character- 第15部分

influences　of　poetry：



　　　　　　　　〃She　gave　me　eyes；　she　gave　me　ears；

　　　　　　　　　And　humble　cares；　and　delicate　fears；

　　　　　　　　　A　heart；　the　fountain　of　sweet　tears；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　love　and　thought　and　joy。〃



Thus　the　gentlest　natures　are　enabled；　by　the　power　of　affection

and　intelligence；　to　mould　the　characters　of　men　destined　to

influence　and　elevate　their　race　through　all　time。



Sir　William　Napier　attributed　the　early　direction　of　his

character；　first　to　the　impress　made　upon　it　by　his　mother；　when　a

boy；　and　afterwards　to　the　noble　example　of　his　commander；　Sir

John　Moore；　when　a　man。　　Moore　early　detected　the　qualities　of　the

young　officer；　and　he　was　one　of　those　to　whom　the　General

addressed　the　encouragement；　〃Well　done；　my　majors！〃　at　Corunna。

Writing　home　to　his　mother；　and　describing　the　little　court　by

which　Moore　was　surrounded；　he　wrote；　〃Where　shall　we　find　such　a

king？〃　　It　was　to　his　personal　affection　for　his　chief　that　the

world　is　mainly　indebted　to　Sir　William　Napier　for　his　great　book；

'The　History　of　the　Peninsular　War。'　But　he　was　stimulated　to

write　the　book　by　the　advice　of　another　friend；　the　late　Lord

Langdale；　while　one　day　walking　with　him　across　the　fields　on

which　Belgravia　is　now　built。　　〃It　was　Lord　Langdale；〃　he　says；

〃who　first　kindled　the　fire　within　me。〃　　And　of　Sir　William　Napier

himself；　his　biographer　truly　says；　that　〃no　thinking　person　could

ever　come　in　contact　with　him　without　being　strongly　impressed

with　the　genius　of　the　man。



The　career　of　the　late　Dr。　Marshall　Hall　was　a　lifelong

illustration　of　the　influence　of　character　in　forming　character。

Many　eminent　men　still　living　trace　their　success　in　life　to　his

suggestions　and　assistance；　without　which　several　valuable　lines

of　study　and　investigation　might　not　have　been　entered　on；　at

least　at　so　early　a　period。　　He　would　say　to　young　men　about　him；

〃Take　up　a　subject　and　pursue　it　well；　and　you　cannot　fail　to

succeed。〃　　And　often　he　would　throw　out　a　new　idea　to　a　young

friend；　saying；　〃I　make　you　a　present　of　it；　there　is　fortune　in

it；　if　you　pursue　it　with　energy。〃



Energy　of　character　has　always　a　power　to　evoke　energy　in　others。

It　acts　through　sympathy；　one　of　the　most　influential　of　human

agencies。　　The　zealous　energetic　man　unconsciously　carries　others

along　with　him。　　His　example　is　contagious；　and　compels　imitation。

He　exercises　a　sort　of　electric　power；　which　sends　a　thrill

through　every　fibreflows　into　the　nature　of　those　about　him；

and　makes　them　give　out　sparks　of　fire。



Dr。　Arnold's　biographer；　speaking　of　the　power　of　this　kind

exercised　by　him　over　young　men；　says：　〃It　was　not　so　much　an

enthusiastic　admiration　for　true　genius；　or　learning；　or

eloquence；　which　stirred　within　them；　it　was　a　sympathetic　thrill；

caught　from　a　spirit　that　was　earnestly　at　work　in　the　world

whose　work　was　healthy；　sustained；　and　constantly　carried　forward

in　the　fear　of　Goda　work　that　was　founded　on　a　deep　sense　of

its　duty　and　its　value。〃　（7）



Such　a　power；　exercised　by　men　of　genius；　evokes　courage；

enthusiasm；　and　devotion。　　It　is　this　intense　admiration　for

individualssuch　as　one　cannot　conceive　entertained　for　a

multitudewhich　has　in　all　times　produced　heroes　and　martyrs。

