Samuel Smiles：Thrift, Excerpt 14

The original savage knew nothing of agriculture. It was only in comparatively recent times that men gathered seeds for food, and saved a portion of them for next year's crop. When minerals were discovered, and fire was applied to them, and the minerals were smelted into metal, man made an immense stride. He could then fabricate hard tools, chisel stone, build houses, and proceed by unwearying industry to devise the manifold means and agencies of civilization.

Source： https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14418
Locator：Excerpt 14 · Verified：2026-10-19 · Verification：Short excerpt

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