Comparative Greatness Quotes

Patriotism is proud of a country’s virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country’s virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, “the greatest,” but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is.

Great men are always exceptional men; and greatness itself is but comparative. Indeed, the range of most men in life is so limited that very few have the opportunity of being great.

Of all man's works of art, a cathedral is greatest. A vast and majestic tree is greater than that.

A cannonball travels only two thousand miles an hour; light travels two hundred thousand miles a second. Such is the superiority of Jesus Christ over Napoleon.

He shines in the second rank, who is eclipsed in the first.

Of course, people will be partial, but I put myself among the best in history.

I always feel that if you were the best in any generation, you most likely would have been close to the best in any other generation too.

Works of the intellect are great only by comparison with each other.