A Little Great Man
In reading the newspapers here, I have reckoned up not less than twenty-five great men, venteen very great men, and nine very extraordinary men in less than the compass (cycle) of half a year. The, say the gazettes (newspaper), are the men that posterity (offsprings) are to gaze at with admiration; the the names that fame (vt, made famous) will be employed in holding up for the astonishment of succeeding ages. Let me e—forty-six great men in half a year, amounts to just ninety-two in a year. – I wonder how posterity will be able to remember them all, or whether the people, in future times, will have any other business to mind, but that of getting the catalogue by heart.
1366年
Does the mayor of a corporation make a speech? He is instantly t down for a great man. Does a pedant digest his common place book into a folio (对开本的书或手稿：由对折的纸组成的最大型的书或手.稿，通常高度约为38厘米（15英寸）)? He quickly becomes great. Does a poet string up 我和同学（bind with string） trite 高二学期个人总结（Lacking power to evoke interest through overu or repetition; hackneyed.陈腐的） ntiment in rhyme? He also becomes the great
man of the hour. How diminutive (extremely small in size) soever the object of admiration, each is followed by a crowd of still more diminutive admirers. The shout (cheer, applau) begins in his train (his followers, people who follow him to show their admiration), onward he marches towards immortality, looks back at the pursuing crowd with lf-satisfaction; catching all the oddities, the whimsies (strange ideas), the absurdities (ridiculous behavior), and the littleness of conscious greatness (arrogant people), by the way.
I was yesterday invited by a gentleman to dinner, who promid that our entertainment should consist of an haunch (leg) of venison (deer, or wild animals), a turtle, and a great man. I came, according to appointment. The venison was fine, the turtle good, but the great man insupportable (not derving compliment). The moment I ventured to speak, I was at once contradicted with a snap (in an instant) . I attempted, by a cond and a third assault (attack, refute), to retrieve my lost reputation, but was still beat back with confusion. I was resolved to attack him once more from entrenchment (the ditch from where the soldiers hide战壕), and turned the conversation upon the government of China: but even here he asrted, snapped (speak abruptly and sharply against), and contradict
ed as before. Heavens, thought I, this man pretends to know China, even better than mylf! I looked round to e who was on my side, but every eye was fixed in admiration on the great man: I therefore, at last thought proper to sit silent, and act the pretty gentleman during the ensuing (following, coming after) conversation.
When a man has once cured a circle of admirers, he may be as ridiculous here as he thinks proper; and it all pass for elevation of ntiment, or learned abnce (大智若愚). If he transgress （violate, go against） the common forms of breeding, mistakes even a teapot for a tobacco-box, it is said, that his thoughts are fixed on more important objects: to speak and act like the rest of mankind is to be no greater than they. There is something of oddity in the very idea of greatness; for we are ldom astonished at a thing very much rembling ourlves.
When the Tartars (鞑靼人) make a Lama （喇嘛）, their first care is to place him in a dark corner of the temple; here he is to sit half concealed from view, to regulate the motion of his hands, lips and eyes; but, above all, he is enjoined 印度橡皮树（has the obligation to h
ave or display; should） gravity and silence. This, however, is but the prelude to his apotheosis (being exalted to the position of god, deification ): a t of emissaries (agents nt on special mission) are dispatched among the people to cry up his piety, gravity, and love of raw flesh; the people take them at their work, approach the Mama, now become an idol, with the most humble prostration (on one’s knees): he receives their address without motion, commences a god, and is ever after fed by his priests with the spoon of immortality. The same receipt in this country rves to make a great man. The idol only keeps clo (cret/hidden), nds out his little emissaries to be hearty in his prai; and straight, whether statesman or author, he is t down in the list of fame, continuing to be praid while it is fashionable to prai,, or while he prudently keeps his minuteness concealed from the public.
I have visited many countries, and have been in cities without number (numerous), yet never did I enter a town which could not produce ten or twelve of tho little great men; all fancying themlves known to the rest of the world, and complimenting each other upon their extensive reputation . it is amusing enough when two of tho domestic prodigi
es (gifted person, talents) of learning mount the stage of ceremony (being polite toward each other, 互相客套起来), and gibe (deride, mock) and take prai from each other. I have been prent when a German doctor, for having pronounced a panegyric （flattering words）在职证明怎么写 upon a certain monk, was thought the most ingenious man in the world; till the monk soon after divided this reputation by returning the compliment; by which means they both marched off with universal applau.
The same degree of underved adulation that attend our great man while living, often also follows him to the tomb. It frequently happens that one of his little admirers sits down big with the important subject, and is delivered of the history of his life and writings. This may properly be called the revolutions of a life between the fireside and the easy-chair. In this we learn, the year in which he was born, at what an early age he gave symptoms of uncommon genius and application (diligence), together with some of his smart sayings, collected by his aunt and mother, while yet but a boy. The next book introduces him to the University, where we are informed of his amazing progress in learning, his excellent skill in darning stockings, and his new invention for papering books to save the covers. He ne
怡的意思和含义是什么xt makes his appearance in the republic of letters, and publishes his folio. Now the colossus (huge statue,) is reared (established), his works are eagerly bought up by all the purchars of scarce books (善本书籍). The learned societies invite him to become a member; he disputes against some foreigner with a long Latin name, conquers in the controversy, is complimented by veral authors of gravity (riousness) and importance, is excessively fond of egg-sauce with his pig, becomes president of a literary club, and dies in the meridian (prime, the highest point) of his glory. Happy they, who thus have some little faithful attendant, who never forsakes (give up) them, but prepares to wrangle (contend, argue, refute) and to prai against every oppor; at once ready to increa their pride while living, and their character when dead. For you and I, my friend, who have no humble admirer thus to attend us, we, who neither are, nor ever will be great men, and who do not much care whether we are great men or no, at least let us strive to be honest men, and to have common n.摆设>保健营养师
