Englishman desires; above all; to live largely; on that account he not only dreads; but hates and despises; poverty。 His virtues are those of the free…handed and warm…hearted opulent man; his weaknesses e of the sense of inferiority (intensely painful and humiliating) which attaches in his mind to one who cannot spend and give; his vices; for the most part; originate in loss of self…respect due to loss of secure position。
XXII
For a nation of this temper; the movement towards democracy is fraught with peculiar dangers。 Profoundly aristocratic in his sympathies; the Englishman has always seen in the patrician class not merely a social; but a moral; superiority; the man of blue blood was to him a living representative of those potencies and virtues which made his ideal of the worthy life。 Very significant is the cordial alliance from old time between nobles and people; free; proud homage on one side answering to gallant championship on the other; both classes working together in the cause of liberty。 However great the sacrifices of the mon folk for the maintenance of aristocratic power and splendour; they were gladly made; this was the Englishman's religion; his inborn pietas; in the depths of the dullest soul moved a perception of the ethic meaning attached to lordship。 Your Lord was the privileged being endowed by descent with generous instincts; and possessed of means to show them forth in act。 A poor noble was a contradiction in terms; if such a person existed; he could only be spoken of with wondering sadness; as though he were the victim of some freak of nature。 The Lord was Honourable; Right Honourable; his acts; his words virtually constituted the code of honour whereby the nation lived。
In a new world; beyond the ocean; there grew up a new r