well. It is lucky for
him, and that is what I especially prize in your men of genius.
They are only good for one thing; outside of that, nothing. They do
not know what it is to be citizens, fathers, mothers, kinsfolk,
friends. Between ourselves, it is no bad thing to be like them at
every point, but we should not wish the grain to become common. We
must have men; but men of genius, no; no, on my word; of them we
need none. 'Tis they who change the face of the globe; and in the
smallest things folly is so common and so almighty, that you cannot
mend it without an infinite disturbance. Part of what they have
dreamt comes to pass, and part remains as it was; hence two
gospels, the dress of a harlequin. The wisdom of Rabelais's moral
is the true wisdom both for his own repose and that of other
people: to do one's duty so so, always to speak well of the prior,
and to let the world go as it lists. It must go well, for most
people are content with it. If I knew history enough, I should
prove to you that evil has always come about here below through a
few men of genius, but I do not know history, no more than I know
anything else. The deuce take me, if I have learnt anything, or if
I find myself a pin the worse for not having learnt anything. I was
one day at the table of the minister of the King of----, who has
brains enough for four, and he showed as plain as one and one make
two, that nothing was more useful to people than falsehood, nothing
more mischievous than truth. I don't remember his proofs very
clearly, but it evidently followed from them that men of genius are
detestable, and that if a child at its birth bore on its brow the
mark of that dangerous gift of nature, it ought to be smothered or
else thrown to the ducks.

_I._--Yet such people, foes as they are to genius, all lay claim to
it.

_He._--I daresay they think so in their own minds, but I doubt if
they would venture to admit it.

_I._--Ah, that is their modesty. So you conceived from that a
frightful antipathy to genius.

_He._--One that I shall never get over.

_I._--Yet I have seen the time when you were in despair at the
thought of being only a common man. You will never be happy if the
pro and the con distress you alike. You should take your side, and
keep to it.