Contributor

“ From 1865 to 1868 he was on the editorial staff of the 'Globe,' and from 1868 to 1876 on that of the 'Echo.' He was subsequently a contributor to the 'Times.' With literary tastes and poetical ambition, Smith managed to become a contributor to the chief magazines, among them the 'Edinburgh Review,' the 'Fortnightly Review,' and the 'Cornhill Magazine.' Although he lacked scholarly training, he was an appreciative critic. ”

“ Long, who unites the talents of the scholar and the editor in a degree which is altogether unusual. If any one should imagine that a mixed mass of contributors is a punctual piece of machinery, let him take to editing upon that hypothesis, and he shall see what he shall see and learn what he shall learn. ”

“ When called upon to contribute towards any public charity, if those who solicited his contributions were of a higher social rank than himself, he would draw back and repulse their advances with plainness amounting almost to rudeness. ”

“ Mankind, the permutation of men, the associations of men, in which there is reciprocal modification of the association by its components, and of the components by the association—men in social reciprocity, this is the last and highest stage of experience which our observation discovers, and this consummate reality of associated human life, in which the career of individuals is made or marred, forms the setting, to interpret and to be interpreted by all the included particulars which special knowledge accumulates. ”

“ To provide instruction in all branches of social science, implanting a knowledge of facts and theories; to train in methods of research; to give a practical acquaintance with the existing social states, or, in other words, to train a body of competent teachers and reformers. ”

“ Waiving personalities then, we take this opportunity to remark that it is possible to serve the cause of justice and to promote the common weal without begging social questions, and without joining in vulgar denunciations of social factors which after all may prove to be social blessings. ”

“ These persons, having recognized positions among their fellows, either by virtue of superior knowledge or devotion, when properly approached by us, may be expected to have a beneficial influence on the more ignorant, and help to create that public opinion in favor of good conduct which, among the humblest as among the highest, is most useful. ”

“ What contribution are you going to make of your strength, your time, your influence, your money, your self, to make a cleaner, fuller, happier, larger, nobler life possible for some of your fellow-men? I do not ask how you are going to do it. You may do it in business, in the law, in medicine, in the ministry, in teaching, in literature. But this is the question: What are you going to give personally to make the human life of the place where you do your work, purer, stronger, brighter, better, and more worth living? ”

“ The all-inclusive fact of association in groups or societies of various grades, from the family up to the race, presents the most complex forms of the human life problem. What are the essentials and what are the accidents of the associated or societary condition? What limitations does it fix to human accomplishments? What aids does it furnish to human endeavors? What taslcs does it impose, what aims does it suggest and what means and methods does it stipulate for the combination of human effort ? These are not questions invented in the seclusion of scholars' libraries. ”

“ The ‘Saturday Review’ under his editorship almost immediately took the first place among weekly papers, and in some respects the first place in periodical literature. Many of the contributors have since become eminent in various directions. ”

“ My contribution meets some particular need not because it can be measured off against that need, but because my contribution by means of all the cross currents of life always has so much more than itself to offer. ”

“ For a time his chief ambition was to make a reputation as a novelist and story writer. In 1864 appeared 'The Loves of an Apothecary.' To 'Tait's Magazine' he contributed a story, 'The Path of Roses,' republished with numerous illustrations in 1869. A three-volume novel, 'Under a Cloud,' written in collaboration with his brother James, appeared first in 'The Welcome Guest' and then as a separate publication in 1860. He was a constant contributor to the 'Illustrated Times,' a paper started by Henry Vizetelly [q. v.] ”

“ If our researches have enabled us to contribute any matter of interest to that large and valuable fund of public knowledge, which has accumulated so considerably during your Lordships’ official career, it will be read with some feeling of internal satisfaction by those who afforded us the means of acquiring it; and we ourselves shall look back with pleasure upon labours which have not been unattended by advantage. ”

“ Now, if writers, and especially editors, professors of social ethics in our theological seminaries, and preachers, will say simply 'social' when that is all they mean, and talk of social rather than of sociological problems when all they have in mind is the practical or generally intelligent treatment of social topics, and not be constantly confusing their readers and themselves by an indiscriminate use of the word 'sociological' in both senses, they will do the science and the people a great service. ”

“ The invitation to participate in these labors, and to acquire the credit and reputation of having contributed to the beneficial results which may confidently be expected from them, is itself creditable to the character of our own country. ”

“ Those to whom fortune has been kind in affording extended opportunities owe to society the duty of imparting their conclusions to their fellows. The recipients alone are qualified to judge as to how well such duty is performed and as to how far such conclusions are worth while. ”

“ The public institution that wants to acquire that valuable asset, reputation, whether it is a reputation for kindliness, for helpfulness, for common sense, for scholarly acquirements, will have to make up its mind to be kind, helpful, sensible, and scholarly, not fifty per cent or seventy-five per cent of the time, but one hundred per cent of the time. ”

“ To procure an aid, which, by its example, would be as important as its valor, disciplined, gallant, pregnant with science and experience; which would perceive the good, and polish the rough points of our character. They would come to us as strangers, and leave us as friends, after sharing in our perils and elevating our destiny. ”

“ Questions affecting individuals, again, or small interests, or classes, excite here a greater interest, and occupy a larger share of time, than, perhaps, in any other community. In no country, I may add, are the interests of persons or classes so favored when they compete with those of the public ”

“ But how shall public sentiment be properly shaped and made available for service? How is its natural though slow growth to be fostered and directed? Mainly by the efforts, organized and individual, of scientific men. ”

