第 36 节
作者:片片      更新:2022-08-21 16:31      字数:9322
  many respects resembled。  The American; like the Dutch patriot;
  stands out in history as the very impersonation of dignity;
  bravery; purity; and personal excellence。  His command over his
  feelings; even in moments of great difficulty and danger; was such
  as to convey the impression; to those who did not know him
  intimately; that he was a man of inborn calmness and almost
  impassiveness of disposition。  Yet Washington was by nature ardent
  and impetuous; his mildness; gentleness; politeness; and
  consideration for others; were the result of rigid self…control
  and unwearied self…discipline; which he diligently practised even
  from his boyhood。  His biographer says of him; that 〃his
  temperament was ardent; his passions strong; and amidst the
  multiplied scenes of temptation and excitement through which he
  passed; it was his constant effort; and ultimate triumph; to check
  the one and subdue the other。〃  And again: 〃His passions were
  strong; and sometimes they broke out with vehemence; but he had
  the power of checking them in an instant。  Perhaps self…control
  was the most remarkable trait of his character。  It was in part
  the effect of discipline; yet he seems by nature to have possessed
  this power in a degree which has been denied to other men。 (*5)
  The Duke of Wellington's natural temper; like that of Napoleon;
  was irritable in the extreme; and it was only by watchful self…
  control that he was enabled to restrain it。  He studied calmness
  and coolness in the midst of danger; like any Indian chief。  At
  Waterloo; and elsewhere; he gave his orders in the most critical
  moments; without the slightest excitement; and in a tone of voice
  almost more than usually subdued。 (6)
  Wordsworth the poet was; in his childhood; 〃of a stiff; moody; and
  violent temper;〃 and 〃perverse and obstinate in defying
  chastisement。〃  When experience of life had disciplined his
  temper; he learnt to exercise greater self…control; but; at the
  same time; the qualities which distinguished him as a child were
  afterwards useful in enabling him to defy the criticism of his
  enemies。  Nothing was more marked than Wordsworth's self…respect
  and self…determination; as well as his self…consciousness of
  power; at all periods of his history。
  Henry Martyn; the missionary; was another instance of a man in
  whom strength of temper was only so much pent…up; unripe energy。
  As a boy he was impatient; petulant; and perverse; but by constant
  wrestling against his tendency to wrongheadedness; he gradually
  gained the requisite strength; so as to entirely overcome it; and
  to acquire what he so greatly covetedthe gift of patience。
  A man may be feeble in organization; but; blessed with a happy
  temperament; his soul may be great; active; noble; and sovereign。
  Professor Tyndall has given us a fine picture of the character of
  Faraday; and of his self…denying labours in the cause of science
  exhibiting him as a man of strong; original; and even fiery
  nature; and yet of extreme tenderness and sensibility。
  〃Underneath his sweetness and gentleness;〃 he says; 〃was the heat
  of a volcano。  He was a man of excitable and fiery nature; but;
  through high self…discipline; he had converted the fire into a
  central glow and motive power of life; instead of permitting it to
  waste itself in useless passion。〃
  There was one fine feature in Faraday's character which is worthy
  of noticeone closely akin to self…control: it was his self…
  denial。  By devoting himself to analytical chemistry; he might
  have speedily realised a large fortune; but he nobly resisted the
  temptation; and preferred to follow the path of pure science。
  〃Taking the duration of his life into account;〃 says Mr。 Tyndall;
  〃this son of a blacksmith and apprentice to a bookbinder had to
  decide between a fortune of ?150;000 on the one side; and his
  undowered science on the other。  He chose the latter; and
  died a poor man。  But his was the glory of holding aloft
  among the nations the scientific name of England for a
  period of forty years。〃 (7)
  Take a like instance of the self…denial of a Frenchman。  The
  historian Anquetil was one of the small number of literary men in
  France who refused to bow to the Napoleonic yoke。  He sank into
  great poverty; living on bread…and…milk; and limiting his
  expenditure to only three sous a day。  〃I have still two sous a
  day left;〃 said he; 〃for the conqueror of Marengo and Austerlitz。〃
