Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-09-18
European ArfstocracV

European ArfstocracV - .Ts
In speaking of the Aristocracy it is onlv ,r;.L a,
white man of Europe and America that we have to %
and In examing the histories of the nations of the f
continent, shall find that almost every form of II bo
been tried at some epoch other. In Rome we have
the nrst lu exemplcatOn of the Gristocracy of brtb
in the parcans who divided the authority Of the State
with the pebans or common people, and who gradually
absorbed the whole OF It, and subvered the liberties Of
the nation Out OF the ruins of the Roman Empire and
the military genius of the Celtic and Teutonic hord
that overwhelmed it, the feuda system which Gro
ated aristocracy Of combining that of birth
with the holding of land condition of rendering cer
tain services to the superior or paramount lord
From this sprung the brilliant chivalry of the Middle
Ages which was then the only recognized Aristocracy
But commerce extended ITSELF and the discoveries of
Columbus and Vasco De Cana opened up new fields of
enterprise new ArlstOcracy took its rise-that of
ceath and commercial reputation. This had, in fact
already existed on smaller scale in Venice Genoa Pisa
and Florence which cities had monopozed the trade of
the Fast. We hear of merchant princes" men
whose aid sought by the greatest potentates whose
wealth Influenced then as it does now the diplomacy of
the age. The Rothschilds and Barings Girards and
ttes of the present day had their prototypes in the
Greshams, the COttOns, the Chds and Lambs of two
centuries and half ago This species of Aristocracy
to its height i'll the Netherlands in the seventeenth
century-and characterized by as much unfeeling
pride and eXcusyeneSs any that ever existed vet It
munfcent and fostered the arts and sciences the
nObest productions of the pencil brought forth bv
the patronage of the wealthy merchant princes of Italy
and Flanders many of the nObest institutions in Eng
land their origin to the beraty of her mercantile
arisocracy; and may say of this hind of aristocracy
that it has generally been favorable to civil and religious
liberty
The age of Louis XIV. witnessed another form of
aristocracy which cruel mockery and perversion
OF the name-that of Fashion, introduced into England
by the profgate Charles H. and copied in all the courts
of Europe. 1t necessary to profess certain
sentiments, to have common object, which prod
galty of vOluptuOusness combined with polished en-
terror of dress and manners Wit and repartee person.
al beauty and reckessness the chief passports to
the salons of Paris and London Madrid and Naples
Neither birth wealth absolutely indispensable,
although of they had their influence This
the age of the Rochesters and the Gramonts the
Montespans and Casemaines, when virtue was stand
ing joke and religion took refuge in the cottage having
been expelled from the Court.
European society is not yet entirely emancpated from
the effects of this heartess and dissoute SYSTEM which
eliminated in the first French Revolution. But it has
been very much exalted and homage is paid to religion
and virtue, externally at least if not sincerely Modern
arstocracy is compound of the ancient elements. In
Germany the chief consideration is the antiquity of the
family and the number of quarterngs its escutcheon
1t is the in Spain and TIA y. In France, arsto
cracy has received such severe shocks that it is hard to
say what it is or what it is not. OF the old families
few survive-the MOntmorencys, De Rohans, Mont
pensiers, and BourbOns of the ancient regime exist
no longer at best ony second in the Faubourg
ST. GerInain The families have literally and truly
risen from the ranks of the army and the bourgeOisie
when any of that depsed class has been successful
as speculator, " fuletoniste" OR lawyer.
The aristocracy of England presents similar mixture
save that there the ancient nobility has survived the
bloody wars of the rival houses of York and Lancaster
and the Great Rebellion, and the historical Of
Howard, Stanley, Clifford RUSSELL st. Maur, Caven-
dish &c. still to be met with and the equally noble
Irish and Scotch of Graham, Douglas, Campbell
OBrien, Fitzgerald and host of Others shine forth
with undn,inished ustre. Eminence in arms and law
has contributed and contributes daily to recruit the
ranks of the nobility of Great Britain but it must also
be observed that the possession of wealth and political
influence has done the same thing and some Of the lead
ing families their position to their ancestors being
egitmate scions of royalty Or favortes of weakmnd
ed monarchs and their mistresses-Phata. Press