Self Help by Samuel Smiles (best romantic novels in english TXT) 📕

“A coeur vaillant rien d’impossible.”—Jacques Coeur.

“Den Muthigen gehort die Welt.”—German Proverb.

“In every work that he began … he did it with all his heart,

and prospered.”—II. Chron. XXXI. 21.

There is a famous speech recorded of an old Norseman, thoroughly

characteristic of the Teuton. “I believe neither in idols nor

demons,” said he, “I put my sole trust in my own strength of body

and soul.” The ancient crest of a pickaxe with the motto of

“Either I will find a way or make one,” was an expression of the

same sturdy independence which to this day distinguishes the

descendants of the Northmen. Indeed nothing could be more

characteristic of the Scandinavian mythology, than that it had a

god with a hammer. A man’s character is seen in small matters; and

from even so slight a test as the mode in which a man wields a

hammer, his energy may in some measure be inferred. Thus an

eminent Frenchman hit off in a single phrase the characteristic

quality of the inhabitants of a particular district, in which a

friend of his proposed to settle and buy land. “Beware,” said he,

“of making a purchase there; I know the men of that department; the

pupils who come from it to our veterinary school at Paris DO NOR

STRIKE HARD UPON THE ANVIL; they want energy; and you will not get

a satisfactory return on any capital you may invest there.” A fine

and just appreciation of character, indicating the thoughtful

observer; and strikingly illustrative of the fact that it is the

energy of the individual men that gives strength to a State, and

confers a value even upon the very soil which they cultivate. As

the French proverb has it: “Tant vaut l’homme, tant vaut sa

terre.”

The cultivation of this quality is of the greatest importance;

resolute determination in the pursuit of worthy objects being the

foundation of all true greatness of character. Energy enables a

man to force his way through irksome drudgery and dry details, and

carries him onward and upward in every station in life. It

accomplishes more than genius, with not one-half the disappointment

and peril. 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. It gives

impulse to his every action, and soul to every effort. True hope

is based on it,—and it is hope that gives the real perfume to

life. There is a fine heraldic motto on a broken helmet in Battle

Abbey, “L’espoir est ma force,” which might be the motto of every

man’s life. “Woe unto him that is fainthearted,” says the son of

Sirach. There is, indeed, no blessing equal to the possession of a

stout heart. Even if a man fail in his efforts, it will be a

satisfaction to him to enjoy the consciousness of having done his

best. In humble life nothing can be more cheering and beautiful

than to see a man combating suffering by patience, triumphing in

his integrity, and who, when his feet are bleeding and his limbs

failing him, still walks upon his courage.

Mere wishes and desires but engender a sort of green sickness in

young minds, unless they are promptly embodied in act and deed. It

will not avail merely to wait as so many do, “until Blucher comes

up,” but they must struggle on and persevere in the mean time, as

Wellington did. The good purpose once formed must be carried out

with alacrity and without swerving. In most conditions of life,

drudgery and toil are to be cheerfully endured as the best and most

wholesome discipline. “In life,” said Ary Scheffer, “nothing bears

fruit except by labour of mind or body. To strive and still

strive—such is life; and in this respect mine is fulfilled; but I

dare to say, with just pride, that nothing has ever shaken my

courage. With a strong soul, and a noble aim, one can do what one

wills, morally speaking.”

Hugh Miller said the only school in which he was properly taught

was “that world-wide school in which toil and hardship are the

severe but noble teachers.” He who allows his application to

falter, or shirks his work on frivolous pretexts, is on the sure

road to ultimate failure. Let any task be undertaken as a thing

not possible to be evaded, and it will soon come to be performed

with alacrity and cheerfulness. Charles IX. of Sweden was a firm

believer in the power of will, even in youth. Laying his hand on

the head of his youngest son when engaged on a difficult task, he

exclaimed, “He SHALL do it! he SHALL do it!” The habit of

application becomes easy in time, like every other habit. Thus

persons with comparatively moderate powers will accomplish much, if

they apply themselves wholly and indefatigably to one thing at a

time. Fowell Buxton placed his confidence in ordinary means and

extraordinary application; realizing the scriptural injunction,

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might;” and

he attributed his own success in life to his practice of “being a

whole man to one thing at a time.”

Nothing that is of real worth can be achieved without courageous

working. Man owes his growth chiefly to that active striving of

the will, that encounter with difficulty, which we call effort; and

it is astonishing to find how often results apparently

impracticable are thus made possible. An intense anticipation

itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often

but the precursors of the things which we are capable of

performing. On the contrary, the timid and hesitating find

everything impossible, chiefly because it seems so. It is related

of a young French officer, that he used to walk about his apartment

exclaiming, “I WILL be Marshal of France and a great general.” His

ardent desire was the presentiment of his success; for the young

officer did become a distinguished commander, and he died a Marshal

of France.

Mr. Walker, author of the ‘Original,’ had so great a faith in the

power of will, that he says on one occasion he DETERMINED to be

well, and he was so. This may answer once; but, though safer to

follow than many prescriptions, it will not always succeed. The

power of mind over body is no doubt great, but it may be strained

until the physical power breaks down altogether. It is related of

Muley Moluc, the