character-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



gentlemen　and　ladies；　such　you　meet　everywhere；　and　they　are

everywhere　the　same。〃　　While　statesmen；　philosophers；　and　divines

represent　the　thinking　power　of　society；　the　men　who　found

industries　and　carve　out　new　careers；　as　well　as　the　common　body

of　working…people；　from　whom　the　national　strength　and　spirit　are

from　time　to　time　recruited；　must　necessarily　furnish　the　vital

force　and　constitute　the　real　backbone　of　every　nation。



Nations　have　their　character　to　maintain　as　well　as　individuals；

and　under　constitutional　governmentswhere　all　classes　more　or

less　participate　in　the　exercise　of　political　powerthe　national

character　will　necessarily　depend　more　upon　the　moral　qualities　of

the　many　than　of　the　few。　　And　the　same　qualities　which　determine

the　character　of　individuals；　also　determine　the　character　of

nations。　　Unless　they　are　highminded；　truthful；　honest；　virtuous；

and　courageous；　they　will　be　held　in　light　esteem　by　other

nations；　and　be　without　weight　in　the　world。　　To　have　character；

they　must　needs　also　be　reverential；　disciplined；　self…

controlling；　and　devoted　to　duty。　　The　nation　that　has　no　higher

god　than　pleasure；　or　even　dollars　or　calico；　must　needs　be　in　a

poor　way。　　It　were　better　to　revert　to　Homer's　gods　than　be

devoted　to　these；　for　the　heathen　deities　at　least　imaged　human

virtues；　and　were　something　to　look　up　to。



As　for　institutions；　however　good　in　themselves；　they　will　avail

but　little　in　maintaining　the　standard　of　national　character。　　It

is　the　individual　men；　and　the　spirit　which　actuates　them；　that

determine　the　moral　standing　and　stability　of　nations。

Government；　in　the　long　run；　is　usually　no　better　than　the　people

governed。　　Where　the　mass　is　sound　in　conscience；　morals；　and

habit；　the　nation　will　be　ruled　honestly　and　nobly。　　But　where

they　are　corrupt；　self…seeking；　and　dishonest　in　heart；　bound

neither　by　truth　nor　by　law；　the　rule　of　rogues　and　wirepullers

becomes　inevitable。



The　only　true　barrier　against　the　despotism　of　public　opinion；

whether　it　be　of　the　many　or　of　the　few；　is　enlightened　individual

freedom　and　purity　of　personal　character。　　Without　these　there　can

be　no　vigorous　manhood；　no　true　liberty　in　a　nation。　　Political

rights；　however　broadly　framed；　will　not　elevate　a　people

individually　depraved。　　Indeed；　the　more　complete　a　system　of

popular　suffrage；　and　the　more　perfect　its　protection；　the　more

completely　will　the　real　character　of　a　people　be　reflected；　as　by

a　mirror；　in　their　laws　and　government。　　Political　morality　can

never　have　any　solid　existence　on　a　basis　of　individual

immorality。　　Even　freedom；　exercised　by　a　debased　people；　would

come　to　be　regarded　as　a　nuisance；　and　liberty　of　the　press　but　a

vent　for　licentiousness　and　moral　abomination。



Nations；　like　individuals；　derive　support　and　strength　from　the

feeling　that　they　belong　to　an　illustrious　race；　that　they　are　the

heirs　of　their　greatness；　and　ought　to　be　the　perpetuators　of

their　glory。　　It　is　of　momentous　importance　that　a　nation　should

have　a　great　past　（21）　to　look　back　upon。　　It　steadies　the　life　of

the　present；　elevates　and　upholds　it；　and　lightens　and　lifts　it

up；　by　the　memory　of　the　great　deeds；　the　noble　sufferings；　and

the　valorous　achievements　of　the　men　of　old。　　The　life　of　nations；

as　of　men；　is　a　great　treasury　of　experience；　which；　wisely　used；

issues　in　social　progress　and　improvement；　or；　misused；　issues　in

dreams；　delusions；　and　failure。　　Like　men；　nations　are　purified

and　strengthened　by　trials。　　Some　of　the　most　glorious　chapters　in

their　history　are　those　containing　the　record　of　the　sufferings　by

means　of　which　their　character　has　been　developed。　　Love　of

liberty　and　patriotic　feeling　may　have　done　much；　but　trial　and

suffering　nobly　borne　more　than　all。



A　great　deal　of　what　passes　by　the　name　of　patriotism　in　these

days　consists　of　the　merest　bigotry　and　narrow…mindedness；

