Samuel Smiles
Samuel Smiles
Samuel Smiles, was a Scottish author and government reformer who campaigned on a Chartist platform. But he concluded that more progress would come from new attitudes than from new laws. His masterpiece, Self-Help, promoted thrift and claimed that poverty was caused largely by irresponsible habits, while also attacking materialism and laissez-faire government. It has been called "the bible of mid-Victorian liberalism", and it raised Smiles to celebrity status almost overnight...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionAuthor
Date of Birth23 December 1812
children mirrors childhood
Childhood is like a mirror, which reflects in after life the images first presented to it.
children tree firsts
A fig-tree looking on a fig-tree becometh fruitful," says the Arabian proverb. And so it is with children; their first great instructor is example.
children issues mind
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.
children mirrors afterlife
Childhood is like a mirror, which reflects in afterlife the images first presented to it. The first thing continues forever with the child. The first joy, the first sorrow, the first success, the first failure, the first achievement, the first misadventure, paint the foreground of his life.
children women evil
Commit a child to the care of a worthless, ignorant woman, and no culture in after-life will remedy the evil you have done.
children character eye
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.'
actual experience former gained gathered latter life nature small stock store though vastly worth
The experience gathered from books, though often valuable, is but of the nature of learning; whereas, the experience gained from actual life is of the nature of wisdom; and a small store of the latter is worth vastly more than any stock of the former
almost attainment barriers determine frequently resolution scales true
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.
achievement almost attainment barriers determine frequently resolution scales true
''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.
companion gift hopes mother within
Hope...is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles.
companion gift hope hopes mother strongly within
Hope is the companion of power, and mother of success; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles.
almost attainment determine earnest frequently resolution savor seemed
To think we are able is almost to be so; to determine upon attainment is frequently attainment itself; earnest resolution has often seemed to have about it almost a savor of omnipotence.
discovery finding quotes
We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.
feels length life proper
Length of years is no proper test of length of life. A man's life is to be measured by what he does in it and what he feels in it.