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塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯：自助论·摘录 30
塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯《自助论》· Self-Help · 领导
The sons of clergymen and ministers of religion generally, have particularly distinguished themselves in our country’s history. Amongst them we find the names of Drake and Nelson, celebrated in naval heroism; of Wollaston, Young, Playfair, and Bell, in science; of Wren, Reynolds, Wilson, and Wilkie, in art; of Thurlow and Campbell, in law; and of Addison, Thomson, Goldsmith, Coleridge, and Tennyson, in literature. Lord Hardinge, Colonel Edwardes, and Major Hodson, so honourably known in Indian warfare, were also the sons of clergymen. Indeed, the empire of England in India was won and held chiefly by men of the middle class—such as Clive, Warren Hastings, and their successors—men for the most part bred in factories and trained to habits of business.
出处：
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/935
定位：Excerpt 30 · 核对日期：2026-10-19 · 核验：短摘录
白话
斯迈尔斯想说明：出身并不决定成就，很多杰出人物来自牧师家庭或中产阶层。他列举了海军、科学、艺术、法律、文学等领域的例子，指出这些人的共同点是受过良好家教、勤奋自律，而非依赖门第。他特别提到英国在印度的帝国主要是由中产阶层打下来的，如克莱武、沃伦·黑斯廷斯等，这些人多在工厂或商业环境中长大，养成了实干习惯。核心意思是：成功靠的是个人努力和习惯，而不是出身。
上下文
塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯《自助》一书，1859年出版，维多利亚时代英国，强调个人奋斗与中产阶层崛起。
今日一问
今天，我们是否还容易把出身当作不努力的借口？
公版作品；原文逐字取自 Project Gutenberg，仅摘录段落并附全书链接。
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