Through laws and taxes society exerts ever more pressures on people to conform, but anyone who withstands those pressures and strikes out on their own course is taken to the nation's heart. Take Martin van Butchell, an 18th century anatomist and truss-maker. To defend himself against rude molestation, he carried a large white bone, which was said to have been used as a weapon of war in the island of Otaheite. He also kept in his parlour the mummified body of his first wife, which he liked to show to visitors. But a real eccentric would never allow that to happen to him.
True eccentrics have no interest in drawing attention to themselves.
They go their own way, do their own thing, live in their own caves and paint their own ponies. The true British eccentric is alive and well, living in splendid solitude, disregarding all that goes on about him and chasing away visitors. Venture out into the countryside this summer and see them doing what they do best - being British.