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No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is the page of history.
William Hazlitt
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Interpretation

What this quote means

True greatness is recognized over time, not merely during one's life.

This quote by William Hazlitt suggests that real greatness is not determined by someone's achievements or recognition in their lifetime, but rather by how history remembers them. It emphasizes the idea that lasting impact and legacy are the true measures of greatness, as opposed to fleeting fame or success that may not endure beyond an individual's lifespan.

Themes

GreatnessHistoryLegacyImpactRemembering

In practice

Example use cases

In a graduation speech to inspire students to think beyond their immediate goals.

More from William Hazlitt

Pride is founded not on the sense of happiness, but on the sense of power.
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The world loves to be amused by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live in a state of hallucination; and can forgive everything but the plain, downright, simple, honest truth.
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Our repugnance to death increases in proportion to our consciousness of having lived in vain.
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We can bear to be deprived of everything but our self-conceit.
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There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
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Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
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