This is a unique recording of Andrew Carnegie. He is reading passages from his essay “Wealth” which is also known as “The Gospel of Wealth” due to its last sentence. If you want to read the most famous book by Andrew Carnegie’s protégé Napoleon Hill, you can get your free copy of “Think And Grow Rich” on the right
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Rare recording: Andrew Carnegie, steel magnate and major philanthropist reads from his essay “Wealth”, a.k.a. “The Gospel of Wealth”
“The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced”
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegies essay, published in 1889, was recorded in the Edison motion picture film studio, NY in 1914. Andrew Carnegie reads for approximately 6 minutes. The sound is a bit noisy but you find the transcript of his speech below.
Andrew Carnegie, millionaire and philanthropist on rich, poor, charity, and other issues. Recorded at Edison motion picture film studio, Bronx, NY., 20 January 1914. Record format: Edison Kinetophone cylinder
Andrew Carnegie:
(00:00 – 01:19)
“I quote from the Gospel of Wealth published twenty-five years ago. This then, is held to be the duty of the man of Wealth:
First: to set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him; and after doing so to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he is strictly bound as a matter of duty to administer in the manner which, in his judgment, is best calculated to produce the most beneficial results for the community – the man of wealth thus becoming the mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer, (…)” [pp.661-662]
(01:20 – 1:56)
“Those who would administer wisely must, indeed be wise, for one of the serious obstacles to the improvement of our race is indiscriminate charity. It were better for mankind that the millions of the rich were thrown into the sea than so spent as to encourage the slothful, the drunken, the unworthy. (…)” [p. 662]
(01:57 – 02:30)
“In bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who help themselves; to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve may do so; to give to those who (…) desire to rise the aids by which they may rise; to assist, but rarely or never to do all. (…)” [p. 663]
(02:30 – 02:59)
“He is the only true reformer who is as careful and as anxious not to aid the unworthy as he is to lead the worthy, and, perhaps even more so, for in alms-giving more injury is may be done by promoting vice than by relieving virtue. (…)” [p. 663]
(02:59 – 04:14)
“Thus is the problem of the Rich and Poor to be solved. The laws of accumulation should be left free; the laws of distribution free. Individualism will continue, but the millionaire will be but a trustee for the poor; entrusted for a season with a part of the increased wealth of the community, but administering it for the community far better than it could or would have done of itself. The best in minds will thus have reached a stage in the development of the race in which it is clearly seen that there is no mode of disposing of surplus wealth creditable to thoughtful and earnest men into whose hands it flows save by using it year by year for the general good. This day already dawns. (…)” [pp. 663 - 664]
(04:15 – 05:57)
“Men may die without incurring the pity of their fellows, (…) sharers in great business enterprises from which their capital cannot be or has not been withdrawn, (…) which is left entirely at death for public uses, yet the day is not far distant when the man who dies leaving behind him millions of available wealth, which was free for him to administer during life, will pass away “unwept, unhonored, and unsung,” no matter to what use he leaves the dross which he cannot take with him. Of such as these the public verdict will then be: “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced. Such, in my opinion is the true gospel concerning Wealth, obedience to which is destined someday to solve the problems of the Rich and the Poor, to hasten the coming brotherhood of man, and at last to make our earth a heaven.” [p. 664]
These passages, read by Andrew Carnegie, are from his essay “Wealth” which is also known as “The Gospel of Wealth” . For this recording, Andrew Carnegie made some minor changes of the text, compared to the printed version of 1889. Spelling and punctuation refer to the printed version.
Read Andrew Carnegie’s famous essay “Wealth” (“The Gospel of Wealth”) in The North American Review Volume 0148 Issue 391 (June 1889). You can switch between the facsimile, text or pdf version:
“Wealth” (“The Gospel of Wealth”) by Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie commissioned Napoleon Hill with writing a Philosophy of Personal Success without compensation. That was in 1908.
Napoleon Hill published the result of Andrew Carnegie’s commission in 1928. It had taken Napoleon Hill 20 years to interview more than 500 healthy people, millionaires and multi-millionaires about the achievement of personal success. The outcome was the book “The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons”.
Nine years and many interviews, analyses, case studies and steps of perfection later, Napoleon Hill published a book that turned out to become a multi-million world wide super seller. Its title: “Think And Grow Rich”
Wasn’t this an impressive speech by Andrew Carnegie? If you’d like to read an impressive book, get your free copy of “Think And Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill on top right
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“Think And Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill free original copy top right
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