character- 第39部分

Europe　since　the　reign　of　Louis　XIV。；　there　have　from　time　to　time

been　honest　and　faithful　men　who　have　lifted　up　their　voices

against　the　turbulent　warlike　tendencies　of　the　people；　and　not

only　preached；　but　endeavoured　to　carry　into　practice；　a　gospel　of

peace。　　Of　these；　the　Abbe　de　St。…Pierre　was　one　of　the　most

courageous。　　He　had　even　the　boldness　to　denounce　the　wars　of

Louis　XIV。；　and　to　deny　that　monarch's　right　to　the　epithet　of

'Great；'　for　which　he　was　punished　by　expulsion　from　the　Academy。

The　Abbe　was　as　enthusiastic　an　agitator　for　a　system　of

international　peace　as　any　member　of　the　modern　Society　of

Friends。　　As　Joseph　Sturge　went　to　St。　Petersburg　to　convert　the

Emperor　of　Russia　to　his　views；　so　the　Abbe　went　to　Utrecht　to

convert　the　Conference　sitting　there；　to　his　project　for　a　Diet；

to　secure　perpetual　peace。　　Of　course　he　was　regarded　as　an

enthusiast；　Cardinal　Dubois　characterising　his　scheme　as　〃the

dream　of　an　honest　man。〃　　Yet　the　Abbe　had　found　his　dream　in　the

Gospel；　and　in　what　better　way　could　he　exemplify　the　spirit　of

the　Master　he　served　than　by　endeavouring　to　abate　the　horrors　and

abominations　of　war？　The　Conference　was　an　assemblage　of　men

representing　Christian　States：　and　the　Abbe　merely　called　upon

them　to　put　in　practice　the　doctrines　they　professed　to　believe。

It　was　of　no　use：　the　potentates　and　their　representatives　turned

to　him　a　deaf　ear。



The　Abbe　de　St。…Pierre　lived　several　hundred　years　too　soon。　　But

he　determined　that　his　idea　should　not　be　lost；　and　in　1713　he

published　his　'Project　of　Perpetual　Peace。'　　He　there　proposed　the

formation　of　a　European　Diet；　or　Senate；　to　be　composed　of

representatives　of　all　nations；　before　which　princes　should　be

bound；　before　resorting　to　arms；　to　state　their　grievances　and

require　redress。　　Writing　about　eighty　years　after　the　publication

of　this　project；　Volney　asked：　〃What　is　a　people？an　individual

of　the　society　at　large。　　What　a　war？a　duel　between　two

individual　people。　　In　what　manner　ought　a　society　to　act　when　two

of　its　members　fight？Interfere；　and　reconcile　or　repress　them。

In　the　days　of　the　Abbe　de　St。…Pierre；　this　was　treated　as　a

dream；　but；　happily　for　the　human　race；　it　begins　to　be　realised。〃

Alas　for　the　prediction　of　Volney！　　The　twenty…five　years　that

followed　the　date　at　which　this　passage　was　written；　were

distinguished　by　more　devastating　and　furious　wars　on　the　part　of

France　than　had　ever　been　known　in　the　world　before。



The　Abbe　was　not；　however；　a　mere　dreamer。　　He　was　an　active

practical　philanthropist　and　anticipated　many　social　improvements

which　have　since　become　generally　adopted。　　He　was　the　original

founder　of　industrial　schools　for　poor　children；　where　they　not

only　received　a　good　education；　but　learned　some　useful　trade；　by

which　they　might　earn　an　honest　living　when　they　grew　up　to

manhood。　　He　advocated　the　revision　and　simplification　of　the

whole　code　of　lawsan　idea　afterwards　carried　out　by　the　First

Napoleon。　　He　wrote　against　duelling；　against　luxury；　against

gambling；　against　monasticism；　quoting　the　remark　of　Segrais；　that

〃the　mania　for　a　monastic　life　is　the　smallpox　of　the　mind。〃　　He

spent　his　whole　income　in　acts　of　charitynot　in　almsgiving；　but

