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BASTIAT TRANSLATED.*
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Mt601SLLAlS r liaS.t
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paint ; " at another , " to be a successful barrister , you must have a well-developed thorax . " The fact is , that the given man must unite in himself every kind of perfection—health , ' strength ,, courage ,, self-denial , " perseverance , in addition to ability—to command Buec . ess ; and evenvthen ho ;\ v muqh can lie comniand ? Can any man possessing allthese requirements makeliimsel / Arclibishop of Canterbury ? Supposing all the previous difficulties overcome , can lie will a favourable prime minister ? No more than by taking thought he can add a cubit to hid stature . ¦ . ^ Mr . Smiles denies the theory of accident . Nothing is an accident
to the observing man . Thus : Newton ' s apple , Young ' s soapbubble ; the pendulum , derived from the swinging of the lamp , and the telescope from the fortuitous conjunction of two spectacle glasses , by Galileo ; the spider ' s suggestion of a . suspension bridge , and the ship-worm ' s of a Thames Tunnel , are refused the designation of accidents . It may be that there is a proximate cause for-every event ; but we say that many of the instances Mr . Smiles adduces of scientific discoveries were the purest accidents , as the word is generally understood ; and the fact of their happening to observant persons makes them none the less accidental . the to
Mr . Smiles has little faith in genius ; " qualities ensure success , " says he , " are not at all extraordinary . They may be , for the most part , summed up in -. . these two—common sense and perseverance ; " also , '' the very greatest men have , been among the least believers in the power of genius , and as worldly wise and perseveringas successful men of the commoner sort . Some have defined genius to be only common sense intensified . A distinguished teacher , and president of a college , spoke of it as the power of making efforts . John Forster held it to be the power of lighting one ' s own fire . Buffon said of genius , it is patience . " Again ; " It happens that the men who have niost moved the world have hot been so much men of genius , strictly . so called , as men of intense mediocre abilities •—untiring workers , persevering , self-reliant , and indefatigable . " mechanics that
It is very well to tell an audience of hard-fisted perpetual ' .. labour and strength of will will enable them to do anything ; it is very agreeable to them to think so * and it is a subject of legitimate pride and pleasure to them to hear the names of those of their own order who have made their fame known to the world ; but if any one of them , relying upon Sir Joshua Reynolds ' s dictum , fancies that by anv amount of labour he can make himself a firstrate pain tei % the chances are that bitter disappointment and hope deferred will be his lot . . ' : '' . ' - ' ¦ ¦¦ * ° . _ ¦ But we will not be -unfair to Mr . Smiles ; it is quite right and desirable that the standard of " excellence set before- iis should be somewhat higher than every one can reach— -in trying to attain itwe sh : » U at least raise ourselves , and . the effort will be beneficial ; but ifc jV riding one ' s hobby rather too hard , to hold out that even the unsuccessful effort is not to be accomplished without such a ; cheerless
existence sis . to uiake us doubt whether it were not better not to be . Mr . Smiles acknowledges , as we before observed , the necessity of physical " - education as ameans to the better development of . Jh c intellect ; he regards it very much as a prjze-figUter or u pedestrian docs lijs . training ,. as . a disagreeable necessity : thewp . rds i-efireaiiioit and relaxationfind no plnce in his bou ] c ; they , are not . in . . the index , they are not in-the descriptive abridgments of the chapters . ; if £ } io . y ocj'ur jn the work afc all , xfc is only , we believe ,, iu a negative , senjsy , to show how little they , were used . But is this the right vio . w , of tjje case ? p >> es not every physiologist know thai rucrenbion iq so necessary to the vital , powers , that men are compelled ( t , o . usa . au apparent paradox ) to make it part of the hqsiness of , their lives ? Ifc is not enough ibr . Mr , Smiles jto devote-part of a , chapter-to , the desirability of exercise : relaxation is a \\ item of spch . greaL iinp . ortiuico in e ^ n . nntin . g , the oleiucnts , of success ., U . iftt , it jfjosQrv . es- to bo considered ' jilmo . st as a cause x * ather than . as a mere accessory . :
