“Genius” (which means transcendent capacity of taking trouble, first of all).

Carlyle’s parenthetical definition pushes back against romantic notions of genius as effortless inspiration. By glossing “genius” as a “transcendent capacity of taking trouble,” he reframes exceptional achievement as the ability to sustain arduous, disciplined effort—especially the willingness to endure difficulty, repetition, and failure longer than others. The phrase also reflects Carlyle’s broader moral emphasis on work, duty, and earnestness: greatness is not merely a gift but a character trait expressed through labor. In this view, talent may begin the task, but “taking trouble” (patient, persistent exertion) is what converts ability into lasting accomplishment.