It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done.
Source: In Poor Man's College Quotations Collection, ed. Sidney Madwed, AAPEX software, 1994.
-- Samuel Smiles, (Dec 23 1812-1904), Scottish author; He was best known for Self-Help, 1859 which enshrined the Victorian values associated with the gospel of work.