Spanish-American thinker known for his pithy remarks

Who should we pick as our heroes and why? John Wayne? Cristiano Ronaldo? Nigel Farage? Do we need heroes?

Michael Coy introduces one of his favourites, George Santayana and celebrates 162nd birthday of the great man.

You have probably heard the phrase “Those who don’t understand history are doomed to repeat its mistakes”. It’s also possible that you don’t know who said it.

George Santayana was a famous witticismist in the early 20th century.

He said, “the poor people who perished in the last war will be the only ones to never experience another war”.

It’s not easy to pin down George Santayana. Santayana wasn’t entirely American, nor was he wholly Spanish.

He is not considered a poet nor a philosopher, despite having written two dozen important works of philosophy and poetry. We know absolutely nothing about his personal life.

Santayana was a Spanish born on the 16th of December 1862. Santayana’s mother had previously been married and promised her husband who had died young that, if she were to ever have children, she was going to make sure they received an education in America.

She was true to her word.

George moved with his family to Boston, Massachusetts when he was eight years old.

The boy quickly proved to be a super-bright student, as he breezed through his classes, finishing at the top.

He was quickly accepted to Harvard University where, among other things, he studied philosophy.

Very ‘at home’ in America, George nonetheless felt attached to his native Spain, and made a point of spending all his holidays in Madrid and Ávila. Harvard was so impressed by him that as soon as he graduated, he was offered a post as a professor – the pinnacle of American achievement – but until his dying day, he retained his Spanish passport.

Santayana wrote that a person who is truly cultured should never stop studying.

He took time to further his studies in Berlin and Cambridge, England, even though he is now a professor at one of the most prestigious universities on earth.

Santayana moved permanently to Rome in 1912 after giving up his professorship.

He was already 50 years old, but still had 40 years left to live. In the agreeable surroundings of the Eternal City, he spent his time writing books and thinking up “bon mots” – his trade mark clever sayings.

The idea of not belonging to any one country, occupation or social group would make most of us feel psychologically uncomfortable. George made it his superpower.

He published several books on American life. He was, after all, ideally placed – he knew America intimately, but being Spanish, he could also comment on the culture from arm’s length.

George is not isolated. He was much-loved by many of the great British and American thinkers of his day – Bertrand Russell, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound and TS Eliot were all close friends, to name just a few.

Santayana’s success was not limited to completing the novel he had been challenged to write by his friends. “The Last Puritan”, a novel by Santayana, became a bestseller.

George’s final days were a blur of ambiguity. In his will, he asked to not be buried on consecrated ground.

He was far too independent a thinker to have his corpse ‘claimed’ by one faith-group. There were only a few non-Catholic options available in Rome 70 year ago.

The Spanish Embassy became involved and a solution was found. He was buried at the private cemetery run by a religious order.

No big adventures, medals or tumultuous relationships. Are these the only qualities that define a true hero?

Surely there’s a place on our ‘trophy shelf’ for a keen, observant, understated intelligence which spots all our foibles, but which still smiles on us.

George Santayana was a genius.

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