事业 · 创业者自述
塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯：自助论·摘录 45
塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯《自助论》· Self-Help · 领导
When the demands of industry are found to press upon the resources of inventors, the same idea is usually found floating about in many minds;—such has been the case with the steam-engine, the safety-lamp, the electric telegraph, and other inventions. Many ingenious minds are found labouring in the throes of invention, until at length the master mind, the strong practical man, steps forward, and straightway delivers them of their idea, applies the principle successfully, and the thing is done. Then there is a loud outcry among all the smaller contrivers, who see themselves distanced in the race; and hence men such as Watt, Stephenson, and Arkwright, have usually to defend their reputation and their rights as practical and successful inventors.
出处：
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/935
定位：Excerpt 45 · 核对日期：2026-10-19 · 核验：短摘录
白话
当产业需求逼着发明家想办法时，同一个点子往往同时在许多人脑中酝酿——蒸汽机、安全灯、电报等发明都是如此。许多聪明人苦苦思索，直到某个有实践能力的强者站出来，把想法成功实现，事情才算做成。这时，那些小发明家们会大声抱怨，说自己被抢先了。所以像瓦特、斯蒂芬森、阿克莱特这样的人，常常要为自己的声誉和权利辩护。这告诉我们：想法本身不稀缺，能把想法扎实做出来的人才是关键；同时也要理解，成功者难免面对争议。
上下文
斯迈尔斯在《自助》中分析发明史上多人同时想到同一主意的现象，以及成功者面临的争议。
今日一问
你有一个好想法，是继续停留在构思，还是今天就开始动手做原型？
公版作品；原文逐字取自 Project Gutenberg，仅摘录段落并附全书链接。
你的邮箱
只用于发送原典。不发广告，不卖名单。
本文本为公版；底本与原文链接见上。 版权