p. vPREFACE

This is a revised edition of a book
which has already been received with considerable favour at home
and abroad. It has been reprinted in various forms in
America; translations have appeared in Dutch and French, and
others are about to appear in German and Danish. The book
has, doubtless, proved attractive to readers in different
countries by reason of the variety of anecdotal illustrations of
life and character which it contains, and the interest which all
more or less feel in the labours, the trials, the struggles, and
the achievements of others. No one can be better aware than
the author, of its fragmentary character, arising from the manner
in which it was for the most part originally
composed,—having been put together principally from
jottings made during many years,—intended as readings for
young men, and without any view to publication. The
appearance of this edition has furnished an opportunity for
pruning the volume of some superfluous matter, and introducing
various new illustrations, which will probably be found of
general interest.

In one respect the title of the book, which it is now too late
to alter, has proved unfortunate, as it has led some, who have
judged it merely by the title, to suppose that it consists of a
eulogy of selfishness: the very opposite of what it really
is,—or at least of what the author intended it to be.
Although its chief object unquestionably is to p. vistimulate
youths to apply themselves diligently to right
pursuits,—sparing neither labour, pains, nor self-denial in
prosecuting them,—and to rely upon their own efforts in
life, rather than depend upon the help or patronage of others, it
will also be found, from the examples given of literary and
scientific men, artists, inventors, educators, philanthropists,
missionaries, and martyrs, that the duty of helping one’s
self in the highest sense involves the helping of one’s
neighbours.

It has also been objected to the book that too much notice is
taken in it of men who have succeeded in life by helping
themselves, and too little of the multitude of men who have
failed. “Why should not Failure,” it has been
asked, “have its Plutarch as well as Success?”
There is, indeed, no reason why Failure should not have its
Plutarch, except that a record of mere failure would probably be
found excessively depressing as well as uninstructive
reading. It is, however, shown in the following pages that
Failure is the best discipline of the true worker, by stimulating
him to renewed efforts, evoking his best powers, and carrying him
onward in self-culture, self-control, and growth in knowledge and
wisdom. Viewed in this light, Failure, conquered by
Perseverance, is always full of interest and instruction, and
this we have endeavoured to illustrate by many examples.

As for Failure per se, although it may be well to find
consolations for it at the close of life, there is reason to
doubt whether it is an object that ought to be set before youth
at the beginning of it. Indeed, “how not to do
it” is of all things the easiest learnt: it needs neither
teaching, effort, self-denial, industry, patience, perseverance,
nor judgment. Besides, readers do not care to know about
the general p.
viiwho lost his battles, the engineer whose engines blew
up, the architect who designed only deformities, the painter who
never got beyond daubs, the schemer who did not invent his
machine, the merchant who could not keep out of the
Gazette. It is true, the best of men may fail, in the best
of causes. But even these best of men did not try to fail,
or regard their failure as meritorious; on the contrary, they
tried to succeed, and looked upon failure as misfortune.
Failure in any good cause is, however, honourable, whilst success
in any bad cause is merely infamous. At the same time
success in the good cause is unquestionably better than
failure. But it is not the result in any case that is to be
regarded so much as the aim and the effort, the patience, the
courage, and the endeavour with which desirable and worthy
objects are pursued;—

“’Tis not in mortals to command
success;
We will do more—deserve it.”

The object of the book briefly is, to re-inculcate these
old-fashioned but wholesome lessons—which perhaps cannot be
too often urged,—that youth must work in order to
enjoy,—that nothing creditable can be accomplished without
application and diligence,—that the student must not be
daunted by difficulties, but conquer them by patience and
perseverance,—and that, above all, he must seek elevation
of character, without which capacity is worthless and worldly
success is naught. If the author has not succeeded in
illustrating these lessons, he can only say that he has failed in
his object.

Among the new passages introduced in the present edition, may
be mentioned the following:—Illustrious Foreigners of
humble origin (pp. 10–12), French Generals and Marshals p. viiirisen
from the ranks (14), De Tocqueville and Mutual Help (24), William
Lee, M.A., and the Stocking-loom (42), John Heathcoat, M.P., and
the Bobbin-net machine (47), Jacquard and his Loom (55),
Vaucanson (58), Joshua Heilmann and the Combing-machine (62),
Bernard Palissy and his struggles (69), Böttgher, discoverer
of Hard Porcelain (80), Count de Buffon as Student (104), Cuvier
(128), Ambrose Paré (134), Claud Lorraine (160), Jacques
Callot (162), Benvenuto Cellini (164), Nicholas Poussin (168),
Ary Scheffer (171), the Strutts of Belper (214), Francis Xavier
(238), Napoleon as a man of business (276), Intrepidity of Deal
Boatmen (400), besides numerous other passages which it is
unnecessary to specify.

London, May, 1866.