p. xiiiCONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

Self-Help—National
and Individual.

Spirit of Self-Help—Institutions and
men—Government a reflex of the individualism of a
nation—Cæsarism and Self-Help—William Dargan on
Independence—Patient labourers in all ranks—Self-Help
a feature in the English character—Power of example and of
work in practical education—Value of
biographies—Great men belong to no exclusive class or
rank—Illustrious men sprung from the
ranks—Shakespeare—Various humble origin of many
eminent men—Distinguished astronomers—Eminent sons of
clergymen—Of attorneys—Illustrious foreigners of
humble origin—Vauquelin, the chemist—Promotions from
the ranks in the French army—Instances of persevering
application and energy—Joseph Brotherton—W. J.
Fox—W. S. Lindsay—William Jackson—Richard
Cobden—Diligence indispensable to usefulness and
distinction—The wealthier ranks not all
idlers—Examples—Military
men—Philosophers—Men of
science—Politicians—Literary men—Sir Robert
Peel—Lord
Brougham—Lytton—Disraeli—Wordsworth on
self-reliance—De Tocqueville: his industry and recognition
of the help of others—Men their own best helpers

Page
1–26

CHAPTER II.

Leaders of
Industry—Inventors and
Producers.

Industry of the English people—Work the best
educator—Hugh Miller—Poverty and toil not
insurmountable obstacles—Working men as
inventors—Invention of the steam-engine—p. xivJames Watt:
his industry and habit of attention—Matthew
Boulton—Applications of the steam-engine—The Cotton
manufacture—The early inventors—Paul and
Highs—Arkwright: his early life—Barber, inventor and
manufacturer—His influence and character—The Peels of
South Lancashire—The founder of the family—The first
Sir Robert Peel, cotton-printer—Lady Peel—Rev.
William Lee, inventor of the stocking-frame—Dies abroad in
misery—James Lee—The Nottingham lace
manufacture—John Heathcoat, inventor of the bobbin-net
machine—His early life, his ingenuity, and plodding
perseverance—Invention of his machine—Anecdote of
Lord Lyndhurst—Progress of the
lace-trade—Heathcoat’s machines destroyed by the
Luddites—His character—Jacquard: his inventions and
adventures—Vaucanson: his mechanical genius, improvements
in silk manufacture—Jacquard improves Vaucanson’s
machine—The Jacquard loom adopted—Joshua Heilmann,
inventor of the combing-machine—History of the
invention—Its value

27–66

CHAPTER III.

Three great
Potters—Pallissy, Böttgher,
Wedgwood.

Ancient pottery—Etruscan ware—Luca della
Robbia, the Florentine sculptor: re-discovers the art of
enamelling—Bernard Pallissy: sketch of his life and
labours—Inflamed by the sight of an Italian cup—His
search after the secret of the enamel—His experiments
during years of unproductive toil—His personal and family
privations—Indomitable perseverance, burns his furniture to
heat the furnace, and success at last—Reduced to
destitution—Condemned to death, and release—His
writings—Dies in the Bastille—John Frederick
Böttgher, the Berlin ‘gold cook’—His trick
in alchemy and consequent troubles—Flight into
Saxony—His detention at Dresden—Discovers how to make
red and white porcelain—The manufacture taken up by the
Saxon Government—Böttgher treated as a prisoner and a
slave—His unhappy end—The Sèvres porcelain
manufactory—Josiah Wedgwood, the English potter—Early
state of English earthenware manufacture—Wedgwood’s
indefatigable p.
xvindustry, skill, and perseverance—His
success—The Barberini vase—Wedgwood a national
benefactor—Industrial heroes

67–93

CHAPTER IV.

Application and
Perseverance.

