baseness, n.Definitions

Baseness (n.) comes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠from self-interest in some people, but in some it is simply nature — and you may even like them for it.

Baseness (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠soul is more than error, more than stupidity itself: some values can only be believed by a heavy and base soul.

Baseness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠often the most arrogant thing in the world: governed by fortune, it grovels before those who can help or harm it and lords it over those who cannot.

Baseness (n.) at ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠its worst in a life can be a mere act of listening: creeping to the stairs at night to hear his father pacing below, waiting for a knock — the act he called "infamous" ever after.

Baseness (n.) defeats ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the mediocre man too: ready for a base action, he finds at the moment he is too honest for any great baseness — though always ready for petty meanness.

Baseness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠inseparable from time, unlike the atemporal concept of error: stupidity and baseness are always those of our own time, our contemporaries.

Baseness (n.) at ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠its worst is chosen with the brake in hand: "I can stop it or carry it through, note that. Well, let me tell you, I shall carry it through."

Baseness (n.) sees ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠only a fetter in sovereign power, hates the ruler, obeys with hidden malice, and is ever on the edge of revolt — loving and hating wealth at once, and forgetting the rich as soon as the enjoyment is over.