Grandiloquize

Il Riscatto dell’ Italia takes a high flight, and grandiloquizes on the past abjectness and present glory of Italy; whilst the Costituzione and the Costituzionale walk on earth, and advocate moderation in the exercise of a boon which has been granted by the loving Ferdinand to his “amatissimi sudditi.”

Jean Paul ingeniously explained that when we laugh at the stupidity of other people, it is only because we have imputed, or as he says “loaned,” to them our insight, and thus in them been able to perceive the contrast between a minimum and a maximum of such insight. His metaphysical grandiloquizing upon the terms sublime and ridiculous, infinitely little and infinitely great, is fruitless of true meaning, and that I suppose was the essence of its emotional value.

After listening to Adolf Hitler grandiloquizing about “spheres of influence,” Molotov silenced him by asking all at once: “What’s this about a new order in Europe? And in Asia? What role is the U.S.S.R. going to play? What about Bulgaria? Rumania? Turkey? How shall Russian interests be preserved in the Balkans?”

Being at the Buccellatis was always such a bore since the place seemed to attract egos stroking beards. There was always a false kind of energy, people hyped on liquor and self-glorification, swelled with self-importance, grandiloquizing around the table, stirring up discussions for the sake of hearing themselves sound impressive, each one essentially saying either nothing or else arguing the same point of view without being aware that he was agreeing with the other, because no one ever listened to anyone else anyway.

Burch stammers, “Er, well, you see, that is . . .” He grandiloquizes, “As per our discussion, be that as it may, we must prioritize, let’s have lunch.” He says, “Abba dee, abba dee, that’s all folks,” and pretends he has forgotten how to speak English.

The stress testing continues as couplet after couplet grandiloquizes on pre- and post-Trojan Rome (1–56), postponing the autographic pronouns and verbs that finally herald the poet’s statement of intent (57–70): moenia namque pio conor disponere uersu. ei mihi quod nostro est paruus in ore sonus! sed tamen exiguo quodcumque e pectore riui fluxerit, hoc patriae seruiet omne meae. […] For my task is to set out walls in pious verse. Ah, that the sound in my mouth is small! But nevertheless, whatever rivulet flows from my slender breast, all of it will serve my fatherland.

Every now and then, in the cowslip season, her ladyship used to be taken rural, and “babble of green fields.” She would sigh over the advertisements of the auctioneers, grandiloquizing the glories of Richmond Hill or the beauties of Shenley, till “the greenth and gloomth” of Horace Walpole were outdone.

Our next resting place bears the sounding name of the “Plinlimmon Hotel,” a small way-side hostel at Eisteddfa Gurrig, so grandiloquized; and hence, procuring a guide, the summit of the hoary mountain is generally ascended.