Guibert - On character

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JESUITBIBL MAJ,SEMINARY


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ON CHARACTER

JESUITBIBL MAJ.SEMINARY


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(Ob*tat.F. THOS. BERGH, O.S.B.

CENSOR DEPUTATUS.

Imprimatur.Hf- PETRUS,

EPUS. SOUTHWARCEN.

SOUTHWARCI,ii, 1911.

[All rights reserved]


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Cbe Bngelug Serteg

ONCHARACTERBY THE

VERY REV. J. GUIBERT, S.S.SUPERIOR OF THE SEMINARY OF THE CATHOLIC

INSTITUTE, PARIS

AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION

JESUITBIBL MAJ.SEMINARYR. & T. WASHBOURNE, LTD.

PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, E.G.AND AT MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, AND GLASGOW

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PREFACEr I HIS is not a scientific treatise, but^ an essay in morals.The writer has chosen this linebecause, as Joubert says, moralsshow us how to live.The art of living is the thing menneed to know more than any other ;for skill in this art makes them fullyand truly men. We lack men, as Jouffroy sadlyobserves. There would be no lackof men if, instead of carelessly following the bent of their inclinations,they would resolutely take in handthe direction of their lives,and tempertheir characters to hardness by meansof methodical endeavour.

In theory, all are capable of beingformed. As Lacordaire says : Thereis not one of us who has not in him5


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Prefacethe roots of the saint and the criminal. But in practice, there willnever be more than a few who willundertake the task of self-development with enough perseverance tobring it to a successful issue.What matter though the numberbe limited, if it be true, as is saidagain by Lacordaire, that a singlesoul is like a great nation. Shouldthe following pages influence onlyone soul to decide upon self-conquestand sustain it to the end in the longmoral struggle for mastery over self,the author would feel that he hadnot worked in vain, and that his bookwas not a barren seed.He hopes, however, that the harvest of souls may be more abundant.For he knows that they are legion inwhom ferments to-day the desire forthe good, and who are fired with thenoble ambition of giving to theirbeing its highest development, andwho say readily with Montaigne : Iwill rather have my soul well wroughtthan full fraught. 6


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PrefaceMay this humble essay be of use

to all those who are ready to set towork with a will to acquire virility ofcharacter.The line followed by the writer

is so natural and so straightforwardthat he deems it unnecessary to delaythe reader with any further explanations.


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CONTENTSPREFACE PAGE5

CHAPTER ITHE DEFINITION OF CHARACTER

I. What it is -II. Man's moral note -

III. Man's moral constitution -IV. Man's moral energy

iiii131620

CHAPTER IITHE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER

I. The good-natured characterII. The ill-natured character -

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CHAPTER IIITHE IDEAL CHARACTER

I. Uprightness of conscienceII. Strength of willIII. Kindness of heart -IV. Dignity of demeanour9

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ContentsCHAPTER IV

PAGETHE ORIGIN OF CHARACTER - - 98

I. Birth - 100II. Education - - - 106

III. Will - 114CHAPTER V

KINPS OF CHARACTER - - 118I. The sanguine - - 121

II. The nervous - 126III. The bilious - - 132IV. The phlegmatic - - 136

CHAPTER VITHE CULTIVATION OF CHARACTER - 143

I. Self-knowledge - - 147II. The plan of life - - 151

III. The mainstays of moral effort - 155CONCLUSION .... 167

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ON CHARACTERCHAPTER I

THE DEFINITION OFCHARACTERI

What it isTHE word character comes froma Greek expression signifying toengrave. However many may be themeanings assigned to the word, yetit always retains something of itsoriginal sense. The first picturewhich it calls up to the mind is thatof the ancients with chisel or graving-tool working on granite or bronze toinscribe them with the memory oftheir exploits in indelible strokes.Sometimes it denotes the visiblemark which abides and speaks to theeye ; sometimes the tool which workson the material, leaving its furrowbehind. So, when you impress yourri


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On Characterseal on the softened wax, the character may be spoken of as belongingeither to the matrix or to its imprint.Thus, too, it may be applied eitherto designate a man's expression orthe man himself.On all sides we have to deal withcharacter : in nature, in art, in worksof the mind, as well as in the regionof morals. But in these pages westrictly limit our treatment of character to the moral qualities of man.Furthermore, this is the restrictedsense in which it is commonly used,for, whenever we speak of a man'scharacter, it is always because weare dealing with his tendencies andworth from a moral point of view.Even when thus determined, theword character is still capable ofvarious meanings ; and of these thereare three in chief which we shall use

in turn. If we consider man externally, character is his distinctive signor moral note ; if we examine himinwardly, character stands for hismoral constitution ; and if we desireto express the feature which giveshim his greatest value, charactermeans his moral energy.

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The Definition of CharacterII

Man's Moral NoteNo prolonged observation of men

is needed to discover, in spite of theirunity of nature, wherein they differfrom one another. However plainlyvisible their differences may be froma physical point of view, their moraldifferences are still more striking.The distinguishing sign, the moralnote which stamps each one of uswith his own personality, is character.One man has lofty inspirations,noble and disinterested impulses, adignified bearing, and is inviolablysincere : he is a fine character.Another, on the contrary, shows viletendencies and coarse appetites ; heis selfish and lacking in conscience ;he is a low and contemptiblecharacter.Here is a generous and enterprisingsoul, firm and resolute, undaunted bydifficulties and never disheartenedby grief ; a rich character fromwhich we have a right to expect aprofitable yield. There, on the otherhand, is a slack soul, lacking ininitiative, quickly tired of work, de-

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On Characterpressed by suffering and unable toface opposition ; a poor and barrencharacter which will bear no fruit.One person impresses you agreeably ; he pleases you with his affability ; he is amiable, lively, gentle,open-hearted, both easy and dignified, and at once conciliatory andfirm ; his company is never a burden,but a pleasure : you say he is agood-natured character. Another,on the contrary, seems uncomfortable and disagreeable ; in everythinghe rubs you the wrong way, bothby what he says and does ; he ismorose, taciturn, hard and feeble, shyand tiresome a thorn-bush whichscratches you all over : you call himan ill-natured character.This moral note is impressed onthe whole of a man's exterior : itshows itself in your bearing, whetherdignified or careless, modest or pretentious ; it is seen in your gait,regular or uneven, firm or haphazard ; it is in your face, thechangeable features of which sofaithfully reproduce your impressions, and the outlines of which, inrepose, reflect your habitual mannerof thinking and feeling ; it is in your

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The Definition of Characterexpression animated or dull, frankor shrinking ; it is in your speechdecided or drawling, accurate orvague, original or commonplace : itis even in your writing, which, likeyour purposes, is either finished orformless, and like your inspirations,either vigorous or feeble ; it is ineverything you do even in yourmost insignificant actions. There isnothing about you which is notstamped with some mark of yourpersonality.And what gives importance tothese external signs is that they arethe faithful expression of what iswithin.We readily admit that they arehard to read, and delicate to decipher ; they are a language full ofcomplexities and subtleties of lightand shadow, which very few canthoroughly understand. Throughprecipitancy or lack of discernmentmany fall into error or make blundersin trying to interpret them. Andthe fable is quite right which bidsus not to judge people by theirlooks.

Nevertheless, however indecipherable they may be to most of us, their15


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On Characterimprint is a true one, and they arethe outward sign which really expresses the soul within. Physiognomy, says a modern thinker,is the portraiture of the soul, itsabiding reflection in the flesh whichit indwells and gives life to. In itwe betray ourselves involuntarily,and the secret of our life follows useverywhere as an honour or a disgrace. Long ago the Spirit of Godwrote in Holy Scripture : A man isknown by his look, and a wiseman, when thou meetest him, isknown by his countenance. Theattire of the body, and the laughterof the teeth, and the gait of the man,shew what he is (Ecclus. xix. 26, 27).When we say of the character thatit is the moral note of the man, weare all the more right, becausethrough these visible signs we touchthe inner depths of the man himself.

