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Character



by　Samuel　Smiles










CHAPTER　I。INFLUENCE　OF　CHARACTER。







〃Unless　above　himself　he　can

Erect　himself；　how　poor　a　thing　is　man〃DANIEL。



〃Character　is　moral　order　seen　through　the　medium；　of　an

individual　nature。。。。　　Men　of　character　are　the　conscience　of

the　society　to　which　they　belong。〃EMERSON。



〃The　prosperity　of　a　country　depends；　not　on　the　abundance　of　its

revenues；　nor　on　the　strength　of　its　fortifications；　nor　on　the

beauty　of　its　public　buildings；　but　it　consists　in　the　number　of

its　cultivated　citizens；　in　its　men　of　education；　enlightenment；

and　character；　here　are　to　be　found　its　true　interest；　its　chief

strength；　its　real　power。〃MARTIN　LUTHER。





Character　is　one　of　the　greatest　motive　powers　in　the　world。　　In

its　noblest　embodiments；　it　exemplifies　human　nature　in　its

highest　forms；　for　it　exhibits　man　at　his　best。



Men　of　genuine　excellence；　in　every　station　of　lifemen　of

industry；　of　integrity；　of　high　principle；　of　sterling　honesty　of

purposecommand　the　spontaneous　homage　of　mankind。　　It　is

natural　to　believe　in　such　men；　to　have　confidence　in　them；　and　to

imitate　them。　　All　that　is　good　in　the　world　is　upheld　by　them；

and　without　their　presence　in　it　the　world　would　not　be　worth

living　in。



Although　genius　always　commands　admiration；　character　most　secures

respect。　　The　former　is　more　the　product　of　brain…power；　the

latter　of　heart…power；　and　in　the　long　run　it　is　the　heart　that

rules　in　life。　　Men　of　genius　stand　to　society　in　the　relation　of

its　intellect；　as　men　of　character　of　its　conscience；　and　while

the　former　are　admired；　the　latter　are　followed。



Great　men　are　always　exceptional　men；　and　greatness　itself　is　but

comparative。　　Indeed；　the　range　of　most　men　in　life　is　so　limited；

that　very　few　have　the　opportunity　of　being　great。　　But　each　man

can　act　his　part　honestly　and　honourably；　and　to　the　best　of　his

ability。　　He　can　use　his　gifts；　and　not　abuse　them。　　He　can　strive

to　make　the　best　of　life。　　He　can　be　true；　just；　honest；　and

faithful；　even　in　small　things。　　In　a　word；　he　can　do　his　Duty　in

that　sphere　in　which　Providence　has　placed　him。



Commonplace　though　it　may　appear；　this　doing　of　one's　Duty

embodies　the　highest　ideal　of　life　and　character。　　There　may　be

nothing　heroic　about　it；　but　the　common　lot　of　men　is　not　heroic。

And　though　the　abiding　sense　of　Duty　upholds　man　in　his　highest

attitudes；　it　also　equally　sustains　him　in　the　transaction　of　the

ordinary　affairs　of　everyday　existence。　　Man's　life　is　〃centred　in

the　sphere　of　common　duties。〃　　The　most　influential　of　all　the

virtues　are　those　which　are　the　most　in　request　for　daily　use。

They　wear　the　best；　and　last　the　longest。　Superfine　virtues；　which

are　above　the　standard　of　common　men；　may　only　be　sources　of

temptation　and　danger。　　Burke　has　truly　said　that　〃the　human

system　which　rests　for　its　basis　on　the　heroic　virtues　is　sure　to

have　a　superstructure　of　weakness　or　of　profligacy。〃



When　Dr。　Abbot；　afterwards　Archbishop　of　Canterbury；　drew　the

character　of　his　deceased　friend　Thomas　Sackville；　（1）　he　did　not

dwell　upon　his　merits　as　a　statesman；　or　his　genius　as　a　poet；　but

upon　his　virtues　as　a　man　in　relation　to　the　ordinary　duties　of

life。　　〃How　many　rare　things　were　in　him！〃　said　he。　　〃Who　more

loving　unto　his　wife？　Who　more　kind　unto　his　children？Who　more

fast　unto　his　friend？Who　more　moderate　unto　his　enemy？Who

more　true　to　his　word？〃　　Indeed；　we　can　always　better　understand

and　appreciate　a　man's　real　character　by　the　manner　in　which　he

conducts　himself　towards　those　who　are　the　most　nearly　related　to

him；　and　by　his　transaction　of　the　seemingly　commonplace　details

of　daily　duty；　than　by　his　public　exhibition　of　himself　as　an

author；　an　orator；　or　a　statesman。



At　the　same　time；　while　Duty；　for　the　most　part；　applies　to　the

conduct　of　affairs　in　common　life　by　the　average　of　common　men；　it

is　also　a　sustaining　power　to　men　of　the　very　highest　standard　of

character。　　They　may　not　have　either　money；　or　property；　or

learning；　or　power；　and　yet　they　may　be　strong　in　heart　and　rich

in　spirithonest；　truthful；　dutiful。　　And　whoever　strives　to　do

his　duty　faithfully　is　fulfilling　the　purpose　for　which　he　was

created；　and　building　up　in　himself　the　principles　of　a　manly

character。　　There　are　many　persons　of　whom　it　may　be　said　that

they　have　no　other　possession　in　the　world　but　their　character；