] STevorthe 1 oss Mr . Smiles ' s bqok is wise beyond the wisdom of any ., but li ' vory few ' , ' hooks that we have read ; tho chapters on t , ime and money arivnthniniblo * for instance , hour him on time :- — ** Men of business itre neensfcomeel tociuote t / ho msvxim ' thnt tiino is money , but it is muck mere ; the- proper impcoTcmout of it iiTeelf-quHure , sulfimprovoinuut , and growth , of oliftvacfcer . Anh ? ur wasted dully oji tri 4 « s or in iudi ) l nco , woultt if devoted , fco . selfVimprpvoment uuiko an . i £ nor < u > t > niah wist ! in a row years , and employed in yood wprka would make niajifo fruitful tinil death a harvosb of worthy doe ' CLi , Fifteen minutes a ; ( lay devoted to seU ' -hnprovoment will bo felt nfc tho ' endof the your , * ¦• " An ecoMWirioiil use <> f time is the true modp of securing Unsure ; it ormbloa us to got through business and otvrry ib forward jnatoud of being drivou by . it . On tho otlitir hand the mispaloulation of time involves us iu pcrjuituul hurry , coujdiflioii , and diilioulfcies ; and life becojues a more sUufno of expedtonta , qauuUy followed by disinter . Nclaoiii onoo said Mowoallmy success in life * to having beou ftlways iv quarter of im hour boforo my . time / "
Tlio ojmptur on tho use and abuse of inoncy wo ln ' uafcomnicn'd to the renderV < nvn perusal ; it is progunn't with practical wisdom , and contmniibesltlos sonio oxcollenfc remarks upon tlip iinp ' royiilei » co ' of tho worldlier classes , and upon the eyil ^ ' entailuct' by tlio pursuit of " rospoctnbility" nmong their so-callod siiperiors . On tho whole " Self-Help" is one of the aountleat , wisest , niost instructive , and most wholesome works wo have oponod for a long tiino ; ifrt honesty and * earneflt ) ioss of purpose carry away tho roiuler , » nd stmi \ p tho author ' s cTootrtnoa on \ m mind ; if wo . hnvo co « nplalnotl of soino of its teiachings , it has only boon with , tlio view of pointing outi in ' wlmt respects JV ! i . Singes hnBdmrriQd li . it ^ p hilosophy , in our ouiriion , toqfuri ' jCtbpoom ' os ii queatioiVwliethov it 19 dpairable to jnntfulfy the 1 fliiftoulttod of succoss in lifij . It Is thci weak tht \ t
want onodurasrohiioht ' . nnd wb fool oonvtnood Hint Mr . Smiles hns no wi \ nt dnoduragqinoht ' , and Wo fotf oonvtnoocl Hint Mr . Smiles hns no dotfh'o to be guilty of a prrtotico lio has twice denounced , viz ., " running to tho help of tho strong . " Yofc such wo think is the tendency pflhijj book .
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Mi l . PATRICK JAMES STIRLING has prefixed to this trans , lation of the " Harmonies Economiques" which we announced last weak ( and which we have since received ) a neat and more extended biography of the great French economist than we have before met with . For this part of , his woi * k > and his just appreciation of the author , we tender him our grateful thanks . We must also extend our cordial approbation to his design of diffusing tlie great Frenchman ' s thoughts and conclusions amongst our countrymen , too little disposed to find merit in the writing . s of foreign economists . In this the publisher shares , and he has fulfilled his part of the business by sending forth a plain neat volume , good paper and clear type , suitable to the subject . Within this limited circle our approbation is confined . The actual translation is very bad . Mr . Stirling says , "I have not aimed at giving a literal translation . . . . but the more important object I trust has been attained—of conveying fully , plainly , and intelligibly the author ' s meaning . " If this had been done , we should have approved . "We should have made no objection had all the matter which concerns the controversies of the day—for all . Bastiat ' ri works originated in controversy— -been rejected , and the translation confined to the principles enunciated by him , and the consequences an ; l illustrations of them . The translator , however , has given us all that the author published on the subject before his death , and given it in our language rudely and very imperfectly . „• '¦ . . The verj r title of the " translation is a mistake . " Harmonies of Political Economy" is neither a literal translation of the author ' s title , nor does it convey a correct idea of the original work . M . Bastiat . repeatedly explains that his object is ; to trace the harmonies which prevail in the natural as contradistinguished front the political order ''' of society . Mi * . Stirling ' s title would make the world believe that the work-is limited to an explanation of . the harmonies in the science of political economy as known and cultivated in England . Social economy and natural order are here in disrepute ; and he wished , perhaps , to smuggle under the notice of our practical people a work not in conformity to the principles of their teMchers . Taey are - ' . diligently impressed by many public orators with the superiority of political regulations to those natural laws and their consequences which Bastiat expounds ; and Mr . Stirling mifht . cunningly hope , to pass along by hoisting the practical ¦ flag .. : . . ' ¦ ¦¦ •¦ - ' ¦ ' ¦ ' , ; ¦ ' , ' ; . ¦ ' We are confirmed in this suspicion by finding Biistiat s-words , — ' ¦ ' Les gouvernement-s foujoiirs , disposes ase .-persuad'er que i-ien dit bien ne se fait sans eux , se rofuseut a comprendre cette loi harmoniqiie , " translated by the words - , " Governments which persuade themselves that nothing good . can be done but through their instrumentality , refuse to acknowledge tli . i ' s harmonic law . " Bastiat represents all governments as at all times disposed to , persuade themselves to . disregard ftativrnl hrtys ; . Miv StirUng ^ liniits the representation to thpse governinents % cluck _ are so disposed , an ! thus destroys the sweeping generality of the doctrine .. Tuis passage concoms the M \ v of ex . chaugo , according ; to . . BiistiiuV the key-stone of the social edifice , . ' or syciqty it ^ elt- , The Jranslator may not have ¦ wls ' hed . to misrepresent the . author , but undoubtedly he has . He miiy ^ prefpr . to , be convicted of ig ! iioriu ) . Be ,. or Inaftoufion rather than of \ vUf « l lnW-eprescntiitio . n , butii ; om ., both Imj ;< Jiumot escsipo . A > V . h * ve , indeed ,. Qth , ev c ^ a > Hn les , oi . the ., | Qru » e « . -, ^ Bastiat says , referrh . ig Up tho i ^ e re ^ e of t- ^ ile , . tho coujjeqiiouco . of , opening new roadss or otlierwise , improving the . uvfJins pf cbivununicivtion between distant pluces— " Si les negotiants bwsaenb ( le , pdx do leur cojieours , " which in the translation , , i ' s , , reu , de » "ed " if tUu nierclmnts' profits are di . > n ; biif » l ^ d /' , ( , ^ o \ v ,, ve . d » C ) U ) g ! tUcaQ $ i > of tihaii * exertigns , or the price . pf their , B . exvi < u U' ^; h incrqa . sed ,. a «» d the suin of prpfit is augi . uontv . d , .. Xhei ' pnn iu wUio-h tiio wqrds p f Bnstinfc are rendered ., by the , ti uns , iator ar . ' a c ^ unHy ^ . vminuco with , them and thoWn ' se of the whple pii ^ gtagQ . .,,,,,. ' . Ayiain , Bfistijab . suys , " . D , owTisoleinentlop . prosperitoasenuispnt , meuning that tljo fuoultiesw |\ vch wjiyn . men live in Bociety are more than sutticitjut to supply tjhoh ' - wm ^ nrq-wniitiyd . ov annihilated whim tlioy live isojated ., The truusjrttor ,, however ,. render * the passage thus—« ' ! In ii state , of wumtiftn . l . Uo gruiu of . . one umy be the Joas oi * another , " which is equally , < Hm | rary "Uo , to ,, tho . wordu used by the autjjor nnd to eouuinbu . RQ \\ aor ,. How cau an idoluted bexng gmn IVoiu another , or c ^ use loss to . another ? Wo eiinnob wnsto . o . ur own tune , and our readers' tune by gpi ^ g move jdumiMy and . fully into this translation . It has grievously disappointed 113 , nnd Nye bavo mud enough , we hope , to satisfy q \ U" readorf * thut tho translator lm » cither wilfully misrepresented thy author , or ia incompejtent to trtuisJute his work . Wo have nJveady described ,, in purwotico lust wook , the original > voi , k . . _ i ___ '
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17 DUCATI 0 NAL books abound m thw docile nyo , ana tauo nu JU shapes . Lilco puffs , they nro direct and indiruot ; for people , groat or little , have to bo cheated into learning . Thwro can bo no
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Jan . 21 , I 860 . ] The Leader and Saturday Analyst . 60
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* JXarmottlcn qfFoflthxd MunCom . i / . By Fi-oderlok BnBtlat . 1 « " «» " »[«*« ' fpom tho JProndh , with a Nvtfco of tho Lib-and Writing 1 of t { . « AuChoi . J 3 y Pivtriok Ju * noaSi ; irlinij < 1 JB ' . ll . t 3 . L o oto . London , Join * Miwruy . .- , 1 t TFat ^ n ' n Mtatnrlattl- Itwulor mid Hpoakor . Hy Antfua ] MnojMicrJon . ^ WZi fi ^ viT tf ***!** . By Angus Mao ,, h . « oh . Oto ^ w Gqorgo Wtvt ^ on .
Bastiat Translated.*
BASTIAT TRANSLATED . *
Mt601sllals R Lias.T
MtBOlSXiLAlS'liaS . t
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 21, 1860, page 69, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2330/page/17/
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