Literary Collections
Read books online » Literary Collections » Self Help by Samuel Smiles (desktop ebook reader txt) 📖

Book online «Self Help by Samuel Smiles (desktop ebook reader txt) 📖». Author Samuel Smiles



1 ... 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 ... 70
Go to page:
that on the whole they pass through their trials nobly.

If we reflect but for a moment on the vast amount of wealth daily

entrusted even to subordinate persons, who themselves probably earn

but a bare competency—the loose cash which is constantly passing

through the hands of shopmen, agents, brokers, and clerks in

banking houses,—and note how comparatively few are the breaches of

trust which occur amidst all this temptation, it will probably be

admitted that this steady daily honesty of conduct is most

honourable to human nature, if it do not even tempt us to be proud

of it. The same trust and confidence reposed by men of business in

each other, as implied by the system of Credit, which is mainly

based upon the principle of honour, would be surprising if it were

not so much a matter of ordinary practice in business transactions.

Dr. Chalmers has well said, that the implicit trust with which

merchants are accustomed to confide in distant agents, separated

from them perhaps by half the globe—often consigning vast wealth

to persons, recommended only by their character, whom perhaps they

have never seen—is probably the finest act of homage which men can

render to one another.

 

Although common honesty is still happily in the ascendant amongst

common people, and the general business community of England is

still sound at heart, putting their honest character into their

respective callings,—there are unhappily, as there have been in

all times, but too many instances of flagrant dishonesty and fraud,

exhibited by the unscrupulous, the over-speculative, and the

intensely selfish in their haste to be rich. There are tradesmen

who adulterate, contractors who “scamp,” manufacturers who give us

shoddy instead of wool, “dressing” instead of cotton, cast-iron

tools instead of steel, needles without eyes, razors made only “to

sell,” and swindled fabrics in many shapes. But these we must hold

to be the exceptional cases, of low-minded and grasping men, who,

though they may gain wealth which they probably cannot enjoy, will

never gain an honest character, nor secure that without which

wealth is nothing—a heart at peace. “The rogue cozened not me,

but his own conscience,” said Bishop Latimer of a cutler who made

him pay twopence for a knife not worth a penny. Money, earned by

screwing, cheating, and overreaching, may for a time dazzle the

eyes of the unthinking; but the bubbles blown by unscrupulous

rogues, when full-blown, usually glitter only to burst. The

Sadleirs, Dean Pauls, and Redpaths, for the most part, come to a

sad end even in this world; and though the successful swindles of

others may not be “found out,” and the gains of their roguery may

remain with them, it will be as a curse and not as a blessing.

 

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; and if the high-principled man will but hold on

his way courageously, success will surely come,—nor will the

highest reward of all be withheld from him. Wordsworth well

describes the “Happy Warrior,” as he

 

“Who comprehends his trust, and to the same

Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim;

And therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait

For wealth, or honour, or for worldly state;

Whom they must follow, on whose head must fall,

Like showers of manna, if they come at all.”

 

As an example of the high-minded mercantile man trained in upright

habits of business, and distinguished for justice, truthfulness,

and honesty of dealing in all things, the career of the well-known

David Barclay, grandson of Robert Barclay, of Ury, the author of

the celebrated ‘Apology for the Quakers,’ may be briefly referred

to. For many years he was the head of an extensive house in

Cheapside, chiefly engaged in the American trade; but like

Granville Sharp, he entertained so strong an opinion against the

war with our American colonies, that he determined to retire

altogether from the trade. Whilst a merchant, he was as much

distinguished for his talents, knowledge, integrity, and power, as

he afterwards was for his patriotism and munificent philanthropy.

He was a mirror of truthfulness and honesty; and, as became the

good Christian and true gentleman, his word was always held to be

as good as his bond. His position, and his high character, induced

the Ministers of the day on many occasions to seek his advice; and,

when examined before the House of Commons on the subject of the

American dispute, his views were so clearly expressed, and his

advice was so strongly justified by the reasons stated by him, that

Lord North publicly acknowledged that he had derived more

information from David Barclay than from all others east of Temple

Bar. On retiring from business, it was not to rest in luxurious

ease, but to enter upon new labours of usefulness for others. With

ample means, he felt that he still owed to society the duty of a

good example. He founded a house of industry near his residence at

Walthamstow, which he supported at a heavy outlay for several

years, until at length he succeeded in rendering it a source of

comfort as well as independence to the well-disposed families of

the poor in that neighbourhood. When an estate in Jamaica fell to

him, he determined, though at a cost of some 10,000l., at once to

give liberty to the whole of the slaves on the property. He sent

out an agent, who hired a ship, and he had the little slave

community transported to one of the free American states, where

they settled down and prospered. Mr. Barclay had been assured that

the negroes were too ignorant and too barbarous for freedom, and it

was thus that he determined practically to demonstrate the fallacy

of the assertion. In dealing with his accumulated savings, he made

himself the executor of his own will, and instead of leaving a

large fortune to be divided among his relatives at his death, he

extended to them his munificent aid during his life, watched and

aided them in their respective careers, and thus not only laid the

foundation, but lived to see the maturity, of some of the largest

and most prosperous business concerns in the metropolis. We

believe that to this day some of our most eminent merchants—such

as the Gurneys, Hanburys, and Buxtons—are proud to acknowledge

with gratitude the obligations they owe to David Barclay for the

means of their first introduction to life, and for the benefits of

his counsel and countenance in the early stages of their career.