“ We should infer from these facts that, by a large membership, an abundant income is secured for the purposes of a society, and that the original papers of the men of science who are joined with them can be published, and the expense of their investigations provided for. A large membership secures friends, an audience, an income, and elevates the purposes and aims of all. ”

“ In other positions of public life, the concurrence of so many different influences is required to accomplish even slight results, that individual credit or responsibility therefor is but slight and intangible. ”

“ Whether originally suggested by some leader of thought or action, or whether a composite of many suggestions in the give and take of discussion or in experiences of common need, it is weighed and adopted as a common end. It is not the work or possession of leaders alone, but embodies in varying degrees the work and active interest of all. ”

“ If we recur to the several leading public charities, we shall find that all, or nearly all, of them, have thus originated; the names of their founders have been handed down to posterity, and individuals, comparatively insignificant and obscure, are classed as benefactors to mankind, entitled to, and receiving, the gratitude of a whole people. ”

“ The Association provides funds which, though small in amount, are great in worth, from the mode of their distribution; and serve in a limited degree as an encouragement, though not an endowment, of research. ”

“ Associations like those which we have described, by the very process of their success, are a course of education in those moral and active qualities by which alone success can be either deserved or attained. ”

“ Every civilized community has also received beforehand such benefits to an enormous extent; and each investigator may reasonably claim public support on the ground that he contributes to the general stock of new knowledge. Some persons however, who have not fully considered the subject, wish to receive not only the advantages accruing from the common stock of knowledge, but also to reserve to themselves the entire benefit arising from their own special contributions. ”

“ Still in the sunlight gleamed,
But I turned down the other side,
And oh, how dark it seemed!
In dreams, how many times since then
I've parted from you so!
My heart dwells on the hilltop yet,
And gazes down below. ”

“ Of this select List you will be better able to form an opinion, when you have fully considered the extent to which any one of these Gentlemen has ever been mixed up in matters of real popular service—with how many of the People’s Institutions or Philanthropic Schemes of this country is any one of these persons identified—and how much, or how little, rather, you have any reason to expect from them in any matter of wide or general bearing on your interests. ”

“ I conceive the possibility of each group developing into a trust, capable of acting in the interests of the city in years to come, exercising a mighty influence, being relied upon for guidance, and administering great funds for the common good. ”

“ Fourteenpence is the price of a bathing-machine and attendant; and a child counts for nothing. The wind is sometimes very high, but we never feel it sharp; and a good walk in the face of a breeze is very pleasant, when that breeze has the taste and smell, the freshness, of the sea in its breath. ”

“ It would seem that building society advocates were created to teach men how to will it. In this line of work they have certainly been eminently successful. To what class of citizens do these advocates belong, good, better, or best? ”

“ Sometimes the vague, hazy coast line could be seen dimly on the port side, more like a low-lying cloud bank than solid land. More often, however, the wide expanse of restless water was as unbroken as the glittering arch of deep, fathomless blue above their heads. ”

“ It would be rank presumption for any person, even though gifted with the means to circulate his suggestions as widely as possible, and armed with the power to compel the reading of his publications, to think that any suggestions of his could influence any considerable number of his fellow-citizens of the world, or even of his own immediate neighbourhood, to accept or follow his advice relative to the management of their lives and of their communal and national affairs ”

“ What is the value, of present-day knowledge if not to stimulate the conscious group, through the individual perhaps, but the group finally, to better use of its powers and opportunities toward a higher form of social life? ”

“ To encourage our employés to make all the suggestions they can for the mutual welfare of the business and everyone connected with it. Even the smallest suggestion may be of value.
2. To enable those in our employ to share in the benefit of the suggestions they make, and to receive personal recognition for them. ”

“ The future may be wrong or right, —
The present is distinctly wrong;
For life and love have lost delight,
And bitter even is our song.
And year by year, grey doubt grows strong,
And Death is all that seems to dree ”

“ The French marshal seems to have stemmed and turned the tide, and the people that pass me in the streets have the light of victory in their faces. The air that blows toward us from the death-laden trenches bears the scent of immortal roses. ”

“ I have shown you how we are indebted to their agency for the abundant supplies they have provided of a material most useful—I may say indispensable—to us. Let us take care that, with our larger capacities and higher aims, we strive to promote the welfare of those who come after us, by doing well, each in his station, that which our powers and opportunities best fit us to accomplish.—Author's advance-sheets. ”

“ The sense of companionship, which I had lost inside the house, had now returned. She and I had occupied the place during one summer only, and much of our time had been spent in this verdurous and flowery enclosure. She dressed in white frocks: the sun sparkled on her hair. We had plucked flowers of antique fashion in the garden adjoining; that faithful, dark-haired waiting-woman of hers had spread out rugs to protect us from the damp, and here had we lain, luxurious, when the dial marked noon, and the blue shadow of the great lime-tree had crept silently toward us over the fairy grass-blades. ”

“ All that we call education, culture, social position, example, and, on the part of the individual, good-will, industry, zeal, etc., work for the development of the endowment, and the achievement depends thereon. ”

“ Nothing could have been neater, quicker, more complete. There was a graceful, rapid movement, a stern, decided "Stand aside, sir!" a gentle, caressing "Allow me, Miss Swansdown!"—and there stood Sam, alone, his face contorted with fury, mortification, conscious defeat; and moving away, arm-in-arm, a perfect picture of confiding affection on one side and loving protection on the other, the well-matched figures of Ned Holland and Nellie Swansdown. ”