I mean a man whose hopes and aims may sometimes lie (as most men's sometimes do, I dare say) above the ordinary level, but to whom the ordinary level will be high enough after all if it should prove to be a way of usefulness and good service leading to no other. All generous spirits are ambitious, I suppose, but the ambition that calmly trusts itself to such a road, instead of spasmodically trying to fly over it, is of the kind I care for.

Summary

This quote highlights the idea that while it is natural for people to have aspirations and dreams that exceed the ordinary, it is equally important to find value and contentment in a life of ordinary significance. The author suggests that those with a generous spirit are inherently ambitious, but the ambitions that truly matter are those that accept and embrace the path of usefulness and service, rather than desperately seeking shortcuts or quick successes. It emphasizes the importance of finding fulfillment and purpose in the ordinary, rather than constantly striving for extraordinary achievements.

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