Great results attained by simple means—Fortune
favours the industrious—“Genius is
patience”—Newton and Kepler—Industry of eminent
men—Power acquired by repeated effort—Anecdote of Sir
Robert Peel’s cultivation of memory—Facility comes by
practice—Importance of
patience—Cheerfulness—Sydney Smith—Dr.
Hook—Hope an important element in character—Carey the
missionary—Anecdote of Dr. Young—Anecdote of Audubon
the ornithologist—Anecdote of Mr. Carlyle and his MS. of
the ‘French Revolution’—Perseverance of Watt
and Stephenson—Perseverance displayed in the discovery of
the Nineveh marbles by Rawlinson and Layard—Comte de Buffon
as student—His continuous and unremitting labours—Sir
Walter Scott’s perseverance—John
Britton—Loudon—Samuel Drew—Joseph Hume

94–117

CHAPTER V.

Helps and
Opportunities—Scientific
Pursuits.

No great result achieved by accident—Newton’s
discoveries—Dr. Young—Habit of observing with
intelligence—Galileo—Inventions of Brown, Watt, and
Brunel, accidentally suggested—Philosophy in little
things—Apollonius Pergæus and conic
sections—Franklin and Galvani—Discovery of steam
power—Opportunities seized or made—Simple and rude
tools of great workers—Lee and Stone’s opportunities
for learning—Sir Walter Scott’s—Dr.
Priestly—Sir Humphry Davy—Faraday—Davy and
Coleridge—Cuvier—Dalton’s
industry—Examples of improvement of time—Daguesseau
and Bentham—Melancthon and Baxter—Writing down
observations—Great note-makers—Dr. Pye
Smith—John Hunter: his patient study of little
things—His great labours—Ambrose Paré the
French surgeon—p. xviHarvey—Jenner—Sir
Charles Bell—Dr. Marshall Hall—Sir William
Herschel—William Smith the geologist: his discoveries, his
geological map—Hugh Miller: his observant
faculties—John Brown and Robert Dick, geologists—Sir
Roderick Murchison, his industry and attainments

118–153

CHAPTER VI.

Workers in
Art.

Sir Joshua Reynolds on the power of industry in
art—Humble origin of eminent artists—Acquisition of
wealth not the ruling motive with artists—Michael Angelo on
riches—Patient labours of Michael Angelo and
Titian—West’s early success a
disadvantage—Richard Wilson and Zuccarelli—Sir Joshua
Reynolds, Blake, Bird, Gainsborough, and Hogarth, as boy
artists—Hogarth a keen observer—Banks and
Mulready—Claude Lorraine and Turner: their indefatigable
industry—Perrier and Jacques Callot and their visits to
Rome—Callot and the gipsies—Benvenuto Cellini,
goldsmith and musician: his ambition to excel—Casting of
his statue of Perseus—Nicolas Poussin, a sedulous student
and worker—Duquesnoi—Poussin’s fame—Ary
Scheffer: his hindrances and success—John Flaxman: his
genius and perseverance—His brave wife—Their visit to
Rome—Francis Chantrey: his industry and energy—David
Wilkie and William Etty, unflagging workers—Privations
endured by artists—Martin—Pugin—George Kemp,
architect of the Scott monument—John Gibson, Robert
Thorburn, Noel Paton—James Sharples the blacksmith artist:
his autobiography—Industry of musicians—Handel,
Haydn, Beethoven, Bach, Meyerbeer—Dr. Arne—William
Jackson the self-taught composer

154–201

CHAPTER VII.

Industry and
the Peerage.

The peerage fed from the industrial ranks—Fall of
old families: Bohuns, Mortimers, and Plantagenets—The
peerage comparatively modern—Peerages originating with
traders and merchants—Richard Foley, nailmaker, founder of
the Foley peerage—Adventurous career of William Phipps,
founder of p.
xviithe Normanby peerage: his recovery of sunken
treasure—Sir William Petty, founder of the Lansdowne
peerage—Jedediah Strutt, founder of the Belper
peerage—William and Edward Strutt—Naval and Military
peers—Peerages founded by lawyers—Lords Tenterden and
Campbell—Lord Eldon: his early struggles and eventual
success—Baron Langdale—Rewards of perseverance

202–222

CHAPTER VIII.