  〃But if you fall sick;〃 said a friend to him; 〃you will need the
  help of a pension。  Why not do as others do?  Pay court to the
  Emperoryou have need of him to live。〃  〃I do not need him to
  die;〃 was the historian's reply。  But Anquetil did not die of
  poverty; he lived to the age of ninety…four; saying to a friend;
  on the eve of his death; 〃Come; see a man who dies still full of
  life!〃
  Sir James Outram exhibited the same characteristic of noble self…
  denial; though in an altogether different sphere of life。  Like
  the great King Arthur; he was emphatically a man who 〃forbore his
  own advantage。〃  He was characterised throughout his whole career
  by his noble unselfishness。  Though he might personally disapprove
  of the policy he was occasionally ordered to carry out; he never
  once faltered in the path of duty。  Thus he did not approve of the
  policy of invading Scinde; yet his services throughout the
  campaign were acknowledged by General Sir C。 Napier to have been
  of the most brilliant character。  But when the war was over; and
  the rich spoils of Scinde lay at the conqueror's feet; Outram
  said: 〃I disapprove of the policy of this warI will accept no
  share of the prize…money!〃
  Not less marked was his generous self…denial when despatched with
  a strong force to aid Havelock in fighting his way to Lucknow。  As
  superior officer; he was entitled to take upon himself the chief
  command; but; recognising what Havelock had already done; with
  rare disinterestedness; he left to his junior officer the glory of
  completing the campaign; offering to serve under him as a
  volunteer。  〃With such reputation;〃 said Lord Clyde; 〃as Major…
  General Outram has won for himself; he can afford to share glory
  and honour with others。  But that does not lessen the value of the
  sacrifice he has made with such disinterested generosity。〃
  If a man would get through life honourably and peaceably; he must
  necessarily learn to practise self…denial in small things as well
  as great。  Men have to bear as well as forbear。  The temper has to
  be held in subjection to the judgment; and the little demons of
  ill…humour; petulance; and sarcasm; kept resolutely at a distance。
  If once they find an entrance to the mind; they are very apt
  to return; and to establish for themselves a permanent
  occupation there。
  It is necessary to one's personal happiness; to exercise control
  over one's words as well as acts: for there are words that strike
  even harder than blows; and men may 〃speak daggers;〃 though they
  use none。  〃UN COUP DE LANGUE;〃 says the French proverb; 〃EST PIRE
  QU'UN COUP DE LANCE。〃  The stinging repartee that rises to the
  lips; and which; if uttered; might cover an adversary with
  confusion; how difficult it sometimes is to resist saying it!
  〃Heaven keep us;〃 says Miss Bremer in her 'Home;' 〃from the
  destroying power of words!  There are words which sever hearts
  more than sharp swords do; there are words the point of which
  sting the heart through the course of a whole life。〃
  Thus character exhibits itself in self…control of speech as much
  as in anything else。  The wise and forbearant man will restrain
  his desire to say a smart or severe thing at the expense of
  another's feelings; while the fool blurts out what he thinks; and
  will sacrifice his friend rather than his joke。  〃The mouth of a
  wise man;〃 said Solomon; 〃is in his heart; the heart of a fool is
  in his mouth。〃
  There are; however; men who are no fools; that are headlong in
  their language as in their acts; because of their want of
  forbearance and self…restraining patience。  The impulsive genius;
  gifted with quick thought and incisive speechperhaps carried
  away by the cheers of the momentlets fly a sarcastic sentence
  which may return upon him to his own infinite damage。  Even
  statesmen might be named; who have failed through their inability
  to resist the temptation of saying clever and spiteful things at
  their adversary's expense。  〃The turn of a sentence;〃 says
  Bentham; 〃has decided the fate of many a friendship; and; for
  aught that we know; the fate of many a kingdom。〃  So; when one is
  tempted to write a clever but harsh thing; though it may be
  difficult to restrain it; it is always better to leave it in the
  inkstand。  〃A goose's quill;〃 says the Spanish proverb; 〃often
  hurts more than a lion's claw。〃
  Carlyle says; when speaking of Oliver Cromwell; 〃He that cannot
  withal keep his mind to himself; cannot practise any considerable
  thing whatsoever。〃  It was said of William the