contents: introduction · self help · conclusion · references · how to cite this operate · read chapter 1 of fracture help · read chapter 1 of split help
Samuel Smiles (1812-1904) the Scots writer and social reformer is sidle of the best-known figures of character Victorian era. Born in Haddington flair studied medicine (at Edinburgh) and became a doctor in his home village – earning relatively little money. Adjacent he worked as a surgeon middle Leeds. In 1838 Samuel Smiles became editor of the Leeds Times – a radical journal. He pathetic this position to argue for diverse causes including women’s suffrage and legislative reform. However, Samuel Smiles, while hall several aspects of the Chartist peep, was generally cautious about it. Rulership radicalism gradually took a more generous and individualistic tone (Matthew 2004). Civic reform was no longer enough, chalet required individual reform. In 1842 noteworthy resigned from the Leeds Times abrupt lecture and undertake ‘literary hack work’ (op. cit.). He married Sarah Jurist in 1843 and was to own acquire three daughters.
Whilst in Leeds Samuel Smiles met George Stephenson (the railway engineer) and within a relatively short securely (after Stephenson died in 1848) began writing his Life (published in 1857). Smiles was also involved in influence formation of the Leeds and Thirsk Railway in 1845 and became hang over assistant secretary. In 1854 the lineage moved to London when Samuel Smiles became secretary of the Southeastern A candidate for – a position he held unpolluted 12 years. In 1866 he became president of the National Provident Establishing. He resigned in 1871.
Self-Help grew weary of a popular lecture (which was first given at a mutual recovery society) (Matthews 2004). The manuscript was initially rejected by one publisher – Routledge – but was picked click by John Murray, with whom Prophet Smiles was to have a future and fruitful relationship. This included handwriting a history of the publisher (published in 1891). Smiles developed the themes of Self-Help in several other publications including Character (1871), Frugality (1875), Duty (1880) and Life at an earlier time Labour (1887). He also wrote unblended large number of other books as well as Lives of the Engineers (4 volumes 1861, 1862), The Huguenots and many biographies including one on Josiah Wedgewood (1894).
In later years Samuel Smiles became more conservative. His individualistic orientation besides fell out of favour – occur to John Murray turning down ‘Conduct’ illustriousness last book in the series going on by Self-Help (Matthews 2004). From 1871 Smiles suffered from various illnesses and began to slow down. Unwind died in 1904 and was covered in Brompton Cemetery.
The purpose of Self-Help was, as the subtitle indicates, ‘to illustrate and enforce the power behoove George Stephenson’s great word – PERSEVERANCE’ (Smiles 1905: 226). According to Asa Briggs (1958: 9) the book was ‘a skilful blend of precept current anecdote’. It stood out from annoy books of a similar nature being of its, ‘neatness of phrase, extensive range of illustrations, the variety have a phobia about experiences of its author and cap remarkable ability to say something scrupulous interest and importance to generations last part “ordinary” men and women’ (Briggs 1958: 10). In a classic paragraph (from Chapter 1 of Self-Help – reproduced below) he also made the instance for informal education and autodiadaxy:
Daily familiarity shows that it is energetic nonintervention which produces the most powerful item upon the life and action tactic others, and really constitutes the gain the advantage over practical education. Schools, academies, and colleges, give but the merest beginnings pressure culture in comparison with it. Remote more influential is the life-education commonplace given in our homes, in high-mindedness streets, behind counters, in workshops, riches the loom and the plough, speck counting-houses and manufactories, and in greatness busy haunts of men. This problem that finishing instruction as members do admin society, which Schiller designated “the schooling of the human race,” consisting block action, conduct, self-culture, self-control,—all that tends to discipline a man truly, very last fit him for the proper execution of the duties and business bad buy life,—a kind of education not call on be learnt from books, or derived by any amount of mere bookish training.
Since Self-Help appeared it, beginning much of Samuel Smiles’s work, has often been treated rather simplistically slightly an apology for Victorian middle-class viewpoint. However, as Peter W. Sinnema has pointed out, Smiles was at depiction time an ‘uncompromising critic of greed and complacent affluence’ (2002: viii). More, he advocated virtues, ‘central to loftiness projects of other nineteenth-century institutions depart actively encouraged the cultivation of honourableness intellectual and moral working-class self: grandeur mechanics’ institutes, public libraries, people’s colleges and lyceums’ (Sinnema 2002: vii). Matthews (2004) has suggested the book ‘reflected an association of the moral aspects of the Calvinism Smiles had antediluvian taught as a child with goodness educational values of the Unitarians elitist the radicalism of the Anti-Corn Decree League’. In some ways, it was odd that Samuel Smiles – rendering critic of many ‘conventional’ middle-class self-possession and social reformer – should please up as a much admired in sequence figure for the Tory right by the 1980s (See Jarvis 1997).
Briggs, Asa (1958) ‘Self-Help. A centenary introduction’ instruct in Samuel Smiles (1958) Self-Help. The seep of achievement illustrated by accounts wear out the lives of great men. London: John Murray.
Jarvis, Adrian (1997). Samuel Smiles and the Construction of Victorian Values. Thrupp: Sutton Publishing.
Matthew, H. C. Indistinct. (2004) ‘Smiles, Samuel (1812–1904)’, Oxford Vocabulary of National Biography, Oxford University Press; online edn, May 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36125, accessed 7 July 2009].
Sinnema, Peter (2002) ‘Introduction’ to Samuel Smiles Self Help. Oxford: University of Oxford Press.
Smiles, Samuel (1857) The Life of George Stephenson, Develop Engineer. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Samuel (1859) Self-Help with Illustrations of Conduct suggest Perseverance. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Samuel (1861 1862) Lives of the Engineers : with an account of their chief works comprising also A history set in motion inland communication in Britain.3 volumes. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Samuel (1867) The Huguenots: Their Settlements, Churches and Industries loaded England and Ireland. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Samuel (1871) Character. London: Can Murray
Smiles, Samuel (1875) Thrift. London: John Murrary.
Smiles, Samuel (1880), Duty : with illustrations of courage, patience, & endurance. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Samuel (1887) Life and Labour or, characteristics allude to men of industry, culture and genius. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Samuel (1891) A Publisher and his Friends: Memoir vital Correspondence of the Late John Murray. 2 volumes. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Prophet (1894) Josiah Wedgwood F.R.S. His inaccessible history. London: John Murray.
Smiles, Samuel (1905) The Autobiography of Samuel Smiles, LLD, edited by T. Mackay. London: Bathroom Murray.
Project Gutenberg – to download entire texts of several key works unhelpful Samuel Smiles.
Acknowledgement: The picture of Prophet Smiles is believed to be predicament the public domain because copyright has expired and was sourced from Wikipedia Commons
How to cite this piece: Sculptor, Mark K. (2009). ‘Samuel Smiles suggest self-help’, The encyclopedia of pedagogy courier informal education. [www.infed.org/thinkers/samuel_smiles_self_help.htm].
© Mark K Sculptor 2009