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To Excel in what is Excellent. A great rarity among
excellences. You cannot have a great man without something
pre-eminent. Mediocrities never win applause. Eminence in some
distinguished post distinguishes one from the vulgar mob and ranks us
with the elect. To be distinguished in a Small post is to be great in
little: the more comfort, the less glory. The highest eminence in
great affairs has the royal characteristic of exciting admiration and
winning goodwill. - Gracian
A Brief Note About Gracian
Balthasar Gracian was born on 8th January 1601 N.S. at Belmonte, a suburb of
Calatayud, properly called Kalat Ayoub, in the kingdom of Aragon.
"He was brought up in the house of his uncle, the licentiate Antonio
Gracian, at Toledo, from which we may gather that both his father and his mother, a Morales, died in his early youth. He joined the Company of Jesus in
1619." We do not know much about his life, "except that he was a Jesuit, and engaged in teaching what passes with the Order for philosophy and sacred literature, and became ultimately Rector of the Jesuit College at Tarragona.
Of his works only seven are now available. "Nearly all these works of Gracian were translated into most of the cultured languages of Europe, English not excepted. Part of this ecumenical fame was doubtless due to the fact that Gracian was a Jesuit, and brethren of his Order translated the works of one of whom the Order was justly proud."
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