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His strength lies in his universality what is specially indi- vidual in him is the source of his weakness. And if this is true even of those whose individual personality stands out conspicuously in somewhat self-assertive way it is still more emphatically true of others who are not less notable as individuals but in whom the aspect of self-assertion is more definitely absent. If Byron represents something that is not simply individual what is to be said of Homer or Shakespeare men so little self-assertive as individuals that their very existence has been questioned? If Fichte was not simply an individual what shall we say of Plato who veiled his own personality behind that of others or of Pythagoras whose specific doctrines were merged in those of his school or brotherhood? If Napoleon was more than person what of the Buddha or the Christ? It would appear from such instances that the more powerful mans individuality is the less is he simply person the more does he become type of humanity in general. And the reason of this seems clear enough. It is of the very essence of the human consciousness to be universal in its outlook. prev next |