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Samuel Smiles

Samuel Smiles Quotes

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Famous Samuel Smiles Quotes

“All experiences of life seems to prove that the impediments thrown in the way of the human advancement may for the most part be overcome by steady good conduct, honest zeal, activity, perseverance and above all, by a determined resolution to surmount.”

WayHumansMaySeemsHonestActivityProveOvercomingPerseveranceDeterminedThrownResolutionSteadyAdvancementZealImpediments
Book:Self-help: With Illustrations of Character and Conduct
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“What we are accustomed to decry as great social evils, will, for the most part, be found to be only the out-growth of our own perverted life; and though we may endeavor to cut them down and extirpate them by means of law, they will only spring up again with fresh luxuriance in some other form, unless the conditions of human life and character are radically improved.”

HumansMayMeanCharacterFormLawEvilFoundSocialGrowthCuttingConditionsSpringDown AndHuman LifeEndeavorAccustomedSocial Evils
Book:Self-help
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“He who recognizes no higher logic than that of the shilling may become a very rich man, and yet remain all the while an exceedingly poor creature; for riches are no proof whatever of moral worth, and their glitter often serves only to draw attention to the worthlessness of their possessor, as the glow-worm's light reveals the grub.”

MenMayLightPoorAttentionMoralRichHigherCreaturesDrawsLogicRichesProofWormsGlitterRich ManWorthlessnessGlow Worms
Book:Self-help: With Illustrations of Characters, Conduct, and Perseverance
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“Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy man may pay others for doing his work for him; but it is impossible to get his thinking done for him by another, or to purchase any kind of self-culture.”

ThinkingMenKindMaySelfDoneCulturePayImpossibleWealthyInheritanceAcresKnowledge And Wisdom
Book:Self-help; with Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance
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“Even happiness itself may become habitual. There is a habit of looking at the bright side of things, and also of looking at the dark side. Dr. Johnson has said that the habit of looking at the best side of a thing is worth more to a man than a thousand pounds a year. And we possess the power, to a great extent, of so exercising the will as to direct the thoughts upon objects calculated to yield happiness and improvement rather than their opposites.”

MenYearsMaySaidSidesDarkObjectsHabitExerciseThousandDirectOppositesImprovementPoundsYieldDrsJohnsonDark SideHabitualBright SideDr Johnson
Book:Self-Help; with Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance by Samuel Smiles
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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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“For want of self-restraint many men are engaged all their lives in fighting with difficulties of their own making, and rendering success impossible by their own cross-grained ungentleness; whilst others, it may be much less gifted, make their way and achieve success by simple patience, equanimity, and self-control.”

MenWayWantLifeMaySelfSuccessFightingSimpleImpossibleAchieveCrossesDifficultySimplicityEngagedSelf ControlGiftedRestraintEquanimityRenderingSelf Restraint
Book:Character. Repr
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