in　helping　poor　children；　and　poor　men　and　women；　to　help

themselves。　　His　object　always　was　to　benefit　permanently　those

whom　he　assisted。　　He　continued　his　love　of　truth　and　his　freedom

of　speech　to　the　last。　At　the　age　of　eighty　he　said：　〃If　life　is　a

lottery　for　happiness；　my　lot　has　been　one　of　the　best。〃　　When　on

his　deathbed；　Voltaire　asked　him　how　he　felt；　to　which　he

answered；　〃As　about　to　make　a　journey　into　the　country。〃　　And　in

this　peaceful　frame　of　mind　he　died。　　But　so　outspoken　had　St。…

Pierre　been　against　corruption　in　high　places；　that　Maupertius；

his　Successor　at　the　Academy；　was　not　permitted　to　pronounce　his

ELOGE；　nor　was　it　until　thirty…two　years　after　his　death　that　this

honour　was　done　to　his　memory　by　D'Alembert。　　The　true　and

emphatic　epitaph　of　the　good；　truth…loving；　truth…speaking　Abbe

was　this〃HE　LOVED　MUCH！〃



Duty　is　closely　allied　to　truthfulness　of　character；　and　the

dutiful　man　is；　above　all　things；　truthful　in　his　words　as　in　his

actions。　　He　says　and　he　does　the　right　thing；　in　the　right　way；

and　at　the　right　time。



There　is　probably　no　saying　of　Lord　Chesterfield　that　commends

itself　more　strongly　to　the　approval　of　manly…minded　men；　than

that　it　is　truth　that　makes　the　success　of　the　gentleman。

Clarendon；　speaking　of　one　of　the　noblest　and　purest　gentlemen　of

his　age；　says　of　Falkland；　that　he　〃was　so　severe　an　adorer　of

truth　that　he　could　as　easily　have　given　himself　leave　to　steal

as　to　dissemble。〃



It　was　one　of　the　finest　things　that　Mrs。　Hutchinson　could　say　of

her　husband；　that　he　was　a　thoroughly　truthful　and　reliable　man：

〃He　never　professed　the　thing　he　intended　not；　nor　promised　what

he　believed　out　of　his　power；　nor　failed　in　the　performance　of

anything　that　was　in　his　power　to　fulfil。〃



Wellington　was　a　severe　admirer　of　truth。　　An　illustration　may　be

given。　　When　afflicted　by　deafness　he　consulted　a　celebrated

aurist；　who；　after　trying　all　remedies　in　vain；　determined；　as　a

last　resource；　to　inject　into　the　ear　a　strong　solution　of

caustic。　　It　caused　the　most　intense　pain；　but　the　patient　bore　it

with　his　usual　equanimity。　　The　family　physician　accidentally

calling　one　day；　found　the　Duke　with　flushed　cheeks　and　bloodshot

eyes；　and　when　he　rose　he　staggered　about　like　a　drunken　man。　　The

doctor　asked　to　be　permitted　to　look　at　his　ear；　and　then　he　found

that　a　furious　inflammation　was　going　on；　which；　if　not

immediately　checked；　must　shortly　reach　the　brain　and　kill　him。

Vigorous　remedies　were　at　once　applied；　and　the　inflammation　was

checked。　　But　the　hearing　of　that　ear　was　completely　destroyed。

When　the　aurist　heard　of　the　danger　his　patient　had　run；　through

the　violence　of　the　remedy　he　had　employed；　he　hastened　to　Apsley

House　to　express　his　grief　and　mortification；　but　the　Duke　merely

said：　〃Do　not　say　a　word　more　about　ityou　did　all　for　the

best。〃　　The　aurist　said　it　would　be　his　ruin　when　it　became　known

that　he　had　been　the　cause　of　so　much　suffering　and　danger　to　his

Grace。　　〃But　nobody　need　know　anything　about　it：　keep　your　own

counsel；　and；　depend　upon　it；　I　won't　say　a　word　to　any　one。〃

〃Then　your　Grace　will　allow　me　to　attend　you　as　usual；　which　will

show　the　public　that　you　have　not　withdrawn　your　confidence　from

me？〃　　〃No；〃　replied　the　Duke；　kindly　but　firmly；　〃I　can't　do　that；