IllMan's Moral ConstitutionHere, indeed, is the true seat ofcharacter. Outward appearances

reveal it, and they are its image, butthey do not contain it. They bring16


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The Definition of Characterit to mind, just as the script makesus think of the engraver's tool, andjust as the picture expresses thegenius of the artist. Character holdsa still higher place in man : it is thedeeply hidden agency which is displayed in his outward acts ; it isnothing else than man's moral constitution.Our habitual actions emanate,indeed, spontaneously from theground of the soul. Such as is ourbeing, such are the acts which springfrom it. It is not that we are unable,by means of considered determination, to raise up and ripen within usresolutions which were not in germin our inclinations ; for we are alwaysgiven the option of sowing within usseed of our own choice. But veryfew and far between are those whomake such a use of their liberty as toproduce such acts ; very few, too,even amongst the most gifted natures,are the occasions when they do suchviolence to their own native dispositions. Let it then be laid downas a certain axiom that it is this innermoral constitution in man which wecall character.It is made up of our tendencies,

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On Characterthe impulses to action born withinus, or acquired through repeated actswhich incline us to expend our moralenergies in a given sense : tendencieswhich are good, if they incline ustowards what is right ; evil, if theyurge us in the direction of whatis wrong.Our character would be quicklyknown, if it were easy for us to discover our tendencies, and to discernthose which hold the chief sway overus. But in our reckoning of ourselves, we are the plaything of somany illusions that we can scarcelytake cognizance of ourselves in aclear light. Those who regard usfrom the outside are not less liableto misunderstanding, so much arethey affected by prejudice and proneto survey us through the medium oftheir own dispositions. Furthermore,is there anything more complex andmore variable than our tendencies ?Manifold and often contradictory,they are like the dense tangle of someyoung forest where all the vegetationgrows in confusion. Changing likethe environment by which they areinfluenced, varying with the variousperiods of life, and sometimes in the18


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The Definition of Charactersame day, according to the state ofour constitution, they seem to defyall analysis.Amidst so many diverse and inconsistent impulses, some dominate therest and take possession of our being.Though dominant tendencies maythemselves undergo variations, andthough we may thus come under thesway of opposing forces, nevertheless, some of them get the upperhand with greater frequency thanthe rest. And hence the manyforces which draw us in differentdirections finally end in a resultantwhich gives its characteristic meaning to our lives.Thus we reach a definition of character ; it is the habitual resultantof the manifold tendencies whichcontend for the control of man'slife. To give the tendencies whichare favourable to what is good apreponderance over inclinations tovice : such, we conclude, must bethe fundamental rule which is toguide us in the formation of ourcharacter.


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The Definition of Charactercertainly, it is not without reasonthat the word character sometimesabandons its broader signification tobe restricted in order to expressmoral energy.

Look, indeed, at a man stripped ofstrength of will : do you not see thathe is devoid of character ? He leavesno mark on what he handles ; hemakes no impression on men orthings ; he passes, like clear waterpasses over a piece of metal, withoutletting any trace remain ; in norespect does he resemble the graving-tool which bites into the brass, orthe ploughshare which hollows outthe furrow. He is counted as a unitamongst his fellows ; but he bringsforth nothing for mankind. Withinhe is limp, flabby, lacking in backbone ; in a word, without any firmness : and therefore he is the creatureof circumstance, and never shapes hissurroundings to his mind.On the contrary, take a man giftedwith moral energy, with a will : doeshe not impress you as possessingcharacter ? He acts upon everythinghe touches ; he stamps upon menand things the vigorous imprint ofhis personality. His speech has21


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On Characterweight : it is grave ; because it isthe expression of a definite idea andan unerring resolution. He seesclearly the end in view, and advancesto its attainment with decision ; hepursues his course with perseverance;no obstacle can bar his way, becausehe knows that every barrier willbreak down before a patient anddetermined will. This might of willpower becomes character. In fact,it is the whole man. It manifestshis personality and throws it intorelief. And when a man's personality thus stands out so as to beconspicuous amidst the crowd, wecall it character.

Lacordaire, then, was right todefine character as the secret andpersistent energy of the will, a sortof fixed steadiness of purpose, a stillgreater steadiness in being true toone's self, to one's convictions, toone's friendships, and to one's virtues,an inward force that springs fromone's personality and inspires everyone with the feeling of assurancewhich we call security. . . . Onemay be witty and learned, and evena man of genius, and yet not havecharacter.


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The Definition of CharacterThus understood, character has

its seat neither in the intellect, nor inthe heart, but in the will ; it consists,according to the saying of a Germanthinker, in a completely developedwill.


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CHAPTER IITHE IMPORTANCE OFCHARACTERHTHOSE who complain of for-J- tune, says Vauvenargues, have often to complain only ofthemselves. Each of us is, indeed,the artificer of his own life. However powerful may be upon us theaction of external circumstances, ourlife nevertheless proceeds from within,from our feelings, our passions, andour will ; it is the product of ourcharacter.

This is what is taught us bypopular wisdom, gained from theobservation of centuries. It admonishes us that it is differences ofcharacter that explain and determinedifferences of life ; that if the talentsare equal, one succeeds and anotherfails owing to character ; that little

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The Importance of Characterdaily faults, the outcome of character,spoil a life more surely than greatand accidental mistakes ; and thatlikewise little daily efforts, the persistence of which is due to character,unfailingly lead to success. Howcomes it that this man, so full ofpromise, meets with the innumerablechecks which have ruined his life ?Perhaps from some single defect ofcharacter. And how is it that thecareer of this other, less gifted bynature, is so fruitful ? It is becausehis character has made his pathwayclear, and enabled him to pursue itwithout a fall.

If life is a flood of active energies,it is character that hollows out theriver-bed for the flowing stream. Iflife has a task to fulfil, character isthe power which accumulates itsresources and applies them to thework ordained. Thus we see, according to character, great reserves of lifelost without result, or else men ofmoderate attainments achieve greatworks.Hence character plays the leadingpart in life. Such is its importancethat we may profitably considermore closely what a good-natured

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On Charactercharacter is worth to man, and whata man loses by allowing himself tobe led by a defective character.

The Good-natured CharacterYou have a well-dispositioned character. What do you gain by it ?In attributing to you a good-natured character, I assume at theoutset that you are affable, gentle, andagreeable, and that you have made ita rule not to offend anyone willingly ;next, I assume that, by perseveringendeavour, you have attenuated theevil tendencies of your nature, andenabled your nobler impulses to preponderate ; and finally, that, afterlong struggle, having attained theconquest of yourself, you have yourmoral energies well in hand, like acaptain who holds under orders thesoldiers whom he has disciplined forthe fray. For the character is onlyaltogether good, when it possessesall these characteristics.With such a character as this,what advantages will you win fromit?

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The Importance of CharacterIt will bring you the two things to

which men most aspire : happinessand power, joy of soul and socialinfluence.You will be the first to get happiness from your good-natured character. Your kindly thoughts andcharitable feelings, before finding expression in pleasant words and affablemanners, will make you glad at heart.You will find pleasure in your owncompany. For the beams of joy willonly be reflected in your face andenlighten others after they haveillumined your own heart, which mustbe their source. Do you not thinkthat the seductive charm, whichseemed to exhale first from St.Francis of Sales and then to envelopeeveryone who came near him with asense of well-being, reacted upon hisown feelings in the highest degree ?And was it not this that gave him thecalm peace in which his soul reposed ? As Joubert observes : Goodhumour is fruitful in smiling ideas,in pleasing prospects, in hopes. . . .Gaiety clears the spirit, while beingdismal clouds it.You will be happy in the possession of a good-natured character,

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On Characterbecause in return the world aroundwill smile upon you and be morekindly towards you. One goes swordin hand against wolves, so dreadedfor their sharp teeth ; but one takesa green bough to meet lambs, so lovedfor their peaceful disposition. Ifyour character shows the gentlenessof the lamb, I do not say that you willnever meet a wolf to appeal to thelaw of force against you ; for thereare some beasts so cruel that theycan never be tamed. But, at anyrate, you may be sure that themajority of your fellows will be congenial to you, and that the mostobdurate will generally lay at yourfeet the arms they take up againstthe pretentious and the arrogant.Through abstaining from woundingothers, not only will you be sparedyourself, but you will be liked, sothankful will people be to you fornot treating them as enemies againstwhom you have to be on your guard.The joy of being loved will be yours,and it will be due to your character.To those who complain of not winning affection, I shall readily replywith Nicole :

If you do not getpeople's love, it is because you do28


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On Characterness of men nor the cruelty of theforces of nature ; he knows that hewill overcome men by patience andfirmness ; he knows that, if his bodycannot escape the sting of physicalevil, yet his soul, uplifted by Christian resignation, will issue scathlessfrom the ravages wrought upon hisflesh or in his fortune. He will belike the wise man of whom Horacespeaks, who keeps his inward calmamidst the crash of a world in ruin.Such an interior serenity, arisingfrom the sense of moral energy, isof supreme importance to our happiness, since our sadness and sorrowand distress are almost always thebitter fruit of apprehensions andfears which gnaw at our hearts. Butthis impression of power is a questionof character : it is only to be foundin the man who has taken himselfcompletely in hand, and who feelsthat he is the master of all his resources. And hence here once morewe may say : It is not our condition, but the temper of our character,that makes us happy.And this happiness is increased bythe power with which the man ofgood-natured character is indued.

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The Importance of CharacterFor Jesus Christ says : Blessed arethe meek, for they shall possess theland. A winsome promise, indeed,and a precious prescription for theuse of those whose mission it is toconquer the whole world. The proofof it, moreover, is to be met withevery day : good-natured charactersare the real masters of men andthings.

