Character | Page 5

father gave him was the best:
"He bade me act a manly part, though I had ne'er a farthing, For
without an honest manly heart no man was worth regarding."
One of the purest and noblest characters the writer ever knew was a
labouring man in a northern county, who brought up his family
respectably on an income never amounting to more than ten shillings a
week. Though possessed of only the rudiments of common education,
obtained at an ordinary parish school, he was a man full of wisdom and
thoughtfulness. His library consisted of the Bible, 'Flavel,' and
'Boston'--books which, excepting the first, probably few readers have

ever heard of. This good man might have sat for the portrait of
Wordsworth's well-known 'Wanderer.' When he had lived his modest
life of work and worship, and finally went to his rest, he left behind
him a reputation for practical wisdom, for genuine goodness, and for
helpfulness in every good work, which greater and richer men might
have envied.
When Luther died, he left behind him, as set forth in his will, "no ready
money, no treasure of coin of any description." He was so poor at one
part of his life, that he was under the necessity of earning his bread by
turning, gardening, and clockmaking. Yet, at the very time when he
was thus working with his hands, he was moulding the character of his
country; and he was morally stronger, and vastly more honoured and
followed, than all the princes of Germany.
Character is property. It is the noblest of possessions. It is an estate in
the general goodwill and respect of men; and they who invest in
it--though they may not become rich in this world's goods--will find
their reward in esteem and reputation fairly and honourably won. And
it is right that in life good qualities should tell--that industry, virtue, and
goodness should rank the highest--and that the really best men should
be foremost.
Simple honesty of purpose in a man goes a long way in life, if founded
on a just estimate of himself and a steady obedience to the rule he
knows and feels to be right. It holds a man straight, gives him strength
and sustenance, and forms a mainspring of vigorous action. 'No man,"
once said Sir Benjamin Rudyard, "is bound to be rich or great,--no, nor
to be wise; but every man is bound to be honest." (4)
But the purpose, besides being honest, must be inspired by sound
principles, and pursued with undeviating adherence to truth, integrity,
and uprightness. Without principles, a man is like a ship without rudder
or compass, left to drift hither and thither with every wind that blows.
He is as one without law, or rule, or order, or government. "Moral
principles," says Hume, "are social and universal. They form, in a
manner, the PARTY of humankind against vice and disorder, its
common enemy."

Epictetus once received a visit from a certain magnificent orator going
to Rome on a lawsuit, who wished to learn from the stoic something of
his philosophy. Epictetus received his visitor coolly, not believing in
his sincerity. "You will only criticise my style," said he; "not really
wishing to learn principles."-- "Well, but," said the orator, "if I attend to
that sort of thing; I shall be a mere pauper, like you, with no plate, nor
equipage, nor land."--"I don't WANT such things," replied Epictetus;
"and besides, you are poorer than I am, after all. Patron or no patron,
what care I? You DO care. I am richer than you. I don't care what
Caesar thinks of me. I flatter no one. This is what I have, instead of
your gold and silver plate. You have silver vessels, but earthenware
reasons, principles, appetites. My mind to me a kingdom is, and it
furnishes me with abundant and happy occupation in lieu of your
restless idleness. All your possessions seem small to you; mine seem
great to me. Your desire is insatiate--mine is satisfied." (5)
Talent is by no means rare in the world; nor is even genius. But can the
talent be trusted?--can the genius? Not unless based on truthfulness--on
veracity. It is this quality more than any other that commands the
esteem and respect, and secures the confidence of others. Truthfulness
is at the foundation of all personal excellence. It exhibits itself in
conduct. It is rectitude--truth in action, and shines through every word
and deed. It means reliableness, and convinces other men that it can be
trusted. And a man is already of consequence in the world when it is
known that he can be relied on,--that when he says he knows a thing, he
does know it,--that when be says he will do a thing, he can do, and does
it.