第 31 节
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groundall except two; a young man and a middle…aged one; who
hung on to a narrow ledge; which trembled under their weight; and
was evidently on the point of giving way。 〃Pierre;〃 cried the
elder of the two; 〃let go; I am the father of a family。〃 〃C'EST
JUSTE!〃 said Pierre; and; instantly letting go his hold; he fell
and was killed on the spot。 The father of the family was saved。
The brave man is magnanimous as well as gentle。 He does not take
even an enemy at a disadvantage; nor strike a man when he is down
and unable to defend himself。 Even in the midst of deadly strife
such instances of generosity have not been uncommon。 Thus; at the
Battle of Dettingen; during the heat of the action; a squadron of
French cavalry charged an English regiment; but when the young
French officer who led them; and was about to attack the English
leader; observed that he had only one arm; with which he held his
bridle; the Frenchman saluted him courteously with his sword;
and passed on。 (11)
It is related of Charles V。; that after the siege and capture of
Wittenburg by the Imperialist army; the monarch went to see the
tomb of Luther。 While reading the inscription on it; one of the
servile courtiers who accompanied him proposed to open the grave;
and give the ashes of the 〃heretic〃 to the winds。 The monarch's
cheek flushed with honest indignation: 〃I war not with the dead;〃
said he; 〃let this place be respected。〃
The portrait which the great heathen; Aristotle; drew of the
Magnanimous Man; in other words the True Gentleman; more than two
thousand years ago; is as faithful now as it was then。 〃The
magnanimous man;〃 he said; 〃will behave with moderation under both
good fortune and bad。 He will know how to be exalted and how to
be abased。 He will neither be delighted with success nor grieved
by failure。 He will neither shun danger nor seek it; for there
are few things which he cares for。 He is reticent; and somewhat
slow of speech; but speaks his mind openly and boldly when
occasion calls for it。 He is apt to admire; for nothing is great
to him。 He overlooks injuries。 He is not given to talk about
himself or about others; for he does not care that he himself
should be praised; or that other people should be blamed。 He does
not cry out about trifles; and craves help from none。〃
On the other hand; mean men admire meanly。 They have neither
modesty; generosity; nor magnanimity。 They are ready to take
advantage of the weakness or defencelessness of others; especially
where they have themselves succeeded; by unscrupulous methods; in
climbing to positions of authority。 Snobs in high places are
always much less tolerable than snobs of low degree; because they
have more frequent opportunities of making their want of manliness
felt。 They assume greater airs; and are pretentious in all that
they do; and the higher their elevation; the more conspicuous is
the incongruity of their position。 〃The higher the monkey
climbs;〃 says the proverb; 〃the more he shows his tail。〃
Much depends on the way in which a thing is done。 An act which
might be taken as a kindness if done in a generous spirit; when
done in a grudging spirit; may be felt as stingy; if not harsh and
even cruel。 When Ben Jonson lay sick and in poverty; the king
sent him a paltry message; accompanied by a gratuity。 The sturdy
plainspoken poet's reply was: 〃I suppose he sends me this because
I live in an alley; tell him his soul lives in an alley。〃
From what we have said; it will be obvious that to be of an
enduring and courageous spirit; is of great importance in the
formation of character。 It is a source not only of usefulness in
life; but of happiness。 On the other hand; to be of a timid and;
still more; of a cowardly nature is one of the greatest
misfortunes。 A。 wise man was accustomed to say that one of the
principal objects he aimed at in the education of his sons and
daughters was to train them in the habit of fearing nothing so
much as fear。 And the habit of avoiding fear is; doubtless;
capable of being trained like any other habit; such as the habit
of attention; of diligence; of study; or of cheerfulness。
Much of the fear that exists is the offspring of imagination;
which creates the images of evils which MAY happen; but perhaps
rarely do; and thus many persons who are capable of summoning up
courage to grapple with and overcome real dangers; are paralysed
or thrown into consternation by those which are imaginary。 Hence;
unless the imagination be held under strict discipline; we are
prone to meet evils more than halfwayto suffer them by
forestalment; and to assume the burdens which we ourselves create。
Education in courage is not usually included amongst the branches
of female training; and yet it is really of greater importance
than either music; French; or the use of the globes。 Contrary to
the view of Sir Richard Steele; that women should be characterised
by a 〃tender fear;〃 and 〃an inferiority which makes her lovely;〃
we would have women educated in resolution and courage; as a means
of rendering them more helpful; more self…reliant; and vastly more
useful and happy。
There is; indeed; nothing attractive in timidity; nothing loveable
in fear。 All weakness; whether of mind or body; is equivalent to
deformity; and the reverse of interesting。 Courage is graceful
and dignified; whilst fear; in any form; is mean and repulsive。
Yet the utmost tenderness and gentleness are consistent with
courage。 Ary Scheffer; the artist; once wrote to his daughter:…
〃Dear daughter; strive to be of good courage; to be gentle…
hearted; these are the true qualities for woman。 'Troubles'
everybody must expect。 There is but one way of looking at fate
whatever that be; whether blessings or afflictionsto behave
with dignity under both。 We must not lose heart; or it will be
the worse both for ourselves and for those whom we love。
To struggle; and again and again to renew the conflict
THIS is life's inheritance。〃 (12)
In sickness and sorrow; none are braver and less complaining
sufferers than women。 Their courage; where their hearts are
concerned; is indeed proverbial:
〃Oh! femmes c'est a tort qu'on vous nommes timides;
A la voix de vos coeurs vous etes intrepides。〃
Experience has proved that women can be as enduring as men; under
the heaviest trials and calamities; but too little pains are taken
to teach them to endure petty terrors and frivolous vexations with
fortitude。 Such little miseries; if petted and indulged; quickly
run into sickly sensibility; and become the bane of their life;
keeping themselves and those about them in a state of chronic
discomfort。
The best corrective of this condition of mind is wholesome moral
and mental discipline。 Mental strength is as necessary for the
development of woman's character as of man's。 It gives her
capacity to deal with the affairs of life; and presence of mind;
which enable her to act with vigour and effect in moments of
emergency。 Character; in a woman; as in a man; will always be
found the best safeguard of virtue; the best nurse of religion;
the best corrective of Time。 Personal beauty soon passes; but
beauty of mind and character increases in attractiveness
the older it grows。
Ben Jonson gives a striking portraiture of a noble woman in
these lines:…
〃I meant she should be courteous; facile; sweet;
Free from that solemn vice of greatness; pride;
I meant each softed virtue there should meet;
Fit in that softer bosom to abide。
Only a learned and a manly soul;
I purposed her; that should with even powers;
The rock; the spindle; and the shears control
Of destiny; and spin her own free hours。'
The courage of woman is not the less true because it is for the
most part passive。 It is not encouraged by the cheers of the
world; for it is mostly exhibited in the recesses of private life。
Yet there are cases of heroic patience and endurance on the part
of women which occasionally come to the light of day。 One of the
most celebrated instances in history is that of Gertrude Von der
Wart。 Her husband; falsely accused of being an accomplice in the
murder of the Emperor Albert; was condemned to the most frightful
of all punishmentsto be broken alive on the wheel。 With most
profound conviction of her husband's innocence the faithful woman
stood by his side to the last; watching over him during two
days and nights; braving the empress's anger and the inclemency
of the weather; in the hope of contributing to soothe his
dying agonies。 (13)
But women have not only distinguished themselves for their passive
courage: impelled by affection; or the sense of duty; they have
occasionally become heroic。 When the band of conspirators; who
sought the life of James II。 of Scotland; burst into his lodgings
at Perth; the ki