Greatness of Deed, Meanness and Vulgarity

Greatness of Deed.—Greatness of deed is the execution of the great things to which one is inclined by greatness of soul.

(a) The virtue is a general one, if it includes every kind of noble performance; it is a special one, if restricted to princely generosity in the expenditure of large sums for great works (virtue of magnificence or munificence). The munificent person spends large sums from his purse in behalf of the worship of God (e.g., in building churches, monasteries, etc.), and for the common good (e.g., in founding schools, in endowing educational institutions, hospitals, etc.). This virtue resembles fortitude by the grandeur of its accomplishment; it falls short of fortitude, since it deals not with sacrifice of self but with sacrifice of goods. The Maecenases and the generous patrons of religion are among the greatest benefactors of humanity, for without them the best things would often languish for want of support.

(b) The vices opposed to this virtue are meanness by deficiency and vulgarity by excess. The mean man is unable to do things on a great scale, and prefers to ruin a noble work rather than make the proper outlay (e.g., after planning a beautiful church, he will spoil it by using cheap materials). The vulgar man, on the contrary, is avid for ostentation, or heavy expenditure when there is no call for it. He is liberal to works of less importance (e.g., his own usual personal needs or comforts), but penurious with works of great importance (e.g., charitable causes); or he lavishes money needlessly on great works, as when his residence is over-ornamented and offensive to good taste, or when his wedding breakfast is served with profuse extravagance and waste in order to make a display of wealth. Per se, these sins are venial, but they may be mortal on account of circumstances. Munificence is the virtue of the rich, but even the poor may have the merit of this virtue, by a good intention, especially when they show liberality to great enterprises according to their means.

S. Th. II-II, q. 134-135.

921. Magnificence (grootdadigheid) is inadequately distinguished from magnanimity, as a species from a genus. Magnanimity tends to all great things to be done, in every genus, or to the great as virtuous; magnificence tends only to great things able to be made, namely, to great external works as such, for example, it is in splendid temples being built, or colleges, universities, hospitals, monasteries being erected, according to right reason, when the good of the Church or of the fatherland demands this (a. 2, ad 2 and 3). For this great expenses of money are necessary; hence it is a virtue moderating the love of money, lest the great expenses be impeded by which great external works ought to be done (q. 134, a. 3).

Hence 1) its matter is great expenses to be made for great external works, and the love of money to be moderated. Hence according to affection it can be in the poor, not according to effect;

2. its special object is a great work and great expenses proportioned to it: thus it tends to the arduous and therefore is in the irascible appetite; but it falls short of fortitude because the difficulty is lesser, namely, only on account of spending things, not on account of danger of life;

3. it differs from liberality: the latter is concerned with all operations and uses concerning monies; magnificence concerns expenses alone, that is, expenditures, and indeed great ones, for liberality is also concerned with moderate ones (q. 134, a. 1, ad 1; a. 3, ad 2; q. 135, a. 1, ad 3).

922. Two vices are opposed to magnificence:

a) Consumption (profusion), or excessive sumptuousness, when someone makes great expenses in things of little moment (which do not deserve them), more than the dignity of the work demands; and this indeed is irrational, especially if works very necessary for the honor of God and the good of the faithful (or of men) are neglected.

b) Parvificence (mesquinerie), which in great matters wills to make only small expenses, so that the works undertaken remain very unbecoming. This intends first small expenses, while magnificence first regards the great work and consequently the expenses.

Of themselves they are venial sins, unless they withdraw from a grave precept.

One vice St. Bonaventure names, locis adductis, which is called Parvificentia, inclining to defect; but the other, rising to excess, is still unnamed among the Latins, as Bl. Thomas also teaches, quaest. 135. art. 1. and 2., from Aristotle, 2. Eth. cap. 7. and lib. 4. cap. 2.

For since magnificence is concerned with great works and expenses, it ought to hold the mean, respecting the means of the spender and the dignity of the work. But if it blazes less than the dignity of the work requires, it is called Parvificentia; if, however, it exceeds, it is called Banausia, from the furnace, which consumes all, and it can be called Consumptio, as Bl. Thomas says, art. 2.

Note that the discourse here is about Magnificence as it is a virtue concerning the passions; it is not, in another and different way, also a virtue toward another, concerning actions.