And thus grow up such fictions as 'national greatness' and 'public
opinion.'

For what is 'national greatness' but the glory reflected from the
memories of a few great individuals? and what is 'public opinion' but
the blustering echoes of the opinion of a few clever young men on the
morning papers?

For how can people in themselves little become great by merely
congregating into a crowd, however large? And surely fools do not become
wise, or worth listening to, merely by the fact of their banding
together.

A 'public opinion' on any matter except football, prize-fighting, and
perhaps cricket, is merely ridiculous--by whatever brutal physical
powers it may be enforced--ridiculous as a town council's opinion upon
art; and a nation is merely a big fool with an army.




THE GREATNESS OF MAN

Ignorant, as I inevitably am, dear reader, of your intellectual and
spiritual upbringing, I can hardly guess whether the title of my article
will impress you as a platitude or as a paradox. Goodness knows, some
men and women think quite enough of themselves as it is, and, from a
certain momentary point of view, there may seem little occasion indeed
to remind man of his importance.