Fear Quote by Peter Gay
““Cotton Mather lusted all his life for the presidency of Harvard, a post his father had held, and which the son affected to despise, especially after others were chosen; he was a prig and a meddler; an unscrupulous ideologue and a windy orator; a scribbler who praised simplicity in flowery circumlocutions, so anxious to see his production in print that it might be said of him, with little fear of exaggeration, that he would rather lose his soul than misplace a manuscript.””
About This Quote
Cotton Mather is portrayed as a self‑serving scholar, valuing reputation over integrity, willing to sacrifice soul for manuscript prestige.
In simple terms: Mather prioritizes fame over conscience.
Key Takeaway
Ambition can eclipse morality.
Themes
ambition
hypocrisy
intellectual vanity
self‑interest
oral compromise
Mood
critical
cynical
reflective
Type
expository
character sketch
When to use this quote
- career advancement pressure
- publishing ethics debate
Key Concepts
academic politics
personal integrity
Practical Applications
- critical analysis of historical figures
- ethical guidelines for scholars
Questions to Reflect On
- When does scholarly ambition become unethical?
- How should institutions handle self‑promoting academics?
