Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and PerseveranceSmiles, Samuel
Philosophy
Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance
Smiles, Samuel
Conduct of life
Mr. Disraeli affords a similar instance of the power of industry and
application in working out an eminent public career. His first
achievements were, like Bulwer’s, in literature; and he reached success
only through a succession of failures. His ‘Wondrous Tale of Alroy’ and
‘Revolutionary Epic’ were laughed at, and regarded as indications of
literary lunacy. But he worked on in other directions, and his
‘Coningsby,’ ‘Sybil,’ and ‘Tancred,’ proved the sterling stuff of which
he was made. As an orator too, his first appearance in the House of
Commons was a failure. It was spoken of as “more screaming than an
Adelphi farce.” Though composed in a grand and ambitious strain, every
sentence was hailed with “loud laughter.” ‘Hamlet’ played as a comedy
were nothing to it. But he concluded with a sentence which embodied a
prophecy. Writhing under the laughter with which his studied eloquence
had been received, he exclaimed, “I have begun several times many things,
and have succeeded in them at last. I shall sit down now, but the time
will come when you will hear me.” The time did come; and how Disraeli
succeeded in at length commanding the attention of the first assembly of
gentlemen in the world, affords a striking illustration of what energy
and determination will do; for Disraeli earned his position by dint of
patient industry. He did not, as many young men do, having once failed,
retire dejected, to mope and whine in a corner, but diligently set
himself to work. He carefully unlearnt his faults, studied the character
of his audience, practised sedulously the art of speech, and
industriously filled his mind with the elements of parliamentary
knowledge. He worked patiently for success; and it came, but slowly:
then the House laughed with him, instead of at him. The recollection of
his early failure was effaced, and by general consent he was at length
admitted to be one of the most finished and effective of parliamentary
speakers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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