character-第79章

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entirely　blind　for　twenty…five　years　at　the　time　at　which

he　wrote　them。



Not　less　touching　was　the　devotion　of　Lady　Hamilton　to　the　service

of　her　husband；　the　late　Sir　William　Hamilton；　Professor　of　Logic

and　Metaphysics　in　the　University　of　Edinburgh。　　After　he　had　been

stricken　by　paralysis　through　overwork　at　the　age　of　fifty…six；

she　became　hands；　eyes；　mind；　and　everything　to　him。　　She

identified　herself　with　his　work；　read　and　consulted　books　for

him；　copied　out　and　corrected　his　lectures；　and　relieved　him　of

all　business　which　she　felt　herself　competent　to　undertake。

Indeed；　her　conduct　as　a　wife　was　nothing　short　of　heroic；　and　it

is　probable　that　but　for　her　devoted　and　more　than　wifely　help；

and　her　rare　practical　ability；　the　greatest　of　her　husband's

works　would　never　have　seen　the　light。　　He　was　by　nature

unmethodical　and　disorderly；　and　she　supplied　him　with　method　and

orderliness。　　His　temperament　was　studious　but　indolent；　while　she

was　active　and　energetic。　　She　abounded　in　the　qualities　which　he

most　lacked。　　He　had　the　genius；　to　which　her　vigorous　nature

gave　the　force　and　impulse。



When　Sir　William　Hamilton　was　elected　to　his　Professorship；　after

a　severe　and　even　bitter　contest；　his　opponents；　professing　to

regard　him　as　a　visionary；　predicted　that　he　could　never　teach　a

class　of　students；　and　that　his　appointment　would　prove　a　total

failure。　　He　determined；　with　the　help　of　his　wife；　to　justify　the

choice　of　his　supporters；　and　to　prove　that　his　enemies　were　false

prophets。　　Having　no　stock　of　lectures　on　hand；　each　lecture　of

the　first　course　was　written　out　day　by　day；　as　it　was　to　be

delivered　on　the　following　morning。　　His　wife　sat　up　with　him

night　after　night；　to　write　out　a　fair　copy　of　the　lectures　from

the　rough　sheets；　which　he　drafted　in　the　adjoining　room。　　〃On

some　occasions；〃　says　his　biographer；　〃the　subject　of　the　lectures

would　prove　less　easily　managed　than　on　others；　and　then　Sir

William　would　be　found　writing　as　late　as　nine　o'clock　in　the

morning；　while　his　faithful　but　wearied　amanuensis　had　fallen

asleep　on　a　sofa。〃　（20）



Sometimes　the　finishing　touches　to　the　lecture　were　left　to　be

given　just　before　the　class…hour。　　Thus　helped；　Sir　William

completed　his　course；　his　reputation　as　a　lecturer　was

established；　and　he　eventually　became　recognised　throughout　Europe

as　one　of　the　leading　intellects　of　his　time。　（21）



The　woman　who　soothes　anxiety　by　her　presence；　who　charms　and

allays　irritability　by　her　sweetness　of　temper；　is　a　consoler　as

well　as　a　true　helper。　　Niebuhr　always　spoke　of　his　wife　as　a

fellow…worker　with　him　in　this　sense。　　Without　the　peace　and

consolation　which　be　found　in　her　society；　his　nature　would　have

fretted　in　comparative　uselessness。　　〃Her　sweetness　of　temper　and

her　love；〃　said　he；　〃raise　me　above　the　earth；　and　in　a　manner

separate　me　from　this　life。〃　　But　she　was　a　helper　in　another　and

more　direct　way。　　Niebuhr　was　accustomed　to　discuss　with　his　wife

every　historical　discovery；　every　political　event；　every　novelty

in　literature；　and　it　was　mainly　for　her　pleasure　and　approbation；

in　the　first　instance；　that　he　laboured　while　preparing　himself

for　the　instruction　of　the　world　at　large。



The　wife　of　John　Stuart　Mill　was　another　worthy　helper　of　her

husband；　though　in　a　more　abstruse　department　of　study；　as　we

learn　from　his　touching　dedication　of　the　treatise　'On　Liberty'：

〃To　the　beloved　and　deplored　memory　of　her　who　was　the　inspirer；

and　in　part　the　author；　of　all　that　is　best　in　my　writingsthe

friend　and　wife；　whose　exalted　sense　of　truth　and　right　was　my

strongest　incitement；　and　whose　approbation　was　my　chief　reward；　I

dedicate　this　volume。〃　　Not　less　touching　is　the　testimony　borne

by　another　great　living　writer　to　the　character　of　his　wife；　in

the　inscription　upon　the　tombstone　of　Mrs。　Carlyle　in　Haddington

Churchyard；　where　are　inscribed　these　words：…　〃In　her　bright

