Character and Characteristic Men

Character And Characteristic Men by Edwin Percy Whipple. In this early American collection, Whipple probes the nature of character as the primary force shaping individuals, institutions, and civilizations. The essays trace character across domains—politics, literature, science, religion—arguing that character, not mere intellect or pedigree, determines power, persistence, and influence. Whipple distinguishes several forms: the general 'Character'; the eccentric variety that disturbs the ordinary order; the 'Intellectual Character' that fuses mind and will; the 'Heroic Character'—soldier, patriot, reformer, and saint—whose energy converts ideals into action. He extends the inquiry to national minds, notably the American Mind and the English Mind, and then surveys literary figures (Thackeray, Hawthorne) and public men (Edward Everett, Agassiz, Washington) as embodiments of character. The book blends biography, literary criticism, and political philosophy, emphasizing the moral and spiritual condition behind public deeds. Though written in the 19th century, Whipple's meditation on character as the driving force behind history remains a classic examination of how personal sovereign power shapes societies.