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

If we reflect but for a moment on the vast amount of wealth daily

entrusted even to subordinate persons, who themselves probably earn

but a bare competency—the loose cash which is constantly passing

through the hands of shopmen, agents, brokers, and clerks in

banking houses,—and note how comparatively few are the breaches of

trust which occur amidst all this temptation, it will probably be

admitted that this steady daily honesty of conduct is most

honourable to human nature, if it do not even tempt us to be proud

of it. The same trust and confidence reposed by men of business in

each other, as implied by the system of Credit, which is mainly

based upon the principle of honour, would be surprising if it were

not so much a matter of ordinary practice in business transactions.

Dr. Chalmers has well said, that the implicit trust with which

merchants are accustomed to confide in distant agents, separated

from them perhaps by half the globe—often consigning vast wealth

to persons, recommended only by their character, whom perhaps they

have never seen—is probably the finest act of homage which men can

render to one another.

Although common honesty is still happily in the ascendant amongst

common people, and the general business community of England is

still sound at heart, putting their honest character into their

respective callings,—there are unhappily, as there have been in

all times, but too many instances of flagrant dishonesty and fraud,

exhibited by the unscrupulous, the over-speculative, and the

intensely selfish in their haste to be rich. There are tradesmen

who adulterate, contractors who “scamp,” manufacturers who give us

shoddy instead of wool, “dressing” instead of cotton, cast-iron

tools instead of steel, needles without eyes, razors made only “to

sell,” and swindled fabrics in many shapes. But these we must hold

to be the exceptional cases, of low-minded and grasping men, who,

though they may gain wealth which they probably cannot enjoy, will

never gain an honest character, nor secure that without which

wealth is nothing—a heart at peace. “The rogue cozened not me,

but his own conscience,” said Bishop Latimer of a cutler who made

him pay twopence for a knife not worth a penny. Money, earned by

screwing, cheating, and overreaching, may for a time dazzle the

eyes of the unthinking; but the bubbles blown by unscrupulous

rogues, when full-blown, usually glitter only to burst. The

Sadleirs, Dean Pauls, and Redpaths, for the most part, come to a

sad end even in this world; and though the successful swindles of

others may not be “found out,” and the gains of their roguery may

remain with them, it will be as a curse and not as a blessing.

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; and if the high-principled man will but hold on

his way courageously, success will surely come,—nor will the

highest reward of all be withheld from him. Wordsworth well

describes the “Happy Warrior,” as he

“Who comprehends his trust, and to the same

Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim;

And therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait

For wealth, or honour, or for worldly state;

Whom they must follow, on whose head must fall,

Like showers of manna, if they come at all.”

As an example of the high-minded mercantile man trained in upright

habits of business, and distinguished for justice, truthfulness,

and honesty of dealing in all things, the career of the well-known

David Barclay, grandson of Robert Barclay, of Ury, the author of

the celebrated ‘Apology for the Quakers,’ may be briefly referred

to. For many years he was the head of an extensive house in

Cheapside, chiefly engaged in the American trade; but like

Granville Sharp, he entertained so strong an opinion against the

war with our American colonies, that he determined to retire

altogether from the trade. Whilst a merchant, he was as much

distinguished for his talents, knowledge, integrity, and power, as

he afterwards was for his patriotism and munificent philanthropy.

He was a mirror of truthfulness and honesty; and, as became the

good Christian and true gentleman, his word was always held to be

as good as his bond. His position, and his high character, induced

the Ministers of the day on many occasions to seek his advice; and,

when examined before the House of Commons on the subject of the

American dispute, his views were so clearly expressed, and his

advice was so strongly justified by the reasons stated by him, that

Lord North publicly acknowledged that he had derived more

information from David Barclay than from all others east of Temple

Bar. On retiring from business, it was not to rest in luxurious

ease, but to enter upon new labours of usefulness for others. With

ample means, he felt that he still owed to society the duty of a

good example. He founded a house of industry near his residence at

Walthamstow, which he supported at a heavy outlay for several

years, until at length he succeeded in rendering it a source of

comfort as well as independence to the well-disposed families of

the poor in that neighbourhood. When an estate in Jamaica fell to

him, he determined, though at a cost of some 10,000l., at once to

give liberty to the whole of the slaves on the property. He sent

out an agent, who hired a ship, and he had the little slave

community transported to one of the free American states, where

they settled down and prospered. Mr. Barclay had been assured that

the negroes were too ignorant and too barbarous for freedom, and it

was thus that he determined practically to demonstrate the fallacy

of the assertion. In dealing with his accumulated savings, he made

himself the executor of his own will, and instead of leaving a

large fortune to be divided among his relatives at his death, he

extended to them his munificent aid during his life, watched and

aided them in their respective careers, and thus not only laid the

foundation, but lived to see the maturity, of some of the largest

and most prosperous business concerns in the metropolis. We

believe that to this day some of our most eminent merchants—such

as the Gurneys, Hanburys, and Buxtons—are proud to acknowledge

with gratitude the obligations they owe to David Barclay for the

means of their first introduction to life, and for the benefits of

his counsel and countenance in the early stages of their career.

Such a man stands as a mark of the mercantile honesty and integrity

of his country, and is a model and example for men of business in

all time to come.