for　that　would　be　a　lie。〃　　He　would　not　act　a　falsehood　any　more

than　he　would　speak　one。　（9）



Another　illustration　of　duty　and　truthfulness；　as　exhibited　in　the

fulfilment　of　a　promise；　may　be　added　from　the　life　of　Blucher。

When　he　was　hastening　with　his　army　over　bad　roads　to　the　help　of

Wellington；　on　the　18th　of　June；　1815；　he　encouraged　his　troops　by

words　and　gestures。　　〃Forwards；　childrenforwards！〃　　〃It　is

impossible；　it　can't　be　done；〃　was　the　answer。　　Again　and　again　he

urged　them。　　〃Children；　we　must　get　on；　you　may　say　it　can't　be

done；　but　it　MUST　be　done！　　I　have　promised　my　brother　Wellington

PROMISED；　do　you　hear？　　You　wouldn't　have　me　BREAK　MY　WORD！〃

And　it　was　done。



Truth　is　the　very　bond　of　society；　without　which　it　must　cease　to

exist；　and　dissolve　into　anarchy　and　chaos。　　A　household　cannot　be

governed　by　lying；　nor　can　a　nation。　　Sir　Thomas　Browne　once

asked；　〃Do　the　devils　lie？〃　　〃No；〃　was　his　answer；　〃for　then　even

hell　could　not　subsist。〃　　No　considerations　can　justify　the

sacrifice　of　truth；　which　ought　to　be　sovereign　in　all　the

relations　of　life。



Of　all　mean　vices；　perhaps　lying　is　the　meanest。　It　is　in　some

cases　the　offspring　of　perversity　and　vice；　and　in　many　others　of

sheer　moral　cowardice。　　Yet　many　persons　think　so　lightly　of　it

that　they　will　order　their　servants　to　lie　for　them；　nor　can　they

feel　surprised　if；　after　such　ignoble　instruction；　they　find　their

servants　lying　for　themselves。



Sir　Harry　Wotton's　description　of　an　ambassador　as　〃an　honest　man

sent　to　lie　abroad　for　the　benefit　of　his　country；〃　though　meant

as　a　satire；　brought　him　into　disfavour　with　James　I。　when　it

became　published；　for　an　adversary　quoted　it　as　a　principle　of　the

king's　religion。　　That　it　was　not　Wotton's　real　view　of　the　duty

of　an　honest　man；　is　obvious　from　the　lines　quoted　at　the　head　of

this　chapter；　on　'The　Character　of　a　Happy　Life；'　in　which　he

eulogises　the　man



　　　　　　　　　　〃Whose　armour　is　his　honest　thought；

　　　　　　　　　　　And　simple　truth　his　utmost　skill。〃



But　lying　assumes　many　formssuch　as　diplomacy；　expediency；　and

moral　reservation；　and；　under　one　guise　or　another；　it　is　found

more　or　less　pervading　all　classes　of　society。　　Sometimes　it

assumes　the　form　of　equivocation　or　moral　dodgingtwisting　and

so　stating　the　things　said　as　to　convey　a　false　impressiona

kind　of　lying　which　a　Frenchman　once　described　as　〃walking　round

about　the　truth。〃



There　are　even　men　of　narrow　minds　and　dishonest　natures；　who

pride　themselves　upon　their　jesuitical　cleverness　in　equivocation；

in　their　serpent…wise　shirking　of　the　truth　and　getting　out　of

moral　back…doors；　in　order　to　hide　their　real　opinions　and　evade

the　consequences　of　holding　and　openly　professing　them。

Institutions　or　systems　based　upon　any　such　expedients　must

necessarily　prove　false　and　hollow。　　〃Though　a　lie　be　ever　so　well

dressed；〃　says　George　Herbert；　〃it　is　ever　overcome。〃　　Downright

lying；　though　bolder　and　more　vicious；　is　even　less　contemptible

than　such　kind　of　shuffling　and　equivocation。



Untruthfulness　exhibits　itself　in　many　other　forms：　in　reticency

on　the　one　hand；　or　exaggeration　on　the　other；　in　disguise　or

concealment；　in　pretended　concurrence　in　others　opinions；　in

assuming　an　attitude　of　conformity　which　is　de