Literary notes about underrate (AI summary)
In literary usage, the term "underrate" is employed to highlight the potential danger or folly of underestimating something of importance. For instance, in Macdonell’s exploration of Sanskrit literature, underrate is used to warn that one might not fully grasp the magnitude of a massive literary undertaking [1]. Aesop, conversely, employs it in a more personal moral context, suggesting that some men fail to appreciate their own best blessings [2]. Thomas Jefferson emphasizes its critical role in scholarly discourse, noting that undervaluing certain intellectual traditions would be a mistake in the pursuit of linguistic science [3]. Meanwhile, Edith Wharton uses it to assert an appreciation for the aesthetic aspects of life [4]. Nesta Helen Webster and Oscar Wilde further extend this idea into the realms of societal caution and personal reassessment, respectively, warning against the minimization of significant, albeit controversial, themes or individual potential [5][6]. Lastly, Emerson cautions against a systematic underrating of vital literary works, underscoring a recurrent literary concern with the dangers of underestimation [7].