Note, first, how they take men :they attract them and get hold ofthem.Men go naturallyand easilytowardsthose who are good-natured ; theyknow that they will meet with norebuffs, that they will not be hurt byrunning against sharp corners, thatthey will be made to feel at home ;they are sure that they can opentheir hearts, tell their troubles, andunburden themselves of their load ofsorrow ; they are certain that theywill not knock at these hospitabledoors in vain, and that the helprequired will always be forthcoming.Thus, mere passive good-nature inyou 'will lead other people to putthemselves in your hands ; and oneof the first ways of winning them isto ensnare them with kindly gracious-

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On Characterness. But if your amiability is active,if it takes pains to be friendly, whatconquests will you not achieve ? Ifit is already a sign of power thatpeople are not kept at a distancefrom you, what influence will younot gain, if you draw them to yourself by the attractions of an engagingand decided character ? By beingengaging you will win them, and theywill come readily within the sphereof your influence. By firmness youwill bring them over to your way offeeling and thinking, and impressthem with the impetus of your will.There are so many drifting mindsand hesitating wills that it is an incomparable source of strength tohave clear ideas and definite plans.How can it be said that every energetic desire gets realized, unless itis because human capacities, whenthey are allowed to run loose and athaphazard, are unresistingly seizedand set to work by the vigorous handthat knows how to catch and retainthem ? The man who can say Iwill, is a centrepetal force drawingto himself and into his service allcapricious wills, which are as incoherent and impotent as motes of dust

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On Characterfeet. He does not waste his strengthin useless efforts : he bends beforethe storm that he cannot withstand.As the gale cannot last for ever, heuses the time of calm to gather upall his energies to work for thetriumph of the cause which he has atheart.It has sometimes been said thatthe good-natured character is ill-equipped for the battle of life ; andthe observation is true, if by good-natured characters we mean peoplewho are amiable only from lack ofwill-power, and it is of such thatBruyere said : '* There is no worsecharacter than the man who is without character.

But, if by good-natured characters we mean those who tempera resolute and persevering dispositionwith the charm of sincere affabilityand the patient delays of prudence,we have indicated those who aremarked out by Providence to swaythe world.

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The Importance of CharacterII

The Ill-natured CharacterThere are two kinds of ill-natured

characters : the irritating and theweak. It is impossible to make eitherof them understand too clearly thatthey are badly equipped for life ; theyare bound to suffer and to succumb.

It is the irritating who are properlyspeaking ill-natured characters.They are a burden to those whohave much to do with them, theywound those who come near them.Dull, self-centred and sullen, theybanish joy and prevent open-hearted-ness. Merciless critics, they note thesmallest defects, and draw attentionto bitter words. Any kind of opposition arouses them ; the least vexation provokes them to an outburstof noisy wrath. They are wont touse envenomed irony, and love to letfly barbed shafts which cause deepwounds. Their selfishness is exacting to the point of hardness ; theyknow not how to please by kindlycivilities. They are haughty, pigheaded, prigs, surly, brutal and vindictive, and express in their outwardactions the envy, jealousy, sensitive-

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On Characterness and pride which are within.For it is within them that the evildwells. Sometimes there are openings in the overcast and stormy skyof their hearts, and they are thenable to smile kindly, and to act disinterestedly.

But these gleams arerare and fugitive. Soon their humourbecomes once more dull and threatening. Such a character is a twofoldmisfortune to its possessor ; it is bothan affliction and a weakness.However vexatious they may be tothose about them, they are a still

greater scourge to themselves. Thethorns with which they bristle arenot all pointed outwards : the sharpest are turned inwards, and laceratetheir own thin skins. The patienceand resignation with which otherstreat them fail them so that theycannot endure themselves. Oh, howwell they know by experience theintolerableness of theirown company This would be only fair, if their vexation, arising from their own faults,did not make them still worse.To the stings of their conscienceis added the sorrow of feeling thatthey are left to themselves. Theaffection of their fellows, which is

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The Importance of Charactersuch a cheering cordial and such ahealing balm, is denied them. Peopleare afraid of them and fly from them ;for they are regarded with distrust,their blows are dreaded, and nonewill submit to their tyranny. Orelse, if they are generally set upon,it is only after all have done theirbest by combined effort to rebuketheir conduct, and to repel theirattacks. This isolation first, and thisuniversal opposition afterwards, theyare bound to incur as a consequenceof their failings.But do they gain in strength whatthey lose in sympathy ? They fancythey do ; and this persuasion oftheirs consoles them for the aversionwhich they incur. No flatterers arewe, say they. They have the pluckto tell everyone the truth to his face.With cowardly compromise they willhave nothing to do : they are boldenough to maintain their opinions.Those of other people cannot beforced upon them ; they know howto make themselves respected, andto keep everyone in his place.They will have obedience, and willbrook no resistance. This is whatthey say, deluded with the idea that37


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On Charactertheir ill-nature gives them power.But they are the victims of a seriousillusion. Amongst these vexatiouscharacters, some are strong, andothers weak. The weak get nostrength from their ill-humour ; butit does not deprive the strong ofdecision and perseverance of will,though it closes to them the avenuesby which moral authority reachesreal success. The strongest areweakened by an ill-natured character,either through the opposition whichthey arouse, or else because theycompromise favourable situations.To win men, one must reach theirhearts. But vexatious characterscannot win hearts and call forththeir love ; and hence they never gethold of men in the right way. Suchsway as they achieve is but externaland fleeting ; it never grips the soul,and only lasts by means of compulsion. You do not have a personunder your influence if you merelymake him submit to a yoke becausehe dislikes having to shake it off.Who has not noticed how complications arise according to thecharacter of those who bear rule ?A nation, which is at peace under38


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The Importance of Characterthe authority of a man of tact, becomes

agitatedand divided and

revolutionary, when it passes underthe sway of a ruler who is clumsy,exacting, indiscreet and upsetting inhis projects, and crafty and suspiciousin his ways. Wherever he goes, theill-natured character fails ; he is fullof complaints against his subordinates ; how is it that he does not seethat his lack of success is due to himself ? But he is too full of pride toacknowledge his faults ; if he onlyhad a single grain of humility, his ill-natured character would no longerexist.The weak, too, have a defectivecharacter, but in another fashion.Whilst the vexatious are aggravatingthrough the violent assertiveness oftheir individuality, the weak so farefface themselves that they condemntheir lives to sterility.Feebleness of character comes oufin several degrees. At the bottomof the scale are found men with nodefinite ideas or fixed wishes, thesport of vague fancies of a futile sort,which float before their minds in acloudy kind of way. A step higherare men of clear thought and with39


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On Characterwell-defined aims, but whose resolutions, being without vigour andparalyzed by the fear of their fellows,never make the slightest advancetowards realization; these are theidle and fearful, who waste theirtime in fine and useless schemes.

Others, again, with more energy,not only make up their minds, butset to work ; unfortunately, eitherfrom want of lustihood or from fearof opposition, they do not carry outtheir undertakings, and, if they donot go to sleep in their efforts, theyleave the right road, and waste theirpowers in a multiplicity of vainendeavours.

Characters so poor in energy sufferthe consequences of their incapacity,and their steps are dogged with disaster.

It is a bitter humiliation and acruel torture to souls of acutesensitiveness and with noble aspirations to feel that they are never upto the matter in hand ; that they fallbelow their own legitimate ambitions,and are betrayed by the defectionsof a feeble will. If grave interestsare committed to your charge, youwill keenly regret seeing them

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The Importance of Characterendangered because you lack thefirmness required for their maintenance. Here are souls whom, forvarious reasons, you have to rule bymoral influence ; but they escapeyour efforts, and are subject to falsenotions and, perhaps, to basepassions, because you are too weakto get a hold upon them ; you havetoo much conscience and dignity notto experience deep mortification inconsequence. All weak characters,even those with the least delicacyand loftiness of feeling, suffer if theysee that they are dominated, reducedto silence, sometimes trampled on,and lowered in their personality bycircumstance, or by the imperiouswill of others. However indolentthey may be, the weak are alwaysunfortunate.

Their ill-fortune comes from theirlack of vigour, owing to which theyachieve no fruitful results. They letthemselves drift with the stream, likea vessel without oars or rudder.Hence they leave no mark upon life.Doubtless, they do not bar theprogress of what moves onwardwith its own impetus ; and thenthey seem to win a measure of

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On Charactersuccess. But if ever they are requiredto give an impulse themselves, justwhere the help of their hands is theone thing essential, some patentcheck shows their incapacity. It isnot that they have no fits of vitalityand give no temporary proofs of willpower. But while these appearancesof energy are only transitory, andtherefore without effect, often theymanifest a violence which is scarcelyless noxious than apathy to theinterests which have to be secured.Whatever kind of ill-nature it may

possess, the defective character is amisfortune to the person who isafflicted with it. And if man's beingis so far dependent upon character,who can be so indifferent to the workof life as to remain careless as to thenature, the value, and the formationof character ?


