Year: 1859




shameful degree. But change has been


wrought-not BY the arfstocracy, but by


the people They took the power out of


the hands Of this class, made the sentiments


and principles which they contemned popu-


lar, and elevated those who represented


them to power; and the political barriers


have been forever broken down.


/ have no idea that while human society


exists there will fail to exist an aristocratic


element, for SO long as human society exists


there will exist q popular ideal Of q chief


good, the achievement Of that good by a


fortunate few, aud the association of that


fortunate few, by natural affinity and cor


responding position. If this class exist.


other classes will exist receding, by grades


more or less distinctly defined, to the lowest


figure of the scale-all measnrably regula-


ted by this idea Of the chief good and the
degree OF its attainment; -measurabIy, /


say, for there are subordinate standards Of


respectability, as well as affinities of natur-


al temperament and business pursuit, that


come in as modifying influences. So say


that classes exist in society by law, as


immutable as any law. They always have


existed, and they always will-their char


acter determined by the character aud aims


Of the people. and their relations regulated


by the spirit of the people.


On this track of general statement I


proceed to the lesson of this article. The


more readily to arrive at this lesson, let rs


institute an experiment Let US bring to.


gether, to form a single social assembly,


representatives from each of the classes


that we know, and see how they will get
: along together Let us shut into a single
parlor Marquis, a savan, Cr@sus, far
mer, merchant, q tallow-chandler, black


smith, an Irish hod-carrier, a stage-driver,
a dancing-master, fop, fool, 4 6ddIer.


They come together for social enjoyment;


and the question as to how much of that


article they will be able to obtain is that


to which / ask an answer. All the proba-
bilities are against anything like enjoyment.
, There are no tastes accordant, no pursuits
common, no habits of thought at all SINH
} lar, no common ground Of communion. /
can imagine no other position in which any
} member of the company could be placed


where he would be more utterly miserable.


The hod-carrier would probably feel the


worst of thewhole number, and would wish


himself Thousand times on the topmost


round of seven-story ladder, while only


the fool would be the subject of envy.


We should have in an experiment like
this, the demonstration of the truth of one
Of our proverbs, that 'like plays best with
! like" There is not, and there can never


be, social enjoyment, without social SYM
pathy. In all healthfully organized social
d life there must be correspondence of posi-
e tion, of education, of moral sentiment, and
S of habits of thought and life--a correspon-
dence with limits of variation which every
class tacitly acknowledges This sympathy
, is born of facts and not of will. A man
! sees circle with which he has no associa-
tion; and, as he deems its entrance desir-


able, he accomplishes his desire, only to


find himself a discordant element and, con-
sequently, an unhappy one. In short, there


is class with which each man has more


sympathy than with any other class,---a


class in which he finds himself the happiest


and the most at home. Therefore he be-


longs in this class, socially; and he will go


above it, if there be anything above it,
v and below it, if there be anything below it,


only to make himself and those with whom


he associates uncomfortable.


f have frequently noticed the operation
: of this law in large circle Of women met
: to prosecute an object of benevoIence. as
in the sewing circles connected with the
, various religious organizations. They meet
for common object. They all have respect
f for each other, and a pleasant word for
? each other. There are no jealousies and
no rivalries They pass their afternoon
: and evening happily, and separate with
mutual good feeling; yet one who knows
: them oil sees the secret of their corcord, In
the way in which they associate Never,
unless directly opposing design, instituted
] for purpose, interfere, do they mingle in
3 discriminatory. The rooms where they meet,
and even the corner of the rooms, are so
: many nuclei of crystalization, around which
3 sympathetic social elements arrange them
selves for communion and happiness. They
: follow the general law inside of their or
ganzation jnst as naturally, as they do out
5 of it. Like talks best with like, laughs
S best with like; and it cannot help it,
D Therefore, let like come together with like
! everywhere, nor seek to prevent It, for so
l clal position, under the general law, eleyates
' no one and depresses no one. It is simply
= classification Of indivdualities, according
e to conditions and sympathes which exist
e independent Of class, and which would ex-
S list all the same were they not brought into
S association


have thus exhibited what believe to
Y be the rational basis of social classification
l, "a law as certain in its operation as the
Is law of chemical affinity, and one which be-
b. eye TO be founded 10 unmixed benevOIence.
lie / have done it for the purpose of exhibit
e ing the unreasonableness and the mischief
5, of jealously between classes aud especial
Z ly that entertained by classes nominally
a high. A man in the lower class may be AS
l. good as man in the higher He may, in
l. fact, be much better; but so long as he
e combines with others in making the chief
d earthly good to reside in wealth, rather
@ than wisdom, in gold rather than goodness.
d he must not complain if those who get
A. wealth get superior position, while wisdom
re and goodness are at discount. The spirit
Is and aim of nation inevitably 6x the basis
m of itsaristocracy This nation Is mad GoF
II gold, and those who get IL win Inevitably
~ ha fha aongyol and oonf.olltt... f.Ir,aa..t -.