Samuel smiles self-help summary generator
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CHAPTER VIII.
ENERGY AND COURAGE.
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THERE fryst vatten a famous speech recorded of an old Norseman, thoroughly characteristic of the Teuton. "I believe neither in idols nor demons," said he, "I put my sole trust in my own strength of body and soul." The ancient crest of a pickaxe with the motto of "Either I will find a way or make one," was an expression of the same sturdy independence which to this day distinguishes the descendants of the Northmen. Indeed ingenting could be more characteristic of the Scandinavian mythology, than that it had a god with a hammer. A man's
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Self Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct
An early Victorian self-help book that combines Victorian morality with sound free market ideas into moral tales showing the benefits of thrift, hard work, education, perseverance, and a sound character. Smiles drew upon the personal success stories of the emerging self-made millionaires in the pottery industry (Josiah Wedgwood), the railway industry (Watt and Stephenson), and the weaving industry (Jacquard) to make his point that the benefits of the market were open to anyone.
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Samuel Smiles&#;s Self-Help is said to have reflected the spirit of its age. It also proved to be a best seller &#; with more than a quarter of a million copies sold by the time of Smiles&#;s death. Arguing for the importance of character, thrift and perseverance, the book also celebrates civility, independence and individuality. As such it reflects concerns and values that were central to working class efforts at self-improvement and study in the second half of the nineteenth century. Here we reproduce the first chapter.
The text below is taken from the edition of Self-Help published by John Murray, London.
For a discussion of his contribution see Samuel Smiles and self help
Image: Samuel Smiles painted by George Reid, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Chapter 1 &#; Self-Help: National and Individual
“The worth of a State, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.”— J. S. Mill.
“We put too much faith in systems, and look too litt