character-第76章

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been　granted　to　me。　　But　more　than　all；　I　have　to　thank　Heaven　for

having　bestowed　on　me　true　domestic　happiness；　the　first　of　human

blessings。　　As　I　grow　older；　the　portion　of　my　life　which　in　my

youth　I　used　to　look　down　upon；　every　day　becomes　more　important

in　my　eyes；　and　would　now　easily　console　me　for　the　loss　of　all

the　rest。〃　　And　again；　writing　to　his　bosom…friend；　De　Kergorlay；

he　said：　〃Of　all　the　blessings　which　God　has　given　to　me；　the

greatest　of　all　in　my　eyes　is　to　have　lighted　on　Marie。　　You

cannot　imagine　what　she　is　in　great　trials。　　Usually　so　gentle；

she　then　becomes　strong　and　energetic。　　She　watches　me　without　my

knowing　it；　she　softens；　calms；　and　strengthens　me　in　difficulties

which　disturb　ME；　but　leave　her　serene。〃　（12）　In　another　letter　he

says：　〃I　cannot　describe　to　you　the　happiness　yielded　in　the　long

run　by　the　habitual　society　of　a　woman　in　whose　soul　all　that　is

good　in　your　own　is　reflected　naturally；　and　even　improved。　　When

I　say　or　do　a　thing　which　seems　to　me　to　be　perfectly　right；　I

read　immediately　in　Marie's　countenance　an　expression　of　proud

satisfaction　which　elevates　me。　　And　so；　when　my　conscience

reproaches　me；　her　face　instantly　clouds　over。　　Although　I　have

great　power　over　her　mind；　I　see　with　pleasure　that　she　awes　me；

and　so　long　as　I　love　her　as　I　do　now；　I　am　sure　that　I　shall

never　allow　myself　to　be　drawn　into　anything　that　is　wrong。〃



In　the　retired　life　which　De　Tocqueville　led　as　a　literary　man

political　life　being　closed　against　him　by　the　inflexible

independence　of　his　characterhis　health　failed；　and　he　became

ill；　irritable；　and　querulous。　　While　proceeding　with　his　last

work；　'L'Ancien　Regime　et　la　Revolution；'　he　wrote：　〃After　sitting

at　my　desk　for　five　or　six　hours；　I　can　write　no　longer；　the

machine　refuses　to　act。　　I　am　in　great　want　of　rest；　and　of　a　long

rest。　If　you　add　all　the　perplexities　that　besiege　an　author

towards　the　end　of　his　work；　you　will　be　able　to　imagine　a　very

wretched　life。　　I　could　not　go　on　with　my　task　if　it　were　not　for

the　refreshing　calm　of　Marie's　companionship。　　It　would　be

impossible　to　find　a　disposition　forming　a　happier　contrast　to　my

own。　　In　my　perpetual　irritability　of　body　and　mind；　she　is　a

providential　resource　that　never　fails　me。〃　（13）



M。　Guizot　was；　in　like　manner；　sustained　and　encouraged；　amidst

his　many　vicissitudes　and　disappointments；　by　his　noble　wife。　　If

he　was　treated　with　harshness　by　his　political　enemies；　his

consolation　was　in　the　tender　affection　which　filled　his　home　with

sunshine。　　Though　his　public　life　was　bracing　and　stimulating；　he

felt；　nevertheless；　that　it　was　cold　and　calculating；　and　neither

filled　the　soul　nor　elevated　the　character。　　〃Man　longs　for　a

happiness；〃　he　says　in　his　'Memoires；'　more　complete　and　more

tender　than　that　which　all　the　labours　and　triumphs　of　active

exertion　and　public　importance　can　bestow。　　What　I　know　to…day；　at

the　end　of　my　race；　I　have　felt　when　it　began；　and　during　its

continuance。　　Even　in　the　midst　of　great　undertakings；　domestic

affections　form　the　basis　of　life；　and　the　most　brilliant　career

has　only　superficial　and　incomplete　enjoyments；　if　a　stranger　to

the　happy　ties　of　family　and　friendship。〃



The　circumstances　connected　with　M。　Guizot's　courtship　and

marriage　are　curious　and　interesting。　　While　a　young　man　living　by

his　pen　in　Paris；　writing　books；　reviews；　and　translations；　he

formed　a　casual　acquaintance　with　Mademoiselle　Pauline　de　Meulan；

a　lady　of　great　ability；　then　editor　of　the　PUBLICISTE。　A　severe

domestic　calamity　having　befallen　her；　she　fell　ill；　and　was

unable　for　a　time　to　carry　on　the　heavy　literary　work　connected

with　her　journal。　　At　this　juncture　a　letter　without　any　signature

reached　her　one　day；　offering　a　supply　of　articles；　which　the

writer　hoped　would　be　worthy　of　the　reputation　of　the　PUBLICISTE。

The　articles　duly　arrived；　were　accepted；　and　published。　　They

