No More Learning

From his childhood, Alcibiades was surrounded with
pleasures, and with a multitude of admirers, who were
determined to say nothing but what they thought
would please him, and who wished to keep him from
all admonition and reproof: yet by his native pene-
tration he distinguished the value of Socrates, and
attached himself to him: he perceived that he studied
to correct the errors of his heart, and to cure him
of his empty and foolish arrogance, and he learned
to despise himself, and to admire his friend, adoring
his wisdom, and revering his virtue. It surprised all
the world to see him constantly sup with Socrates,
take with him his exercises, and lodge in the same
tent with him; and though Socrates had many rivals,
yet he kept possession of the heart of Alcibiades,
by the excellence of his genius, and the pathetic turn
of his conversation, which often drew tears from his
young companion. And though sometimes he gave
Socrates the slip, and was drawn away by flatterers,
yet the philosopher took care to hunt out his fugitive,
and brought him away from the haunts of idleness
and dissipation.
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? SELF-CONTROL.
"The world's great master, and his own. "--Pope.
ELF-COMMAND is one of the most important
habits to be formed in every human being: it is
essential to all genuine virtue and real happiness;
but more especially should those learn to restrain
themselves, who hereafter shall be subject to little
restraint from others.
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? 44
SELF-CONTROL.
CHARLES THE TWELFTH OF SWEDEN.
HARLES the Twelfth of Sweden, when scarcely
seven years old, being at dinner with the queen,
his mother, and handing a bit of bread to his
favourite dog, the animal, snapping at it too eagerly,
bit his hand in a serious manner. The blood flowed
copiously; but the young hero, without crying, or
appearing to take any notice of what had happened,
merely wrapped his hand in his napkin. The queen
inquired why he did not eat, and he answered that he
was not hungry: at length, however, he grew pale
from the loss of blood, and an officer, who attended at
table, discovered the cause; but the prince would
sooner have died than have betrayed his dog.
PRINCE HENRY, SON OF HENRY THE
FOURTH.
URING the reign of Henry the Fourth, a riotous
companion of the Prince of Wales had been in-
dicted before the chief justice Gascoigne,for some
disorders, and the prince was not ashamed to appear at
the bar with the criminal, in order to give him counte-
nance and protection. Finding that his presence had not
overawed the chief justice, he proceeded to insult that
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? SELF-CONTROL.
45
magistrate on his tribunal; but Gascoigne, mindful of
the character which he then bore, and the majesty of
the sovereign, and the laws which he sustained, ordered
the prince to be carried to prison for his rude behaviour.
The spectators were astonished and pleased when they
saw the heir to the crown submit peaceably to this
sentence, making reparation for his error by acknow-
ledging it, and checking his impetuous nature in the
midst of its extravagant career.
When this transaction was reported to the king,
who was an excellent judge of mankind, he exclaimed,
in words to the effect of those which Shakspeare
gives us:
"Happy am I, that have a man so bold,
That dares do justice on my proper son;
And no less happy, having such a son,
That would deliver up his greatness so
Into the hands of justice. "
SIR PHILIP SYDNEY.
S||||IR Philip Sydney, at the battle near Zutphen, dis-
Bplayed the most undaunted courage. He had two
horses killed under him; and whilst mounting a
third, was wounded by a musket-shot out of the trenches,
which broke the bone of his thigh. He returned about
a mile and a half, on horseback, to the camp; and, being
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? 46
SELF-CONTROL.
faint with the loss of blood, and parched with thirst,
through the heat of the weather, he called for drink. Some water was presently brought him; but as he was
putting the vessel to his mouth, a poor wounded soldier,
who happened to be carried by him at that instant,
looked up to it with wishful eyes. The gallant and
generous Sydney took the bottle from his mouth, just
when he was going to drink, and delivered it to the
soldier, saying, "Thy necessity is yet greater than
mine. "
ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
URING Alexander's long and laborious pursuit
after Darius, the army often suffered more for
want of water than by fatigue, and many of the
cavalry were unable to hold out. While they were
upon the march, some Macedonians had filled their
bottles at a river, and were bringing the water upon
mules. These people, seeing Alexander greatly dis-
tressed with thirst, for it was the heat of the day,
immediately filled a helmet with water, and presented
it to him. He asked them to whom they were
carrying it: they said, "To our sons: but if our prince
does but live, we shall get other children, if we lose
them. " Upon this, he took the helmet in his hands;
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? SELF-CONTROL.