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CHAPTER IIITHE IDEAL CHARACTER

/CHARACTER, as we have said,^ makes life.The best character, then, will makethe best life.You aspire to live. You hold lifeto be a treasure which must not bewasted ; you are even determinedto increase its value and to make useof its powers. Hence comes thejust ambition, the highest that cantake possession of the heart of man,of imparting to life more and moreof nobleness, intensity and fruitful-ness.But these beautiful aspirationstowards a better life carry with them,as an inevitable consequence, the

obligation of cultivating the character, since character is the measureof life and the instrument whichmoulds it, and since lowness of cha-

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On Characterracter is incompatible with grandeurof life, and feebleness of characterwith fruitfulness of life.The man who is eager to live, andtherefore to form his character,before putting his hand to the work,will begin by setting clearly beforehis mind the ideal that he purposesto realize. What kind of characterwill you have ? That is the firstquestion to decide.In character there are two parts,as we will explain hereafter ; thepart which is due to nature, and thepart which belongs to our moralindividuality.Over nature's part you have butlittle dominion. What you are bytemperament, that you will remain.If you are all steel, remember thatyou will have to work on steel. Ifyou are a withe, treat yourself as awithe and no otherwise. In otherwords, if you are born sanguine, youwill be sanguine ; if nervous, nervous,and so on. Whatever your naturaldisposition may be, do not be alarmedat it ; for no soil is so unyielding as tobe incapable of being made to beara useful crop by means of skilfulcultivation.

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The Ideal CharacterThere is, in fact, in characteranother part, that of the moralpersonality, over which your will has

full power. It is for you to mouldit to your liking, so that, whatever beyour nature, you may stamp it withthe impress of your choice. Do younot know that, in the artist's hands,the poorest of material lends itself tothe realization of the ideal which hehas vigorously conceived ?With only four strokes we willoutline the ideal of a fine character :

Uprightness of conscience, whichmakes it honourable.Strength of will, which gives itvalue.Kindness of heart, which is itscharm.Demeanour, which heightens its

dignity.No one will doubt that thesequalities constitute a great character. But they are independent ofthe temperament, since they are notthe outcome of one character ratherthan another. Hence they arewithin the reach, though not to thesame extent, of all natures. Whatever your disposition may be, youhave so to direct your innate habits

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On Characteras ever to follow conscience andnever to shirk endeavour, so as tokeep kindness in your heart andmanifest dignity in your behaviour.And it is not by rare and isolatedacts, the result of a sudden outburstof moral effort against yourself, thatyou will acquire this noble character ; it is the very ground of yoursoul that must be sown with goodtendencies, in order that spontaneously, and as if from the prompting of nature, you may habituallypossess a tender conscience, anenergetic will, a kind heart, andan irreproachable demeanour.Let us attempt to put these featuresof the ideal character in a still clearerlight.

I

Uprightness of ConscienceIf we put conscience in the fore

front, it is because the conscientiousman alone wins our esteem. Weinstinctively despise the man whounscrupulously tramples conscienceunder foot. As we cannot reckonupon him, nor on the sincerity of hiswords, nor on the trustworthiness of

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The Ideal Characterhis actions, we turn away from him,and refuse to regard him as a man.Straightforwardness is, indeed, thefirst condition of honour, the firstclaim to confidence. Here is a manwith will-power, propriety, and whois also engaging, but he is false, helies, and is untrue to conscience, and,on occasion, he will betray his ownfriends ; in our estimation he is awretched character, however greatin other ways his qualities may be ;if he is wanting in conscience, in oureyes he is wanting in everything.What, then, is conscience, andwhat is the part it plays in life ?

Joubert gives a very clear notionof conscience when he writes : Children require a master withinthem ; there he is better placed thanat their side. All of them are readyto receive him, and in consciencethey have a place ever prepared forhim. Conscience, then, is like aninner tutor whose voice is neversilent, like a watcher, night and day,who never slumbers.To explain fully the office fulfilledby conscience, we will say that it isat once a faithful monitor, a powerfulcurb, and an effective stimulus.

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On CharacterAs a faithful monitor, it warns usof danger at its first approach, itrecalls duty at the moment in which

it is to be carried out, and it keepsthe heart awake to all good actions.As a powerful curb, it stops a manfrom slipping down the dangerousslope, it governs the transports ofhis most ardent passions, and it thusguards him from disastrous falls andirreparable ruin.As an effective stimulus, it arousesmen from torpor, prevents theirgiving way to apathy, and impartsto their stores of energy a kind ofelectric thrill stirring them to theproduction of work. It harasses theidler into action ; it puts a strongcurb on the man who goes astray tobring him back to the right way ;it spurs him on who is slack to makehim recover his elan.There are those whose conscienceis still unawake : lower natures,which the lack of cultivation hasallowed to remain children, whohave only a confused idea of goodand evil, and who, being led by thelower appetites, deserve rather pitythan wrath for the lowness of theirlives. But there are others in whom

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The Ideal Characterconscience is blunted, weakened, ordestroyed,

because it has long beenstifled, outraged, and trampled underfoot ; these are contemptible beings,not only because noble feelings havelost their hold upon them, but becausethis lamentable atrophy of conscienceis the result of repeated faults.There are also, thank God, those inwhom a lively and healthy consciencekeeps its delicate sensitiveness, soulsin whom the voice of conscience isfaithfully listened to and obeyedwith docility ; these souls, accordingto the measure in which they followtheir conscience, bear the primarystamp of the fine character.Men of conscience are distinguished by three signs

in chief :they are nice in the performanceof the duties of their state of life,strictly sincere and rigidly honest inhandling the interests of others.Conscience takes a particularlyhigh view of duty ; in its eyes dutyhas a value in itself, and obliges withan authority which is higher thanthat of any human will. If conscience has you fully under itssovereignty, this is the way in whichyou will reason with regard to duty.49 D


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On CharacterThis charge is committed to me,not by men, but by God whose eyeis my own conscience. If men arepleased, so much the better : I shallbe glad if they are, but only onething is of importance to me thewitness of a good conscience. If,however, men misunderstand me, Iwill not trample on my consciencein a matter of clear duty to escapetheir censure. This is plainly myduty, and therefore I will do it ; Iwill do it promptly and gladly, andI will take all the pains with it ofwhich my weak nature is capable.No one will see me, nor shall I getany credit for it in this world ; nevermind, I will do it. No one willreckon up the value of it, or estimatethe trouble I have taken ; nevermind, I will use the utmost careabout it. Can one use any noblerlanguage? Well, this is the wayconscience speaks, and thus it worksin action.How different is the language ofthe man without conscience, or witha conscience but slightly searedInstead of being led by love, he isdriven by fear. The policeman inthis world, and hell in the next, areSo


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On Characterstrict sincerity. On the point ofintegrity conscience may be said tobe even touchy. It will not endureany disagreement between thoughtand word and deed. While observing the wise rule which prevents aman from always betraying the wholeof his mind in what he says, it nevertheless inspires such a respect fortruth that it dreads the least deviation from it. It fills us with aninstinctive horror of lying, so that itfeels wounded to the quick, if thewill is allowed to slip on the disgraceful slope of falsehood. Unsatisfied with proscribing wordswhich formally violate the truth, itrepels the cowardly and underhandmethods of procedure which somepeople hold to be clever, but whichit condemns as wanting in straightforwardness.Amongst the dispositions which itcondemns in the name of candour

as being degrading to the character,let us note : deference to humanopinion, which, through fear of man,in order to escape a smile or a bit ofchaff, hides right thoughts and goodfeelings, and is ashamed of anyacquired merits, and hinders the

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The Ideal Characterpractice of the best habits ; dissimulation, the cowardice of a disorderedspirit, which flies to secrecy in orderto do ill, and buries in silence avowalsthat ought to be made frankly ;hypocrisy, that mask of virtue whichfalse hearts use to hide behind, notonly to conceal their vices, but towin esteem and favour with deceitful shows of goodness ; unfaithfulness to the given word, the sign ofa low mind that attaches no valueto its own word, and is ready to giveitself the lie for some base interest,and is only to be bound by the chainof civil law ; and, lastly, duplicity,which flatters and is treacherous inturn, which praises and extols youto your face, but blackens yourcharacter and ruins you as soon asyour back is turned an odious vice,condemned by Holy Scripturebecause it sows discord amongstbrethren.No less than sincerity consciencerequires strict honesty in business,and thus it gives another stroke ofmoral beauty to character. It is the

rigid and sole guardian of interestsconfided to our care. Money, confidential information, reputation,

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On Charactereverything put into our hands, canonly be safeguarded by the interiorlaw of conscience.

