Great men are wise savers and wise spenders.  Montesquieu has said of Alexander:  “He found the first means of his prosperity and power in the greatness of his genius; the second, in his frugality and private economy; and the third, in his immense liberality to accomplish great objects.  He spent but little on himself; but for public purposes his hand was always open.”  It was also said of the first Napoleon, that he was economical like Charlemagne, because he was great like Charlemagne.  Napoleon was by no means a spendthrift, except in war; but he spent largely in accomplishing great public undertakings.  In cases such as these, economy and generosity are well combined.  And so it is in the cases of all men possessed of energy, industry, and great powers of organization.

It may seem out of keeping to compare great producers with great commanders.  Yet the manufacturer often requires as much courage, as much genius, as much organizing power, as the warrior.  The one considers how he shall keep his operatives in working order; the other how he shall keep his soldiers in fighting order.  Both must be men of enterprize, of boldness, of keen observation, and close attention to details.  And the manufacturer, from his position, needs to be the most benevolent man of the two.  Viewed in this light, we regard Sir Titus Salt not only as a Captain of Industry, but as a Field-Marshal of Industry.  He has been called the Prince of Manufacturers.

Titus Salt is a son of a Yorkshire wool-stapler.  In the early part of his life he was a farmer near Bradford, and his inclination for agricultural pursuits was such, that it was thought he would continue to pursue this vocation.  Being, however, a partner with his father in the wool business, and observing that manufactures were rapidly extending in the neighbourhood, he withdrew from the partnership, and commenced business at Bradford as a wool-spinner.  He was one of the first to observe the uses of Alpaca wool.  Large quantities of that material were stored at Liverpool,—­imported from the Brazils.  But the wool found no purchasers, until at length Mr. Salt bought a quantity, and spun it into an entirely new fabric.  He then proceeded to buy up all the Alpaca that was to be found at Liverpool; made arrangements for purchasing all that came into the market; went on spinning Alpaca; and eventually established the manufacture.  This was the foundation of Mr. Salt’s fortune.

At length, after about twenty years’ labour as a manufacturer, Mr. Salt thought of retiring from business, and again betaking himself to his favourite agricultural pursuits.  He intended to retire on his fiftieth birthday, but before that time had arrived (having five sons to provide for) he reversed his decision, and resolved to continue in business a little longer, and to remain at the head of the firm.  Having come to this determination, he made up his mind to leave Bradford.  The borough was already overcrowded, and he did not like to be a party to increasing