Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Self-control -- Fiction; Women -- Fiction
Every Saturday did Montague bend his joyful course homewards, regardless
of summer's heat or winter storms. Every Sunday did his mother spend in
mixing the lessons of piety with the endearments of love; in striving to
connect the idea of a superintending God with all that is beautiful--all
that is majestic--in nature. As her children grew up, she unfolded to
them the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, so sublime, so consolatory,
so suitable to the wants of man. Aware how much occasion favours the
strength of impressions, she chose the hour of strong remorse on account
of a youthful fault, while the culprit yet trembled before the offended
Majesty of Heaven, to explain to her son the impossibility that
repentance should, of itself, cancel errors past, or that the great
Lawgiver should accept a few ineffectual tears, or a tardy and imperfect
obedience, as a compensation for the breach of a law that is perfect.
When she saw that the intended impression was made, she spoke of the
great atonement that once was offered, not to make repentance
unnecessary, but to make it effectual; and, from that time, using this
as one of the great landmarks of faith, she contributed to make it in
the mind of De Courcy a practical and abiding principle. The peculiar
precepts of Christianity she taught him to apply to his actions, by
applying them herself; and the praise that is so often lavished upon
boldness, dexterity, and spirit, she conscientiously reserved for acts
of candour, humility, and self-denial.
Her cares were amply rewarded, and Montague became all that she wished
him to be. He was a Christian from the heart, without being either
forward to claim, or ashamed to own, the distinction. He was industrious
in his pursuits, and simple in his pleasures. But the distinctive
feature of his character, was the total absence of selfishness. His own
pleasure or his own amusement he never hesitated to sacrifice to the
wishes of others; or, to speak more correctly, he found his pleasure
and amusement in theirs. Upon the whole, we do not say that Montague De
Courcy had no faults; but we are sure he had none that he did not strive
to conquer. Like other human beings, he sometimes acted wrong; but we
believe he would not deliberately have neglected a known duty to escape
any worldly misfortune; we are sure he would not deliberately have
committed a crime to attain any earthly advantage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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