按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
melancholy that I wished I had not spoken。 〃What is the loss of
fortune to the loss of peace of mind？〃 I continued。 〃In short；〃
said he； playfully； 〃you will make it out that there is no harm in
a man's being plunged over…head…and…ears in a debt he cannot
remove。〃 〃Much depends； I think； on how it was incurred； and what
efforts are made to redeem itat least； if the sufferer be a
rightminded man。〃 〃I hope it does；〃 he said； cheerfully and
firmly。FRAGMENTS OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS； 3rd series； pp。 308…9。
（18） 〃These battles；〃 he wrote in his Diary； 〃have been the death of
many a man； I think they will be mine。〃
（19） Scott's Diary； December 17th； 1827。
CHAPTER VII。DUTYTRUTHFULNESS。
〃I slept； and dreamt that life was Beauty；
I woke； and found that life was Duty。〃
〃Duty！ wondrous thought； that workest neither by fond insinuation；
flattery； nor by any threat； but merely by holding up thy naked
law in the soul； and so extorting for thyself always reverence； if
not always obedience； before whom all appetites are dumb； however
secretly they rebel〃KANT。
〃How happy is he born and taught；
That serveth not another's will！
Whose armour is his honest thought；
And simple truth his utmost skill！
〃Whose passions not his masters are；
Whose soul is still prepared for death；
Unti'd unto the world by care
Of public fame； or private breath。
〃This man is freed from servile bands；
Of hope to rise； or fear to fall：
Lord of himself； though not of land；
And having nothing； yet hath all。〃WOTTON。
〃His nay was nay without recall；
His yea was yea； and powerful all；
He gave his yea with careful heed；
His thoughts and words were well agreed；
His word； his bond and seal。〃
INSCRIPTION ON BARON STEIN'S TOMB。
DUTY is a thing that is due； and must be paid by every man who
would avoid present discredit and eventual moral insolvency。 It
is an obligationa debtwhich can only be discharged by
voluntary effort and resolute action in the affairs of life。
Duty embraces man's whole existence。 It begins in the home； where
there is the duty which children owe to their parents on the one
hand； and the duty which parents owe to their children on the
other。 There are； in like manner； the respective duties of
husbands and wives； of masters and servants； while outside the
home there are the duties which men and women owe to each other as
friends and neighbours； as employers and employed； as governors
and governed。
〃Render； therefore；〃 says St。 Paul； 〃to all their dues： tribute to
whom tribute is due； custom to whom custom； fear to whom fear；
honour to whom honour。 Owe no man anything； but to love one
another； for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law；〃
Thus duty rounds the whole of life； from our entrance into it
until our exit from itduty to superiors； duty to inferiors； and
duty to equalsduty to man； and duty to God。 Wherever there is
power to use or to direct； there is duty。 For we are but as
stewards； appointed to employ the means entrusted to us for our
own and for others' good。
The abiding sense of duty is the very crown of character。 It is
the upholding law of man in his highest attitudes。 Without it；
the individual totters and falls before the first puff of
adversity or temptation； whereas； inspired by it； the weakest
becomes strong and full of courage。 〃Duty；〃 says Mrs。 Jameson；
〃is the cement which binds the whole moral edifice together；
without which； all power； goodness； intellect； truth； happiness；
love itself； can have no permanence； but all the fabric of
existence crumbles away from under us； and leaves us at last
sitting in the midst of a ruin； astonished at our own desolation。〃
Duty is based upon a sense of justicejustice inspired by love；
which is the most perfect form of goodness。 Duty is not a
sentiment； but a principle pervading the life： and it exhibits
itself in conduct and in acts； which are mainly determined by
man's conscience and freewill。
The voice of conscience speaks in duty done； and without its
regulating and controlling influence； the brightest and greatest
intellect may be merely as a light that leads astray。 Conscience
sets a man upon his feet； while his will holds him upright。
Conscience is the moral governor of the heartthe governor of
right action； of right thought； of right faith； of right life
and only through its dominating influence can the noble and
upright character be fully developed。
The conscience； however； may speak never so loudly； but without
energetic will it may speak in vain。 The will is free to choose
between the right course and the wrong one； but the choice is
nothing unless followed by immediate and decisive action。 If the
sense of duty be strong； and the course of action clear； the
courageous will； upheld by the conscience； enables a man to
proceed on his course bravely； and to accomplish his purposes in
the face of all opposition and difficulty。 And should failure be
the issue； there will remain at least this satisfaction； that it
has been in the cause of duty。
〃Be and continue poor； young man；〃 said Heinzelmann；〃 while others
around you grow rich by fraud and disloyalty； be without place or
power while others beg their way upwards； bear the pain of
disappointed hopes； while others gain the accomplishment of theirs
by flattery； forego the gracious pressure of the hand； for which
others cringe and crawl。 Wrap yourself in your own virtue； and
seek a friend and your daily bread。 If you have in your own cause
grown gray with unbleached honour； bless God and die！〃
Men inspired by high principles are often required to sacrifice
all that they esteem and love rather than fail in their duty。
The old English idea of this sublime devotion to duty was expressed
by the loyalist poet to his sweetheart； on taking up arms for
his sovereign：…
〃I could love thee； dear； so much；
Loved I not honour more。' （1）
And Sertorius has said： 〃The man who has any dignity of character；
should conquer with honour； and not use any base means even to
save his life。〃 So St。 Paul； inspired by duty and faith； declared
himself as not only 〃ready to be bound； but to die at Jerusalem。〃
When the Marquis of Pescara was entreated by the princes of Italy
to desert the Spanish cause； to which he was in honour bound； his
noble wife； Vittoria Colonna； reminded him of his duty。 She wrote
to him： 〃Remember your honour； which raises you above fortune and
above kings； by that alone； and not by the splendour of titles； is
glory acquiredthat glory which it will be your happiness and
pride to transmit unspotted to your posterity。〃 Such was the
dignified vie