Genius is talent set on fire by courage.

The line distinguishes raw ability (“talent”) from exceptional achievement (“genius”) by locating the difference in courage. “Set on fire” suggests activation and intensity: talent may remain latent, cautious, or conventional unless a person risks failure, criticism, or uncertainty. Courage here is not only bravery in danger but the willingness to commit, to persist, and to act decisively—qualities that convert potential into creative or intellectual breakthrough. The aphorism also carries an ethical undertone typical of Van Dyke’s milieu: greatness is not merely a gift but a choice, shaped by inner character. In that sense, it democratizes “genius” as something partly earned through boldness and resolve.