So far, at least, as it relates to matters of social import, it is of social origin.

It reflects the outcome of all social heredity, tradition, education.

The sense of social truth is their criterion of social thoughts, and unless the social reformer's thought be in some way fit to go into the setting thus made by earlier social development, he is not a genius but a crank.
I may best show the meaning of the claim that society makes upon the genius by asking in how far in actual life he manages to escape this account of himself to society.

The facts are very plain, and this is the class of facts which some writers urge, as supplying an adequate rule for the application of the principles of their social philosophy.
The simple fact is, say they, that without the consent of society the thoughts of your hero, whether he be genius or fool, are practically valueless.

The fulness of time must come; and the genius before his time, if judged by his works, can not be a genius at all.