Energy and
Courage.

Energy characteristic of the Teutonic race—The
foundations of strength of character—Force of
purpose—Concentration—Courageous working—Words
of Hugh Miller and Fowell Buxton—Power and freedom of
will—Words of Lamennais—Suwarrow—Napoleon and
“glory”—Wellington and
“duty”—Promptitude in action—Energy
displayed by the British in India—Warren Hastings—Sir
Charles Napier: his adventure with the Indian swordsman—The
rebellion in India—The Lawrences—Nicholson—The
siege of Delhi—Captain Hodson—Missionary
labourers—Francis Xavier’s missions in the
East—John Williams—Dr. Livingstone—John
Howard—Jonas Hanway: his career—The philanthropic
labours of Granville Sharp—Position of slaves in
England—Result of Sharp’s
efforts—Clarkson’s labours—Fowell Buxton: his
resolute purpose and energy—Abolition of slavery

223–262

CHAPTER IX.

Men of
Business.

Hazlitt’s definition of the man of
business—The chief requisite qualities—Men of genius
men of business—Shakespeare, Chaucer, Spenser, Milton,
Newton, Cowper, Wordsworth, Scott, Ricardo, Grote, J. S.
Mill—Labour and application necessary to success—Lord
Melbourne’s advice—The school of difficulty a good
school—Conditions of success in Law—The industrious
architect—The salutary influence of work—Consequences
of contempt for arithmetic—Dr. Johnson on p. xviiithe
alleged injustice of “the world”—Washington
Irving’s views—Practical qualities necessary in
business—Importance of accuracy—Charles James
Fox—Method—Richard Cecil and De Witt: their despatch
of business—Value of time—Sir Walter Scott’s
advice—Promptitude—Economy of
time—Punctuality—Firmness—Tact—Napoleon
and Wellington as men of business—Napoleon’s
attention to details—The ‘Napoleon
Correspondence’—Wellington’s business
faculty—Wellington in the Peninsula—“Honesty
the best policy”—Trade tries
character—Dishonest gains—David Barclay a model man
of business

263–289

CHAPTER X.

Money—Its Use and
Abuse.

The right use of money a test of wisdom—The virtue
of self-denial—Self-imposed taxes—Economy necessary
to independence—Helplessness of the
improvident—Frugality an important public
question—Counsels of Richard Cobden and John
Bright—The bondage of the improvident—Independence
attainable by working men—Francis Horner’s advice
from his father—Robert Burns—Living within the
means—Bacon’s maxim—Wasters—Running into
debt—Haydon’s debts—Fichte—Dr. Johnson on
debt—John Locke—The Duke of Wellington on
debt—Washington—Earl St. Vincent: his protested
bill—Joseph Hume on living too high—Ambition after
gentility—Napier’s order to his officers in
India—Resistance to temptation—Hugh Miller’s
case—High standard of life necessary—Proverbs on
money-making and thrift—Thomas Wright and the reclamation
of criminals—Mere money-making—John
Foster—Riches no proof of worth—All honest industry
honourable—The power of money over-estimated—Joseph
Brotherton—True Respectability—Lord Collingwood

290–313

CHAPTER XI.

Self-culture—Facilities and Difficulties.

