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for；　at　that　time；　I　thought　it　extremely　probable；　from　the

daring　and　dangerous　career　I　was　determined　to　run；　that　she

would　one　day　find　herself　in　the　situation　of　Lady　Russell；　her

husband　without　a　head：〃　Speaking　of　his　wife　in　connection　with

the　fact；　Mr。　Adams　added：　〃Like　Lady　Russell；　she　never；　by　word

or　look；　discouraged　me　from　running　all　hazards　for　the　salvation

of　my　country's　liberties。　　She　was　willing　to　share　with　me；　and

that　her　children　should　share　with　us　both；　in　all　the　dangerous

consequences　we　had　to　hazard。〃



（17）　'Memoirs　of　the　Life　of　Sir　Samuel　Romily；'　vol。　i。　p。　41。



（18）　It　is　a　singular　circumstance　that　in　the　parish　church　of

St。　Bride；　Fleet　Street；　there　is　a　tablet　on　the　wall　with　an

inscription　to　the　memory　of　Isaac　Romilly；　F。R。S。；　who　died　in

1759；　of　a　broken　heart；　seven　days　after　the　decease　of　a

beloved　wifeCHAMBERS'　BOOK　OF　DAYS；　vol。　ii。　p。　539。



（19）　Mr。　Frank　Buckland　says　〃During　the　long　period　that　Dr。

Buckland　was　engaged　in　writing　the　book　which　I　now　have　the

honour　of　editing；　my　mother　sat　up　night　after　night；　for　weeks

and　months　consecutively；　writing　to　my　father's　dictation；　and

this　often　till　the　sun's　rays；　shining　through　the　shutters　at

early　morn；　warned　the　husband　to　cease　from　thinking；　and　the

wife　to　rest　her　weary　hand。　　Not　only　with　her　pen　did　she

render　material　assistance；　but　her　natural　talent　in　the　use

of　her　pencil　enabled　her　to　give　accurate　illustrations　and

finished　drawings；　many　of　which　are　perpetuated　in　Dr。　Buckland's

works。　　She　was　also　particularly　clever　and　neat　in　mending

broken　fossils；　and　there　are　many　specimens　in　the　Oxford　Museum；

now　exhibiting　their　natural　forms　and　beauty；　which　were　restored

by　her　perseverance　to　shape　from　a　mass　of　broken　and　almost

comminuted　fragments。〃



（20）　Veitch's　'Memoirs　of　Sir　William　Hamilton。'



