Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-07
German Aristecracy.

Those who have devoted any time to
studying the social distinctions of Germany
will recognize much that is true in the fol-
lowing from the London Saturday Reriec
of Oct. 18th
The German aristocracy is the only aris-
tocracy of its kind in Europe. Other arts
tocracies have great political and social
influence, and govern their countrymen, and
teach them the fashions. In other countries
there is love of titles and of high-sounding
names. Of crosses and decorations, of proceed
ence and Of patronage. But there are points
in the German nobility that are not found in
even the most aristocratic of other countries.
In the first place, the nobility is opposed
politically to the people, to all populous
aspirations, to budgets, constitutions and all
other such contrivances of revolutionary
demons and the mobiles are still politically
supreme. There is much kicking against
the pricks in some parts Of Northern Ger
many the lower part of the nation is much
inclined to throw off the yoke if it only knew
how, but at this moment the nobility still
rules. There, and there only in Europe, a
reactionary nobility is in possession of the
reigns Of Government
In Spain the grandees are very awful and
big grandees, but they either reside on their
estates and sulk, or they take part, and not
a very prominent one, in politics. In France
the old noblese have no political power
whatever, and the old social superiority is
gradually fading away. In Italy the aris-
tocracy is everywhere so far at the head Of
the national movement that aristocrats who
stand aloof from il are simply left out in
the cold. Even in Austria, the nobility as
whole, take its tone principally from the
great magnates of Hungary and Bohemia,
who have the feelings of provincial gran
does, and not those of aliens from the mass
Of the people. In North Germany alone, the
political life Of the nation is determined by
the existence of nobility that has no SYM
pathy with its interiors, and is thoroughly
convinced that il is its inherent, indisputahle
privilege to lead the vulgarly born as if they
were sheep.
Socially, too, the aristocracy hangs round
the neck of Germany like an old man of the
sea. Germans are literally throttled by
their nobility. They cannot speak or think
or move without showing that they feel the
difference between them and not being a
Won. They are SO accustomed from their
cradle to the notions of a superior caste
which has sacred rights over them, that
they cannot through their whole lives
tiiltlltllIdlt liltuibtlfto liit DOnudRC W
which they are thus subjected. Nor does
royalty do much to help them. Every now
and then there is a Sovereign who does not
merge himself in the aristocracy. The
House of Coburg has made itself conspicu-
Gus by its desire TO seek in its popular SYM
pathies a support against the claims of the
petty aristocrats Of its provinces.
The late King of Prussia has a vague no.
4tn, &c haros-ft,cr fnfalIaof raf1ch hi ~
and Of setting the notabilities of literature
and science against the nobilities of noble
society. His poor, wandering head was full of
Egyptian antiquities and Roman topography
and Jerusalem bishoprics, and of a vast
amount of literary and ecclesiastical moon
shine; and he naturally was pleased TO
think that people who were somewhat like
him were as good as his marshals and his
chamberlains. But all the opposition of
German royalty to the German aristocracy
has hitherto been transient and ineffective.
The Kings and the mobiles feel alike, think
alike, believe alike, and it would be difficult
for either to get on without the other; and
the aristocracy keeps its hold on Germany
simply because il is a taste. Ii has no vir-
tues to attract, no splendid qualities to daz-
zle, no elegance or refinement or courtesy TO
charm its Interiors II does nothing except
puff itself, and swagger and curse, and treat
the vulgar like dogs 1t is not only by far
the most powerful, it is also by far the least
gallant, the least intelligent, the least digni-
iled, the least well-bred aristocracy in Eu-
rope. But its dement's give it its strength.
IL il were better than it is, it would hate its
present self, il would feel more deeply, think
more deeply, behave more courteously. But,
because il is gross, il is compact. 1t coheres
as caste, which could not be caste if it
did not cohere; and the great mass of Ger
mans accept because the inveterate force Of
habit has persuaded them that such caste
must exist