Sir W. Scott and Sir B. Brodie on self-culture—Dr.
Arnold’s spirit—Active employment
salutary—Malthus’s advice to p. xixhis
son—Importance of physical health—Hodson, of
“Hodson’s Horse”—Dr. Channing—Early
labour—Training in use of tools—Healthiness of great
men—Sir Walter Scott’s athletic sports—Barrow,
Fuller, Clarke—Labour conquers all things—Words of
Chatterton, Ferguson, Stone, Drew—Well-directed
labour—Opinions of Sir Joshua Reynolds, Fowell Buxton, Dr.
Ross, F. Horner, Loyola, and Lord St.
Leonards—Thoroughness, accuracy, decision, and
promptitude—The virtue of patient labour—The
mischievous effects of “cramming” in labour-saving
processes and multifarious reading—The right use of
knowledge—Books may impart learning, but well-applied
knowledge and experience only exhibit wisdom—The Magna
Charta men—Brindley, Stephenson, Hunter, and others, not
book-learned yet great—Self-respect—Jean Paul
Richter—Knowledge as a means of rising—Base views of
the value of knowledge—Ideas of Bacon and
Southey—Douglas Jerrold on comic literature—Danger of
immoderate love of pleasure—Benjamin Constant: his high
thinking and low living—Thierry: his noble
character—Coleridge and Southey—Robert Nicoll on
Coleridge—Charles James Fox on perseverance—The
wisdom and strength acquired through failure—Hunter,
Rossini, Davy, Mendelssohn—The uses of difficulty and
adversity—Lyndhurst, D’Alembert, Carissimi, Reynolds,
and Henry Clay on persistency—Curran on honest
poverty—Struggles with difficulties: Alexander Murray,
William Chambers, Cobbet—The French stonemason turned
Professor—Sir Samuel Romilly as a
self-cultivator—John Leyden’s
perseverance—Professor Lee: his perseverance and his
attainments as a linguist—Late learners: Spelman, Franklin,
Dryden, Scott, Boccaccio, Arnold, and others—Illustrious
dunces: Generals Grant, Stonewall Jackson, John Howard, Davy, and
others—Story of a dunce—Success depends on
perseverance

314–359

CHAPTER XII.

Example—Models.

Example a potent instructor—Influence of
conduct—Parental example—All acts have their train of
consequences—p.
xxDisraeli on Cobden—Words of Babbage—Human
responsibility—Every person owes a good example to
others—Doing, not saying—Mrs. Chisholm—Dr.
Guthrie and John Pounds—Good models of conduct—The
company of our betters—Francis Horner’s views on
personal intercourse—The Marquis of Lansdowne and
Malesherbes—Fowell Buxton and the Gurney
family—Personal influence of John Sterling—Influence
of artistic genius upon others—Example of the brave an
inspiration to the timid—Biography valuable as forming high
models of character—Lives influenced by
biography—Romilly, Franklin, Drew, Alfieri, Loyola, Wolff,
Horner, Reynolds—Examples of cheerfulness—Dr.
Arnold’s influence over others—Career of Sir John
Sinclair

360–381

CHAPTER XIII.

Character—The True
Gentleman.

Character a man’s best possession—Character of
Francis Horner—Franklin—Character is power—The
higher qualities of character—Lord Erskine’s rules of
conduct—A high standard of life
necessary—Truthfulness—Wellington’s character
of Peel—Be what you seem—Integrity and honesty of
action—Importance of habits—Habits constitute
character—Growth of habit in youth—Words of Robertson
of Brighton—Manners and morals—Civility and
kindness—Anecdote of Abernethy—True
politeness—Great-hearted men of no exclusive rank or
class—William and Charles Grant, the “Brothers
Cheeryble”—The true gentleman—Lord Edward
Fitzgerald—Honour, probity, rectitude—The gentleman
will not be bribed—Anecdotes of Hanway, Wellington,
Wellesley, and Sir C. Napier—The poor in purse may be rich
in spirit—A noble peasant—Intrepidity of Deal
boatmen—Anecdotes of the Emperor of Austria and of two
English navvies—Truth makes the success of the
gentleman—Courage and gentleness—Gentlemen in
India—Outram, Henry Lawrence—Lord Clyde—The
private soldiers at Agra—The wreck of the
Birkenhead—Use of power, the test of the
Gentleman—Sir Ralph Abercrombie—Fuller’s
character of Sir Francis Drake

382–408