character-第43部分

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！



unjust　things　said　of　them　without　indulging　in　undue　resentment；

and　avoiding　worreting；　petty；　and　self…tormenting　cares。　　An

intimate　friend　of　Lord　Palmerston；　who　observed　him　closely　for

twenty　years；　has　said　that　he　never　saw　him　angry；　with　perhaps

one　exception；　and　that　was　when　the　ministry　responsible　for　the

calamity　in　Affghanistan；　of　which　he　was　one；　were　unjustly

accused　by　their　opponents　of　falsehood；　perjury；　and　wilful

mutilation　of　public　documents。



So　far　as　can　be　learnt　from　biography；　men　of　the　greatest　genius

have　been　for　the　most　part　cheerful；　contented　mennot　eager

for　reputation；　money；　or　powerbut　relishing　life；　and　keenly

susceptible　of　enjoyment；　as　we　find　reflected　in　their　works。

Such　seem　to　have　been　Homer；　Horace；　Virgil；　Montaigne；

Shakspeare；　Cervantes。　　Healthy　serene　cheerfulness　is　apparent　in

their　great　creations。　　Among　the　same　class　of　cheerful…minded

men　may　also　be　mentioned　Luther；　More；　Bacon；　Leonardo　da　Vinci；

Raphael；　and　Michael　Angelo。　　Perhaps　they　were　happy　because

constantly　occupied；　and　in　the　pleasantest　of　all　workthat　of

creating　out　of　the　fulness　and　richness　of　their　great　minds。



Milton；　too；　though　a　man　of　many　trials　and　sufferings；　must

have　been　a　man　of　great　cheerfulness　and　elasticity　of　nature。

Though　overtaken　by　blindness；　deserted　by　friends；　and　fallen

upon　evil　days〃darkness　before　and　danger's　voice　behind〃

yet　did　he　not　bate　heart　or　hope；　but　〃still　bore　up　and

steered　right　onward。〃



Henry　Fielding　was　a　man　borne　down　through　life　by　debt；　and

difficulty；　and　bodily　suffering；　and　yet　Lady　Mary　Wortley

Montague　has　said　of　him　that；　by　virtue　of　his　cheerful

disposition；　she　was　persuaded　he　〃had　known　more　happy　moments

than　any　person　on　earth。〃



Dr。　Johnson；　through　all　his　trials　and　sufferings　and　hard　fights

with　fortune；　was　a　courageous　and　cheerful…natured　man。　　He

manfully　made　the　best　of　life；　and　tried　to　be　glad　in　it。　　Once；

when　a　clergyman　was　complaining　of　the　dulness　of　society　in　the

country；　saying　〃they　only　talk　of　runts〃　（young　cows）；　Johnson

felt　flattered　by　the　observation　of　Mrs。　Thrale's　mother；　who

said；　〃Sir；　Dr。　Johnson　would　learn　to　talk　of　runts〃meaning

that　he　was　a　man　who　would　make　the　most　of　his　situation；

whatever　it　was。



Johnson　was　of　opinion　that　a　man　grew　better　as　he　grew　older；

and　that　his　nature　mellowed　with　age。　　This　is　certainly　a　much

more　cheerful　view　of　human　nature　than　that　of　Lord　Chesterfield；

who　saw　life　through　the　eyes　of　a　cynic；　and　held　that　〃the　heart

never　grows　better　by　age：　it　only　grows　harder。〃　　But　both

sayings　may　be　true　according　to　the　point　from　which　life　is

viewed；　and　the　temper　by　which　a　man　is　governed；　for　while　the

good；　profiting　by　experience；　and　disciplining　themselves　by

self…control；　will　grow　better；　the　ill…conditioned；　uninfluenced

by　experience；　will　only　grow　worse。



Sir　Walter　Scott　was　a　man　full　of　the　milk　of　human　kindness。

Everybody　loved　him。　　He　was　never　five　minutes　in　a　room　ere　the

little　pets　of　the　family；　whether　dumb　or　lisping；　had　found　out

his　kindness　for　all　their　generation。　　Scott　related　to　Captain

Basil　Hall　an　incident　of　his　boyhood　which　showed　the　tenderness

