Samuel Smiles Quotes - Page 4

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• Mere political reform will not cure the manifold evils which now afflict society. There requires a social reform, a domestic reform, an individual reform.

  Samuel Smiles

  Evil, Political, Reform

  "Samuel Smiles and the Victorian Work Ethic". Book by Timothy Travers, 1987.

  5 Copy quote

• The great high-road of human welfare lies along the old highway of steadfast welldoing; and they who are the most persistent, and work in the truest spirit, will invariably be the most successful.

  Samuel Smiles

  Dream, Successful, Spirit

  "Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct".

  52 Copy quote

• Opportunities ... fall in the way of every man who is resolved to take advantage of them.

  Samuel Smiles

  Fall, Opportunity, Men

  Samuel Smiles (1859). “Self-help; with illustrations of character and conduct”, p.11

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• It is observed at sea that men are never so much disposed to grumble and mutiny as when least employed. Hence an old captain, when there was nothing else to do, would issue the order to "scour the anchor.

  Samuel Smiles

  Men, Order, Anchors

  Samuel Smiles (2014). “Self-Help”, p.199, Cambridge University Press

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• 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

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• 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

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• The apprenticeship of difficulty is one which the greatest of men have had to serve.

  Samuel Smiles

  Inspirational, Adversity, Men

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.350

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• The great and good do no die even in this world. Embalmed in books, their spirits walk abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens.

  Samuel Smiles

  Book, Voice, World

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• Nothing of real worth can be obtained without courageous working. Man owes his growth chiefly to the active striving of the will, that encounter with difficulty which he calls effort; and it is astonishing to find how often results apparently impracticable are then made possible.

  Samuel Smiles

  Real, Men, Effort

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• "Where there is a will there is a way" is an old true saying. He who resolves upon doing a thing, by that very resolution often scales the barriers to it and secures its achievement. To think we are able is almost to be so - to determine upon attainment is frequently attainment itself.

  Samuel Smiles

  Thinking, Achievement, Able

  Samuel Smiles (2017). “Self-Help: The Original Guide to Bootstrapping Your Success”, p.198, Courier Dover Publications

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• The greatest slave is not he who is ruled by a despot, great though that evil be, but he who is in the thrall of his own moral ignorance, selfishness, and vice.

  Samuel Smiles

  Ignorance, Evil, Selfishness

  Samuel Smiles (1873). “Self-help; with Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance”, p.19

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• Genius, without work, is certainly a dumb oracle, and it is unquestionably true that the men of the highest genius have invariably been found to be amongst the most plodding, hard-working, and intent men -- their chief characteristic apparently consisting simply in their power of laboring more intensely and effectively than others.

  Samuel Smiles

  Hard Work, Men, Dumb

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.319

  6 Copy quote

• The government of a nation itself is usually found to be but the reflux of the individuals composing it. The government that is ahead of the people will be inevitably dragged down to their level, as the government that is behind them will in the long run be dragged up.

  Samuel Smiles

  Running, Government, Long

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.17

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• Like men, nations are purified and strengthened by trials.

  Samuel Smiles

  Men, Trials, Nations

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.27

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• Knowledge conquered by labor becomes a possession -a property entirely our own.

  Samuel Smiles

  Knowledge, Possession, Labor

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• Even happiness itself may become habitual. There is a habit of looking at the bright side of things, and also of looking at the dark side.

  Samuel Smiles

  Gratitude, Dark, Sides

  Samuel Smiles (1859). “Self-help; with illustrations of character and conduct”, p.322

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• It is the close observation of little things which is the secret of success in business, in art, in science, and in every pursuit in life. Human knowledge is but an accumulation of small facts made by successive generations of men--the little bits of knowledge and experience carefully treasured up by them growing at length into a mighty pyramid.

  Samuel Smiles

  Art, Men, Pyramids

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.100

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• The Romans rightly employed the same word (virtus) to designate courage, which is, in a physical sense, what the other is in a moral; the highest virtue of all being victory over ourselves.

  Samuel Smiles

  Victory, Moral, Virtue

  Samuel Smiles (1861). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.280

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• 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

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• Great men stamp their mind upon their age and nation.

  Samuel Smiles

  Men, Mind, Age

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.22

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• Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best are almost equivalent to gospels,--teaching high living ,high thinking, and energetic action, for their own and, the world's good.

  Samuel Smiles

  Teaching, Men, Thinking

  Samuel Smiles (1866). “Self-help: With Illustrations of Charakter, Conduct and Perseverance”, p.6

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• 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

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• Fortune has often been blamed for her blindness; but fortune is not so blind as men are. Those who look into practical life will find that fortune is usually on the side of the industrious, as the winds and waves are on the side of the best navigators.

  Samuel Smiles

  Men, Wind, Looks

  Samuel Smiles (1859). “Self-help; with illustrations of character and conduct”, p.46

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• Wisdom and understanding can only become the possession of individual men by travelling the old road of observation, attention, perseverance, and industry.

  Samuel Smiles

  Wisdom, Perseverance, Journey

  Samuel Smiles (2009). “Self-Help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct”, p.462, The Floating Press

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• The tiniest bits of opinion sown in the minds of children in private life afterwards issue forth to the world, and become its public opinion; for nations are gathered out of nurseries.

  Samuel Smiles

  Children, Issues, Mind

  Samuel Smiles (1910). “Character. Repr”

  8 Copy quote

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