It　is　thus　that　the　mastery　of　character　makes　itself　felt。　　It

acts　by　inspiration；　quickening　and　vivifying　the　natures　subject

to　its　influence。



Great　minds　are　rich　in　radiating　force；　not　only　exerting　power；

but　communicating　and　even　creating　it。　　Thus　Dante　raised　and

drew　after　him　a　host　of　great　spiritsPetrarch；　Boccacio；

Tasso；　and　many　more。　　From　him　Milton　learnt　to　bear　the　stings

of　evil　tongues　and　the　contumely　of　evil　days；　and　long　years

after；　Byron；　thinking　of　Dante　under　the　pine…trees　of　Ravenna；

was　incited　to　attune　his　harp　to　loftier　strains　than　he　had　ever

attempted　before。　　Dante　inspired　the　greatest　painters　of　Italy

Giotto；　Orcagna；　Michael　Angelo；　and　Raphael。　　So　Ariosto　and

Titian　mutually　inspired　one　another；　and　lighted　up　each

other's　glory。



Great　and　good　men　draw　others　after　them；　exciting　the

spontaneous　admiration　of　mankind。　　This　admiration　of　noble

character　elevates　the　mind；　and　tends　to　redeem　it　from　the

bondage　of　self；　one　of　the　greatest　stumbling　blocks　to　moral

improvement。　　The　recollection　of　men　who　have　signalised

themselves　by　great　thoughts　or　great　deeds；　seems　as　if　to　create

for　the　time　a　purer　atmosphere　around　us：　and　we　feel　as　if　our

aims　and　purposes　were　unconsciously　elevated。



〃Tell　me　whom　you　admire；〃　said　Sainte…Beuve；　〃and　I　will　tell　you

what　you　are；　at　least　as　regards　your　talents；　tastes；　and

character。〃　　Do　you　admire　mean　men？your　own　nature　is　mean。

Do　you　admire　rich　men？you　are　of　the　earth；　earthy。　　Do　you

admire　men　of　title？you　are　a　toad…eater；　or　a　tuft…hunter。　（8）

Do　you　admire　honest；　brave；　and　manly　men？you　are　yourself　of

an　honest；　brave；　and　manly　spirit。



It　is　in　the　season　of　youth；　while　the　character　is　forming；　that

the　impulse　to　admire　is　the　greatest。　As　we　advance　in　life；　we

crystallize　into　habit；　and　〃NIL　ADMIRARI〃　too　often　becomes　our

motto。　　It　is　well　to　encourage　the　admiration　of　great　characters

while　the　nature　is　plastic　and　open　to　impressions；　for　if　the

good　are　not　admiredas　young　men　will　have　their　heroes　of　some

sortmost　probably　the　great　bad　may　be　taken　by　them　for

models。　　Hence　it　always　rejoiced　Dr。　Arnold　to　hear　his　pupils

expressing　admiration　of　great　deeds；　or　full　of　enthusiasm　for

persons　or　even　scenery。　　〃I　believe；〃　said　he；　〃that　〃NIL

ADMIRARI〃　is　the　devil's　favourite　text；　and　he　could　not　choose　a

better　to　introduce　his　pupils　into　the　more　esoteric　parts　of　his

doctrine。　　And；　therefore；　I　have　always　looked　upon　a　man

infected　with　the　disorder　of　anti…romance　as　one　who　has　lost　the

finest　part　of　his　nature；　and　his　best　protection　against

everything　low　and　foolish。〃　（9）



It　was　a　fine　trait　in　the　character　of　Prince　Albert　that　he　was

always　so　ready　to　express　generous　admiration　of　the　good　deeds

of　others。　　〃He　had　the　greatest　delight；〃　says　the　ablest

delineator　of　his　character；　〃in　anybody　else　saying　a　fine

saying；　or　doing　a　great　deed。　　He　would　rejoice　over　it；　and　talk

about　it　for　days；　and　whether　it　was　a　thing　nobly　said　or　done

by　a　little　child；　or　by　a　veteran　statesman；　it　gave　him　equal

pleasure。　　He　delighted　in　humanity　doing　well　on　any　occasion　and

in　any　manner。〃　（10）



〃No　quality；〃　said　Dr。　Johnson；　〃will　get　a　man　more　friends　than