（21）　The　following　extract　from　Mr。　Veitch's　biography　will　give

one　an　idea　of　the　extraordinary　labours　of　Lady　Hamilton；　to

whose　unfailing　devotion　to　the　service　of　her　husband　the　world

of　intellect　has　been　so　much　indebted：　〃The　number　of　pages

in　her　handwriting；〃　says　Mr。　Veitch；〃filled　with　abstruse

metaphysical　matter；　original　and　quoted；　bristling　with

proportional　and　syllogistic　formulaethat　are　still　preserved；

is　perfectly　marvellous。　　Everything　that　was　sent　to　the　press；

and　all　the　courses　of　lectures；　were　written　by　her；　either　to

dictation；　or　from　a　copy。　　This　work　she　did　in　the　truest　spirit

of　love　and　devotion。　　She　had　a　power；　moreover；　of　keeping　her

husband　up　to　what　he　had　to　do。　　She　contended　wisely　against　a

sort　of　energetic　indolence　which　characterised　him；　and　which；

while　he　was　always　labouring；　made　him　apt　to　put　aside　the　task

actually　before　himsometimes　diverted　by　subjects　of　inquiry

suggested　in　the　course　of　study　on　the　matter　in　hand；　sometimes

discouraged　by　the　difficulty　of　reducing　to　order　the　immense

mass　of　materials　he　had　accumulated　in　connection　with　it。　　Then

her　resolution　and　cheerful　disposition　sustained　and　refreshed

him；　and　never　more　so　than　when；　during　the　last　twelve　years　of

his　life；　his　bodily　strength　was　broken；　and　his　spirit；　though

languid；　yet　ceased　not　from　mental　toil。　　The　truth　is；　that　Sir

William's　marriage；　his　comparatively　limited　circumstances；　and

the　character　of　his　wife；　supplied　to　a　nature　that　would　have

been　contented　to　spend　its　mighty　energies　in　work　that　brought

no　reward　but　in　the　doing　of　it；　and　that　might　never　have　been

made　publicly　known　or　available；　the　practical　force　and　impulse

which　enabled　him　to　accomplish　what　he　actually　did　in　literature

and　philosophy。　　It　was　this　influence；　without　doubt；　which　saved

him　from　utter　absorption　in　his　world　of　rare；　noble；　and

elevated；　but　ever…increasingly　unattainable　ideas。　　But　for　it；

the　serene　sea　of　abstract　thought　might　have　held　him　becalmed

for　life；　and　in　the　absence　of　all　utterance　of　definite

knowledge　of　his　conclusions；　the　world　might　have　been　left　to　an

ignorant　and　mysterious　wonder　about　the　unprofitable　scholar。〃







CHAPTER　XIITHE　DISCIPLINE　OF　EXPERIENCE。







　　　　　　〃I　would　the　great　would　grow　like　thee。

　　　　　　　　Who　grewest　not　alone　in　power

　　　　　　　　And　knowledge；　but　by　year　and　hour

　　　　　　In　reverence　and　in　charity。〃TENNYSON。



　　　　　　〃Not　to　be　unhappy　is　unhappynesse；

　　　　　　And　misery　not　t'have　known　miserie；

　　　　　　For　the　best　way　unto　discretion　is

　　　　　　The　way　that　leades　us　by　adversitie；

　　　　　　And　men　are　better　shew'd　what　is　amisse；

　　　　　　By　th'expert　finger　of　calamitie；

　　　　　　Than　they　can　be　with　all　that　fortune　brings；

　　　　　　Who　never　shewes　them　the　true　face　of　things。〃DANIEL。



　　　　　　〃A　lump　of　wo　affliction　is；

　　　　　　Yet　thence　I　borrow　lumps　of　bliss；

　　　　　　Though　few　can　see　a　blessing　in't；

　　　　　　It　is　my　furnace　and　my　mint。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　ERSKINE'S　GOSPEL　SONNETS。