In money matters conscience is thesole efficacious guarantee of integrity.Even under the most skilfullyorganized financial administration,clever cupidity finds a way of reapingits own advantage, in spite of theclosest meshes of inspection ; andall the more surely will it secure itsown benefit, when there is no supervision over the management of thesums of money entrusted to it. Tobanish theft we must bind, not thehands, but the heart ; for anavaricious heart will always find away of freeing the hands, howeverclosely they may be tied. But conscience alone can secure the heart,and impart to the character thatdignity which comes from unsuspected delicacy of tone.

Still more precious than ourmoney are our secrets ; for instance,our inmost state of mind, our passions, our bitterness of spirit, or evenour family circumstances or fortune.On the one hand, we feel an instinctive need of speaking about them,for it seems as if by doing this we

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The Ideal Characterunburden our soul ; but on the otherhand, it is important that they shouldnot be divulged, because, if theybecame public property, they wouldcompromise our credit or our reputation. If charity imposes on othersthe duty of listening to us, so thatthey may console us, justice strictlyobliges them to be silent, so that wemay not be ruined. Tact and areally lofty character are needed forthe exercise of this indispensablediscretion. Those who let outsecrets in which great interests areinvolved are either light and frivolouspersons, or else their hearts are eviland their consciences debased. Conscience, then, is a curb for thetongue, as it is an inviolable seal onthe safe in which money is stored.Amongst all human possessionsnone is more precious to a man thanhis reputation. Holy Scripture bidsus take care of our reputation.Reputation is our very honour,because it brings us either esteem orcontempt, and inspires people withconfidence in us or marks us out fordistrust. If it is good, it secures usprosperity in our material or moralposition j if it is bad, it buries us

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On Characterunder all sorts of disaster. But ourreputation depends on others ; aword of calumny, a meaning smile,may ruin it. Who, then, is to preserve a thing so precious and sofragile ? Conscience alone, so thatat every moment our life depends onthe conscience of others. It is theirfineness of conscience that will saveus. The false tongue, that does fatalinjury by deadly speech, is onlyfound in those of low character andtarnished conscience.

Need we say any more in praiseof the man who is fully under thesway of conscience ? Have we notsaid enough about it to make clearwherein his strength and honourconsist ?The most unmistakable sign ofhis strength is that he is able to dohis duty of his own accord. Hismoral energy is not borrowed, butsprings from his own heart. Thoughthe weak may wait until they arethreatened or enkindled beforebeginning to act, the man of conscience has an inner reserve ofactivity which is set loose of itself

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The Ideal Characterwhen he is face to face with a clearcase of duty.Conscience, moreover, is aprinciple of power. For it will notallow the will to slumber in inaction ;it rouses it up, it urges it on, itexercises it, and, in doing this, itdevelops it. It supports the will inan action once undertaken ; andthus it gives to an enterprise thatcontinuity and perseverance whichensure its success. In fine, it makesmen valiant, especially when thefulfilment of duty involves painfulsacrifice and demands a bold frontin facing danger.From another point of view, conscience is a power in virtue of thefirmness which it imparts to the will,and of the assurance which it affordsto the soul. To follow consciencealways is to take the straight linewithout turning back, and to do thisconsistently and without hesitation.He who has once disobeyed conscience, whether by lying, or by badundertakings, or by infringement ofduty, is always full of anxiety anduneasiness, not only because he hasfallen in his own self-esteem, butalso from fear of being found out.

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On CharacterIn order to hide his faults and topreserve his consistency, he has togive himself up to the calculation ofalternatives, which wear him out,and in which he often comes togrief. Then he finds all too late thatpeace belongs to truth, and thatstrength is only obtained by following the straight road.

Honour, too, can only flourishwhere there is integrity of conscience.God is well pleased with the conscientious alone. How good is theGod of Israel, says the Psalmist, tothem that are of a right heart When God wishes to extol the

merits of His servants, it is theiruprightness that He praises. Hastthou considered my servant Job,He says to Satan, u that there isnone like him in the earth, a simpleand upright man ? And theevangelical law has no other rulefor judging souls. If thy eye besingle, says Christ, thy wholebody shall be lightsome. But if thyeye be evil, thy whole body shallbe darksome. But conscience isman's eye : it is conscience, therefore, that fills him with glory or

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The Ideal Charactershame. Furthermore, what will beon trial at God's judgment-seat if itbe not conscience ? It is the faithful conscience that will receive theeternal reward ; and endless punishment will be the meed of the conscience that is false. Such is the partassigned byGod to conscience ; there,in His eyes, dwells the whole man.And herein the judgment of mendoes not differ from the judgment ofGod. They fasten a note of ignominyupon the betrayals of conscience, andthey crown with a halo those whoare honourable and straightforward.However weak men may be inpractice, they take a very firm standon the ground of principle. A lieis hateful to them, and they deem ita grave insult to be called a liar ;and thus a man loses all publiccredit if he is openly convicted oflying. Unscrupulousness is a blemishno less humiliating ; and if a man becalled a robber, he does not failto demand satisfaction, either in aduel or before a court of law, sosure is he that shame will cleave tohim if he does not clear himself ofthe disgrace. Hence, nothing sodegrades a man in the eyes of his

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On Characterfellows as an established charge oflying, fraud, or theft.And this popular ratification ofmoral right, however hardly it maywork, is just. Society requires it.All social order is based upon themutual confidence of men. Peaceand prosperity are only possible aslong as we can hope that our neighbour is not trying to deceive us.But how can I be sure about myneighbour ? Who will guarantee mehis

straightforwardness, the truthfulness of his speech, and that he willrespect my rights ? For all this I mustdepend upon his conscience. It ishis conscience that will secure mypeace of mind; but if he have noconscience, I shall be distrustful anduneasy.

Well, then, may we honour thosewho, by doing duty for conscience'sake, become mainstays of socialstability.

But, on the contrary, what a disgrace are those who, by proceedingon their way unchecked by anyscruple, are a shame and a danger tosociety In great characters the law of conscience holds such a commanding60


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The Ideal Characterplace, and is so promptly obeyed, thatthey would rather lose all, both fortune and reputation, than trampleunder foot, even in the shadow ofsecrecy, a duty declared by conscience to be sacred.

IIStrength of Will

The unbending uprightness ofconscience which assures a man aplace of honour in the esteem ofhis fellows presupposes will-power,the very soul of all great characters. Moreover, after giving thefirst place to the quality whichmakes a man worthy of respect, weshall hasten to deal with that whichis the measure of his value. Wherewill is lacking, individuality does notexist ; according as will-power in-increases or diminishes, personalitygrows or wanes.Mistakes are often made as to thenature of will-power. Neither displays of temper arising from theprovocation of meeting with difficulties, nor obstinacy from beingengrossed in some ill-founded61


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On Characteropinion, nor hardness in the useof authority, nor pretentiousnesswhich assumes a show of simulatedboldness, are signs of a strong will.Lack of feeling is no better evidenceof it ; for to be untouched byemotion under the blows of sorrow,in the bitterness of betrayal, or inresponse to a demonstration of realaffection, is the mark of a cold andpassionless disposition, and not thenote of a virile character: and, onthe other hand, there are souls whoreveal a fine virility amidst thefeelings aroused in them by thevexations and joys they meet with.Not even freedom from moral fallsis an unmistakable sign of willpower ; for not to fall, if there beno temptation, may be merely theresult of insignificance ; and, on thecontrary, even grave failings maycome to sadden, as troublesome andtemporary accidents, generous soulsin whom the will holds full sway.To sum up the state of the man ofwill-power, we may say that heis master of himself. Be thineown master, said wise MarcusAurelius, and keep a good heart inall thy days, good or bad. And St.62


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The Ideal CharacterFrancis of Sales, too, thus extols self-possession: A man's greatest happiness, Philotheus, consists in thepossession of his own soul. In thewords of a German philosopher : The highest good given by God toevery creature is, and will be always,to be himself. That in which youare wanting, said a moralist doctor, is yourself. What can I prescribefor you, unless it is yourself ? Trueit is that the great German mystic,Tauler, writes in the spirit of theGospel :

Where I lost myself Ifound God : and where I have foundmyself, I have lost God. But lateron we shall see that each of us bearswithin himself two men, and that,by bringing the lower into subjection, we win at the same timeboth ourselves and God.

Yet the possession of one's selfimplies two things : freedom andcontrol ; freedom, whereby we breakthrough all bonds, and win for ourselves liberty of action ; control,whereby we get hold of the store ofenergies within us and set them towork for the achievement of what isright. The man who is free, andwho governs himself thus, is truly his63


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On Characterown master noble in his independence, he is strong in the use of hisenergies. He has a will. He is acharacter.**'*'*..


