220 THE CAUSATION OF DISEASE. 



Shakespeare, " are born great." We may interpret this in 

 two ways. An individual of exalted position, such as a here- 

 ditary king, may be said to be born great — but his greatness 

 is only external, nominal ; or we may suppose the phrase to 

 mean that the individual is born great in the sense of having 

 a great intellect, which is bound to do great things. Of this 

 intrinsic greatness, no better example can be given than that 

 of Shakespeare himself. 



Then " some achieve greatness." These are they who, start- 

 ing in a mediocre position, lift themselves into a high one. 

 In such cases the mental self is strong, and the mental-E more 

 or less favourable. We may liken one of this class to a tree 

 which has grown to lofty and beautiful proportions in a natural 

 soil ; while those who have had " greatness thrust upon them," 

 are, I take it, such as have been surrounded by a very favour- 

 able E, and we may compare them with the plant which has 

 been carefully and artificially nurtured — which has been sur- 

 rounded by the most favourable E. 



I have said that the success of an individual in life depends 

 upon the nature of the mental self, and of the mental-E. Eor 

 the sake of clearness, I have made no mention of the physical self. 

 Physical strength, however, is absolutely necessary to success 

 in certain walks in life, as, for instance, in politics and the pro- 

 fession of arms. Many an individual has had within him the 

 germ of a great politician, bat has not possessed the physical 

 strength to give proper effect to his genius. The same is also 

 true of the warrior ; one recalls at once the kindly Wolfe.* 

 Physical weakness, and, indeed, continued ill-health, are con- 

 sistent with fame in certain departments of activity, as in 

 philosophy and the fine arts, for bodily weakness favours 

 a contemplative turn of mind. Many men are shallow-minded 

 in consequence of excessive muscular strength. Their strong 

 animal spirits allow them little time to brood over the problems 

 of life; the mind goes out to the objects round and about 



* Some may not think this a happy example. Speaking of Wolfe, Ban- 

 croft says : " He crowded into a few hours actions that would have given 

 lustre to length of life ; and, rilling his day with greatness, completed it 

 before its noon." They cannot, I think, take exception to Arthur Henry 

 Hallam as an instance in point. Of him it has been said that he "had always 

 more intellect than he had the physical strength to use." 



