Self Help by Samuel Smiles (desktop ebook reader txt) 📖

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work, that it may almost be set down as one of the conditions

essential to success in life. Hence, an eminent judge, when asked

what contributed most to success at the bar, replied, “Some succeed

by great talent, some by high connexions, some by miracle, but the

majority by commencing without a shilling.”

 

We have heard of an architect of considerable accomplishments,—a

man who had improved himself by long study, and travel in the

classical lands of the East,—who came home to commence the

practice of his profession. He determined to begin anywhere,

provided he could be employed; and he accordingly undertook a

business connected with dilapidations,—one of the lowest and least

remunerative departments of the architect’s calling. But he had

the good sense not to be above his trade, and he had the resolution

to work his way upward, so that he only got a fair start. One hot

day in July a friend found him sitting astride of a house roof

occupied with his dilapidation business. Drawing his hand across

his perspiring countenance, he exclaimed, “Here’s a pretty business

for a man who has been all over Greece!” However, he did his work,

such as it was, thoroughly and well; he persevered until he

advanced by degrees to more remunerative branches of employment,

and eventually he rose to the highest walks of his profession.

 

The necessity of labour may, indeed, be regarded as the main root

and spring of all that we call progress in individuals, and

civilization in nations; and it is doubtful whether any heavier

curse could be imposed on man than the complete gratification of

all his wishes without effort on his part, leaving nothing for his

hopes, desires or struggles. The feeling that life is destitute of

any motive or necessity for action, must be of all others the most

distressing and insupportable to a rational being. The Marquis de

Spinola asking Sir Horace Vere what his brother died of, Sir Horace

replied, “He died, Sir, of having nothing to do.” “Alas!” said

Spinola, “that is enough to kill any general of us all.”

 

Those who fail in life are however very apt to assume a tone of

injured innocence, and conclude too hastily that everybody

excepting themselves has had a hand in their personal misfortunes.

An eminent writer lately published a book, in which he described

his numerous failures in business, naively admitting, at the same

time, that he was ignorant of the multiplication table; and he came

to the conclusion that the real cause of his ill-success in life

was the money-worshipping spirit of the age. Lamartine also did

not hesitate to profess his contempt for arithmetic; but, had it

been less, probably we should not have witnessed the unseemly

spectacle of the admirers of that distinguished personage engaged

in collecting subscriptions for his support in his old age.

 

Again, some consider themselves born to ill luck, and make up their

minds that the world invariably goes against them without any fault

on their own part. We have heard of a person of this sort, who

went so far as to declare his belief that if he had been a hatter

people would have been born without heads! There is however a

Russian proverb which says that Misfortune is next door to

Stupidity; and it will often be found that men who are constantly

lamenting their luck, are in some way or other reaping the

consequences of their own neglect, mismanagement, improvidence, or

want of application. Dr. Johnson, who came up to London with a

single guinea in his pocket, and who once accurately described

himself in his signature to a letter addressed to a noble lord, as

Impransus, or Dinnerless, has honestly said, “All the complaints

which are made of the world are unjust; I never knew a man of merit

neglected; it was generally by his own fault that he failed of

success.”

 

Washington Irying, the American author, held like views. “As for

the talk,” said he, “about modest merit being neglected, it is too

often a cant, by which indolent and irresolute men seek to lay

their want of success at the door of the public. Modest merit is,

however, too apt to be inactive, or negligent, or uninstructed

merit. Well matured and well disciplined talent is always sure of

a market, provided it exerts itself; but it must not cower at home

and expect to be sought for. There is a good deal of cant too

about the success of forward and impudent men, while men of

retiring worth are passed over with neglect. But it usually

happens that those forward men have that valuable quality of

promptness and activity without which worth is a mere inoperative

property. A barking dog is often more useful than a sleeping

lion.”

 

Attention, application, accuracy, method, punctuality, and

despatch, are the principal qualities required for the efficient

conduct of business of any sort. These, at first sight, may appear

to be small matters; and yet they are of essential importance to

human happiness, well-being, and usefulness. They are little

things, it is true; but human life is made up of comparative

trifles. It is the repetition of little acts which constitute not

only the sum of human character, but which determine the character

of nations. And where men or nations have broken down, it will

almost invariably be found that neglect of little things was the

rock on which they split. Every human being has duties to be

performed, and, therefore, has need of cultivating the capacity for

doing them; whether the sphere of action be the management of a

household, the conduct of a trade or profession, or the government

of a nation.

