Let  it  be  your  ambition  to  be  foremost  on  all  duty.  Do  not
be  a  nice  observer  of  turns,  but  for  ever  present  yourself
ready  for  everything  ;  and  if  your  officers  are  not  very  inatten-
tive men,  they  will  not  allow  the  others  to  impose  more  duty
on  you  than  they  should  :  but  I  never  knew  one  who  was
exact  not  to  do  more  than  his  share  of  duty,  who  would  not
neglect  that,  when  he  could  so  without  fear  of  punishment.
Hold  it  as  a  maxim,  that  you  had  better  be  alone  than  in
mean  company.  Let  your  companions  be  such  as  yourself,  or
superior  ;  for  the  worth  of  a  man  will  always  be  ruled  by
that  of  his  company.'

1857,  W.  Davies,  A  Fine  Old  English  Gentleman,  pp.  18-20.
May  we  not  mention  Reginald  Heber  as  one  of  the  best
of  English  gentlemen  ?  The  charming  poet,  the  happy
possessor  of  all  sorts  of  gifts  and  accomplishments,  birth,  wit,
fame,  high  character,  competence — he  was  the  beloved  parish
priest  in  his  own  home  of  Hoderel,  '  counselling  his  people  in


448  The  Gentleman  Exemplified

their  troubles,  advising  them  in  their  difficulties,  comforting
them  in  distress,  kneeling  often  at  their  sick  beds  at  the
hazard  of  his  own  life  ;  exhorting,  encouraging  where  there
was  need  ;  where  there  was  strife  the  peace  maker  ;  where
there  was  want  the  free  giver ' .  .  .  .  His  affection  is  part
of  his  life.  What  were  life  without  it  ?  Without  love,  I  can
fancy  no  gentleman,

i860,  Thackeray,  The  Four  Georges  (Cornhill  Magazine,  ii.
403-4)-

At  Vienna,  about  1842,  Prince  Metternich,  after  narrating  some
incident  in  the  life  of  Napoleon,  gave  his  opinion  of  the  man.
