Illustrious examples engross, prejudice, and intimidate. They engross our attention, and so prevent a due inspection of ourselves; they prejudice our judgment in favor of their abilities, and so lessen the sense of our own; and they intimidate us with the

Summary

fear of not living up to their achievements. This quote suggests that when we focus too much on illustrious examples, we become absorbed by them, losing our ability to deeply reflect on our own identities. It also implies that these examples can bias our judgment, making us believe that our own abilities are inferior in comparison. Lastly, it highlights how the fear of not achieving the same level of success as these examples can intimidate and discourage us from pursuing our own ambitions.

Topics