47
but looking round, and seeing all the horsemen bend-
ing their heads, and fixing their eyes upon the water,
he returned it without drinking. However, he thanked
the people that offered it, and said, "If I drink alone,
these good men will be dispirited. " The cavalry,
who were witnesses to this act of temperance and mag-
nanimity, cried out, "Let us march! We are neither
weary nor thirsty, nor shall we even think ourselves
mortal while under the conduct of such a king. " At
the same time they put spurs to their horses.
HEROIC ENDURANCE.
N one occasion, when Alexander the Great was
sacrificing to the gods, one of the noble youths
who waited upon him was so severely burned
by a piece of hot coal which fell upon his arm from
the censer he carried, that the smell of the scorched
flesh was sensible to all who stood by. Yet the boy
shrunk not, exhibited no symptom of pain, but kept
his arm immoveable, lest by shaking the censer he
should interrupt the sacrifice, or by his groaning, give
Alexander any disturbance.
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? 48
SELF-CONTROL.
THE TWIN SONS OF SABINUS.
||j|||ABINUS, a noble Gaul, headed a revolt of his
countrymen, in the time of Otho and Vitellius.
jffigUl Vespasian, as soon as he was made Emperor,
marched against him, and Sabinus, finding it impossible
to resist the great army that was approaching, set fire
to his house, and causing it to be reported that he had
perished in the flames, fled with his wife and his faith-
ful freedman, taking refuge, at length, in those vast
quarries of white marble, that still exist, at some little
distance from Rome.
Here the unfortunate but courageous Eponina gave
birth to twin sons: the one was named Fortis, from
his superior strength, the other Blandus, on account
of his gentleness of disposition. The faithful Martial
was the only purveyor to these illustrious fugitives: he
waited upon them, and watched over their safety with
indefatigable attention. Now and then he went by
night to Rome, to purchase provisions and other neces-
saries, returning by the least frequented roads.
But the greatest disquietudes that the unhappy pa-
rents experienced, were from the cries of the infants,
which resounded through these gloomy caverns: count-
less echoes repeated these sounds, and terrified the
anxious mother, lest they should guide occasional tra-
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? SELF-CONTROL.
49
vellers to their retreat. Before these innocent recluses,
however, were two years old, they learned to under-
stand the danger of their parents: they mastered their
little feelings, and in all the painful diseases to which
childhood is liable, they restrained themselves, and
suffered not a complaint to escape them. Little Blan-
dus having once been attacked with severe internal
pains, his sufferings were so intense, that he bent him-
self double upon his mother's knees! his body, now
burning with fever, was soon covered with a cold sweat:
yet still had the child the force to constrain himself:
he pressed his little hands upon his mouth, and thus
suppressed the complaints that his sufferings were
forcing from him. "Dear child," said his father, "do
not try to restrain yourself: it will relieve you to cry
out. " "Papa," said the child, "if I do, you and
mamma will be taken: I would rather die than make
a noise. "
For seven years this unfortunate family inhabited
their dismal dwelling, but at length they were disco-
vered, and, to the eternal disgrace of Vespasian, the
parents were executed: the twins, after languishing a
short time in prison, died, and were found stretched
side by side, in each other's arms.
E
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? DECISION OF CHARACTER,
"All thy virtue dictates, dare to do. "--Mason.
DECISION of character, or the power of adhering
firmly to the judgment formed upon calm and
conscientious deliberation, is a quality very im-
portant to the prince, and is quite opposed to obstinacy,
which implies a headstrong adherence to the will, with-
out reference to reason or principle. Fickleness and
irresolution, which seem to be little more than pardon-
able weaknesses in private persons, may, by their con-
sequences, prove in princes fatal errors.
