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Samuel Smiles

Samuel Smiles Quotes

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Famous Samuel Smiles Quotes

“No laws, however stringent, can make the idle industrious, the thriftless provident, or the drunken sober. Such reforms can only be effected by means of individual action, economy and self-denial; by better habits, rather than by greater rights.”

MeanSelfActionLawIndividualEconomyGreaterRightsHabitReformDenialIdleSoberIndustriousSelf-denial
Book:Self-help: With Illustrations of Charakter, Conduct and Perseverance
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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.”

MindHas BeensCharacterNamesQualityMoralStageFashionDependsDignityPossessionMannersGenerousGentlemanBowsHomagePersonal Qualities
Author:Samuel Smiles
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“The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill; and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honor. If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved.”

IfsLifeWould BeSuccessLife IsWinningCasesStruggleAchieveSelf HelpInspirational LifeHonorPoliticianBattleDifficultyAdversityOvercoming AdversityLife StruggleLife Is ToughUphill BattlesBattle Of Life
Book:Self-help, with Illustrations of Character and Conduct
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“We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. 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.”

InspirationalMadeWisdomMistakeFailureWords Of WisdomAmbitionFindingsDiscoveryMaking MistakesFear Of FailureLearning From MistakesMade A MistakeMy MistakesI Make MistakesWe All Make MistakesI Have Made MistakesLearning From FailureWe Make MistakesLearn From My MistakesPast FailuresMistakes And LearningMaking Mistakes And Learning From ThemLearning From Our MistakesLearned From Mistakes
Author:Samuel Smiles
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“Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey towards it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us. ...Hope sweetens the memory of experiences well loved. It tempers our troubles to our growth and our strength. It befriends us in the dark hours, excites us in bright ones. It lends promise to the future and purpose to the past. It turns discouragement to determination. Samuel Smiles”

WellsPastPurposeTurnsGrowthHoursMemoriesDarkBehindsSunTroubleJourneyPromiseShadowDeterminationCastsBurdenTemperDiscouragementDark Hours
Author:Samuel Smiles
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“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.'”

ChildrenDoeTwoCharacterMightEyeParentMoralInfluenceDependsAtmosphereInstructionThyselfParental
Book:Self-help; with illustrations of character and conduct
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“The crown and glory of life is character. It is the noblest possession of a man, constituting a rank in itself, and an estate in the general good-will; dignifying every station, and exalting every position in society. It exercises a greater power than wealth, and secures all the honor without the jealousies of fame. It carries with it an influence which always tell; for it is the result of proved honor, rectitude, and consistency-qualities which, perhaps more than any other, command the general confidence and respect of mankind.”

MenCharacterLife IsWealthResultsQualityGreaterInfluenceMankindPositionHonorExerciseFameGloryPossessionCommandCarrieStationsCrownsEstatesConsistencyGood WillGreater PowerRectitude
Book:Happy Homes and the Hearts that Make Them. Or Thrifty People and why They Thrive
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“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. . . .”

MenShouldKindMayStillsCharacterSuccessGrowsLosesRichHonestHonestyFortuneInjusticeBeing HonestFraudHonest ManUnsuccessful
Book:Self-Help: With Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance
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“It is not eminent talent that is required to ensure success in any pursuit, so much as purpose-not merely the power to achieve, but the will to labour energetically and perseveringly. Hence energy of will may be defined to be the very central power of character in a man-in a word, it is the Man himself.”

MenMayCharacterSpiritualPurposeEnergyPowerAchieveTalentHe ManPursuitDefinedLabour
Book:Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct
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“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.”

PeopleLongGovernmentRunningFoundIndividualNationsLevelsBehindsLong RunsComposing
Book:Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct
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