The National tribune., 1893-11-09
CHARACTER AND CHARACTER STUDIES.
By alice w. Hampton Pomona, Tenn.


Character is what the world sees OF the real man
woman. People souls, not bodies. and char
acter is the impress of the soul upon it's outward
surroundings. IL IL a definite something we begin
TO build. when we reach age OF RESPONSE bily,
and doubtless are building through all tile eierni-
ties.
Character is formed much by environments,
much by hereditary tendencies. and, more than all,
by the ideals. good or bad. of the person who is
building II. IL is something thai may be nodded
Ia early life by the influence of the persons with
whom The child lives comes in contact in its
daily life.
Very much depends upon home training Pace
high ideals before child, jar his tender
possibilities by the Inconsistencies of his precepiors
and you are helping his character to grow toward
tile good
Character catches some tint or molding from
every association with which 1t comes in contact,
from The cradle to the grave. determination TO
find some good in every character around us will
help our own characters to take some of that
good when discovered We cannot associate with
evil and long sustain good characters We cannot
associate with good and long remain evil.
Books and rs hat the food we give
character. Show what you read and will
tell you who you have heard people say, 8" I
am not SO weak minded, that what read affects
my mind"
IL would be just as reasonable to say, "what 1
eat affects not my body" Sow b"d books. and
reap bad characters. Sow good books, and reap
good characters. Sow weak. insipid books, and
reap weak, insipid characters
Bad reading overthrow a good character
good reading can build up bad one. No character
ever becomes perfect In This world that can
not find "A weak point a flaw ia il. No character
ever becomes so evil but that some little good may
be found ia IL.
Character study is one of the most interesting. alb
sorbiBg studies ia The world The best field for IL
is the people around US. II we look upon neigh
bors as builders Of characters, and note that our
nesrness to them is changing their structure some
way, We can more fully realize what character is.
LUCILLE IN LUCILLE"
One character conceived by an author that of
Lucille in "Lucie," by Owen Meredith, appears
very lifeiike aud real TO me. Now that character
grew, was builded. through the whole book.
First we hear of her untutored girl driv-
ing love from her by her own easy yielding 10 it,
When her girhood lover gees to her after years
Of separation, though pledged TO another woman,
he feels thrill at beT touch. The passionate girl
whose love wearied him once, stands a queenly
woman before him. The old love masters him. the
new love Is forgotten. and he pleads for her hand
Lord Alfred notes the improvement in her char
acter, and man-ike little dreams that the very
pain he gave her ia years gone by a strong
factor in producing this beauty and strength.
Lucille, knowing him pledged To- another, shows
the weakness ia her character by yielding to his
entreaiies ami allowing the old love to sway her
o"ce more. How. like woman whose heart had
yearned Tor his love Tor years when the nobility Of
her character reasseTs Itself its strength is shown
by her sending her lover back to her rival fulfill
his vows while she turns n life OF sacrifice aud
duty. She proves by her later life
deviish"
Due de Luvios to the brave General and "A forgiy-
ing. noble man. The last the book gives of hin,
shows That Lucille has helped him TO build out of
ruins a noble character.
"NoIife
Can be pure In It's purpose and strong In its strife
Aud all life not be purer and stronger thereby"
HAMLET IN HAMLET"
By marie w. OliUer. Fdirfeid Iooa.
The peculiar qualities impressed by nature or
habit on person. which distinguishes him from
Others Is character. Character also be defined
IA persons reputation for good or evil
Character 10 formed by repeated imitation Of acts
which become consolidated into habits and deter
II good aud noble Character IS of the highest i'm
poTtance TO every person. When have prac-
iced good actions "A while they become easy and
when they easy begin to take Measure i'm
quently, and by frequency OF acts they grow into
habits which, when oHee formed are not easily
broken.
II isintellect that gives most force and COMPLEX
ity To character. Education, circumstances, and
surroundings are potent factors la its formation
Literature leaves lasting impressions; 80 only
good literature should be read.
Hamlet Is the highest type Of intellectual char
acier thal Sfakspefe poEtrays He WAS the man of
Inpassioned reason. He WAS a thinker to whom
the possible had assumed the Importance of the
cal he was much given TO cssuisiry aud easy
philosophiZiDR. He had inmate disposition to
criticize all things aHd evidently studied the char
aciefs Of those around him.
Horatfo. his friend. appreciated his asbility, his
pTincely courtesy, his fsr-reaching thought, and
subtle insight lie WAS an elegant and ACCOM-
man OF good impulse; but he went through life
look ing sboat him with scorn all who were In
ierloF to himself and TO this he gave utterance In
polished ieers cutting sarcaso and bitter Fidicu.e
lie loved few men we'll enough to talk with them
earnestly and admit them to real with
hts soul. He bad very few Intimate friends. One
II bis passions that form of ambition which
consists Ia his love Of dlgnifed position and power,