Thoughtheircharactersareingeneralmuchlesscorrect，andtheirmeritmuchinferiortothatofthemanofrealandmodestvirtue；yettheirexcessivepresumption，foundedupontheirownexcessiveself-admiration，dazzlesthemultitude，andoftenimposesevenuponthosewhoaremuchsuperiortothemultitude。
　　Thefrequent，andoftenwonderful，successofthemostignorantquacksandimposters，bothcivilandreligious，sufficientlydemonstratehoweasilythemultitudeareimposeduponbythemostextravagantandgroundlesspretensions。Butwhenthosepretensionsaresupportedbyaveryhighdegreeofrealandsolidmerit，whentheyaredisplayedwithallthesplendourwhichostentationcanbestowuponthem，whentheyaresupportedbyhighrankandgreatpower，whentheyhaveoftenbeensuccessfullyexerted，andare，uponthataccount，attendedbytheloudacclamationsofthemultitude；eventhemanofsoberjudgmentoftenabandonshimselftothegeneraladmiration。Theverynoiseofthosefoolishacclamationsoftencontributestoconfoundhisunderstanding，andwhileheseesthosegreatmenonlyatacertaindistance，heisoftendisposedtoworshipthemwithasincereadmiration，superioreventothatwithwhichtheyappeartoworshipthemselves。Whenthereisnoenvyinthecase，wealltakepleasureinadmiring，andare，uponthataccount，naturallydisposed，inourownfancies，torendercompleteandperfectineveryrespectthecharacterswhich，inmanyrespects，aresoveryworthyofadmiration。Theexcessiveself-admirationofthosegreatmeniswellunderstood，perhaps，andevenseenthrough，withsomedegreeofderision，bythosewisemenwhoaremuchintheirfamiliarity，andwhosecretlysmileatthoseloftypretensions，which，bypeopleatadistance，areoftenregardedwithreverence，andalmostwithadoration。Such，however，havebeen，inallages，thegreaterpartofthosemenwhohaveprocuredtothemselvesthemostnoisyfame，themostextensivereputation；afameandreputation，too，whichhaveoftendescendedtotheremotestposterity。
　　Greatsuccessintheworld，greatauthorityoverthesentimentsandopinionsofmankind，haveveryseldombeenacquiredwithoutsomedegreeofthisexcessiveself-admiration。
　　Themostsplendidcharacters，themenwhohaveperformedthemostillustriousactions，whohavebroughtaboutthegreatestrevolutions，bothinthesituationsandopinionsofmankind；themostsuccessfulwarriors，thegreateststatesmenandlegislators，theeloquentfoundersandleadersofthemostnumerousandmostsuccessfulsectsandparties；havemanyofthembeen，notmoredistinguishedfortheirverygreatmerit，thanforadegreeofpresumptionandself-admirationaltogetherdisproportionedeventothatverygreatmerit。Thispresumptionwas，perhaps，necessary，notonlytopromptthemtoundertakingswhichamoresobermindwouldneverhavethoughtof，buttocommandthesubmissionandobedienceoftheirfollowerstosupporttheminsuchundertakings。Whencrownedwithsuccess，accordingly，thispresumptionhasoftenbetrayedthemintoavanitythatapproachedalmosttoinsanityandfolly。AlexandertheGreatappears，notonlytohavewishedthatotherpeopleshouldthinkhimaGod，buttohavebeenatleastverywelldisposedtofancyhimselfsuch。
　　Uponhisdeath-bed，themostungodlikeofallsituations，herequestedofhisfriendsthat，totherespectablelistofDeities，intowhichhimselfhadlongbeforebeeninserted，hisoldmotherOlympiamightlikewisehavethehonourofbeingadded。
　　Amidsttherespectfuladmirationofhisfollowersanddisciples，amidsttheuniversalapplauseofthepublic，aftertheoracle，whichprobablyhadfollowedthevoiceofthatapplause，hadpronouncedhimthewisestofmen，thegreatwisdomofSocrates，thoughitdidnotsufferhimtofancyhimselfaGod，yetwasnotgreatenoughtohinderhimfromfancyingthathehadsecretandfrequentintimationsfromsomeinvisibleanddivineBeing。ThesoundheadofCaesarwasnotsoperfectlysoundastohinderhimfrombeingmuchpleasedwithhisdivinegenealogyfromthegoddessVenus；and，beforethetempleofthispretendedgreat-grandmother，toreceive，withoutrisingfromhisseat，theRomanSenate，whenthatillustriousbodycametopresenthimwithsomedecreesconferringuponhimthemostextravaganthonours。