existence；　she　had　more　sorrows　than　are　common；　but　also　a　soft

amiability；　a　capacity　of　discernment；　and　a　noble　loyalty　of

heart；　which　are　rare。　　For　forty　years　she　was　the　true　and

loving　helpmate　of　her　husband；　and　by　act　and　word　unweariedly

forwarded　him　as　none　else　could；　in　all　of　worthy　that　he

did　or　attempted〃



The　married　life　of　Faraday　was　eminently　happy。　　In　his　wife　he

found；　at　the　same　time；　a　true　helpmate　and　soul…mate。　　She

supported；　cheered；　and　strengthened　him　on　his　way　through　life；

giving　him　〃the　clear　contentment　of　a　heart　at　ease。〃　　In　his

diary　he　speaks　of　his　marriage　as　〃a　source　of　honour　and

happiness　far　exceeding　all　the　rest。〃　　After　twentyeight　years'

experience；　he　spoke　of　it　as　〃an　event　which；　more　than　any

other；　had　contributed　to　his　earthly　happiness　and　healthy　state

of　mind。。。。　　The　union　（said　he）　has　in　nowise　changed；　except

only　in　the　depth　and　strength　of　its　character。〃　　And　for　six…

and…forty　years　did　the　union　continue　unbroken；　the　love　of　the

old　man　remaining　as　fresh；　as　earnest；　as　heart…whole；　as　in　the

days　of　his　impetuous　youth。　　In　this　case；　marriage　was　as



〃A　golden　chain　let　down　from　heaven；

Whose　links　are　bright　and　even；

That　falls　like　sleep　on　lovers；　and　combines

The　soft　and　sweetest　minds

In　equal　knots。〃



Besides　being　a　helper；　woman　is　emphatically　a　consoler。　　Her

sympathy　is　unfailing。　　She　soothes；　cheers；　and　comforts。　　Never

was　this　more　true　than　in　the　case　of　the　wife　of　Tom　Hood；　whose

tender　devotion　to　him；　during　a　life　that　was　a　prolonged

illness；　is　one　of　the　most　affecting　things　in　biography。　　A

woman　of　excellent　good　sense；　she　appreciated　her　husband's

genius；　and；　by　encouragement　and　sympathy；　cheered　and　heartened

him　to　renewed　effort　in　many　a　weary　struggle　for　life。　　She

created　about　him　an　atmosphere　of　hope　and　cheerfulness；　and

nowhere　did　the　sunshine　of　her　love　seem　so　bright　as　when

lighting　up　the　couch　of　her　invalid　husband。



Nor　was　he　unconscious　of　her　worth。　　In　one　of　his　letters　to

her；　when　absent　from　his　side；　Hood　said：　〃I　never　was　anything；

Dearest；　till　I　knew　you；　and　I　have　been　a　better；　happier；　and

more　prosperous　man　ever　since。　　Lay　by　that　truth　in　lavender；

Sweetest；　and　remind　me　of　it　when　I　fail。　　I　am　writing　warmly

and　fondly；　but　not　without　good　cause。　　First；　your　own

affectionate　letter；　lately　received；　next；　the　remembrance　of　our

dear　children；　pledgeswhat　darling　ones！of　our　old　familiar

love；　then；　a　delicious　impulse　to　pour　out　the　overflowings　of　my

heart　into　yours；　and　last；　not　least；　the　knowledge　that　your

dear　eyes　will　read　what　my　hand　is　now　writing。　　Perhaps　there　is

an　afterthought　that；　whatever　may　befall　me；　the　wife　of　my　bosom

will　have　the　acknowledgment　of　her　tenderness；　worth；　excellence

all　that　is　wifely　or　womanly；　from　my　pen。〃　　In　another　letter；

also　written　to　his　wife　during　a　brief　absence；　there　is　a

natural　touch；　showing　his　deep　affection　for　her：　〃I　went　and

retraced　our　walk　in　the　park；　and　sat　down　on　the　same　seat；　and

felt　happier　and　better。〃



But　not　only　was　Mrs。　Hood　a　consoler；　she　was　also　a　helper　of

her　husband　in　his　special　work。　　He　had　such　confidence　in　her

judgment；　that　he　read；　and　re…read；　and　corrected　with　her

assistance　all　that　he　wrote。　　Many　of　his　pieces　were　first

dedicated　to　her；　and　her　ready　memory　often　supplied　him　with

the　necessary　references　and　quotations。　　Thus；　in　the　roll

of　noble　wives　of　men　of　genius；　Mrs。　Hood　will　always　be

entitled　to　take　a　foremost　place。



Not　less　effective　as　a　literary　helper　was　Lady　Napier；　the　wife

of　Sir　William　Napier；　historian　of　the　Peninsular　War。　　She

encouraged　him　to　undertake　the　work；　and　without　her　help　he

would　have　experienced　great　difficulty　in　completing　it。　　She

translated　and　epitomized　the　immense　mass　of　original　documents；

many　of　them　in　cipher；　on　which　it　was　in　a　great　me