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THRIFT.
BY SAMUEL SMILES,
"Be thrifty, but not covetous; therefore give
Thy need, thine honour, and thy friend his due,
Never was scraper brave man. Get to live,
Then live, and use it; else it is not true
That thou hast gotten. Surely use alone
Make money not a contemptible stone."
GEORGE HERBERT.
"To catch Dame Fortune's golden smile,
Assiduous wait upon her;
And gather gear by ev'ry wile
That's justify'd by Honour:
Not for to hide it in a hedge,
Not for a train attendant;
But for the glorious privilege
Of being Independent."
ROBERT BURNS.
FIFTIETH THOUSAND.
LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1892.
Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury.
PREFACE.
This book is intended as a sequel to "Self-Help," and "Character." Itmight, indeed, have appeared as an introduction to these volumes; forThrift is the basis of Self-Help, and the foundation of much that isexcellent in Character.
The author has already referred to the Use and Abuse of Money; but thelesson is worthy of being repeated and enforced. As he has alreadyobserved,—Some of the finest qualities of human nature are intimatelyrelated to the right use of money; such as generosity, honesty, justice,and self-denial; as well as the practical virtues of economy andprovidence. On the other hand, there are their counterparts of avarice,fraud, injustice, and selfishness, as displayed by the inordinate loversof gain; and the vices of thoughtlessness, extravagance, andimprovidence, on the part of those who misuse and abuse the meansentrusted to them.
Sir Henry Taylor has observed that "industry must take an interest inits own fruits, and God has appointed that the mass of mankind shall bemoved by this interest, and have their daily labour sweetened by it."The earnings and savings of industry should be intelligent for a purposebeyond mere earnings and savings. We do not work and strive forourselves alone, but for the benefit of those who dependent upon us.Industry must know how to earn, how to spend, and how to save. The manwho knows, like St. Paul, how to spare and how to abound, has a greatknowledge.
Every man is bound to do what he can to elevate his social state, and tosecure his independence. For this purpose he must spare from his meansin order to be independent in his condition. Industry enables men toearn their living; it should also enable them to learn to live.Independence can only be established by the exercise of forethought,prudence, frugality, and self-denial. To be just as well as generous,men must deny themselves. The essence of generosity is self-sacrifice.
The object of this book is to induce men to employ their means forworthy purposes, and not to waste them upon selfish indulgences. Manyenemies have to be encountered in accomplishing this object. There areidleness, thoughtlessness, vanity, vice, intemperance. The last is theworst enemy of all. Numerous cases are cited in the course of thefollowing book, which show that one of the best methods of abating theCurse of Drink, is to induce old and young to practise the virtue ofThrift.
Much of this book was writt