Knowledge conquered by labor becomes a possession - a property entirely our own.

Smiles contrasts passive, second-hand learning with knowledge earned through sustained effort. What is “conquered by labor” is not merely information acquired, but understanding forged through practice, struggle, and self-discipline—hence it becomes a durable “possession,” internalized and usable without dependence on others. The language of property reflects a Victorian ethic of self-help: intellectual capital is treated like moral and economic capital, something accumulated through work and therefore securely one’s own. The quote also implies that effort transforms learning into character, making it resistant to loss or theft because it is embedded in the learner’s habits and capacities.