THE CHARACTERBy

Samuel Smiles

INFLUENCE OF

CHARACTER

“The prosperity of a country depends, not on the abundance of its revenues, nor the strength of its

fortifications, nor on the beauty of public buildings; but it consists in the number of cultivated citizens,

in its men of education, enlightenment, and character; here are to be found its true interest, its

chief strength, its real power.”

-Martin Luther

“Genius always commands admiration, character most secures respect. The former is more the product of brain-power, the latter of heart-power; and in the long run it is the heart that rules in life. Men of genius stand to society in the relation of its intellect, as men of character of its conscience;

and while the former are admired, the latter are followed.” 

“Duty is sustaining power to men of the very highest standard of character. They may not have either money, or property, or learning, or power; and yet they may be strong in heart and rich in spirit—honest, truthful, dutiful. And whoever strives to do his duty faithfully is fulfilling the purpose for which he was created, and building up in himself the principles of a manly character. There are many persons of whom it may be said that they have no other

possession in the world but their character, and yet they stand as firmly upon it as any crowned king.” 

Mutyala Raju Revu, IAS-2006 Topper 

The most beautiful thing about a person isn't looks, looks will fade and can be deceiving but

true beauty is found in the heart and soul.

HOME POWER

“So build we up the being that we are, thus deeply drinking in the soul of things, we shall be wise

perforce” -William Wordsworth

• Home is the and most important school of character. It is there human being receives his best moral training, or his worst; for it is there

that he imbibes those principles of conduct which endure through manhood, and cease only

with life• It is common saying that

“Manners makes man;” and there is a second that, “Mind

makes man ”but true than either is third that, “Home makes man.”

• Home training includes not only manners and mind but character

• It is mainly in the home that heart is opened, that habits formed, the intellect is awakened, and character moulded for good or for evil.

COURAGE“That which we are, we are, One equal temper

of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”

-TENNYSON

“Every step of progress of history of our race has been made in race has been made in the face of opposition and difficulty and been achieved and secured by men of intrepidity and valour-by leaders in the van to the great discoverers, great patriots, a great workers in all walks of life”

“The courage that displays itself in silent effort and endeavor-that dares to endure all and suffer all for truth and duty-is more truly heroic than the achievement of

physical valour, which are rewarded by honors and titles sometimes stepped in blood”

Malala YousafzaiMalala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate

Socrates was condemned to drink the hemlock,

because his lofty teachings ran counter to

prejudices and party-spirit of his age.

He had moral courage to brave not only the

tyranny of judges who condemned him, but the

mob who could not understand him.

His last words to his judges being,

“It is now time that depart-I to die, you to live ; but which has

better destiny is unknown to all except to

god”

Bruno was burnt alive, because of his exposure of the fashionable but false philosophy of his time when judges of the inquisition condemned him, to die,

Bruno said proudly:

“you are more afraid to pronounce my sentence than

I am to receive it ”

“These are some of great men and great thinkers have been

persecuted in the name of religion and politics!”

D K RAVI IAS