Samuel Smiles

Samuel Smiles (1812 – 1904) was a Scottish government reformer and author famous for arguing that progress can only arise from adapting to new attitudes and not by creating new laws. This volume is considered his masterpiece, within which he promotes thrift and argues that poverty is the result of irresponsible habits, materialism, and laissez-faire government. It is hailed as "the bible of mid-Victorian liberalism" and brought wide renown to Smiles...

Samuel Smiles (1812-1904) was a Scottish government reformer and author famous for his book "Self-Help", which championed frugal living and argued that the existence of poverty was mainly due to irresponsible habits. The book has been hailed as "the bible of mid-Victorian liberalism" and immediately made a celebrity of Smiles. After its success, Smiles wrote other self-help books, including this volume. In "Character", Smiles explores the importance...