The Copybook: Readings in history and literature

19

Life’s Infantry by Samuel Smiles

However obscure a man may apparently be, his example to others inevitably shapes the future of his country.

20

The School of Difficulty by Samuel Smiles

It is not educational institutions and methods that advance science or the arts, but people.

21

On Equal Terms by Samuel Smiles

An aristocratic statesman was choked with emotion as he reflected on Britain’s creative social mobility.

22

As Good as his Word by Samuel Smiles

Benjamin Disraeli did not make a promising start to his Parliamentary career - but he did start with a promise.

23

Wellington’s Secret by Samuel Smiles

The future hero of Waterloo dealt with political ambush as comfortably as he dealt with the military kind.

24

A True Gentleman of Verona by Samuel Smiles

A young man from the Italian city on the Adige River demonstrates that class has nothing to do with wealth.