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The Ideal Characterphysical world ; it is not to bedaunted by threats nor crushed byblows actually received. Such aperson knows that if man is but apigmy compared with the colossalpowers of nature, yet he can oftenmaster them by drawing upon hisintelligence ; and therefore heenters the conflict with resolution,and uses all his skill to escape thecruel ruthlessness of unconsciousforces. How many are the fatalmaladies that have been avoided bymeans of prudence, and cured byconfidence How many fortuneshave been kept from ruin by coolpresence of mind, and saved fromdisaster by persistent toil And ifmisfortune is inevitable, if there beno escape from its dreaded assaults,men with a will are neverthelessneither conquered nor despairing ;for they keep an air of moral triumphin this universe that crushes themwithout knowing it.Nothing is finer or greater than aman of character at grips with grief.He is not at all astonished at meetingit on the way, for he sees clearly thatthere is no human life without a largeshare of it. He does not turn from6*


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On Characterit with horror ; but he looks it in theface as a messenger of good ; hequestions it to learn the lessons ithas to convey, and he welcomesit to get from it the benefits withwhich it is charged. Convinced thatimpatience is the destruction ofstrength, and patience the mainstayof weakness, and that, as Joubert

says, God has ordered time forthe consolation of the unfortunate,he waits for the dark hours topass away and for a brighter dayto dawn. Moreover, he is assuredthat the days of suffering will notbe sterile ; that life is but a blankpage until the words, I havesuffered, are written across it, or,in other terms, I have lived ;that misfortune awakens a man outof lethargy and is indispensable tothe development of his mind andheart ; that life points out the pathto follow with a rod of iron ; that life is a rough sculptor whose chiselgradually carves out from the rawmaterial the model of the innerideal, as Madame Bentzon says;and that, in Lacordaire's words,the sting of sorrow keeps a man66


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The Ideal Characterfrom being stung to death by thesting of pleasure.Strengthened thus by a clear perception of the providential reasonsfor suffering, the man of characterstands upright under trial, and doesnot give in or listlessly let his handshang down, but on the contrarygathers up his energies, and, as soonas outward circumstances seem nolonger a hindrance to work butrather an incentive to action, hestarts afresh with resignation andcourage, consoled by the very useof such life as is left to him.Thus set free by strength of soulfrom bondage to blind powers, manhas next to be on the watch againstfalling under the yoke of his fellows.Christians should always have ringing in their ears the proud words ofSt. Paul: You are bought with aprice, be not made the bond slavesof men. Who can flatter himselfthat he is no man's slave ? Whatliberty we should enjoy, if we wereour own masters despite those whowound us or impose on us, or seduceus by flattery.Who, in his own circle, does notcome across irritating persons who

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On Characterare as thorny to handle as a bundleof brambles ? The more one hasto do with them, the more one getsscratched. They are bitter critics,dry and sharp in speech, keenlyreproachful and bad-tempered, unscrupulous in their ways, awkwardly silent, disquietingly reticent,unreasonably hostile, and inexorablein their antipathies. Not only arethey disagreeable but they becomeour masters. They put us out ofcountenance. Our will either givesway through timidity, or else dissipates its strength in violence. Cowardice breaks the very springs of thesoul, lowering and effacing and annihilating us ; yet if we were trulyindependent, we should not, indeed,be indifferent to irritation of theouter skin, but we should not befundamentally upset ; we shouldpursue our business with calmness,and never allow the fear of anepigram to choke within us an impulse to do good. To those wholose patience in the company of ill-natured characters, and by an outburst of anger dissipate the meritsacquired by long forbearance, werecommend the following fine re-68


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The Ideal Charactermarks of Nicole : We should thinkit as ridiculous to get angrywith otherpeople's faults and eccentricities asto take offence because the weatheris bad, or too hot or too cold, for ouranger is as impotent to set menstraight as to change the seasons.In fact, it is still more unreasonable, in that, by being angry withthe seasons, we make them neithermore nor less agreeable, whereasour bitterness against men irritatesthem against us and only makes theirpassions more vehement and active.The Master was right when he said,a In your patience you shall possessyour souls.

Furthermore, a firm will does notyield to those who seek to imposeupon it. Whether their authorityover us is exercised by way of command or of suggestion or of menace,dignity of character demands thatwe should retain our hold upon ourselves.Far be it from us to think that a

lawful command may be infringed ordisputed. We uphold the sovereignpower of established authority withits absolute right to our entireobedience. But there is a base sort

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On Characterof obedience which is dishonouring,as there is a loftier kind of obediencewhich is ennobling. In the former,the subject is passive ; he is actedupon and does not act, and is a mereparcel of clothes to be shifted aboutat will. In the latter, we are enlightened and active ; we love anddesire the thing that is bidden, justbecause it is commanded ; our actionsare our own,andwe possess ourselves.How few are those who are independent of the suggestions of others What an influence over us have thosewho are about us Sometimes weyield to them quite consciously ;sometimes we are subject to themwithout knowing it. Here, it is ourequals whom we do not mistrust ;there, it is a leader who carries usaway in our weakness ; elsewhere,it is intriguers who take advantageof our honesty ; often, it may beservants who deceive us, and, attimes, we may fall under the spell ofa woman's charm. Their thoughtsand feelings carry the day with us.We think that we are expressingour own thoughts and promotingour own plans : in reality, we are notour own, but the tools of others.

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The Ideal CharacterWe are more on our guard, and

feel pride stir within us, when threatsare used by those who are dealingwith us. If we are pugnacious, wetake our stand against the use offorce, and resist with boldness. Ifwe are timid, we oppose unjust demands, at any rate with a passiveresistance which never yields, andbefore which the most violent oftenfind themselves disarmed. Howevervaluable this resource may be to theweak, does not one still sometimessee the fearful give way to threatsand betray their own convictions ?This is a characteristic of men whoabandon possession of themselves.Of all human influences, that whichsways men most and makes mostslaves is seduction. Most of thosewho resist force succumb to flattery.He, then, will have the most hardenedwill, who retains self-possession inspite of all the attractions whichmake their appeal to him.Seduction attacks the whole man ;it catches his eye and feeds hiscuriosity by means of sights andshows, of displays and dress ; itfosters his vanity by lavish praise ;it captures his heart by trailing the

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On Characterdangerous bait of real or shamaffection ; it flatters his cupidity withthe glitter of gold, and his pride withthe allurement of honours.Nowhere can character prove itsquality better than when it has tomeet with seductive enticement. Ifsuch and such a woman had willpower, she would not be carriedaway by the flashy shows of window-dressing to make purchases whichher conscience disapproves. If suchand such a man were master of himself, he would not let himself betaken in the snare of a deceptiveaffection which will cast him intodespair after bringing ruin to hishousehold. And this other, who sellshis conscience for money, or whosacrifices his honour and his idealsfor the sake of a decoration, lowershimself to be a slave ; how, then, canhe help feeling that he has given uphis personality? On the contrary,how great and worthy of all respectis he who is won by no fascination,and whose will is as it were wingedto fly from all the nets that are set tocatch him He is always his ownmaster.* * * * *

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The Ideal CharacterTo belong fully to himself, he

must, however, shake himself freefrom another yoke. Aftertriumphingover nature and mankind, he musttake good care not to forge his ownchains of servitude. *' The mostvaliant captain, says Lacordaire, may be weak as a woman the dayafter his victory, and his woundscover a character which is merelyfeeble and of no account. It wasthe misfortune of the great Napoleonthat, after conquering the world, hewas unable to master himself : notknowing the art of self-command, helacked strength no less than wisdom.Man, indeed, is a most complexand multifarious being. He is themicrocosm of a great state, in whichseethes a whole nation of desiresand passions, of caprices and im

pressions, of interests and ambitions.. . . These emotions and inclinationsare in his soul like subjects in anempire : the reins of government areheld by the will. Just as a sovereign,in order to reign in peace, does notexterminate his subjects, but reducesthem to obedience, puts them undertribute, gives them occupation andexploits them for the public welfare,

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On Characterthus the will, if it fulfil its part, doesnot stifle innate tendencies and personal aspirations, but rules and moderates them, lets them go or keepsthem in according to occasion, makessubmissive auxiliaries of them, andnever gives in to their hurtful andunreasonable demands. Whereverinclination gets the upper hand, ornature follows its bent, and where,on that account, the will is silent orwanting in authority, there is anarchy,and personality is effaced ; there the I is a slave, and moral worth isdestroyed. This is why man by forceof will has to break free from selfand to be his own master.This mastery, which is the most

real and the most fruitful that mancan aspire to, must be exercised overthe sensual appetites, over the frenzyof imagination and the frailties oftemperament.