exhibiting　itself　in　national　prejudice；　national　conceit；　amid

national　hatred。　　It　does　not　show　itself　in　deeds；　but　in

boastingsin　howlings；　gesticulations；　and　shrieking　helplessly

for　helpin　flying　flags　and　singing　songsand　in　perpetual

grinding　at　the　hurdy…gurdy　of　long…dead　grievances　and　long…

remedied　wrongs。　　To　be　infested　by　SUCH　a　patriotism　as　this　is；

perhaps；　amongst　the　greatest　curses　that　can　befall　any　country。



But　as　there　is　an　ignoble；　so　is　there　a　noble　patriotismthe

patriotism　that　invigorates　and　elevates　a　country　by　noble　work

that　does　its　duty　truthfully　and　manfullythat　lives　an　honest；

sober；　and　upright　life；　and　strives　to　make　the　best　use　of　the

opportunities　for　improvement　that　present　themselves　on　every

side；　and　at　the　same　time　a　patriotism　that　cherishes　the　memory

and　example　of　the　great　men　of　old；　who；　by　their　sufferings　in

the　cause　of　religion　or　of　freedom；　have　won　for　themselves　a

deathless　glory；　and　for　their　nation　those　privileges　of　free

life　and　free　institutions　of　which　they　are　the　inheritors　and

possessors。



Nations　are　not　to　be　judged　by　their　size　any　more　than

individuals：



　　　　〃it　is　not　growing　like　a　tree

　　　　In　bulk；　doth　make　Man　better　be。〃



For　a　nation　to　be　great；　it　need　not　necessarily　be　big；　though

bigness　is　often　confounded　with　greatness。　　A　nation　may　be　very

big　in　point　of　territory　and　population　and　yet　be　devoid　of　true

greatness。　　The　people　of　Israel　were　a　small　people；　yet　what　a

great　life　they　developed；　and　how　powerful　the　influence　they

have　exercised　on　the　destinies　of　mankind！　　Greece　was　not　big：

the　entire　population　of　Attica　was　less　than　that　of　South

Lancashire。　　Athens　was　less　populous　than　New　York；　and　yet　how

great　it　was　in　art；　in　literature；　in　philosophy；　and　in

patriotism！　（22）



But　it　was　the　fatal　weakness　of　Athens　that　its　citizens　had　no

true　family　or　home　life；　while　its　freemen　were　greatly

outnumbered　by　its　slaves。　　Its　public　men　were　loose；　if　not

corrupt；　in　morals。　　Its　women；　even　the　most　accomplished；　were

unchaste。　　Hence　its　fall　became　inevitable；　and　was　even　more

sudden　than　its　rise。



In　like　manner　the　decline　and　fall　of　Rome　was　attributable　to

the　general　corruption　of　its　people；　and　to　their　engrossing　love

of　pleasure　and　idlenesswork；　in　the　later　days　of　Rome；　being

regarded　only　as　fit　for　slaves。　　Its　citizens　ceased　to　pride

themselves　on　the　virtues　of　character　of　their　great　forefathers；

and　the　empire　fell　because　it　did　not　deserve　to　live。　　And　so

the　nations　that　are　idle　and　luxuriousthat　〃will　rather　lose　a

pound　of　blood；〃　as　old　Burton　says；　〃in　a　single　combat；　than　a

drop　of　sweat　in　any　honest　labour〃must　inevitably　die　out；　and

laborious　energetic　nations　take　their　place。



When　Louis　XIV。　asked　Colbert　how　it　was　that；　ruling　so　great　and

populous　a　country　as　France；　he　had　been　unable　to　conquer　so

small　a　country　as　Holland；　the　minister　replied：　　〃Because；　Sire；

the　greatness　of　a　country　does　not　depend　upon　the　extent　of　its

territory；　but　on　the　character　of　its　people。　　It　is　because　of

the　industry；　the　frugality；　and　the　energy　of　the　Dutch　that　your

Majesty　has　found　them　so　difficult　to　overcome。〃



It　is　also　related　of　Spinola　and　Richardet；　the　ambassadors　sent

by　the　King　of　Spain　to　negotiate　a　treaty　at　the　Hague　in　1608；

that　one　day　they　saw　some　eight　or　ten　persons　land　from　a　little

boat；　and；　sitting　down　upon　the　grass；　proceed　to　make　a　meal　of

bread…and…cheese　and　beer。　　〃Who　are　those　travellers　asked　the

ambassadors　of　a　peasant。　　〃These　are　worshipful　masters；　the

deputies　from　the　States；〃　was　his　reply。　　Spinola　at　once

whispered　to　his　companion；　〃We　must　make　peace：　these　are　not　men

to　be　conquered。〃



In　fine；　stability　of　institutions　must　depend　upon　stability　of

character。　　Any　number　of　depraved　units　cannot　form　a　great

nation。　　The　people　may　seem　to　be　highly　civilised；　and　yet