Great is one of those words which are most frequently used in a moral sense, and with the least consideration and judgment1. Great man, great genius, great captain, great philosopher, great poet; we mean by this language “one who has far exceeded ordinary limits.” But, as it is difficult to define those limits, the epithet2 “great” is often applied3 to those who possess only mediocrity.
This term is less vague and doubtful when applied to material than to moral subjects. We know what is meant by a great storm, a great misfortune, a great disease, great property, great misery4.
The term “large” (gros) is sometimes used with respect to subjects of the latter description, that is, material ones, as equivalent to great, but never with respect to moral subjects. We say large property for great wealth, but not a large captain for a great captain, or a large minister for a great minister. Great financier means a man eminently5 skilful6 in matters of national finance; but gros financier expresses merely a man who has become wealthy in the department of finance.
The great man is more difficult to be defined than the great artist. In an art or profession, the man who has far distanced his rivals, or who has the reputation of having done so, is called great in his art, and appears, therefore, to have required merit of only one description in order to obtain this eminence7; but the great man must combine different species of merit. Gonsalvo, surnamed the Great Captain, who observed that “the web of honor was coarsely woven,” was never called a great man. It is more easy to name those to whom this high distinction should be refused than those to whom it should be granted. The denomination8 appears to imply some great virtues9. All agree that Cromwell was the most intrepid11 general, the most profound statesman, the man best qualified12 to conduct a party, a parliament, or an army, of his day; yet no writer ever gives him the title of great man; because, although he possessed13 great qualities, he possessed not a single great virtue10.
This title seems to fall to the lot only of the small number of men who have been distinguished14 at once by virtues, exertions15, and success. Success is essential, because the man who is always unfortunate is supposed to be so by his own fault.
Great (grand), by itself, expresses some dignity. In Spain it is a high and most distinguishing appellative (grandee) conferred by the king on those whom he wishes to honor. The grandees16 are covered in the presence of the king, either before speaking to him or after having spoken to him, or while taking their seats with the rest.
Charles the Fifth conferred the privileges of grandeeship on sixteen principal noblemen. That emperor himself afterwards granted the same honors to many others. His successors, each in his turn, have added to the number. The Spanish grandees have long claimed to be considered of equal rank and dignity with the electors and the princes of Italy. At the court of France they have the same honors as peers.
The title of “great” has been always given, in France, to many of the chief officers of the crown — as great seneschal, great master, great chamberlain, great equerry, great pantler, great huntsman, great falconer. These titles were given them to distinguish their pre-eminence above the persons serving in the same departments under them. The distinction is not given to the constable17, nor to the chancellor18, nor to the marshals, although the constable is the chief of all the household officers, the chancellor the second person in the state, and the marshal the second officer in the army. The reason obviously is, that they had no deputies, no vice-constables, vice-marshals, vice-chancellors, but officers under another denomination who executed their orders, while the great steward19, great chamberlain, and great equerry, etc., had stewards20, chamberlains, and equerries under them.
Great (grand) in connection with seigneur, “great lord,” has a signification more extensive and uncertain. We give this title of “grand seigneur” (seignor) to the Turkish sultan, who assumes that of pasha, to which the expression grand seignor does not correspond. The expression “un grand,” a “great man,” is used in speaking of a man of distinguished birth, invested with dignities, but it is used only by the common people. A person of birth or consequence never applies the term to any one. As the words “great lord” (grand seigneur) are commonly applied to those who unite birth, dignity, and riches, poverty seems to deprive a man of the right to it, or at least to render it inappropriate or ridiculous. Accordingly, we say a poor gentleman, but not a poor grand seigneur.
Great (grand) is different from mighty21 (puissant22). A man may at the same time be both one and the other, but puissant implies the possession of some office of power and consequence. “Grand” indicates more show and less reality; the “puissant” commands, the “grand” possesses honors.
There is greatness (grandeur) in mind, in sentiments, in manners, and in conduct. The expression is not used in speaking of persons in the middling classes of society, but only of those who, by their rank, are bound to show nobility and elevation23. It is perfectly24 true that a man of the most obscure birth and connections may have more greatness of mind than a monarch25. But it would be inconsistent with the usual phraseology to say, “that merchant or that farmer acted greatly” (avec grandeur); unless, indeed, in very particular circumstances, and placing certain characters in striking opposition26, we should, for example, make such a remark as the following: “The celebrated27 merchant who entertained Charles the Fifth in his own house, and lighted a fire of cinnamon wood with that prince’s bond to him for fifty thousand ducats, displayed more greatness of soul than the emperor.”
The title of “greatness” (grandeur) was formerly28 given to various persons possessing stations of dignity. French clergymen, when writing to bishops29, still call them “your greatness.” Those titles, which are lavished30 by sycophancy31 and caught at by vanity, are now little used.
Haughtiness32 is often mistaken for greatness (grandeur). He who is ostentatious of greatness displays vanity. But one becomes weary and exhausted33 with writing about greatness. According to the lively remark of Montaigne, “we cannot obtain it, let us therefore take our revenge by abusing it.”
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1
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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3
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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4
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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5
eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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7
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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8
denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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9
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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10
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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11
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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12
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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13
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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14
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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15
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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16
grandees
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| n.贵族，大公，显贵者( grandee的名词复数 ) | |
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17
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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18
chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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19
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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20
stewards
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| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
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21
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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22
puissant
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| adj.强有力的 | |
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23
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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24
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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25
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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26
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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27
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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28
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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29
bishops
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| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
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30
lavished
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
sycophancy
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| n.拍马屁，奉承，谄媚；吮痈舐痔 | |
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32
haughtiness
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| n.傲慢；傲气 | |
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33
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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