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left behind； to do the governing of the world。 Let them live； and
keep what they had。 If signs of vigour still appeared in France； in
the wars of Louis XIV。 they were feverish； factitious； temporary
soon； as the event proved； to droop into the general exhaustion。 If
wars were still to be waged they were to be wars of succession； wars
of diplomacy； not wars of principle； waged for the mightiest
invisible interests of man。 The exhaustion was general； and to it
we must attribute alike the changes and the conservatism of the
Ancien Regime。 To it is owing that growth of a centralising
despotism； and of arbitrary regal power； which M。 de Tocqueville has
set forth in a book which I shall have occasion often to quote。 To
it is owing； too； that longing； which seems to us childish； after
ancient forms； etiquettes； dignities； court costumes； formalities
diplomatic； legal； ecclesiastical。 Men clung to them as to
keepsakes of the pastrevered relics of more intelligible and
better…ordered times。 If the spirit had been beaten out of them in
a century of battle； that was all the more reason for keeping up the
letter。 They had had a meaning once； a life once； perhaps there was
a little life left in them still； perhaps the dry bones would clothe
themselves with flesh once more； and stand upon their feet。 At
least it was useful that the common people should so believe。 There
was good hope that the simple masses； seeing the old dignities and
formalities still parading the streets； should suppose that they
still contained men； and were not mere wooden figures； dressed
artistically in official costume。 And； on the whole； that hope was
not deceived。 More than a century of bitter experience was needed
ere the masses discovered that their ancient rulers were like the
suits of armour in the Tower of Londonempty iron astride of wooden
steeds； and armed with lances which every ploughboy could wrest out
of their hands； and use in his own behalf。
The mistake of the masses was pardonable。 For those suits of armour
had once held living men； strong； brave； wise； men of an admirable
temper； doing their work according to their light； not altogether
wellwhat man does that on earth？but well enough to make
themselves necessary to； and loyally followed by； the masses whom
they ruled。 No one can read fairly the 〃Gesta Dei per Francos in
Oriente；〃 or the deeds of the French Nobility in their wars with
England； or those taleshowever legendaryof the mediaeval
knights； which form so noble an element in German literature；
without seeing； that however black were these men's occasional
crimes； they were a truly noble race； the old Nobility of the
Continent； a race which ruled simply because； without them； there
would have been naught but anarchy and barbarism。 To their
chivalrous ideal they were too often； perhaps for the most part；
untrue： but； partial and defective as it is； it is an ideal such as
never entered into the mind of Celt or Gaul； Hun or Sclav； one which
seems continuous with the spread of the Teutonic conquerors。 They
ruled because they did practically raise the ideal of humanity in
the countries which they conquered； a whole stage higher。 They
ceased to rule when they were； through their own sins； caught up and
surpassed in the race of progress by the classes below them。
But； even when at its best； their system of government had in it
like all human inventionoriginal sin； an unnatural and unrighteous
element； which was certain； sooner or later； to produce decay and
ruin。 The old Nobility of Europe was not a mere aristocracy。 It
was a caste： a race not intermarrying with the races below it。 It
was not a mere aristocracy。 For that； for the supremacy of the best
men； all societies strive； or profess to strive。 And such a true
aristocracy may exist independent of caste； or the hereditary
principle at all。 We may conceive an Utopia； governed by an
aristocracy which should be really democratic； which should use；
under developed forms； that method which made the mediaeval
priesthood the one great democratic institution of old Christendom；
bringing to the surface and utilising the talents and virtues of all
classes； even to the lowest。 We may conceive an aristocracy
choosing out； and gladly receiving into its own ranks as equals；
every youth； every maiden； who was distinguished by intellect；
virtue； valour； beauty； without respect to rank or birth； and
rejecting in turn； from its own ranks； each of its own children who
fell below some lofty standard； and showed by weakliness； dulness；
or baseness； incapacity for the post of guiding and elevating their
fellow…citizens。 Thus would arise a true aristocracy； a governing
body of the really most worthythe most highly organised in body
and in mindperpetually recruited from below： from which； or from
any other ideal； we are yet a few thousand years distant。
But the old Ancien Regime would have shuddered； did shudder； at such
a notion。 The supreme class was to keep itself pure； and avoid all
taint of darker blood； shutting its eyes to the fact that some of
its most famous heroes had been born of such left…handed marriages
as that of Robert of Normandy with the tanner's daughter of Falaise。
〃Some are so curious in this behalf；〃 says quaint old Burton；
writing about 1650； 〃as these old Romans； our modern Venetians；
Dutch； and French； that if two parties dearly love； the one noble；
the other ignoble； they may not； by their laws； match； though equal
otherwise in years； fortunes； education； and all good affection。 In
Germany； except they can prove their gentility by three descents；
they scorn to match with them。 A nobleman must marry a noblewoman；
a baron； a baron's daughter； a knight； a knight's。 As slaters sort
their slates； do they degrees and families。〃
And doubtless this theorylike all which have held their ground for
many centuriesat first represented a fact。 These castes were； at
first； actually superior to the peoples over whom they ruled。 I
cannot； as long as my eyes are open； yield to the modern theory of
the equalityindeed of the non…existenceof races。 Holding； as I
do； the primaeval unity of the human race； I see in that race the
same inclination to sport into fresh varieties； the same competition
of species between those varieties； which Mr。 Darwin has pointed out
among plants and mere animals。 A distinguished man arises； from him
a distinguished family； from it a distinguished tribe； stronger；
cunninger than those around。 It asserts its supremacy over its
neighbours at first exactly as a plant or animal would do； by
destroying； and； where possible； eating them； next； having grown
more prudent； by enslaving them； next； having gained a little
morality in addition to its prudence； by civilising them； raising
them more or less toward its own standard。 And thus； in every land；
civilisation and national life has arisen out of the patriarchal
state； and the Eastern scheik； with his wives； free and slave； and
his hundreds of fighting men born in his house； is the type of all
primaeval rulers。 He is the best man of his hordein every sense
of the word best； and whether he have a right to rule them or not；
they consider that he has； and are the better men for his guidance。
Whether this ought to have been the history of primaeval
civilisation； is a question not to be determined here。 That it is
the history thereof； is surely patent to anyone who will imagine to
himself what must have been。 In the first place； the strongest and
cunningest savage must have had the chance of producing children
more strong and cunning than the average； he would havethe
strongest savage has stillthe power of obtaining a wife； or wives；
superior in beauty and in household skill； which involves
superiority of intellect； and therefore his children wouldsome of
them at leastbe superior to the average； both from the father's
and the mother's capacities。 They again would marry select wives；
and their children again would do the same； till； in a very few
generations； a family would have established itself； considerably
superior to the rest of the tribe in body and mind； and become
assuredly its ruling race。
Again； if one of that race invented a new weapon； a new mode of
tillage； or aught else which gave him power； that would add to the
superiority of his whole family。 For the invention would be
jealously kept among them as a mystery； a hereditary secret。 To
this simple cause； surely； is to be referred the system of
hereditary caste occupations； whether in Egypt or Hindoostan。 To
this； too； the fact that alike in Greek and in Teutonic legend the
chief so often appears； not merely as the best warrior and best
minstrel； but as the best smith； armourer； and handicraftsman of his
tribe。 If； however； the inventor happened to be a low…born genius；
its advantages would still accrue to the ruling race。 F