　　Thisinsolence，joinedtosomeotheractsofanalmostchildishvanity，littletobeexpectedfromanunderstandingatoncesoveryacuteandcomprehensive，seems，byexasperatingthepublicjealousy，tohaveemboldenedhisassassins，andtohavehastenedtheexecutionoftheirconspiracy。ThereligionandmannersofmoderntimesgiveourgreatmenlittleencouragementtofancythemselveseitherGodsorevenProphets。Success，however，joinedtogreatpopularfavour，hasoftensofarturnedtheheadsofthegreatestofthem，astomakethemascribetothemselvesbothanimportanceandanabilitymuchbeyondwhattheyreallypossessed；
　　and，bythispresumption，toprecipitatethemselvesintomanyrashandsometimesruinousadventures。ItisacharacteristicalmostpeculiartothegreatDukeofMarlborough，thattenyearsofsuchuninterruptedandsuchsplendidsuccessasscarceanyothergeneralcouldboastof，neverbetrayedhimintoasinglerashaction，scarceintoasinglerashwordorexpression。Thesametemperatecoolnessandself-commandcannot，Ithink，beascribedtoanyothergreatwarrioroflatertimes；nottoPrinceEugene，nottothelateKingofPrussia，nottothegreatPrinceofConde，noteventoGustavusAdolphus。Turrenneseemstohaveapproachedthenearesttoit；butseveraldifferenttransactionsofhislifesufficientlydemonstratethatitwasinhimbynomeanssoperfectasinthegreatDukeofMarlborough。
　　Inthehumbleprojectofprivatelife，aswellasintheambitiousandproudpursuitofhighstations，greatabilitiesandsuccessfulenterprise，inthebeginning，havefrequentlyencouragedtoundertakingswhichnecessarilyledtobankruptcyandruinintheend。
　　Theesteemandadmirationwhicheveryimpartialspectatorconceivesfortherealmeritofthosespirited，magnanimous，andhigh-mindedpersons，asitisajustandwell-foundedsentiment，soitisasteadyandpermanentone，andaltogetherindependentoftheirgoodorbadfortune。Itisotherwisewiththatadmirationwhichheisapttoconceivefortheirexcessiveself-estimationandpresumption。Whiletheyaresuccessful，indeed，heisoftenperfectlyconqueredandoverbornebythem。
　　Successcoversfromhiseyes，notonlythegreatimprudence，butfrequentlythegreatinjusticeoftheirenterprises；and，farfromblamingthisdefectivepartoftheircharacter，heoftenviewsitwiththemostenthusiasticadmiration。Whentheyareunfortunate，however，thingschangetheircoloursandtheirnames。Whatwasbeforeheroicmagnanimity，resumesitsproperappellationofextravagantrashnessandfolly；andtheblacknessofthatavidityandinjustice，whichwasbeforehidunderthesplendourofprosperity，comesfullintoview，andblotsthewholelustreoftheirenterprise。HadCaesar，insteadofgaining，lostthebattleofPharsalia，hischaracterwould，atthishour，haverankedalittleabovethatofCatiline，andtheweakestmanwouldhaveviewedhisenterpriseagainstthelawsofhiscountryinblackercolours，than，perhaps，evenCato，withalltheanimosityofaparty-man，evervieweditatthetime。Hisrealmerit，thejustnessofhistaste，thesimplicityandeleganceofhiswritings，theproprietyofhiseloquence，hisskillinwar，hisresourcesindistress，hiscoolandsedatejudgmentindanger，hisfaithfulattachmenttohisfriends，hisunexampledgenerositytohisenemies，wouldallhavebeenacknowledged；astherealmeritofCatiline，whohadmanygreatqualities，isacknowledgedatthisday。Buttheinsolenceandinjusticeofhisall-graspingambitionwouldhavedarkenedandextinguishedthegloryofallthatrealmerit。Fortunehasinthis，aswellasinsomeotherrespectsalreadymentioned，greatinfluenceoverthemoralsentimentsofmankind，and，accordingassheiseitherfavourableoradverse，canrenderthesamecharactertheobject，eitherofgeneralloveandadmiration，orofuniversalhatredandcontempt。Thisgreatdisorderinourmoralsentimentsisbynomeans，however，withoutitsutility；andwemayonthis，aswellasonmanyotheroccasions，admirethewisdomofGodevenintheweaknessandfollyofman。Ouradmirationofsuccessisfoundeduponthesameprinciplewithourrespectforwealthandgreatness，andisequallynecessaryforestablishingthedistinctionofranksandtheorderofsociety。