History furnishes us with instances of very young
princes, who have shown this power of adhering to
what they believed right, and fitting the position in
which they found themselves.
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? DECISION OF CHARACTER. 51
CHARLES THE TWELFTH OF SWEDEN.
HARLES the Twelfth of Sweden succeeded his
father, Charles the Eleventh, at the early age of
fifteen. Three powerful kings, presuming upon
his youth, threatened his dominions: Sweden was in
consternation at their preparations, and the privy coun-
cil of the king was alarmed: their great generals were
no more, and every thing was to be dreaded under a
young king, who, as yet, had given but bad impressions
of his abilities. When present at the council, he was
in the habit of sitting with his legs crossed, and his
feet upon the table before him: abstracted and indif-
ferent, he appeared to take interest in nothing that
passed.
The council was deliberating in his presence upon
the danger of the kingdom; some of the counsellors
proposed to divert the threatened tempest by negotia-
tions; on a sudden the young king rose, with the
gravity and confidence of a superior mind. "Gentlemen," said he, "I have determined never to carry on
an unjust war, but never to end a just one, except by
the destruction of my enemies. My resolution is taken;
I will march to attack the first power that declares
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? 52 DECISION OF CHARACTER.
against me, and when I have conquered that, I hope
the others will respect me. "
These words astonished all these old counsellors:
they looked at each other without daring to reply.
At length, astonished to find what a king they had,
and ashamed to hope less than he did, they received
with admiration and alacrity his orders to prepare for
war.
HEN Charles the Twelfth of Sweden was quite
a child, he was one day amusing himself in his
father's apartment, in looking over some maps.
One was a plan of a town in Hungary, which had been
taken by the Turks from the Emperor, and under it
were written these words from the book of Job: "The
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be
the name of the Lord. " Another was a plan of Riga,
the capital of Livonia, conquered by the Swedes about
a century before. The young prince, having read the
words under the Hungarian town, took a pencil, and
wrote under the plan of Riga, "God gave it me, and
the devil shall not take it from me. " Thus in his very
childhood, his unconquerable spirit showed itself.
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? DECISION OP CHARACTER. 53
GUSTAVUS THE THIRD OF SWEDEN.
USTAVUS, the young king of Sweden, was fixed
upon by Catherine the Second, Empress of Rus-
sia, as a proper consort for her grand-daughter,
the grand-duchess Alexandrina. She was just fifteen,
but with a mind and person which had outgrown her
years; she was tall and well-formed, with noble and
regular features, a profusion of beautiful hair, and eyes
that beamed with intelligence and sensibility. Her
governess, Mademoiselle Willanof, had educated her
in retirement, and with the most devoted care and
affection; and in person, manners, and mind, Alex-
andrina was at this time one of the most lovely and
accomplished princesses in Europe.
The young king of Sweden was about eighteen; he
was well-looking and well-bred, with a fine martial
presence, and frank, captivating manners; the young
pair had been allowed to suppose that they were in-
tended for each other, and they soon became mutually
and strongly attached; proposals of marriage were for-
mally made; the treaty drawn up; the day of betroth-
ment fixed, and a splendid fete prepared for the occasion.
The morning arrived, and Catherine had assembled
all her family and court in her presence-chamber;
Alexandrina, adorned in bridal pomp, stood at her side:
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? 54 DECISION OF CHARACTER.
all was in readiness; but the royal bridegroom appeared
not;--they waited--there was a chill and ominous
silence--the courtiers looked upon each other.
The articles of marriage had been carried to the
young king, for his signature. Perhaps Catherine
supposed that, in the hurry of the moment, he would
not pay particular attention to their tenor. She was
mistaken: the chancellor read them over quickly, as
if a mere matter of form; but the king, who listened,
became aware that certain articles were introduced,
which had not been previously agreed upon. By a
fundamental law of Sweden, the queen of that country
must profess the faith of the nation, and Alexandrina,
therefore, ought to have exchanged the Greek for the
Lutheran church. The Empress, not from principle,
but from pride and arbitrary power, was resolved that
her imperial grand-daughter should be made an
exception to this law; and had introduced into the
marriage treaty a clause to that purport. The king
expressed his disapprobation, and refused to sign the
contract. The ministers of Catherine, thunderstruck
by this resistance to the will of their despotic sove-
reign, under such circumstances, and on the part of a
mere boy, knew not what course to take; they nattered,
they implored him only to sign the paper, and leave
the matter to be arranged afterwards, promising that
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? DECISION OF CHARACTER. 55
his wishes should be acceded to in every thing. But
Gustavus was immoveable; and enraged at the at-
tempt to deceive him, he at length flung from them,
repeating, "Non---je ne veux pas! Je ne le puis pas!
