That one man should be rich and another poor
is a necessity in the present imperfect state of civilisation;--but
that one man should be born to be a legislator, born to have
everything, born to be a tyrant,--and should think it all right, is
to me miraculous. But the greatest miracle of all is that they who
are not so born, who have been born to suffer the reverse side,--
should also think it to be all right.
With us it is necessary that a man, to shine in society, should
have done something, or should at any rate have the capacity of
doing something. But here the greatest fool that you meet will
shine, and will be admitted to be brilliant, simply because he has
possessions. Such a one will take his part in conversation though
he knows nothing, and, when inquired into, he will own that he
knows nothing. To know anything is not his line in life. But he can
move about, and chatter like a child of ten, and amuse himself from
morning to night with various empty playthings,--and be absolutely
proud of his life!
I have lately become acquainted with a certain young lord here of
this class who has treated me with great kindness, although I have
taken it into my head to oppose him as to a matter in which he is
much interested. I ventured to inquire of him as to the pursuits of
his life. He is a lord, and therefore a legislator, but he made no
scruple to tell me that he never goes near the Chamber in which it
is his privilege to have a seat.
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