and　yet　they　stand　as　firmly　upon　it　as　any　crowned　king。



Intellectual　culture　has　no　necessary　relation　to　purity　or

excellence　of　character。　　In　the　New　Testament；　appeals　are

constantly　made　to　the　heart　of　man　and　to　〃the　spirit　we　are　of；〃

whilst　allusions　to　the　intellect　are　of　very　rare　occurrence。　　〃A

handful　of　good　life；〃　says　George　Herbert；　〃is　worth　a　bushel　of

learning。〃　　Not　that　learning　is　to　be　despised；　but　that　it　must

be　allied　to　goodness。　　Intellectual　capacity　is　sometimes　found

associated　with　the　meanest　moral　character　with　abject　servility

to　those　in　high　places；　and　arrogance　to　those　of　low　estate。　　A

man　may　be　accomplished　in　art；　literature；　and　science；　and　yet；

in　honesty；　virtue；　truthfulness；　and　the　spirit　of　duty；　be

entitled　to　take　rank　after　many　a　poor　and　illiterate　peasant。



〃You　insist；〃　wrote　Perthes　to　a　friend；　〃on　respect　for　learned

men。　　I　say；　Amen！　　But；　at　the　same　time；　don't　forget　that

largeness　of　mind；　depth　of　thought；　appreciation　of　the　lofty；

experience　of　the　world；　delicacy　of　manner；　tact　and　energy　in

action；　love　of　truth；　honesty；　and　amiabilitythat　all　these

may　be　wanting　in　a　man　who　may　yet　be　very　learned。〃　（2）



When　some　one；　in　Sir　Walter　Scott's　hearing；　made　a　remark　as　to

the　value　of　literary　talents　and　accomplishments；　as　if　they　were

above　all　things　to　be　esteemed　and　honoured；　he　observed；　〃God

help　us！　what　a　poor　world　this　would　be　if　that　were　the　true

doctrine！　　I　have　read　books　enough；　and　observed　and　conversed

with　enough　of　eminent　and　splendidly…cultured　minds；　too；　in　my

time；　but　I　assure　you；　I　have　heard　higher　sentiments　from　the

lips　of　poor　UNEDUCATED　men　and　women；　when　exerting　the　spirit　of

severe　yet　gentle　heroism　under　difficulties　and　afflictions；　or

speaking　their　simple　thoughts　as　to　circumstances　in　the　lot　of

friends　and　neighbours；　than　I　ever　yet　met　with　out　of　the　Bible。

We　shall　never　learn　to　feel　and　respect　our　real　calling　and

destiny；　unless　we　have　taught　ourselves　to　consider　everything　as

moonshine；　compared　with　the　education　of　the　heart。〃　（3）



Still　less　has　wealth　any　necessary　connection　with　elevation　of

character。　　On　the　contrary；　it　is　much　more　frequently　the　cause

of　its　corruption　and　degradation。　　Wealth　and　corruption；　luxury

and　vice；　have　very　close　affinities　to　each　other。　　Wealth；　in

the　hands　of　men　of　weak　purpose；　of　deficient　self…control；　or　of

ill…regulated　passions；　is　only　a　temptation　and　a　snarethe

source；　it　may　be；　of　infinite　mischief　to　themselves；　and　often

to　others。



On　the　contrary；　a　condition　of　comparative　poverty　is　compatible

with　character　in　its　highest　form。　　A　man　may　possess　only　his

industry；　his　frugality；　his　integrity；　and　yet　stand　high　in　the

rank　of　true　manhood。　　The　advice　which　Burns's　father　gave　him

was　the　best：



　　　〃He　bade　me　act　a　manly　part；　though　I　had　ne'er　a　farthing；

　　　For　without　an　honest　manly　heart　no　man　was　worth　regarding。〃



One　of　the　purest　and　noblest　characters　the　writer　ever　knew　was

a　labouring　man　in　a　northern　county；　who　brought　up　his　family

respectably　on　an　income　never　amounting　to　more　than　ten

shillings　a　week。　　Though　possessed　of　only　the　rudiments　of

common　education；　obtained　at　an　ordinary　parish　school；　he　was　a

man　full　of　wisdom　and　thoughtfulness。　　His　library　consisted　of

the　Bible；　'Flavel；'　and　'Boston'books　which；　excepting　the

first；　probably　few　readers　have　ever　heard　of。　　This　good　man

might　have　sat　for　the　portrait　of　Wordsworth's　well…known

'Wanderer。'　　When　he　had　lived　his　modest　life　of　work　and　worship；

and　finally　went　to　his　rest；　he　left　behind　him　a　reputation　for

practical　wisdom；　for　genuine　goodness；　and　for　helpfulness　in

every　good　work；　which　greater　and　richer　men　might　have　envied。



When　Luther　died；　he　left　behind　him；　as　set　forth　in　his　will；

〃no　ready　money；　no　treasure　of　coin　of　any　description。〃　　He　was

so　poor　at　one　part　of　his　life；　that　he　was　under　the　necessity

of　earning　his　bread　by　turning；　gardening；　and　clockmaking。　　Yet；

at　the　very　time　when　he　was　thus　working　with　his　hands；　he　was

moulding　the　character　of　his　country；　and　he　was　morally

stronger；　and　vastly　more　honoured　and　followed；　than　all　the

princes　of　Germany。



Character　is　property。　　It　is　the　noblest　of　possessions。　　It　is

an　estate　in　the　general　goodwill　and　respect　of　men；　and　they　who

invest　in　i