阅读理解
No one has a temper naturally so good,
that it does not need attention and cultivation, and no one has a temper so
bad, but that, by proper culture, it may become pleasant. One of the best
disciplined tempers ever seen, was that of a gentleman who was naturally quick,
irritable, rash, and violent; but, by taking care of the sick, and especially
of mentally deranged (疯狂的) people, he so completely mastered
himself that he was never known to be thrown off his guard.
There is no misery so constant, so
upsetting, and so intolerable to others, as that of having a character which is
your master. There are comers at every tum in life, against which we may run,
and at which we may break out in impatience, if we choose.
Look at Roger Sherman, who rose from a
humble(低下的)
occupation to a seat in the first Congress of the United States, and whose
judgment was received with great respect by that body of distinguished men. He
made himself master of his temper and cultivated it as a great business in
life. There are one or two instances which show this part of his character in a
light that is beautiful.
One day, after having received his highest
honors, he was sitting and reading in his sitting room. A student, in a room
close by, held a mirror in such a position as to pour the reflected rays of the
sun directly in Mr. Sherman's face. He moved his chair, and the thing was
repeated. A third time the chair was moved, but the mirror still reflected the
sun in his eyes. He laid aside his book, went to the window, and many witnesses
of the rude behavior expected to see the ungentlemanly student severely
punished. He raised the window gently, and then-shut the window blind(百叶窗)!
I can not help providing another instance
of the power he had acquired over himself. He was naturally possessed of strong
passions, but over these he at length obtained an extraordinary control. He
became habitually calm and self-possessed. Mr. Sherman was one of those men who
are not ashamed to maintain the forms of religion in their families. One
morning he called them all together as usual to lead them in prayer to God. The
"old family Bible "was brought out and laid on the table.
Mr. Sherman took his seat and placed beside
one of his children. The rest of the family were seated around the room,
several of whom were now grown ups. Besides these, some of the tutors of the
college were boarders in the family and were present at the time. His aged
mother occupied a corner of the room, opposite the place where the
distinguished Judge sat.
At length, he opened the Bible and began to
read. The child who was seated beside him made some little disturbance, upon
which Mr. Sherman paused and told him to be still. Again he continued but again
he had to pause to scold the little offender, whose playful character would
hardly permit it to be still. At this time he gently tapped its ear. The blow,
if blow it might be called, caught the attention of his aged mother, who now
with some effort rose from the seat and tottered across the room. At length,
she reached the chair of Mr. Sherman, and in a moment, most unexpectedly to
him, she gave him a blow on the ear with all the force she could gather.
“There, "said she, "you strike your child, and I will strike mine.”
For a moment, the blood was seen
mounting to the face of Mr
Sherman. But it was only for a moment and all
was calm and mild as usual. He paused; he raised his glasses; he cast his eye
upon his mother; again it fell upon the book from which he had been reading.
Not a word escaped him; but again he calmly pursued the service, and soon
sought in prayer an ability to set an example before his household which should
be worthy of their imitation. Such a victory was worth more than the proudest
one ever achieved on the field of battle.
