The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-05-24
LITTLE BIG HEROES.
THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF
SOME GREAT PERSONAGES.
BY Far the Larger Part OF the Men
Who Have Ruled the World, Either
intellectually or With the sword.
Were Small of Stature.

were small OF stature.
One of the natural instincts of men is
that curiosity which all feel regarding
the personal appearance Of those per
sons who have stood mentally high above
their fellows. Whenever we read or hear
of Il great man. and especially when we
are familiar with his history, we uncon-
sciously form picture of his looks and
stature to which the contrast of the
actual man is often very disappointing.
Often we refuse to substitute the strange.
unSatiSfying reality for our own fond ere
alton. especially if the great man is found
to be 4 small one-the intellectual giant
physical dwarf. As Il rule we overes-
innate the height and bulk of our heroes
and endow them, if attractive, with Su-
perhuman beauty or, if hateful. with
ugly and repulsive looks. 1t was this
feeling which made the people at Var
mouth. England. when Nelson. delicate
in body and Insignificant in appearance.
was passing over the quay to take COM
mand of his first ship, cxclaim. why
make that little fellow captain?"
During Napoleon's first campaign in
Italy, in 1886. the Italians were greatly
surprised at his personal appearance.
| His short stature, his pale face. the Sick.
ly thinuess of his frail body. which seem
ed consumed by the fires of his genius.
but was in reality made Of muscles Of
steel. seized the Imagination of the pco-
pie 10y the contrast they presented to his
dazzling fcats of arms. 1t was a novel
and startling experience To find that di-
rect and penetrating glance, that abrupt,
| impcrious gesture, that lacouic speech and
percmptory and absolute tene-all which
bespoke the man born to command-as,o.
GATED with such Il dwartiSh ana attcnu-
atcd frame.
1t is a singular fact that while nothing
would seem to he easier than to ascertain
the exact size of great men yet it is real
| ly difficult ard often impossible to do SO.
How long did the grand monarch. "
Louis NV, pass for n large man. being
described as such by courticrs and histo.
rians. Yet the measurement of his skelc
ton some years after his death revealed
that lie was under the average size. Napo-
leon III, while on the throne, was Dc.
pictcd as majestic in figure We now
know that he was very short, little more
than five feet high.
Indeed, far the larger part of the mon
who have ruled the world either intcl!cc.
tually or with the sword have been men
Of small stature. ARISTOTLE the Gr"ck
philosopher who for 1000 years main.
tanned despotic sway over the world Of
thought, was slender man with spindle
shankS, small eyes and shrill stammcr.
ing speech. In the great council of Nice
consisting of 1000 delegates, the mos
potent spirit, who. after long and fierce
disputes carried the council with INN.
was AthanaSius, 4 man of very small
stature, "a dwarf rather than a man.
says Dean Stanley, hut of almost an.
gelic beauty of face and expression" In
his little body dwelt a mighty soul Com
blning suhtlety of thought and power OF
eloqucnce with rcSolutcneSS of will, intcn.
sity of conviction and intrepidity of spir-
it, he fought single handed and for half
century the great battle of orthodoxy
having no friend but God and death
and today the creed of Athanasius is sub
stantally the creed of Chris1cndom.
Gregory VII, the mighticSt and haugh-
test of the Roman pontiffs, who de-
throned sovereigns at his will, was a
dlminutivC man, and so were Canute the
| Great and the great Condo. Noltaire the
| literary autocrat of the eighteenth cen
fury and the most brilliant wit of the
ages, was one of the thinnest and most
spectral of human beings. Two of the
most potent spirits that directed the storm
of the French revolution. Robespierre and
! Marat. were far below the average stat
ure. The former, an incarnation of will
who by the sheer force of his intellect
sWaycd the multitude and the national
assembly at his pleasure, was hut five
4 feet two or three inches high, ana the lat
ter was less than five feet. Many of the
most eminent Frenchmen of the nine
teenth century-La Place, Poisson. Fou.
| rier, Theirs. Guzot-werc small. spare.
| spiritualized beings, who could distinctly
feel their own ribs.
Montaigne. the father of essayists: Dir.
Watts, the hymnist; the siclly Searrou.
who, in reference to his i'll health and in.
significant stature. called himself IAN
abridsment of human mserieS:" Alex.
ander Pope. who wore three pairs OF
stockings to plump out his legs to a de
cent SIZE and also wore stays; Campbell,
the author of "Iohenlndpn. "a pretty.
little, delicate, !adylikc. fnical gentle
Hia"' 8, "o''iaS l'' quincy 'he OPIUM
e" S... Mea' "l' uM'rI'SIl men.
gu" %lIo"' !nF greatest u RUSSIAN gen
o.IiS' '''''''rN tne treat i'aIla var
I'm I.'e ""uH'' lu II actor ana A''N'hu'r
one OF the three greatest men he had ever
| known. were slender and below the hi
| die height The brave General Marion
was in stature Of the smallest size, thin
as wen as low ana Ut Name. who sur.
! passed an ms afctlc companions IN bray