all　that

is　possible；　we　should　submit　with　patience。〃



Last　and　chiefest　of　blessings　is　Hope；　the　most　common　of

possessions；　for；　as　Thales　the　philosopher　said；　〃Even　those　who

have　nothing　else　have　hope。〃　　Hope　is　the　great　helper　of　the

poor。　　It　has　even　been　styled　〃the　poor　man's　bread。〃　　It　is　also

the　sustainer　and　inspirer　of　great　deeds。　　It　is　recorded　of

Alexander　the　Great；　that　when　he　succeeded　to　the　throne　of

Macedon；　he　gave　away　amongst　his　friends　the　greater　part　of　the

estates　which　his　father　had　left　him；　and　when　Perdiccas　asked

him　what　he　reserved　for　himself；　Alexander　answered；　〃The

greatest　possession　of　all；Hope！〃



The　pleasures　of　memory；　however　great；　are　stale　compared　with

those　of　hope；　for　hope　is　the　parent　of　all　effort　and　endeavour；

and　〃every　gift　of　noble　origin　is　breathed　upon　by　Hope's

perpetual　breath。〃　　It　may　be　said　to　be　the　moral　engine　that

moves　the　world；　and　keeps　it　in　action；　and　at　the　end　of　all

there　stands　before　us　what　Robertson　of　Ellon　styled　〃The　Great

Hope。〃　　〃If　it　were　not　for　Hope；〃　said　Byron；　〃where　would　the

Future　be？in　hell！　　It　is　useless　to　say　where　the　Present　is；

for　most　of　us　know；　and　as　for　the　Past；　WHAT　predominates　in

memory？Hope　baffled。　　ERGO；　in　all　human　affairs　it　is　Hope；

Hope；　Hope！〃　（9）







NOTES



（1）　Jeremy　Taylor's　'Holy　Living。'



（2）　'Michelet's　'Life　of　Luther；'　pp。　411…12。



（3）　Sir　John　Kaye's　'Lives　of　Indian　Officers。'



（4）　'Deontology；'　pp。　130…1；　144。



（5）　'Letters　and　Essays；'　p。　67。



（6）　'Beauties　of　St。　Francis　de　Sales。'



（7）　Ibid。



（8）　'Life　of　Perthes；'　ii。　449。



（9）　Moore's　'Life　of　Byron；'　8vo。　Ed。；　p。　483。







CHAPTER　IX。MANNERART。







　　　　　〃We　must　be　gentle；　now　we　are　gentlemen。〃SHAKSPEARE。



　　　　　　　　　　〃Manners　are　not　idle；　but　the　fruit

　　　　　　　　　　　Of　noble　nature　and　of　loyal　mind。〃TENNYSON。



〃A　beautiful　behaviour　is　better　than　a　beautiful　form；　it　gives　a

higher　pleasure　than　statues　and　pictures；　it　is　the　finest　of　the

fine　arts。〃EMERSON。



〃Manners　are　often　too　much　neglected；　they　are　most　important　to

men；　no　less　than　to　women。。。。　　Life　is　too　short　to　get　over　a

bad　manner；　besides；　manners　are　the　shadows　of　virtues。〃THE

REV。　SIDNEY　SMITH。





Manner　is　one　of　the　principal　external　graces　of　character。　　It

is　the　ornament　of　action；　and　often　makes　the　commonest　offices

beautiful　by　the　way　in　which　it　performs　them。　　It　is　a　happy　way

of　doing　things；　adorning　even　the　smallest　details　of　life；　and

contributing　to　render　it；　as　a　whole；　agreeable　and　pleasant。



Manner　is　not　so　frivolous　or　unimportant　as　some　may　think　it　to

be；　for　it　tends　greatly　to　facilitate　the　business　of　life；　as

well　as　to　sweeten　and　soften　social　intercourse。　　〃Virtue

itself；〃　says　Bishop　Middleton；　〃offends；　when　coupled　with