of　his　nature。　　One　day；　a　dog　coming　towards　him；　he　took　up　a

big　stone；　threw　it；　and　hit　the　dog。　　The　poor　creature　had

strength　enough　left　to　crawl　up　to　him　and　lick　his　feet；

although　he　saw　its　leg　was　broken。　　The　incident；　he　said；　had

given　him　the　bitterest　remorse　in　his　after…life；　but　he　added；

〃An　early　circumstance　of　that　kind；　properly　reflected　on；

is　calculated　to　have　the　best　effect　on　one's　character

throughout　life。〃



〃Give　me　an　honest　laugher；〃　Scott　would　say；　and　he　himself

laughed　the　heart's　laugh。　　He　had　a　kind　word　for　everybody；　and

his　kindness　acted　all　round　him　like　a　contagion；　dispelling　the

reserve　and　awe　which　his　great　name　was　calculated　to　inspire。

〃He'll　come　here；〃　said　the　keeper　of　the　ruins　of　Melrose　Abbey

to　Washington　Irving〃he'll　come　here　some…times；　wi'　great

folks　in　his　company；　and　the　first　I'll　know　of　it　is　hearing　his

voice　calling　out；　'Johnny！　Johnny　Bower！'　　And　when　I　go　out　I'm

sure　to　be　greeted　wi'　a　joke　or　a　pleasant　word。　　He'll　stand　and

crack　and　laugh　wi'　me；　just　like　an　auld　wife；　and　to　think　that

of　a　man　that　has　SUCH　AN　AWFU'　KNOWLEDGE　O'　HISTORY！〃



Dr。　Arnold　was　a　man　of　the　same　hearty　cordiality　of　manner

full　of　human　sympathy。　　There　was　not　a　particle　of　affectation

or　pretence　of　condescension　about　him。　　〃I　never　knew　such　a

humble　man　as　the　doctor；〃　said　the　parish　clerk　at　Laleham；　〃he

comes　and　shakes　us　by　the　hand　as　if　he　was　one　of　us。〃　　〃He　used

to　come　into　my　house；〃　said　an　old　woman　near　Fox　How；　〃and　talk

to　me　as　if　I　were　a　lady。〃



Sydney　Smith　was　another　illustration　of　the　power　of

cheerfulness。　　He　was　ever　ready　to　look　on　the　bright　side　of

things；　the　darkest　cloud　had　to　him　its　silver　lining。　　Whether

working　as　country　curate；　or　as　parish　rector；　he　was　always

kind；　laborious；　patient；　and　exemplary；　exhibiting　in　every

sphere　of　life　the　spirit　of　a　Christian；　the　kindness　of　a

pastor；　and　the　honour　of　a　gentleman。　　In　his　leisure　he　employed

his　pen　on　the　side　of　justice；　freedom；　education；　toleration；

emancipation；　and　his　writings；　though　full　of　common…sense　and

bright　humour；　are　never　vulgar；　nor　did　he　ever　pander　to

popularity　or　prejudice。　　His　good　spirits；　thanks　to　his　natural

vivacity　and　stamina　of　constitution；　never　forsook　him；　and　in

his　old　age；　when　borne　down　by　disease；　he　wrote　to　a　friend：　〃I

have　gout；　asthma；　and　seven　other　maladies；　but　am　otherwise　very

well。〃　　In　one　of　the　last　letters　he　wrote　to　Lady　Carlisle；　he

said：　〃If　you　hear　of　sixteen　or　eighteen　pounds　of　flesh　wanting

an　owner；　they　belong　to　me。　　I　look　as　if　a　curate　had　been

taken　out　of　me。〃



Great　men　of　science　have　for　the　most　part　been　patient；

laborious；　cheerful…minded　men。　　Such　were　Galileo；　Descartes；

Newton；　and　Laplace。　　Euler　the　mathematician；　one　of　the　greatest

of　natural　philosophers；　was　a　distinguished　instance。　　Towards

the　close　of　his　life　he　became　completely　blind；　but　he　went　on

writing　as　cheerfully　as　before；　supplying　the　want　of　sight　by

various　ingenious　mechanical　devices；　and　by　the　increased

cultivation　of　his　memory；　which　became　exceedingly　tenacious。

His　chief　pleasure　was　in　the　society　of　his　grandchildren；　to

whom　he　taught　their　little　lessons　in　the　intervals　of　his

