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character-第43章

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most serviceable to mankind。  Depend upon it; honest and bold

things require to be said to the lower as well as the higher

classes; and the former are in these times much less likely to

have; such things addressed to them。〃…Claims of Labour; pp。 253…4。



(8) 'Memoirs of Colonel Hutchinson' (Bohn's Ed。); p。 32。



(9) At a public meeting held at Worcester; in 1867; in recognition of

Sir J。 Pakington's services as Chairman of Quarter Sessions for a

period of twenty…four years; the following remarks; made by Sir

John on the occasion; are just and valuable as they are modest:…

〃I am indebted for whatever measure of success I have attained in

my public life; to a combination of moderate abilities; with

honesty of intention; firmness of purpose; and steadiness of

conduct。  If I were to offer advice to any young man anxious to

make himself useful in public life; I would sum up the results of

my experience in three short rulesrules so simple that any man

may understand them; and so easy that any man may act upon them。

My first rule would beleave it to others to judge of what

duties you are capable; and for what position you are fitted; but

never refuse to give your services in whatever capacity it may be

the opinion of others who are competent to judge that you may

benefit your neighbours or your country。  My second rule iswhen

you agree to undertake public duties; concentrate every energy and

faculty in your possession with the determination to discharge

those duties to the best of your ability。  Lastly; I would counsel

you that; in deciding on the line which you will take in public

affairs; you should be guided in your decision by that which;

after mature deliberation; you believe to be right; and not by

that which; in the passing hour; may happen to be fashionable

or popular。〃



(10) The following illustration of one of his minute acts of kindness

is given in his biography:… 〃He was one day taking a long country

walk near Freshford; when he met a little girl; about five years

old; sobbing over a broken bowl; she had dropped and broken it in

bringing it back from the field to which she had taken her

father's dinner in it; and she said she would be beaten on her

return home for having broken it; when; with a sudden gleam of

hope; she innocently looked up into his face; and said; 'But yee

can mend it; can't ee?'



〃My father explained that he could not mend the bowl; but the

trouble he could; by the gift of a sixpence to buy another。

However; on opening his purse it was empty of silver; and he had

to make amends by promising to meet his little friend in the same

spot at the same hour next day; and to bring the sixpence with

him; bidding her; meanwhile; tell her mother she had seen a

gentleman who would bring her the money for the bowl next day。

The child; entirely trusting him; went on her way comforted。  On

his return home he found an invitation awaiting him to dine in

Bath the following evening; to meet some one whom he specially

wished to see。  He hesitated for some little time; trying to

calculate the possibility of giving the meeting to his little

friend of the broken bowl and of still being in time for the

dinner…party in Bath; but finding this could not be; he wrote to

decline accepting the invitation on the plea of 'a pre…

engagement;' saying to us; 'I cannot disappoint her; she trusted

me so implicitly。'〃



(11) Miss Florence Nightingale has related the following incident as

having occurred before Sebastopol:… 〃I remember a sergeant who; on

picket; the rest of the picket killed and himself battered about

the head; stumbled back to camp; and on his way picked up a

wounded man and brought him in on his shoulders to the lines;

where he fell down insensible。  When; after many hours; he

recovered his senses; I believe after trepanning; his first words

were to ask after his comrade; 'Is he alive?' 'Comrade; indeed;

yes; he's aliveit is the general。' At that moment the general;

though badly wounded; appeared at the bedside。  'Oh; general; it's

you; is it; I brought in? I'm so glad; I didn't know your honour。

But; …; if I'd known it was you; I'd have saved you all the

same。' This is the true soldier's spirit。〃



In the same letter; Miss Nightingale says: 〃England; from her

grand mercantile and commercial successes; has been called sordid;

God knows she is not。  The simple courage; the enduring patience;

the good sense; the strength to suffer in silencewhat nation

shows more of this in war than is shown by her commonest soldier?

I have seen men dying of dysentery; but scorning to report

themselves sick lest they should thereby throw more labour on

their comrades; go down to the trenches and make the trenches

their deathbed。  There is nothing in history to compare with it。。。。



Say what men will; there is something more truly Christian in the

man who gives his time; his strength; his life; if need be; for

something not himselfwhether he call it his Queen; his country;

or his coloursthan in all the asceticism; the fasts; the

humiliations; and confessions which have ever been made: and this

spirit of giving one's life; without calling it a sacrifice; is

found nowhere so truly as in England。〃



(12) Mrs。 Grote's 'Life of Ary Scheffer;' pp。 154…5。



(13) The sufferings of this noble woman; together with those of her

unfortunate husband; were touchingly described in a letter

afterwards addressed by her to a female friend; which was

published some years ago at Haarlem; entitled; 'Gertrude von der

Wart; or; Fidelity unto Death。' Mrs。 Hemans wrote a poem of great

pathos and beauty; commemorating the sad story in her 'Records of

Woman。'







CHAPTER VI。SELF…CONTROL。







〃Honour and profit do not always lie in the same sack。〃GEORGE

HERBERT。



〃The government of one's self is the only true freedom for the

Individual。〃FREDERICK PERTHES。



〃It is in length of patience; and endurance; and forbearance; that

so much of what is good in mankind and womankind is shown。〃

ARTHUR HELPS。



                      〃Temperance; proof

      Against all trials; industry severe

      And constant as the motion of the day;

      Stern self…denial round him spread; with shade

      That might be deemed forbidding; did not there

      All generous feelings flourish and rejoice;

      Forbearance; charity indeed and thought;

      And resolution competent to take

      Out of the bosom of simplicity

      All that her holy customs recommend。〃WORDSWORTH。





Self…control is only courage under another form。  It may almost be

regarded as the primary essence of character。  It is in virtue of

this quality that Shakspeare defines man as a being 〃looking

before and after。〃  It forms the chief distinction between man

and the mere animal; and; indeed; there can be no true manhood

without it。



Self…control is at the root of all the virtues。  Let a man give

the reins to his impulses and passio
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