a　sincere　admiration　of　the　qualities　of　others。　　It　indicates

generosity　of　nature；　frankness；　cordiality；　and　cheerful

recognition　of　merit。〃　　It　was　to　the　sincereit　might　almost　be

said　the　reverentialadmiration　of　Johnson　by　Boswell；　that　we

owe　one　of　the　best　biographies　ever　written。　　One　is　disposed　to

think　that　there　must　have　been　some　genuine　good　qualities　in

Boswell　to　have　been　attracted　by　such　a　man　as　Johnson；　and　to

have　kept　faithful　to　his　worship　in　spite　of　rebuffs　and

snubbings　innumerable。　　Macaulay　speaks　of　Boswell　as　an

altogether　contemptible　personas　a　coxcomb　and　a　boreweak；

vain；　pushing；　curious；　garrulous；　and　without　wit；　humour；　or

eloquence。　　But　Carlyle　is　doubtless　more　just　in　his

characterisation　of　the　biographer；　in　whomvain　and　foolish

though　he　was　in　many　respectshe　sees　a　man　penetrated　by　the

old　reverent　feeling　of　discipleship；　full　of　love　and　admiration

for　true　wisdom　and　excellence。　　Without　such　qualities；　Carlyle

insists；　the　'Life　of　Johnson'　never　could　have　been　written。

〃Boswell　wrote　a　good　book；〃　he　says；　〃because　he　had　a　heart　and

an　eye　to　discern　wisdom；　and　an　utterance　to　render　it　forth；

because　of　his　free　insight；　his　lively　talent；　and；　above　all；　of

his　love　and　childlike　openmindedness。〃



Most　young　men　of　generous　mind　have　their　heroes；　especially　if

they　be　book…readers。　　Thus　Allan　Cunningham；　when　a　mason's

apprentice　in　Nithsdale；　walked　all　the　way　to　Edinburgh　for　the

sole　purpose　of　seeing　Sir　Walter　Scott　as　he　passed　along　the

street。　　We　unconsciously　admire　the　enthusiasm　of　the　lad；　and

respect　the　impulse　which　impelled　him　to　make　the　journey。　　It　is

related　of　Sir　Joshua　Reynolds；　that　when　a　boy　of　ten；　he　thrust

his　hand　through　intervening　rows　of　people　to　touch　Pope；　as　if

there　were　a　sort　of　virtue　in　the　contact。　　At　a　much　later

period；　the　painter　Haydon　was　proud　to　see　and　to　touch　Reynolds

when　on　a　visit　to　his　native　place。　　Rogers　the　poet　used　to　tell

of　his　ardent　desire；　when　a　boy；　to　see　Dr。　Johnson；　but　when　his

hand　was　on　the　knocker　of　the　house　in　Bolt　Court；　his　courage

failed　him；　and　he　turned　away。　　So　the　late　Isaac　Disraeli；　when

a　youth；　called　at　Bolt　Court　for　the　same　purpose；　and　though　be

HAD　the　courage　to　knock；　to　his　dismay　he　was　informed　by　the

servant　that　the　great　lexicographer　had　breathed　his　last　only　a

few　hours　before。



On　the　contrary；　small　and　ungenerous　minds　cannot　admire

heartily。　　To　their　own　great　misfortune；　they　cannot　recognise；

much　less　reverence；　great　men　and　great　things。　　The　mean　nature

admires　meanly。　　The　toad's　highest　idea　of　beauty　is　his　toadess。

The　small　snob's　highest　idea　of　manhood　is　the　great　snob。　　The

slave…dealer　values　a　man　according　to　his　muscles。　　When　a　Guinea

trader　was　told　by　Sir　Godfrey　Kneller；　in　the　presence　of　Pope；

that　he　saw　before　him　two　of　the　greatest　men　in　the　world；　he

replied：　〃I　don't　know　how　great　you　may　be；　but　I　don't　like　your

looks。　　I　have　often　bought　a　man　much　better　than　both　of　you

together；　all　bones　and　muscles；　for　ten　guineas！〃



Although　Rochefoucauld；　in　one　of　his　maxims；　says　that　there　is

something　that　is　not　altogether　disagreeable　to　us　in　the

misfortunes　of　even　our　best　friends；　it　is　only　the　small　and