 

The examples we have already given of great workers in various

branches of industry, art, and science, render it unnecessary

further to enforce the importance of persevering application in any

department of life. It is the result of every-day experience that

steady attention to matters of detail lies at the root of human

progress; and that diligence, above all, is the mother of good

luck. Accuracy is also of much importance, and an invariable mark

of good training in a man. Accuracy in observation, accuracy in

speech, accuracy in the transaction of affairs. What is done in

business must be well done; for it is better to accomplish

perfectly a small amount of work, than to half-do ten times as

much. A wise man used to say, “Stay a little, that we may make an

end the sooner.”

 

Too little attention, however, is paid to this highly important

quality of accuracy. As a man eminent in practical science lately

observed to us, “It is astonishing how few people I have met with

in the course of my experience, who can DEFINE A FACT accurately.”

Yet in business affairs, it is the manner in which even small

matters are transacted, that often decides men for or against you.

With virtue, capacity, and good conduct in other respects, the

person who is habitually inaccurate cannot be trusted; his work has

to be gone over again; and he thus causes an infinity of annoyance,

vexation, and trouble.

 

It was one of the characteristic qualities of Charles James Fox,

that he was thoroughly painstaking in all that he did. When

appointed Secretary of State, being piqued at some observation as

to his bad writing, he actually took a writing-master, and wrote

copies like a schoolboy until he had sufficiently improved himself.

Though a corpulent man, he was wonderfully active at picking up cut

tennis balls, and when asked how he contrived to do so, he

playfully replied, “Because I am a very painstaking man.” The

same accuracy in trifling matters was displayed by him in things of

greater importance; and he acquired his reputation, like the

painter, by “neglecting nothing.”

 

Method is essential, and enables a larger amount of work to be got

through with satisfaction. “Method,” said the Reverend Richard

Cecil, “is like packing things in a box; a good packer will get in

half as much again as a bad one.” Cecil’s despatch of business was

extraordinary, his maxim being, “The shortest way to do many things

is to do only one thing at once;” and he never left a thing undone

with a view of recurring to it at a period of more leisure. When

business pressed, he rather chose to encroach on his hours of meals

and rest than omit any part of his work. De Witt’s maxim was like

Cecil’s: “One thing at a time.” “If,” said he, “I have any

necessary despatches to make, I think of nothing else till they are

finished; if any domestic affairs require my attention, I give

myself wholly up to them till they are set in order.”

 

A French minister, who was alike remarkable for his despatch of

business and his constant attendance at places of amusement, being

asked how he contrived to combine both objects, replied, “Simply by

never postponing till to-morrow what should be done to-day.” Lord

Brougham has said that a certain English statesman reversed the

process, and that his maxim was, never to transact to-day what

could be postponed till to-morrow. Unhappily, such is the practice

of many besides that minister, already almost forgotten; the

practice is that of the indolent and the unsuccessful. Such men,

too, are apt to rely upon agents, who are not always to be relied

upon. Important affairs must be attended to in person. “If you

want your business done,” says the proverb, “go and do it; if you

don’t want it done, send some one else.”

 

An indolent country gentleman had a freehold estate producing about

five hundred a-year. Becoming involved in debt, he sold half the

estate, and let the remainder to an industrious farmer for twenty

years. About the end of the term the farmer called to pay his

rent, and asked the owner whether he would sell the farm. “Will

YOU buy it?” asked the owner, surprised. “Yes, if we can agree

about the price.” “That is exceedingly strange,” observed the

gentleman; “pray, tell me how it happens that, while I could not

live upon twice as much land for which I paid no rent, you are

regularly paying me two hundred a-year for your farm, and are able,

in a few years, to purchase it.” “The reason is plain,” was the

reply; “you sat still and said GO, I got up and said COME; you laid

in bed and enjoyed your estate, I rose in the morning and minded my

business.”

 

Sir Walter Scott, writing to a youth who had obtained a situation

and asked for his advice, gave him in reply this sound counsel:

“Beware of stumbling over a propensity which easily besets you from

not having your time fully employed—I mean what the women call

DAWDLING. Your motto must be, Hoc age. Do instantly whatever is

to be done, and take the hours of recreation after business, never

before it. When a regiment is under march, the rear is often

thrown into confusion because the front do not move steadily and

without interruption. It is the same with business. If that which

is first in hand is not instantly, steadily, and regularly

despatched, other things accumulate behind, till affairs begin to

press all at once, and no human brain can stand the confusion.”

 

Promptitude in action may be stimulated by a due consideration of

the value of time. An Italian philosopher was accustomed to call

time his estate: an estate which produces nothing of value without

cultivation, but, duly improved, never fails to recompense the

labours of the diligent worker. Allowed to lie waste, the product

will be only noxious weeds and vicious growths of all kinds. One

of the minor uses of steady employment is, that it keeps one out of

mischief, for truly an idle brain