Shall we then judge a country by the majority, or by the minority? By the minority, surely. 'Tis pedantry to estimate nations by the census, or by square miles of land, or other than by their importance to the mind of the time.

Summary

This quote suggests that when evaluating a country, one should prioritize the perspective and actions of the minority over the majority. Census data and land size should not be the sole measures of a nation's worth. Instead, the true significance of a country lies in its impact on the prevailing ideas and consciousness of the era. It highlights the importance of considering intellectual and cultural contributions rather than pure numerical or physical factors when assessing the value and influence of a nation.

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