From the book
Centuries of Meditations
Thomas Traherne · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordGenerous describes a noble or large-hearted disposition, not simply the giving of money.
- In TraherneThe generous heart can enjoy across distance and delight in the felicity of others.
- In this editionThe abstract heading gathers the attested adjective “generous.”
- A place to beginA great and generous heart is fitted to enjoy distant goods and other people’s felicity.
Meaning
Generous describes a noble or large-hearted disposition, not simply the giving of money. It can include magnanimity, breadth of concern, and a readiness to recognise another’s good intention.
Use in the book
The generous heart can enjoy across distance and delight in the felicity of others. Its amplitude answers the greatness of the world it receives. A later generous principle refuses to measure a benefactor solely by visible success: a sincerely intended benefit deserves gratitude even when something prevents its arrival. Applied to God, this distinguishes the goodness of the giver from the losses caused by corruption or refusal. Generosity is therefore also a quality of receiving and judging.
Places to read
In this edition
The abstract heading gathers the attested adjective “generous.” Its older breadth includes nobility of mind; reducing it to charitable expenditure would miss both passages’ emphasis.