Bythisadmirationofsuccesswearetaughttosubmitmoreeasilytothosesuperiors，whomthecourseofhumanaffairsmayassigntous；toregardwithreverence，andsometimesevenwithasortofrespectfulaffection，thatfortunateviolencewhichwearenolongercapableofresisting；notonlytheviolenceofsuchsplendidcharactersasthoseofaCaesaroranAlexander，butoftenthatofthemostbrutalandsavagebarbarians，ofanAttila，aGengis，oraTamerlane。Toallsuchmightyconquerorsthegreatmobofmankindarenaturallydisposedtolookupwithawondering，though，nodoubt，withaveryweakandfoolishadmiration。Bythisadmiration，however，theyaretaughttoacquiescewithlessreluctanceunderthatgovernmentwhichanirresistibleforceimposesuponthem，andfromwhichnoreluctancecoulddeliverthem。
　　Thoughinprosperity，however，themanofexcessiveself-estimationmaysometimesappeartohavesomeadvantageoverthemanofcorrectandmodestvirtue；thoughtheapplauseofthemultitude，andofthosewhoseethembothonlyatadistance，isoftenmuchlouderinfavouroftheonethaniteverisinfavouroftheother；yet，allthingsfairlycomputed，therealbalanceofadvantageis，perhapsinallcases，greatlyinfavourofthelatterandagainsttheformer。Themanwhoneitherascribestohimself，norwishesthatotherpeopleshouldascribetohim，anyothermeritbesidesthatwhichreallybelongstohim，fearsnohumiliation，dreadsnodetection；butrestscontentedandsecureuponthegenuinetruthandsolidityofhisowncharacter。Hisadmirersmayneitherbeverynumerousnorveryloudintheirapplauses；butthewisestmanwhoseeshimthenearestandwhoknowshimthebest，admireshimthemost。Toarealwisemanthejudiciousandwell-weighedapprobationofasinglewiseman，givesmoreheartfeltsatisfactionthanallthenoisyapplausesoftenthousandignorantthoughenthusiasticadmirers。HemaysaywithParmenides，who，uponreadingaphilosophicaldiscoursebeforeapublicassemblyatAthens，andobserving，that，exceptPlato，thewholecompanyhadlefthim，continued，notwithstanding，toreadon，andsaidthatPlatoalonewasaudiencesufficientforhim。
　　Itisotherwisewiththemanofexcessiveself-estimation。
　　Thewisemenwhoseehimthenearest，admirehimtheleast。
　　Amidsttheintoxicationofprosperity，theirsoberandjustesteemfallssofarshortoftheextravaganceofhisownself-admiration，thatheregardsitasmeremalignityandenvy。
　　Hesuspectshisbestfriends。Theircompanybecomesoffensivetohim。Hedrivesthemfromhispresence，andoftenrewardstheirservices，notonlywithingratitude，butwithcrueltyandinjustice。Heabandonshisconfidencetoflatterersandtraitors，whopretendtoidolizehisvanityandpresumption；andthatcharacterwhichinthebeginning，thoughinsomerespectsdefective，was，uponthewhole，bothamiableandrespectable，becomescontemptibleandodiousintheend。Amidsttheintoxicationofprosperity，AlexanderkilledClytus，forhavingpreferredtheexploitsofhisfatherPhiliptohisown；putCalisthenestodeathintorture，forhavingrefusedtoadorehiminthePersianmanner；andmurderedthegreatfriendofhisfather，thevenerableParmenio，afterhaving，uponthemostgroundlesssuspicions，sentfirsttothetortureandafterwardstothescaffoldtheonlyremainingsonofthatoldman，theresthavingallbeforediedinhisownservice。ThiswasthatParmenioofwhomPhilipusedtosay，thattheAthenianswereveryfortunatewhocouldfindtengeneralseveryyear，whilehehimself，inthewholecourseofhislife，couldneverfindonebutParmenio。ItwasuponthevigilanceandattentionofthisParmeniothathereposedatalltimeswithconfidenceandsecurity，and，inhishoursofmirthandjollity，usedtosay，Letusdrink，myfriends，wemaydoitwithsafety，forParmenioneverdrinks。ItwasthissameParmenio，withwhosepresenceandcounsel，ithadbeensaid，Alexanderhadgainedallhisvictories；andwithoutwhosepresenceandcounsel，hehadnevergainedasinglevictory。Thehumble，admiring，andflatteringfriends，whomAlexanderleftinpowerandauthoritybehindhim，dividedhisempireamongthemselves，andafterhavingthusrobbedhisfamilyandkindredoftheirinheritance，put，oneafteranother，everysinglesurvivingindividualofthem，whethermaleorfemale，todeath。