dealt　with　a　great　variety　of　subjectsart；　literature；

theatricals；　and　general　criticism。　　When　the　editor　at　length

recovered　from　her　illness；　the　writer　of　the　articles　disclosed

himself：　it　was　M。　Guizot。　　An　intimacy　sprang　up　between　them；

which　ripened　into　mutual　affection；　and　before　long　Mademoiselle

de　Meulan　became　his　wife。



From　that　time　forward；　she　shared　in　all　her　husband's　joys　and

sorrows；　as　well　as　in　many　of　his　labours。　　Before　they　became

united；　he　asked　her　if　she　thought　she　should　ever　become

dismayed　at　the　vicissitudes　of　his　destiny；　which　he　then　saw

looming　before　him。　　She　replied　that　he　might　assure　himself　that

she　would　always　passionately　enjoy　his　triumphs；　but　never　heave

a　sigh　over　his　defeats。　　When　M。　Guizot　became　first　minister　of

Louis　Philippe；　she　wrote　to　a　friend：　〃I　now　see　my　husband　much

less　than　I　desire；　but　still　I　see　him。。。。　　If　God　spares　us　to

each　other；　I　shall　always　be；　in　the　midst　of　every　trial　and

apprehension；　the　happiest　of　beings。〃　　Little　more　than　six

months　after　these　words　were　written；　the　devoted　wife　was　laid

in　her　grave；　and　her　sorrowing　husband　was　left　thenceforth　to

tread　the　journey　of　life　alone。



Burke　was　especially　happy　in　his　union　with　Miss　Nugent；　a

beautiful；　affectionate；　and　highminded　woman。　　The　agitation

and　anxiety　of　his　public　life　was　more　than　compensated

by　his　domestic　happiness；　which　seems　to　have　been　complete。

It　was　a　saying　of　Burke；　thoroughly　illustrative　of　his

character；　that　〃to　love　the　little　platoon　we　belong　to

in　society　is　the　germ　of　all　public　affections。〃　　His

description　of　his　wife；　in　her　youth；　is　probably　one

of　the　finest　word…portraits　in　the　language：



〃She　is　handsome；　but　it　is　a　beauty　not　arising　from　features；

from　complexion；　or　from　shape。　　She　has　all　three　in　a　high

degree；　but　it　is　not　by　these　she　touches　the　heart；　it　is　all

that　sweetness　of　temper；　benevolence；　innocence；　and　sensibility；

which　a　face　can　express；　that　forms　her　beauty。　　She　has　a　face

that　just　raises　your　attention　at　first　sight；　it　grows　on　you

every　moment；　and　you　wonder　it　did　no　more　than　raise　your

attention　at　first。



〃Her　eyes　have　a　mild　light；　but　they　awe　when　she　pleases；

they　command；　like　a　good　man　out　of　office；　not　by　authority；

but　by　virtue。



〃Her　stature　is　not　tall；　she　is　not　made　to　be　the　admiration

of　everybody；　but　the　happiness　of　one。



〃She　has　all　the　firmness　that　does　not　exclude　delicacy；

she　has　all　the　softness　that　does　not　imply　weakness。



〃Her　voice　is　a　soft　low　musicnot　formed　to　rule　in　public

assemblies；　but　to　charm　those　who　can　distinguish　a　company

from　a　crowd；　it　has　this　advantageYOU　MUST　COME　CLOSE　TO

HER　TO　HEAR　IT。



〃To　describe　her　body　describes　her　mindone　is　the　transcript

of　the　other；　her　understanding　is　not　shown　in　the　variety

of　matters　it　exerts　itself　on；　but　in　the　goodness　of　the

choice　she　makes。



〃She　does　not　display　it　so　much　in　saying　or　doing　striking

things；　as　in　avoiding　such　as　she　ought　not　to　say　or　do。



〃No　person　of　so　few　years　can　know　the　world　better；　no　person

was　ever　less　corrupted　by　the　knowledge　of　it。



〃Her　politeness　flows　rather　from　a　natural　disposition　to　oblige；

than　from　any　rules　on　that　subject；　and　therefore　never　fails　to

strike　those　who　understand　good　breeding　and　those　who　do　not。



〃She　has　a　steady　and　firm　mind；　which　takes　no　more　from　the

solidity　of　the　female　character　than　the　solidity　of　marble　does

from　its　polish　and　lustre。　　She　has　such　virtues　as　make　us　value

the　truly　great　of　our　own　sex。　　She　has　all　the　winning　graces

that　make　us　love　even　the　faults　we　see　in　the　weak　and

beautiful；　in　hers。〃



Let　us　give；　as　a　companion　picture；　the　not　less　beautiful

delineation　of　a　husband；　that　of　Colonel　Hutchinson；　the

Commonwealth　man；　by　his　widow。　　Shortly　before　his　death；

he　enjoined　her　〃not　to　grieve　at　the