The true working man, the man who lives by the sweat of his brow, is apt to be forgotten in our literature.
Context: Grant Allen, in his introduction, sets the stage for his book, lamenting the lack of literary attention paid to the common labourer and stating his intention to rectify this oversight.
These pages are an attempt to show, by concrete examples, the actual lives and aspirations of a few typical working men.
Context: From the introduction, this sentence clearly defines the purpose and scope of Allen's biographical collection, emphasizing his focus on real-life stories and their broader significance.
Brindley was emphatically a man who, if he could not read a book, could read the great book of nature and of human requirements.
Context: Speaking of the self-taught engineer James Brindley, Allen highlights his practical genius and intuitive understanding, valuing real-world experience and observation over formal education.
He had a genius for mechanism, a native bent for engineering, which no lack of schooling could obscure.
Context: Describing James Brindley's innate talent, Allen reinforces the idea that inherent ability and practical skill can overcome educational disadvantages, a common theme in the book's biographies.
His whole life was one long testament to the power of self-help and unwearied application.
Context: This statement summarizes the essence of Brindley's accomplishments, reflecting the Victorian ideal of individual effort and perseverance that Grant Allen admires in his subjects.
The true inventor is often a working man, toiling obscurely at his forge or loom, wrestling with practical difficulties.
Context: Allen makes a general observation about the origins of innovation, suggesting that significant breakthroughs often come from practical experience rather than academic theory, exemplified by figures like George Stephenson.
He saw clearly that the future of industry lay with steam, and that the future of transport lay with the iron horse.
Context: This describes the prescience of George Stephenson, the railway pioneer, and his vision for how steam power would revolutionize both manufacturing and travel, profoundly transforming society.
From such humble beginnings rose the man who revolutionized the transit of nations.
Context: Concluding the section on George Stephenson, Allen emphasizes the remarkable ascent of the working man who, despite his modest origins, achieved immense societal impact through his ingenuity.
The dignity of labour, often spoken of from above, here manifests itself in the actual lives of men.
Context: Allen reflects on a key theme of his work, arguing that the nobility of toil is best demonstrated not by abstract philosophy, but by the tangible achievements and struggles of the working men he profiles.
Poverty was their cradle, necessity their schoolmaster, and perseverance their guiding star.
Context: This evocative summary encapsulates the common challenging origins and the virtues that propelled many of the working men in the biographies to achieve greatness despite their humble circumstances.
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