“Why should we place Christ at the top and summit of the human race? Was he kinder, more forgiving, more self-sacrificing than
Buddha? Was he wiser, did he meet death with more perfect calmness, than
Socrates? Was he more patient, more charitable, than
Epictetus? Was he a greater philosopher, a deeper thinker, than
Epicurus? In what respect was he the superior of
Zoroaster? Was he gentler than
Lao-tsze, more universal than
Confucius? Were his ideas of human rights and duties superior to those of
Zeno? Did he express grander truths than
Cicero? Was his mind subtler than
Spinoza’s? Was his brain equal to
Kepler’s or
Newton’s? Was he grander in death – a sublimer martyr than
Bruno? Was he in intelligence, in the force and beauty of expression, in breadth and scope of thought, in wealth of illustration, in aptness of comparison, in knowledge of the human brain and heart, of all passions, hopes and fears, the equal of
Shakespeare, the greatest of the human race?”