Nothing lowers a man so muchas being enslaved by the senses.Whether he is led by the gross instincts of the glutton or gives wayto the shameful appeals of lust, healways becomes degraded and loseshis honour, and sometimes his healthas well. Bending under the tyranny

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The Ideal Characterof the senses, he experiences dulnessof spirit and debasement of heart ;the strength of will in him growsweak or altogether disappears ; hisideal is too poor and dim for the loveof higher things ; and he is so incapable of effort that he does nottry to attain to them. Therefore thefirst action of the man who is anxiousto belong to himself must be toemerge from these low depths ofsensuality. He must put a checkupon his love of the table : an excessive fondness of dainties inwomenand children, and an intemperatelove of alcoholic liquors in men, areboth signs and causes of weakness ofcharacter. Above all, he must subdue the carnal passions which seethein him ; for if he treats them withculpable indulgence, 'and if he doesnot muzzle them like wild beasts, hewill become their plaything and, erelong, their prey.How many' men, after laboriouslywinning their moral freedom by sub

duing the senses, succumb to anotheryoke, that of a diseased imagination For all the mental torments thatfollow one another in a long line,from uneasy curiosity to the weari-

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On Characterness of faint-heartedness, underminethe soul at the very centre and killthe will in its very source. A manhas no hold over himself, if he iscarried away by an unwholesomecuriosity to attend risky theatricalperformances and to read immoralor doubtful books, or to look atimmodest pictures, or to take part inloose conversation. Nor can he callhimself his own, who, in endlessreveries, dwells upon fancies thattaint the mind, or affections that enervate the heart. Still less does hebelong to himself who is obsessedwith fixed ideas and becomes afanatic in his antipathies or in irreconcilable hatred, or who thinks heis persecuted by imaginary enemies,or groans under the burden ofmaladies that do not exist. Finally,he soon ceases to be his own master,who gives way to depression andmelancholy : for their first fruit isweary discontent, a kind of moralrust which silently eats away thesoul ; and they end in producingdiscouragement, which so inevitablycrushes out all energy that Lacordairerightly calls it

the death of manliness. To repress curiosity by way

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The Ideal Characterof mortification, to dissipate reverieby action, to force oneself tobelieve in the uprightness and kindliness of one's fellow-men, to keepalive at the bottom of one's heartthe little flame of confidence in oneself by means of the beneficent influence of trust in God such are theremedies for these ills of the imagination amidst which the will soeasily makes ship-wreck.In these daily struggles a well-balanced disposition would be anincomparable help to character. Butmen's temperaments also, owing totheir excitability at times, must bekept under control so that the willmay bear sovereign rule. To speakonly of the two extremes, some areeasily carried away, and others remain apathetic : the former requirea bridle, the latter a whip.

Impulsive natures require energetic self-control ; for if they yield totheir feelings, they are always precipitate or vehement. When they arenot crossed, they are, indeed, notwithout calmness ; they are quickin action, wanting forethought anddeliberation, and liable to a multitudeof mistakes, which they discover only

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On Charactertoo late; they work like a horse, butare less anxious to do well than todo much ; being unable to restraintheir speech, they betray secrets,muddle business, and give offence ;they have no better control over theirill-humour, and do not conceal theirresentment. When they meet withdifficulties, their susceptibilities areawakened, and they burst forth intoviolent language and exceptionableproceedings; and the outbreakshowsthat they are wanting in self-possession. In such souls moderation isthe goal of the moral struggle.No less effort is required if thewill is to win the day in apatheticand lazy dispositions. It is not thatthey are lacking in resource ; buttheir energies are benumbed in theslumber of despair. In vain do youtry to shake them up ; they are neverquite awake, being wrapped in asort of drowsiness. Always behindhand, they drag on at their work ;they make a start just when thething in hand ought to be finished.They are inconsistent in thought, andtheir undertakings have no continuity. There is no order in theiremployments or business or house-

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The Ideal Characterhold, and order is especially deficientin their soul. They fritter the timeaway, dissipate their life and maimtheir existence. The idle man seemsto have self-possession ; but is onlyat peace because he is asleep. Hedoes not belong to himself, becausehe is not free from slumber.It is now evident to everyone thatthe conquest of self is a huge andheavy task. Man's liberation isneither just a day's work nor merechild's play. It requires time, andit is not too much to devote to it thelabour of a life. It demands greatcourage, it may be almost superhuman courage, such as religionalone can infuse into a man's heart.It is to this noble enterprise thatJesus Christ invites us when He bidsus deny ourselves and take up thecross ; and to make us victorious inthe struggle, He promises grace inresponse to our humble and persevering prayers.* * * * *However important the acquisitionof the moral mastery of ourselvesmay be, it is nevertheless only thefirst step in the programme that thewill has to carry out. When it has79


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On Characterbroken its chains, when it has wonpossession of itself, when it holds allthe treasures of its activities at itsdisposal, the will must turn them toaccount and make them bear fruitand set them to work. And sinceits proper function is willing, it mustmake a study of learning, in fact, howto will. All man's misfortunes comefrom the want of willing ; and therefore, as soon as he is his own master,he must cure himself of the fataldisease of lack of will-power.

Having the will is enough, says a politician, to free a man from all ills.Know how to will things, and doyour duty, says a German moralist ; there in two words is the soul'swhole hygiene.But will-power exists in variousdegrees : it attains its climax whenit is decided, active, and persevering.There are souls who swarm withfancies like the growth of bramblesin neglected land. They overflowwith ideas, a tangle of desires, andplan after plan, but nothing gets defined or takes shape ; their entirefertility of soul is absorbed in thiswild vegetation, which results in a,80


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The Ideal Charactermass of dried-up weeds; This isbecause their will is without decision :amidst the many plans that maketheir appeal to it, it makes no choice.And it abstains from doing anything,not from lack of light, but for wantof energy and of an adequate interior incentive. For the act oftaking a side, even when expressedonly in the inner sanctuary of thesoul, requires no less moral effortthan an outward act. The undecided and irresolute are really sickfolk, and their heedlessness maydegenerate into soul-paralysis.

Nevertheless, decision, even whenclearly pronounced, is but the will'sfirst step. It may be definite, without being strong enough to findoutward expression in action. Forthe execution of a purpose involvessomething more than a mentaldecree.

It requires all our motive forcesto be set in movement, and that theybe provided \vith enough energy toclear away difficulties and to beatdown opposition. Orders feeblyissued by the will come to grief ;and therefore the active impetusspringing from the centre of the8l F


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On Charactersoul must break forth with a highdegree of intensity.Further, the beginning of actionis not all ; it must endure. Mostaction is only maintained by persevering will that is to say, by a willso strong that its supply of moralenergy does not get exhausted ; soconsistent that, without grave reason,it will not change the direction ofits efforts. When it has attainedthis degree of firmness, moral will isendued with irresistible power ; itimparts the highest possible valueto the character of its possessor.Though but few are able to reach itin reality, yet all ought to tendtowards it. The upward path issteep ; but, as one climbs the hill,the horizon broadens without, andvirility grows within.

IllKindness of Heart

In character we were not wrongin assigning so large a place to thewill. It is, indeed, the frameworkand support of character ; it is alsojits secret spring. Without will82


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The Ideal Characterpower, character has neither consistency nor vigour, and, indeed, onemight say it would not be characterat all. Such, too, is the receivedopinion generally held that menwith a will are the only ones whoare really men of character.

Let us, however, hasten to addthat a resolute character possessingnothing but will-power would haveno great attraction for us. Hewould give us the sense of strength,but be wanting in charm. Merestrength alone conveys a suggestionof roughness and hurtfulness ; wedo not like rude embraces. Thewill, as it appears to us, is but thebare skeleton of character, and thisframework of bones startles us, if itbe not clothed with soft, warm,living flesh. Let us have the will inall its entirety to sustain the man ;but let it be hidden by the livingvirtues that spring from the heart.With the heart's help, the characterwill become amiable because it willbe human.

