LITTLE THINGS – Samuel Smiles

Introduction:
Samuel Smiles has authored several biographies and he is familiar for his self-help. Also he wrote Character, Thrift, and Duty which earned him fame in 19th century. The author stresses on the importance of little things that we usually neglect in our lives. The success of human beings depends on the kind of attention they give to little things. Even luck, he says, does not favour a person who is negligent, loose, lazy and not focused.
Result of negligence:
In this essay, the author stresses the importance of little things, which we usually neglect and as the result we face serious consequences. Character, success in business, comfort of a household and good government all consist of little things. Even knowledge has to be acquired in bits. Diligence and not luck makes men.
He advices, “Your negligence, shiftless, loose fellows never meet with luck; because the results of industry are denied to those who will not use the proper efforts to secure them”.
Luck and Labour:
He further adds, “It is not luck, but behavior makes men. Luck says an American writer is ever waiting for something to turn up; labour with keen eye and strong will always turns up something. Luck whines; labour whistles. Luck relies on chance; labour on character”.
Importance of pure air:
The author gives a number of examples to prove his point. In household, little things like cleanliness, fresh air and removal of dirt make for happiness and health. A closed door or window may appear as a small thing. But, it may make the difference of a life destroyed by fever.
Druggist’s selection:
A young man rejected a beautiful lady because she came with her dress partially unpinned and her hair untidy. He judged of women as of men – by little things; and he was right. A druggist selected the person who was able to make up a pennyworth of salt into packet in the most expert manner as his assistant. If a ship is allowed to depart from shore even with a very little hole in its bottom, it might sink in the sea.
Importance of nail:
While saying about the importance of a small nail the author describes the following incident.
“For want of a nail the shoe of the aide-de-camp’s horse was lost. For want of shoe, the horse was lost. For want of the horse, the aide-de camp himself was lost; for the enemy took him and killed him. And for want of the aide-de-camp’s intelligence, the army of his general was lost; and all because a little nail had not been properly fixed in a horse’s shoe!”
It will do:
Lazy people who neglect little things sayings ‘It will do’ will meet with failure and defeat. A farmer incurred heavy loss because he failed to fix a gate with a proper latch. Life is full of illustrations of a similar kind. When small things are habitually neglected, ruin is not for off. A penny may be a small amount. But, the person who squanders it suffers whereas the person saves it carefully gains a comfortable home and peace of mind.
Conclusion:
The author establishes his points by saying that all great things are made up of little things. “Many a little makes a mickle”. He concludes this essay by quoting a Scotch proverb, “The gear that is gifted is never so sweet as the gear that is won.