第 64 节
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particular disposition of his artillery; which; in its results;
had a decisive effect in winning the battle; was suggested to his
mind by the recollection of four lines in Milton。 The lines occur
in the sixth book; and are descriptive of Satan's artifice during
the war with Heaven
〃In hollow cube
Training his devilish engin'ry; impal'd
On every side WITH SHADOWING SQUADRONS DEEP
TO HIDE THE FRAUD。〃
〃The indubitable fact;〃 says Mr。 Edwards; in his book 'On
Libraries;' 〃that these lines have a certain appositeness to an
important manoeuvre at Austerlitz; gives an independent interest
to the story; but it is highly imaginative to ascribe the victory
to that manoeuvre。 And for the other preliminaries of the tale;
it is unfortunate that Napoleon had learned a good deal about war
long before he had learned anything about Milton。〃
(15) 'Biographia Literaria;' chap。 i。
(16) Sir John Bowring's 'Memoirs of Bentham;' p。 10。
(17) Notwithstanding recent censures of classical studies as a useless
waste of time; there can be no doubt that they give the highest
finish to intellectual culture。 The ancient classics contain the
most consummate models of literary art; and the greatest writers
have been their most diligent students。 Classical culture was the
instrument with which Erasmus and the Reformers purified Europe。
It distinguished the great patriots of the seventeenth century;
and it has ever since characterised our greatest statesmen。 〃I
know not how it is;〃 says an English writer; 〃but their commerce
with the ancients appears to me to produce; in those who
constantly practise it; a steadying and composing effect upon
their judgment; not of literary works only; but of men and events
in general。 They are like persons who have had a weighty and
impressive experience; they are more truly than others under the
empire of facts; and more independent of the language current
among those with whom they live。〃
(18) Hazlitt's TABLE TALK: 'On Thought and Action。'
CHAPTER XI。COMPANIONSHIP IN MARRIAGE。
〃Kindness in women; not their beauteous looks;
Shall win my love。〃SHAKSPEARE。
〃In the husband Wisdom; In the wife Gentleness。〃GEORGE HERBERT。
〃If God had designed woman as man's master; He would have taken
her from his head; If as his slave; He would have taken her from
his feet; but as He designed her for his companion and equal; He
took her from his side。〃SAINT AUGUSTINE。'DE CIVITATE DEI。'
〃Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above
rubies。。。。 Her husband is known in the gates; and he sitteth
among the elders of the land。。。。 Strength and honour are her
clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come。 She openeth her
mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness。 She
looketh well to the ways of her husband; and eateth not the bread
of idleness。 Her children arise up and call her blessed; her
husband also; and he praiseth her。〃PROVERBS OF SOLOMON。
THE character of men; as of women; is powerfully influenced by
their companionship in all the stages of life。 We have already
spoken of the influence of the mother in forming the character of
her children。 She makes the moral atmosphere in which they live;
and by which their minds and souls are nourished; as their bodies
are by the physical atmosphere they breathe。 And while woman is
the natural cherisher of infancy and the instructor of childhood;
she is also the guide and counsellor of youth; and the confidant
and companion of manhood; in her various relations of mother;
sister; lover; and wife。 In short; the influence of woman more or
less affects; for good or for evil; the entire destinies of man。
The respective social functions and duties of men and women are
clearly defined by nature。 God created man AND woman; each to do
their proper work; each to fill their proper sphere。 Neither can
occupy the position; nor perform the functions; of the other。
Their several vocations are perfectly distinct。 Woman exists on
her own account; as man does on his; at the same time that each
has intimate relations with the other。 Humanity needs both for
the purposes of the race; and in every consideration of social
progress both must necessarily be included。
Though companions and equals; yet; as regards the measure of their
powers; they are unequal。 Man is stronger; more muscular; and of
rougher fibre; woman is more delicate; sensitive; and nervous。
The one excels in power of brain; the other in qualities of heart;
and though the head may rule; it is the heart that influences。
Both are alike adapted for the respective functions they have to
perform in life; and to attempt to impose woman's work upon man
would be quite as absurd as to attempt to impose man's work upon
woman。 Men are sometimes womanlike; and women are sometimes
manlike; but these are only exceptions which prove the rule。
Although man's qualities belong more to the head; and woman's more
to the heartyet it is not less necessary that man's heart
should be cultivated as well as his head; and woman's head
cultivated as well as her heart。 A heartless man is as much out…
of…keeping in civilized society as a stupid and unintelligent
woman。 The cultivation of all parts of the moral and intellectual
nature is requisite to form the man or woman of healthy and well…
balanced character。 Without sympathy or consideration for others;
man were a poor; stunted; sordid; selfish being; and without
cultivated intelligence; the most beautiful woman were little
better than a well…dressed doll。
It used to be a favourite notion about woman; that her weakness
and dependency upon others constituted her principal claim to
admiration。 〃If we were to form an image of dignity in a man;〃
said Sir Richard Steele; 〃we should give him wisdom and valour; as
being essential to the character of manhood。 In like manner; if
you describe a right woman in a laudable sense; she should have
gentle softness; tender fear; and all those parts of life which
distinguish her from the other sex; with some subordination to it;
but an inferiority which makes her lovely。〃 Thus; her weakness
was to be cultivated; rather than her strength; her folly; rather
than her wisdom。 She was to be a weak; fearful; tearful;
characterless; inferior creature; with just sense enough to
understand the soft nothings addressed to her by the 〃superior〃
sex。 She was to be educated as an ornamental appanage of man;
rather as an independent intelligenceor as a wife; mother;
companion; or friend。
Pope; in one of his 'Moral Essays;' asserts that 〃most women have
no characters at all;〃 and again he says:…
〃Ladies; like variegated tulips; show:
'Tis to their changes half their charms we owe;
Fine by defect and delicately weak。〃
This satire characteristically occurs in the poet's 'Epistle to
Martha Blount;' the housekeeper who so tyrannically ruled him; and
in the same verses he spitefully girds at Lady Mary Wortley
Montague; at whose feet he had thrown himself as a lover; and been
contemptuously rejected。 But Pope was no judge of women; nor was
he even a very wise or tolerant judge of men。
It is still too much the practice to cultivate the weakness of
woman rather than her strength; and to render her attractive
rather than self…reliant。 Her sensibilities are developed at the
expense of her health of body as well as of mind。 She lives;
moves; and has her being in the sympathy of others。 She dresses
that she may attract; and is burdened with accomplishments that
she may be chosen。 Weak; trembling; and dependent; she incurs the
risk of becoming a living embodiment of the Italian proverb〃so
good that she is good for nothing。〃
On the other hand; the education of young men too often errs on
the side of selfishness。 While the boy is incited to trust mainly
to his own efforts in pushing his way in the world; the girl is
encouraged to rely almost entirely upon others。 He is educated
with too exclusive reference to himself and she is educated with
too exclusive reference to him。 He is taught to be self…reliant
and self…dependent; while she is taught to be distrustful of
herself; dependent; and self…sacrificing in all things。 Thus;
the intellect of the one is cultivated at the expense of the
affections; and the affections of the other at the expense
of the intellect。
It is unquestionable that the highest qualities of woman are
displayed in her relationship to others; through the medium of her
affections。 She is the nurse whom nature has given to all
humankind。 She takes charge of the helpless; and nourishes and
cherishes those we love。 She is the presiding genius of the
fireside; where she creates an atmosphere of serenity and
contentment suitable for the nurture and gro