Its first-fruit will be affability, thevirtue of a kindly heart, and thatwhich imparts to the whole outwardman a pleasing air, combined with83


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On Characterthe engaging manners which are theornament of a good-natured character. The affable man impresses youas simple, easy, and free from ill-humour, his face lighted up with afrank smile; he converses with youreadily,

does not begrudge the timehe spends with you, and says agreeable things without flattery ; you areat ease with him, your heart opensand expands, and your troublesseem to drop off ; he has the gift ofmaking you glad and of inspiringyou with courage. These outwardthings, however, only charm youbecause you are first of all sensibleof his kindly feelings towards yourself. You are thought well of, yourwrongs are forgotten, your failingsare unnoticed, your uprightnessis acknowledged and your goodqualities are appreciated : and allthis goes to your heart and winsyour sympathy. And thus youapprove the Tightness of the moralistwho observes : Kindness shouldwillingly set some limits to over-shrewdness. It places a screen infront of the too piercing rays ofperspicacity, and refuses to bringinto the light all the ugliness and84


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The Ideal Charactermisery of the mental hospital.Nothing, indeed, makes a charactermore aggravating than having eyesfrom which no fault escapes, and atongue that never spares a singlereproach.While affability is mainly a superficial virtue, which, taken by itself,would leave the character rather insipid, sympathy, by stirring theheart to its depths, imparts to character an indescribable tenderness andstrength, which win and keep souls.The sympathetic man has the gift ofdiscovering trouble ; he is touchedby it, and lingers over it, and assuagesit ; he is the good Samaritan. Hedoes not hunt out the source of it ;whether it be undeserved or theinevitable punishment of certainfaults, he always sympathizes withoutmaking accusations, and stretchesout a helping hand for its own sake.The best we can do to express thestrength and charm imparted tocharacter by the feeling of pity is toquote the words of a doctor : Eversince man has existed and suffered,the language of pity has been one ofthe best helps, and often he obtainsmore relief from a glance or from

85


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On Characterthe pressure of a hand, from a speechor a charitable exclamation, than fromall ingredients that we can boil downor strain out or crush and grind.While hard natures leave a painfulimpress on people who suffer, thesympathetic, on the contrary, allaythe sharpest pains by the sweetnessof their affectionate demonstrations.The beneficent inspirations of theheart go still farther ; its kindnessrenders the character generous,great, magnanimous, and disinterested. The man without heart isselfish ; at any rate, he is narrow andcalculating. On the contrary, notethe behaviour of the man of largeand open heart. As soon as he istouched by pity, he gives all that hehas ; money does not cling to hishands, and he becomes a purveyorto the poor ; his time is not his own,and he spends it ungrudgingly inlistening to the troubles, and in consoling the sorrows of the unfortunate ;he undertakes journeys ; he facesfatigue and rebuffs ; he will evenendanger his life to do a service orto repair a compromised situation.And however much he may esteemgratitude, he makes it no condition86


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The Ideal Characterof his devotion; if he does not getib, he makes no bitter complaints.What a noble example he gives theworld of a fine character And howfruitful Those will not have livedin vain, says an eminent Englishphilosopher, who have been forever so short a time a source ofhappiness and moral good to thesmallest circle.The character rises a step higher,however, when the heart is thesource of pure affections. It thenproduces that ideal charity of whichPascal utters these unique words ofpraise : All the bodies and mindsin the world are not worth thefaintest feeling of charity. Forcharitable souls, whose feelings aredeep enough to be human and highenough to be Christian, are doublyworthy of respect and sympathy ;they have reached the topmostheight of perfection to which mancan aspire ; they offer their fellowsthe best shelter, where the woundedand abandoned may find life andrest.And now who cannot see thevalue that kindness of heart gives tocharacter? It seems as if the man

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On Characterof strong will must suffer from hisvery strength, if he does not temperwhat is in him of rigidity and dry-ness and coldness by feelings of kindness. At all events, he will be onlyrespected and feared, he will not beloved, unless he sheathe his ironhand in a velvet glove, and if thedictates of his brain be not softenedby passing through the heart.

If, then, in order to be happy andto increase your influence, you takepains to be kind as well as strong,as tender in your feelings as firm inyour purposes, you must cultivateyour heart as diligently as your will.There are no better hearts than thosethat are kindly fashioned by nature :feelings of sympathy spring up inthem spontaneously, beneficentactions flow from them withouteffort, and sincere affections blossomin them like flowers in rich soiLHappy are those who are born richof heart But if you have not beenfavoured by birth, if, in your inheritance, a tender and generous heartforms no part, do not despair, butset to work to acquire that in whichyou are lacking. For, by perseveringeffort, there is no habit that cannot88


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The Ideal Characterbe created and no faculty that cannotbe cultivated. Look at the kind-hearted ; see how they act and speak,and imitate them. Get often intotouch with the wretched ; there youwill enkindle the feeling that putsthe heart in motion ; there generosityis called forth by pressing need ;there you will learn to pour forthconsolation, and your lips willacquire facility in expressing thefeeling that is stirred within you.Perhaps you may think such conducthas something forced and artificialabout it. But take courage : whatyou began doing as a duty will soonbecome easy. Before long persistency of will will develop a newnature in you. Just as, according tonaturalists, living organs grow withuse, so kindness of heart will increasewithin you by means of repeatedkindly actions.The result will be worth thetrouble that is spent upon it : toneglect the cultivation of the heartis to deprive the character of thequalities that give it its richness andcharm.

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On CharacterIV

Dignity of DemeanourDemeanour is man's moral garment. It so shapes him outwardlythat nothing in his behaviour jarsupon our sense of fitness. You saya man is lacking in demeanour,when, by the negligence of his

habits, by the vulgarity of his speech,and by the uncouthness of hismanners, he destroys any feeling ofdignity or respect you may entertainfor him.Demeanour is something relative,and its positive precepts vary withthe position of the person concerned.Thus, words which would not at allbe in keeping with what you expectfrom a gentleman would cause youno surprise in the mouth of alabourer ; and you will not insist ona peasant being dressed like a barrister. Every social rank has itscustoms. To possess demeanour isto behave and speak as befits one'ssocial status.What connection is there betweendemeanour and character ? There isa sense in which one may have an

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The Ideal Characterexcellent demeanour and yet a verybad character, just as one meets menof admirable character whose demeanour is deplorable. If bycharacter we mean disposition,which may be good or bad, and easeor the reverse in daily intercourse,then it must be admitted that demeanour and character are two thingsindependent of each other. But ifcharacter be taken in its highermeaning, if it express the moralconstitution, if it must correspondwith the ideal that we have outlinedin this chapter, there is no doubtthat demeanour and character areclosely connected, and that gooddemeanour is of the highest importance to dignity of character. Ourideal would not only be unfulfilled,it would even be disfigured, if wewere to omit the final touch demeanour.

Character and demeanour areconnected chiefly in three ways :demeanour reveals character, andreacts on it and moulds it, andincreases or diminishes its socialinfluence.Demeanour, as we have said,

covers the entire man externally91


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On Characterhis clothes, his bearing, his gestures,his gait, his associations, the propriety of his behaviour. . . . But allthese externals are the faithfulexpression of the man. No onepossesses such composure and isso skilful in hiding his feelings asnot to betray himself outwardly.Though some people may be tooinexperienced to decipher the detailsof this kind of automatic writing,the writing is nevertheless so faithfulthat no one can altogether counterfeit it. Moreover, popular opinionon the subject is not mistaken ; itboldly pronounces on a man'scharacter according to his looks ;it holds the outside to correspondwith what is within.If this is the case, demeanour is arevelation, a kind of abiding exhibition, of character. If you allowyour clothes to be ill-fitting, ragged,and dirty, and your house to be inconfusion, you are a slovenly fellow.If your talk is trivial and you makeuse of low expressions, if you takepleasure in the company of yourinferiors and indulge in misplacedfamiliarities, you are wanting indignity. If you neglect the practice

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The Ideal Characterof ordinary civility, such as bowingto your acquaintances, returningpeople's visits, and answering theirletters, and making way for ladies ;if you weary people with the lengthof your calls, or by indiscreet attentions or extraordinary gestures, youare lacking in refinement and, perhaps, coarse. If you are overnice indress, stiff in gait, mincing in speech,and affected in the matter of yourconversation, you are pretentious anda prig. Thus it is with your defectsand with all your qualities ; do notcomplain of the judgments that arepassed upon you. If they displeaseyou, cultivate your character so thateven your exterior may be modified,and so that on account of an improved demeanour people's estimatesof you may grow more favourable.Or else set to work directly uponyour demeanour itself, and you willobserve that your efforts, ascendingto the source of your acts, will havethe happy effect of transformingyour character.For it is henceforward a well-demonstrated fact, that the posturesof the body have an effect on themovements of the soul, and that93


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On Characterthus the outward expression ofcertain feelings gives rise to them orencourages them in the heart.With regard to this matter, hypnotism has given us some very significant hints. A person in a stateof hypnotic sleep gets thoughts andfeelings corresponding with thegestures that are imposed upon him :if his hands are folded together, hebegins to pray, if his hands are madeinto fists, he exhibits anger andutters threats. And in our normalcondition, this influence of ourpostures is not less real : for instance,the Christian who kneels down anduses hallowed forms of prayer soonfeels the spirit of prayer take possession of his whole being ; and to cureoneself of the emotions of jealousyor antipathy, one need only treat thepersons concerned with the samekindliness and courtesy as onebestows upon one's best friends.This principle, which is so interesting as a natu

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Guibert - On character