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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