Je ne signerai point! " and shut himself up in his own
apartment. It was some time before any one dared
to tell the Empress of this unexpected contretems: at
length, one of the courtiers approached, and whispered
it to her.
She had sufficient power over herself to
utter a few words, dismissing her court, and then re-
tired to her cabinet. The King of Sweden returned
to his own country a few days after.
FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS NEPHEW.
REDERICK the Great was very fond of child-
ren, and his little nephews had free access to him.
The eldest, one day, playing at ball in the cabinet
where the king was writing, let the ball fall upon the
table; the king threw it upon the floor, and wrote on;
presently the ball again fell upon the table, and Frede-
rick threw it down once more, casting a serious look
upon the prince, who promised to be more careful.
But at last the ball fell upon the very paper upon
which the king was writing, and he, now rather angry,
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? 56 DECISION OF CHARACTER.
put it into his pocket. The little prince begged par-
don, and entreated to have his ball returned, but was
refused. He continued praying for it in a very piteous
manner, but to no purpose. At length, tired of ask-
ing, he placed himself before his majesty, and putting
his little hands to his sides, said, in a menacing tone,
"Do you choose, sire, to restore the ball, or not? "
The king laughed, took the ball from his pocket, and
gave it to the prince, saying, "Thou art a brave fellow:
Silesia will not be retaken whilst thou art alive. "
HENRY, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, SON OF
CHARLES THE FIRST.
FTER sentence had been pronounced upon
Charles the First, such of his family as remained
in England were allowed access to him. They
were only the Princess Elizabeth and Henry Duke
of Gloucester, the latter of whom was but seven years
of age: the princess, only a few years older, showed
an advanced judgment, and that the calamities of her
family had made a deep impression upon her.
The king first gave his blessing to the princess, and
begged her not to forget to tell her brother James,
whenever she should see him again, that the last will
of his father was, that he should not content himself
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? DECISION OF CHARACTER. 57
with considering Charles merely as his elder brother,
but that he should obey him as his sovereign: that
they should all love one another, and forgive the
enemies of their father. Then the king said to her,
"My dear love, shall you forget this? " "No," said
she, "I shall never forget it while I live;" and shed-
ding a torrent of tears, she promised him to commit
to writing the details of their interview.
Then the king, taking the Duke of Gloucester upon
his knee, said, "My dear child, they are going to cut
thy father's head off. " Upon this, the child looked
very steadfastly upon him. "Mark, dear, what I say:
They will cut off my head, and perhaps make thee a
king! But mark what I say; thou must not be a king,
as long as thy brothers Charles and James are alive.
They will cut off thy brothers' heads when they can
catch them: and thy head, too, they will cut off at last.
Therefore, I charge thee, do not be made a king by
them. " The duke replied, "I will be torn in pieces
first! " So determined an answer, from one of such
tender years, filled the king's eyes with tears of joy
and emotion.
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? 58 DECISION OF CHARACTER.
ISABELLA, AFTERWARDS QUEEN OF CASTILE.
HEN the nobles of Castile, disgusted with the
misgovernment of their king, Henry the
Fourth, waited upon his sister Isabella, then
about eighteen, with an offer of the crown, she replied,
that it was not theirs to give; and that while her bro-
ther Henry existed, nothing should induce her to assume
a title which was his by the laws of God and man; at
the same time she claimed her right of succession, and
the title of Princess of Asturia, which belonged to her
as heiress to the throne. The chiefs were astonished
and disconcerted by a reply which left them without
an excuse for revolt, and having in vain endeavoured
to overcome her scruples, they concluded a treaty with
Henry.
EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, AFTERWARDS
EDWARD THE THIRD.
OON after the execution of his favourite, Hugh
De Spencer, the weak and incapable Edward the
Second was imprisoned by his rebellious barons,
and his eldest son, Edward, then twelve years of age,
was made guardian of the kingdom, and brought for-
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? DECISION OF CHARACTER. 59
ward on all occasions, to the great gratification of the
people, with whom he was very popular.
Hurried on from one new and dazzling scene to
another, and excited by the applause he was conti-
nually receiving, little time was left the young prince
to reflect upon the position in which he was placed, or
to give a thought to the condition of his unhappy
father. He did not, however, allow himself to be
entirely led away from his duty, but began to have a
perception of the real nature of the scenes he was
required to sanction.
The Parliament assembled at Westminster, the
Prince of Wales taking his place at the head of his
peers; and here the king's numerous acts of misgo-
vernment were recounted and denounced, and it was
unanimously agreed that he should be deposed, and
his eldest son elected king in his stead. The prince,
however, resolutely refused the crown, unless his
father chose voluntarily to resign it. This conduct
created some surprise and great confusion amongst the
barons, who were unprepared to meet, in one so
young, so much principle and determination. They
were obliged to adjourn, and their rebellious and
disloyal projects were, for that time, defeated.
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? 60 DECISION OF CHARACTER.
ALEXANDER THE THIRD OF SCOTLAND.
ARGARET, eldest daughter of Henry the
Third and Eleanor of Provence, was married,
when in her tenth year, to Alexander the
Third, the young King of Scotland, then about twelve
years old.
Henry endeavoured to persuade the young Alexan-
der to pay him homage for the realm of Scotland; but
the princely boy excused himself with good address
from the performance of this important ceremony, by
replying, that he came to York to be married, not to
discuss an affair, on which he, being a minor, could
determine nothing, without consulting the states of his
kingdom.
CATO THE YOUNGER AND THE DEPUTY.
HILE Cato the younger was yet a child, the
Italian allies demanded to be admitted citizens
of Rome. Popedius Silo, a man of great
name as a soldier, and powerful among his people, had
a friendship with Drusus, the uncle of Cato, and lodged
a long time in his house during this application. As he
was familiar with the children, he said to them one day,
"Come, my good children, desire your uncle to assist
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? DECISION OF CHARACTER.
61
us in our solicitation for the freedom. " Csepio smiled,
and readily gave his promise; but Cato gave no an-
swer. And as he was observed to look with a fixed
and unkind eye upon the strangers, Popedius con-
tinued, "And you, my little man, what do you say?
Will you not give your guests your interest with your
uncle, as well as your brother? " Cato still refusing
to answer, and appearing by his silence and his looks
inclined to deny the request, Popedius took him to the
window and threatened, if he would not promise, to
throw him out. This he did in a harsh tone, and at
the same time gave him several shakes, as if he was
going to let him fall. But as the child bore this a
long time without any marks of fear or concern,
Popedius set him down, and said softly to his friends,
"This child is the glory of Italy. I verily believe, if
he were a man, we should not get one vote among the
people. "
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? PATEIOTISM.
"There lives nor form nor feeling in my soul,
Unborrow'd from my country. "
Coleridge.
ATRIOTISM, or the love of country, was con-
sidered by the ancient Greeks and Romans as the
greatest of virtues; and every young person, on
first becoming acquainted with the classical historians,
feels his imagination warmed by the wonderful acts they
record of Courage, Fortitude, and Self-devotion.
In modern days, the sacrifice of a Leonidas, of a
Decius, of a Curtius, is seldom demanded, and the
principles of Christianity would condemn the acts of
a Marcus Brutus and of a Cato of Utica.
The love of country is still, however, a living and
active principle in the mind of a good man, and in the
hearts of the Great Ones of the world, to whom the
happiness of millions is entrusted, it should be care-
fully cultivated; nor are the personal sacrifices of their
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? PATRIOTISM.