Such a man stands as a mark of the mercantile honesty and integrity

of his country, and is a model and example for men of business in

all time to come.

CHAPTER X—MONEY—ITS USE AND ABUSE

“Not for to hide it in a hedge,

Nor for a train attendant,

But for the glorious privilege

Of being independent.”—Burns.

 

“Neither a borrower nor a lender be:

For loan oft loses both itself and friend;

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.”—Shakepeare.

 

Never treat money affairs with levity—Money is character.—Sir E.

L. Bulwer Lytton.

 

How a man uses money—makes it, saves it, and spends it—is perhaps

one of the best tests of practical wisdom. Although money ought by

no means to be regarded as a chief end of man’s life, neither is it

a trifling matter, to be held in philosophic contempt, representing

as it does to so large an extent, the means of physical comfort and

social well-being. Indeed, some of the finest qualities of human

nature are intimately related to the right use of money; such as

generosity, honesty, justice, and self-sacrifice; as well as the

practical virtues of economy and providence. On the other hand,

there are their counterparts of avarice, fraud, injustice, and

selfishness, as displayed by the inordinate lovers of gain; and the

vices of thriftlessness, extravagance, and improvidence, on the

part of those who misuse and abuse the means entrusted to them.

“So that,” as is wisely observed by Henry Taylor in his thoughtful

‘Notes from Life,’ “a right measure and manner in getting, saving,

spending, giving, taking, lending, borrowing, and bequeathing,

would almost argue a perfect man.”

 

Comfort in worldly circumstances is a con ion which every man is

justified in striving to attain by all worthy means. It secures

that physical satisfaction, which is necessary for the culture of

the better part of his nature; and enables him to provide for those

of his own household, without which, says the Apostle, a man is

“worse than an infidel.” Nor ought the duty to be any the less

indifferent to us, that the respect which our fellow-men entertain

for us in no slight degree depends upon the manner in which we

exercise the opportunities which present themselves for our

honourable advancement in life. The very effort required to be

made to succeed in life with this object, is of itself an

education; stimulating a man’s sense of self-respect, bringing out

his practical qualities, and disciplining him in the exercise of

patience, perseverance, and such like virtues. The provident and

careful man must necessarily be a thoughtful man, for he lives not

merely for the present, but with provident forecast makes

arrangements for the future. He must also be a temperate man, and

exercise the virtue of self-denial, than which nothing is so much

calculated to give strength to the character. John Sterling says

truly, that “the worst education which teaches self denial, is

better than the best which teaches everything else, and not that.”

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.

 

Hence the lesson of self-denial—the sacrificing of a present

gratification for a future good—is one of the last that is learnt.

Those classes which work the hardest might naturally be expected to

value the most the money which they earn. Yet the readiness with

which so many are accustomed to eat up and drink up their earnings

as they go, renders them to a great extent helpless and dependent

upon the frugal. There are large numbers of persons among us who,

though enjoying sufficient means of comfort and independence, are

often found to be barely a day’s march ahead of actual want when a

time of pressure occurs; and hence a great cause of social

helplessness and suffering. On one occasion a deputation waited on

Lord John Russell, respecting the taxation levied on the working

classes of the country, when the noble lord took the opportunity of

remarking, “You may rely upon it that the Government of this

country durst not tax the working classes to anything like the

extent to which they tax themselves in their expenditure upon

intoxicating drinks alone!” Of all great public questions, there

is perhaps none more important than this,—no great work of reform

calling more loudly for labourers. But it must be admitted that

“self-denial and self-help” would make a poor rallying cry for the

hustings; and it is to be feared that the patriotism of this day

has but little regard for such common things as individual economy

and providence, although it is by the practice of such virtues only

that the genuine independence of the industrial classes is to be

secured. “Prudence, frugality, and good management,” said Samuel

Drew, the philosophical shoemaker, “are excellent artists for

mending bad times: they occupy but little room in any dwelling,

but would furnish a more effectual remedy for the evils of life

than any Reform Bill that ever passed the

1 ... 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 ... 70
Go to page:

Free ebook «Self Help by Samuel Smiles (desktop ebook reader txt) 📖» - read online now

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment