The Danger of Our Culture.—We belong to a period of which the culture is in danger of being destroyed by the appliances of culture.
521.
Greatness Means Leading the Way.—No stream is large and copious of itself, but becomes great by receiving and leading on so many tributary streams. It is so, also, with all intellectual greatnesses. It is only a question of some one indicating the direction to be followed by so many affluents; not whether he was richly or poorly gifted originally.
522.
A Feeble Conscience.—People who talk about their importance to mankind have a feeble conscience for common bourgeois rectitude, keeping of contracts, promises, etc.
523.
Desiring to Be Loved.—The demand to be loved is the greatest of presumptions.
524.
Contempt For Men.—The most unequivocal sign of contempt for man is to regard everybody merely as a means to one's own ends, or of no account whatever.