63
time, their ease, and their private opinions, less merit-
orious, or less proofs of devotedness, than the more
brilliant acts recorded of the heroes of antiquity.
Alfred the Great, Queen Elizabeth, Henry the
Fourth of France, and the Empress-Queen Maria
Theresa, are all instances of sovereigns, who have
been imbued with an habitual feeling of kindness and
consideration for the welfare and happiness of their
subjects: a sentiment into which, perhaps, the love of
country may be resolved.
PETER THE GREAT, EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.
"Full of great aims, and bent on bold emprize;
The work, which long he in his breast had brew'd,
Now to perform he ardent did devise;
To wit, a barbarous world to civilize. " Thomson.
ETER the Great, on coming to the throne of
Russia, at the age of nineteen, found himself
sovereign of a people slavishly observant of
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PATRIOTISM.
ancient usages, most of them barbarous and stupid, but
so fondly cherished by the nation, that the task of re-
form appeared almost hopeless. He himself had been
brought up in the grossest ignorance; but his natural
powers were very great; he had an enterprizing, active
mind, and he was filled with the highest ambition of
a great monarch, that of improving his people and
their condition. A very gifted foreigner, named Le
Fort, chanced to enter his service, and soon obtained
his confidence; Le Fort showed him that there was
another mode of living and reigning than that which
was unhappily established in Russia: he explained to
him the advantages to a nation that are derived from
commerce; the superiority of a regular army over
undisciplined troops; the command of the sea that
England and Holland sustained by their navies. The
noble soul of Peter at once threw off the prejudices in
which he had been brought up: he felt he had to form
a nation and an empire; but he had no help around
him: other sovereigns have but to direct improvements;
Peter had himself to do all he wished to have done.
His first attempt was to teach the Russian soldiers the
military discipline then practised by the rest of Europe.
He enlisted as a common soldier in one of his own
regiments, procured German officers, and set the ex-
ample of learning the German exercise. His next
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? PATRIOTISM.
65
desire was that of forming a navy, and he spent many
months at Archangel, which was then the great re-
sort of foreign ships, that he might himself examine
the different methods in which they were built and
equipped.
His design was also to visit foreign countries, and
learn the arts he wished his subjects to practise, but
before he was at liberty to do this, he had to carry on
a war against the Turks: he conquered them, and
then set out upon his travels, in the train of his own
ambassadors.
He first visited Holland, and that he might perfect
himself in the knowledge of ship-building, he worked
as a common ship-carpenter at Saardan, where the
shed in which he worked and a boat of his making
are still preserved. He was astonished at the multi-
tude of workmen constantly employed; the order and
exactness observed in their various departments; the
great despatch with which they built and fitted out
vessels, and the incredible quantity of stores for the
ease and security of labour. Clad and fed like the
rest of the carpenters, the czar worked in the forges,
the rope-walks, and the mills. These occupations did
not prevent him from attending lectures on anatomy,
surgery, mechanics, and other branches of practical
philosophy cultivated in Holland. At his workshop
F
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PATRIOTISM.
at Saardan, he received the news of the division of
Poland, promised thirty thousand men to King Au-
gustus, and gave orders to his army assembled in the
Ukraine, against the Turks. From Amsterdam he
sailed to England, and he always declared, that he
had learned more during his visit to this country,
than any where else. The Dutch carpenters had
taught him the practical part of ship-building, but the
English instructed him in the fundamental principles
of the art: his attention was also directed to arith-
metic, watchmaking, hydraulics, and astronomy. Wish-
ing to introduce every species of knowledge within his
dominions, he sent into Russia a colony of between
six and seven hundred ingenious men, in the several
arts and professions.
After visiting Vienna, he returned to his own
country, where he carried into effect surprising reforms
in every branch of the Church and State. Aware,
likewise, that politeness and civilization cannot be in-
troduced or preserved without the intercourse of the
two sexes, he established assemblies, at which he him-
self appeared, and to which he invited ladies, who
dressed after the manner of the southern nations of
Europe.
Convinced that while the capital of the empire was
an inland city, Russia would never become a maritime
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? PATRIOTISM.
67
and commercial nation, he laid the foundations of the
important city of St.