The Russellville Democrat., 1883-01-25
The ArIstocrncy of Culture.


 We sec grave reason for apprehend- ing that the new aristocracy of culture which is growing up among us, and is asserting it's right to position with % much energy and success that t haif appalls and half attracts the aristocracy of birth and wealth, will not for long time to come be very liberal in senti- ment, whether in the party sense or in that larger sense which the word origi- nally bore. It is getting very separate from tho mass. to begin with. Hoth- ing is less applicable or moro certain than that the rapid spread of poor kind of education has perceptibly deep ened the chasm between the cultivated and uncultivated. and inclined the for mer to insist little more upon their intellectual rank. to recoil little moro from opinions held commonly or by great masses of men. Not onlyare the cultivated less moved by general opin- ion, but they dislike it more, and arc more inclined to s'analyze' those who hold it, and to pronounce them very stupid, very dense, and eminently disa. grceable persons. We note that ten- dency distinctly in Mir. Matthew Ar mold, the drift being acccntuated in his case by his habitual and instinctive kindliness, while in his followers it be- comes definite note of thought Sepa- ration impairs liberality of feeling by impairing sympathy, for we never sym pathize keenly with those for whom we feel an excessive distance. The warm est advocate of justice to animals finds himself overtayed in his effort to feel I. f<~.. E1I ervh h1vY organized enough to writhe or to bleed like mammals; and the difficulty exists, in lesser degree, as between classes of men. It does not do for the mind to dwell strongly on the stupidity of the dim millions. Those who do SD end by ascribing their sufierings to that very stupidity--that is, to inherent. instead of removable causes.
 The tendency to physical refinement, again, or 9stheticism, sss marked among the cultivated of to-day as to have become almost new cult, deepens the chasm. by introducing sense of disgust for dirt, dreariness, and soualor. which. when indulged, speedily develops into contempt. It is difficult, though not impossible, for Nor ris's disciples to feel for the "un- washed,n who do not know what a brutality of color" can mean. While the democratic movement has undoubt- edly produced as much recoil among the cultivated as among the rich, the former are not afraid for their. intel lectual treasures. which no demagogue, however powerful. can take away from them; but they are afraid for their in- 1uence, which, great in society, is. they see very weak among the vast almost cosmic, semi bland political forces now in motion. It is very disagreeable to a man who knows. say, much of all branches of Egyptology, ancient and modern, to see that tue fate of Egypt will be settled by millions of voters who. but that Egypt is ia Bible coun- try" would not know where Egypt was. and even when they know that. fancy the minute delta 2 broad, grand land, as important as France. He does not love the voters more for their new power. but less. and is in clined to repudiate their demands, which, being instinctive, are often right, because of the limits of their knowledge. The tendency of cultivated Americans to sheer at philanthropy as huge ism" is very noticeable, anai is repeating itself both here and upon the continent. Philanthropists are liberals by instinct, for they detest the past. with it's history of wrong and suf- ferng; and we should say that, while impatience of visible cruelty increases, true philanthropy does ncL--Londoas Spectator.