Samuel Smiles Quotes About Character

Quotes about: Character

• It is possible that the scrupulously honest man may not grow rich so fast as the unscrupulous and dishonest one; but the success will be of a truer kind, earned without fraud or injustice. And even though a man should for a time be unsuccessful, still he must be honest: better lose all and save character. For character is itself a fortune. . . .

  Samuel Smiles

  Success, Honesty, Character

  Samuel Smiles (2005). “Self-Help: With Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance”, p.287, Cosimo, Inc.

• The influence of woman is the same everywhere. Her condition influences the morals, manners, and character of the people of all countries. Where she is debased, society is debased; where she is morally pure and enlightened, society will be proportionately elevated.

  Samuel Smiles

  Country, Women, Character

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.59

• Good character is property. It is the noblest of all possessions.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Good Character, Possession

• It is energy - the central element of which is will - that produces the miracle that is enthusiasm in all ages. Everywhere it is what is called force of character and the sustaining power of all great action

  Samuel Smiles

  Life, Success, Character

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.142

• The crown and glory of life is character. It is the noblest possession of a man, constituting a rank in itself, and an estate in the general good-will; dignifying every station, and exalting every position in society. It exercises a greater power than wealth, and secures all the honor without the jealousies of fame. It carries with it an influence which always tell; for it is the result of proved honor, rectitude, and consistency-qualities which, perhaps more than any other, command the general confidence and respect of mankind.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Exercise, Men

  Samuel Smiles (1884). “Happy Homes and the Hearts that Make Them. Or Thrifty People and why They Thrive”

• So much does the moral health depend upon the moral atmosphere that is breathed, and so great is the influence daily exercised by parents over their children by living a life before their eyes, that perhaps the best system of parental instruction might be summed up in these two words: 'Improve thyself.'

  Samuel Smiles

  Children, Character, Eye

  Samuel Smiles (1859). “Self-help; with illustrations of character and conduct”, p.295

• Commonplace though it may appear, this doing of one's duty embodies the highest ideal of life and character. There may be nothing heroic about it; but the common lot of men is not heroic.

  Samuel Smiles

  Hero, Character, Men

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.2

• Character is itself a fortune.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Fortune

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.276

• It is not eminent talent that is required to ensure success in any pursuit, so much as purpose-not merely the power to achieve, but the will to labour energetically and perseveringly. Hence energy of will may be defined to be the very central power of character in a man-in a word, it is the Man himself.

  Samuel Smiles

  Spiritual, Character, Power

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.203

• Character is undergoing constant change, for better or for worse--either being elevated on the one hand, or degraded on the other.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Hands, Change For The Better

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.10

• There are many counterfeits of character, but the genuine article is difficult to be mistaken.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Genuine, Difficult

  Samuel Smiles (1873). “Self-help; with Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance”, p.400

• It is a grand old name, that of gentleman, and has been recognized as a rank and power in all stages of society. To possess this character is a dignity of itself, commanding the instinctive homage of every generous mind, and those who will not bow to titular rank will yet do homage to the gentleman. His qualities depend not upon fashion or manners, but upon moral worth; not on personal possessions, but on personal qualities.

  Samuel Smiles

  Fashion, Character, Personal Qualities

• What we are accustomed to decry as great social evils, will, for the most part, be found to be only the out-growth of our own perverted life; and though we may endeavor to cut them down and extirpate them by means of law, they will only spring up again with fresh luxuriance in some other form, unless the conditions of human life and character are radically improved.

  Samuel Smiles

  Spring, Character, Mean

  Samuel Smiles (2014). “Self-Help”, p.2, Cambridge University Press

• The great leader attracts to himself men of kindred character, drawing them towards him as the loadstone draws iron.

  Samuel Smiles

  Leadership, Character, Men

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.17

• Although genius always commands admiration, character most secures respect. The former is more the product of the brain, the latter of heart-power; and in the long run it is the heart that rules in life.

  Samuel Smiles

  Running, Heart, Character

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.1

• Experience serves to prove that the worth and strength of a state depend far less upon the form of its institutions than upon the character of its men; for the nation is only the aggregate of individual conditions, and civilization itself is but a question of personal, improvement.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Men, Civilization

  Samuel Smiles (1873). “Self-help; with Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance”, p.18

• Home is the first and most important school of character. It is there that every human being receives his best moral training, or his worst; for it is there that he imbibes those principles of conduct which endure through manhood, and cease only with life.

  Samuel Smiles

  Home, School, Character

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.31

• Work is one of the best educators of practical character.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Educator, Practicals

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.88

• If character be irrecoverably lost, then indeed there will be nothing left worth saving.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Saving, Lost

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.30

• Example teaches better than precept. It is the best modeler of the character of men and women. To set a lofty example is the richest bequest a man can leave behind him.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Men, Example

  Samuel Smiles (1881). “Duty, with Illustrations of Courage, Patience, and Endurance”

• Imitation is for the most part so unconscious that its effects are almost unheeded, but its influence is not the less permanent on that account. It is only when an impressive nature is placed in contact with an impressionable one that the alteration in the character becomes recognizable. Yet even the weakest natures exercise some influence upon those about them. The approximation of feeling, thought, and habit is constant, and the action of example unceasing.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Exercise, Feelings

  Samuel Smiles (1884). “Happy Homes and the Hearts that Make Them. Or Thrifty People and why They Thrive”

• Self-control is only courage under another form. It may also be regarded as the primary essence of character.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Self, Essence

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.158

• There are many persons of whom it may be said that they have no other possession in the world but their character, and yet they stand as firmly upon it as any crowned king.

  Samuel Smiles

  Kings, Character, World

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.3

• Many are the lives of men unwritten, which have nevertheless as powerfully influenced civilization and progress as the more fortunate Great whose names are recorded in biography. Even the humblest person, who sets before his fellows an example of industry, sobriety, and upright honesty of purpose in life, has a present as well as a future influence upon the well-being of his country; for his life and character pass unconsciously into the lives of others, and propagate good example for all time to come.

  Samuel Smiles

  Country, Honesty, Character

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.19

• Energy of will may be defined to be the very central power of character in a man.

  Samuel Smiles

  Character, Men, Energy

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.203

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