severer　studies。



In　like　manner；　Professor　Robison　of　Edinburgh；　the　first　editor

of　the　'Encyclopaedia　Britannica；'　when　disabled　from　work　by　a

lingering　and　painful　disorder；　found　his　chief　pleasure　in　the

society　of　his　grandchild。　　〃I　am　infinitely　delighted；〃　he　wrote

to　James　Watt；　〃with　observing　the　growth　of　its　little　soul；　and

particularly　with　its　numberless　instincts；　which　formerly　passed

unheeded。　　I　thank　the　French　theorists　for　more　forcibly

directing　my　attention　to　the　finger　of　God；　which　I　discern　in

every　awkward　movement　and　every　wayward　whim。　　They　are　all

guardians　of　his　life　and　growth　and　power。　　I　regret　indeed

that　I　have　not　time　to　make　infancy　and　the　development　of

its　powers　my　sole　study。〃



One　of　the　sorest　trials　of　a　man's　temper　and　patience　was　that

which　befell　Abauzit；　the　natural　philosopher；　while　residing　at

Geneva；　resembling　in　many　respects　a　similar　calamity　which

occurred　to　Newton；　and　which　he　bore　with　equal　resignation。

Amongst　other　things；　Abauzit　devoted　much　study　to　the　barometer

and　its　variations；　with　the　object　of　deducing　the　general　laws

which　regulated　atmospheric　pressure。　　During　twenty…seven　years

he　made　numerous　observations　daily；　recording　them　on　sheets

prepared　for　the　purpose。　　One　day；　when　a　new　servant　was

installed　in　the　house；　she　immediately　proceeded　to　display　her

zeal　by　〃putting　things　to…rights。〃　　Abauzit's　study；　amongst

other　rooms；　was　made　tidy　and　set　in　order。　　When　he　entered　it；

he　asked　of　the　servant；　〃What　have　you　done　with　the　paper　that

was　round　the　barometer？〃　　〃Oh；　sir；〃　was　the　reply；　〃it　was　so

dirty　that　I　burnt　it；　and　put　in　its　place　this　paper；　which　you

will　see　is　quite　new。〃　　Abauzit　crossed　his　arms；　and　after　some

moments　of　internal　struggle；　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　calmness　and

resignation：　〃You　have　destroyed　the　results　of　twenty…seven　years

labour；　in　future　touch　nothing　whatever　in　this　room。〃



The　study　of　natural　history　more　than　that　of　any　other　branch　of

science；　seems　to　be　accompanied　by　unusual　cheerfulness　and

equanimity　of　temper　on　the　part　of　its　votaries；　the　result　of

which　is；　that　the　life　of　naturalists　is　on　the　whole　more

prolonged　than　that　of　any　other　class　of　men　of　science。　　A

member　of　the　Linnaean　Society　has　informed　us　that　of　fourteen

members　who　died　in　1870；　two　were　over　ninety；　five　were　over

eighty；　and　two　were　over　seventy。　　The　average　age　of　all　the

members　who　died　in　that　year　was　seventy…five。



Adanson；　the　French　botanist；　was　about　seventy　years　old　when　the

Revolution　broke　out；　and　amidst　the　shock　he　lost　everything

his　fortune；　his　places；　and　his　gardens。　　But　his　patience；

courage；　and　resignation　never　forsook　him。　　He　became　reduced　to

the　greatest　straits；　and　even　wanted　food　and　clothing；　yet　his

ardour　of　investigation　remained　the　same。　　Once；　when　the

Institute　invited　him；　as　being　one　of　its　oldest　members；　to

assist　at　a　SEANCE；　his　answer　was　that　he　regretted　he　could　not

attend　for　want　of　shoes。　　〃It　was　a　touching　sight；〃　says　Cuvier；

〃to　see　the　poor　old　man；　bent　over　the　embers　of　a　decaying　fire；

trying　to　trace　characters　with　a　feeble　hand　on　the　little　bit　of

paper　which　he　held；　forgetting　all　the　pains　of　life　in　some　new

id