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Courage is by no means incompatible with tenderness。 On the
contrary； gentleness and tenderness have been found to
characterise the men； not less than the women； who have done the
most courageous deeds。 Sir Charles Napier gave up sporting；
because he could not bear to hurt dumb creatures。 The same
gentleness and tenderness characterised his brother； Sir William；
the historian of the Peninsular War。 （10） Such also was the
character of Sir James Outram； pronounced by Sir Charles Napier to
be 〃the Bayard of India； SANS PEUR ET SANS REPROCHE〃one of the
bravest and yet gentlest of men； respectful and reverent to women；
tender to children； helpful of the weak； stern to the corrupt； but
kindly as summer to the honest and deserving。 Moreover； he was
himself as honest as day； and as pure as virtue。 Of him it might
be said with truth； what Fulke Greville said of Sidney： 〃He was a
true model of wortha man fit for conquest； reformation；
plantation； or what action soever is the greatest and hardest
among men； his chief ends withal being above all things the good
of his fellows； and the service of his sovereign and country。〃
When Edward the Black Prince won the Battle of Poictiers； in which
he took prisoner the French king and his son； he entertained them
in the evening at a banquet； when he insisted on waiting upon and
serving them at table。 The gallant prince's knightly courtesy and
demeanour won the hearts of his captives as completely as his
valour had won their persons； for； notwithstanding his youth；
Edward was a true knight； the first and bravest of his timea
noble pattern and example of chivalry； his two mottoes； 'Hochmuth'
and 'Ich dien' （high spirit and reverent service） not inaptly
expressing his prominent and pervading qualities。
It is the courageous man who can best afford to be generous； or
rather； it is his nature to be so。 When Fairfax； at the Battle of
Naseby； seized the colours from an ensign whom he had struck down
in the fight； he handed them to a common soldier to take care of。
The soldier； unable to resist the temptation； boasted to his
comrades that he had himself seized the colours； and the boast was
repeated to Fairfax。 〃Let him retain the honour；〃 said the
commander； 〃I have enough beside。〃
So when Douglas； at the Battle of Bannockburn； saw Randolph； his
rival； outnumbered and apparently overpowered by the enemy； he
prepared to hasten to his assistance； but； seeing that Randolph
was already driving them back； he cried out； 〃Hold and halt！ We
are come too late to aid them； let us not lessen the victory they
have won by affecting to claim a share in it。〃
Quite as chivalrous； though in a very different field of action；
was the conduct of Laplace to the young philosopher Biot； when the
latter had read to the French Academy his paper； 〃SUR LES
EQUATIONS AUX DIFFERENCE MELEES。〃 The assembled SAVANS； at its
close； felicitated the reader of the paper on his originality。
Monge was delighted at his success。 Laplace also praised him for
the clearness of his demonstrations； and invited Biot to accompany
him home。 Arrived there； Laplace took from a closet in his study
a paper； yellow with age； and handed it to the young philosopher。
To Biot's surprise； he found that it contained the solutions； all
worked out； for which he had just gained so much applause。 With
rare magnanimity； Laplace withheld all knowledge of the
circumstance from Biot until the latter had initiated his
reputation before the Academy； moreover； he enjoined him to
silence； and the incident would have remained a secret had not
Biot himself published it； some fifty years afterwards。
An incident is related of a French artisan； exhibiting the same
characteristic of self…sacrifice in another form。 In front of a
lofty house in course of erection at Paris was the usual scaffold；
loaded with men and materials。 The scaffold； being too weak；
suddenly broke down； and the men upon it were precipitated to the
groundall except two； a young man and a middle…aged one； who
hung on to a narrow ledge； which trembled under their weight； and
was evidently on the point of giving way。 〃Pierre；〃 cried the
elder of the two； 〃let go； I am the father of a family。〃 〃C'EST
JUSTE！〃 said Pierre； and； instantly letting go his hold； he fell
and was killed on the spot。 The father of the family was saved。
The brave man is magnanimous as well as gentle。 He does not take
even an enemy at a disadvantage； nor strike a man when he is down
and unable to defend himself。 Even in the midst of deadly strife
such instances of generosity have not been uncommon。 Thus； at the
Battle of Dettingen； during the heat of the action； a squadron of
French cavalry charged an English regiment； but when the young
French officer who led them； and was about to attack the English
leader； observed that he had only one arm； with which he held his
bridle； the Frenchman saluted him courteously with his sword；
and passed on。 （11）
It is related of Charles V。； that after the siege and capture of
Wittenburg by the Imperialist army； the monarch went to see the
tomb of Luther。 While reading the inscription on it； one of the
servile courtiers who accompanied him proposed to open the grave；
and give the ashes of the 〃heretic〃 to the winds。 The monarch's
cheek flushed with honest indignation： 〃I war not with the dead；〃
said he； 〃let this place be respected。〃
The portrait which the great heathen； Aristotle； drew of the
Magnanimous Man； in other words the True Gentleman； more than two
thousand years ago； is as faithful now as it was then。 〃The
magnanimous man；〃 he said； 〃will behave with moderation under both
good fortune and bad。 He will know how to be exalted and how to
be abased。 He will neither be delighted with success nor grieved
by failure。 He will neither shun danger nor seek it； for there
are few things which he cares for。 He is reticent； and somewhat
slow of speech； but speaks his mind openly and boldly when
occasion calls for it。 He is apt to admire； for nothing is great
to him。 He overlooks injuries。 He is not given to talk about
himself or about others； for he does not care that he himself
should be praised； or that other people should be blamed。 He does
not cry out about trifles； and craves help from none。〃
On the other hand； mean men admire meanly。 They have neither
modesty； generosity； nor magnanimity。 They are ready to take
advantage of the weakness or defencelessness of others； especially
where they have themselves succeeded； by unscrupulous methods； in
climbing to positions of authority。 Snobs in high places are
always much less tolerable than snobs of low degree； because they
have more frequent opportunities of making their want of manliness
felt。 They assume greater airs； and are pretentious in all that
they do； and the higher their elevation； the more conspicuous is
the incongruity of their position。 〃The higher the monkey