　　　　〃Crosses　grow　anchors；　bear　as　thou　shouldst　so

　　　　Thy　cross；　and　that　cross　grows　an　anchor　too。〃DONNE。



　　　　　　　　〃Be　the　day　weary；　or　be　the　day　long；

　　　　　　　　At　length　it　ringeth　to　Evensong。〃ANCIENT　COUPLET。





Practical　wisdom　is　only　to　be　learnt　in　the　school　of　experience。

Precepts　and　instructions　are　useful　so　far　as　they　go；　but；

without　the　discipline　of　real　life；　they　remain　of　the　nature　of

theory　only。　　The　hard　facts　of　existence　have　to　be　faced；　to

give　that　touch　of　truth　to　character　which　can　never　be　imparted

by　reading　or　tuition；　but　only　by　contact　with　the　broad

instincts　of　common　men　and　women。



To　be　worth　anything；　character　must　be　capable　of　standing　firm

upon　its　feet　in　the　world　of　daily　work；　temptation；　and　trial；

and　able　to　bear　the　wear…and…tear　of　actual　life。　　Cloistered

virtues　do　not　count　for　much。　　The　life　that　rejoices　in　solitude

may　be　only　rejoicing　in　selfishness。　　Seclusion　may　indicate

contempt　for　others；　though　more　usually　it　means　indolence；

cowardice；　or　self…indulgence。　　To　every　human　being　belongs　his

fair　share　of　manful　toil　and　human　duty；　and　it　cannot　be　shirked

without　loss　to　the　individual　himself；　as　well　as　to　the

community　to　which　he　belongs。　　It　is　only　by　mixing　in　the　daily

life　of　the　world；　and　taking　part　in　its　affairs；　that　practical

knowledge　can　be　acquired；　and　wisdom　learnt。　　It　is　there　that　we

find　our　chief　sphere　of　duty；　that　we　learn　the　discipline　of

work；　and　that　we　educate　ourselves　in　that　patience；　diligence；

and　endurance　which　shape　and　consolidate　the　character。　　There　we

encounter　the　difficulties；　trials；　and　temptations　which；

according　as　we　deal　with　them；　give　a　colour　to　our　entire　after…

life；　and　there；　too；　we　become　subject　to　the　great　discipline　of

suffering；　from　which　we　learn　far　more　than　from　the　safe

seclusion　of　the　study　or　the　cloister。



Contact　with　others　is　also　requisite　to　enable　a　man　to　know

himself。　　It　is　only　by　mixing　freely　in　the　world　that　one　can

form　a　proper　estimate　of　his　own　capacity。　　Without　such

experience；　one　is　apt　to　become　conceited；　puffed…up；　and

arrogant；　at　all　events；　he　will　remain　ignorant　of　himself；

though　he　may　heretofore　have　enjoyed　no　other　company。



Swift　once　said：　〃It　is　an　uncontroverted　truth；　that　no　man　ever

made　an　ill…figure　who　understood　his　own　talents；　nor　a　good　one

who　mistook　them。〃　　Many　persons；　however；　are　readier　to　take

measure　of　the　capacity　of　others　than　of　themselves。　　〃Bring　him

to　me；〃　said　a　certain　Dr。　Tronchin；　of　Geneva；　speaking　of

Rousseau〃Bring　him　to　me；　that　I　may　see　whether　he　has　got

anything　in　him！〃the　probability　being　that　Rousseau；　who　knew

himself　better；　was　much　more　likely　to　take　measure　of　Tronchin

than　Tronchin　was　to　take　measure　of　him。



A　due　amount　of　self…knowledge　is；　therefore；　necessary　for　those

who　would　BE　anything　or　DO　anything　in　the　world。　　It　is　also　one

of　the　first　essentials　to　the　formation　of　distinct　personal

convictions。　　Frederic　Perthes　once　said　to　a　young　friend：　〃You

know　only　too　well　what　you　CAN　do；　but　till　you　have　learned　what

you　CANNOT　do；　you　will　neither　accomplish　anything　of　moment；　nor

know　inward　peace。〃



Any　one　who　would　profit　by　experience　will　never　be　above　asking

for　help。　　He　who　thinks　himself　already　too　wise　to　learn　of

others；　will　never　succeed　in　doing　anything　either　good　or　great。

We　have　to　keep　our　minds　and　hearts　open；　and　never　be　ashamed　to

learn；　with　the　assistance　of　those　who　are　wiser　and　more

experienced　than　ourselves。



The　man　made　wise　by　experience　endeavours　to　judge　correctly　of

the　thugs　which　come　under　his　observation；　and　form　the　subject

of　his　daily　life。　　What　we　call　common　sense　is；　for　the　most

part；　but　the　result　of　common　experience　wisely　improved。　　Nor　is

great　ability　necessary　to　acquire　it；　so　much　as　patience；

accuracy；　and　watchfulness。　　Hazlitt　thought　the　most　sensible

people　to　be　met　with　are　intelligent　men　of　business　and　of　the

world；　who　argue　from　what　they　see　and　know；　instead　of　spinning

cobweb　distinctions　of　what　things　ought　to　be。



For　the　same　reason；　women　often　display　more　good　sense　than　men；

having　fewer　pretensions；　and　judging　of　things　naturally；　by　the

involuntary　impression　they　make　on　the　mind。　　Their　intuitive

powers　are　quicker；　their　perceptions　more　acute；　their　sympathies

more　lively；　and　their　manners　more　adaptive　to　particular　ends。

Hence　their　greater　tact　as　displayed　in　the　management　of　others；

women　of　apparently　slender　intellectual　powers　often　contriving

to　control　and　regulate　the　conduct　of　men　of　even　the　most

impracticable　nature。　　Pope　paid　a　high　compliment　to　the

tact　and　good　sense　of　Mary；　Queen　of　William　III。；　when

he　described　her　as　possessing；　not　a　science；　but　（what　was

worth　all　else）　prudence。