Produced by Chris Curnow, RichardW, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) ARISTOCRACY AND EVOLUTION By W. H. MALLOCK _BY SAME AUTHOR_ LABOUR AND THE POPULAR WELFARE TENTH THOUSAND _Crown 8vo. Cloth. Price 3s. 6d._ CLASSES AND MASSES SECOND THOUSAND _Crown 8vo. Cloth. Price 3s. 6d._ ARISTOCRACY & EVOLUTION A STUDY OF THE RIGHTS, THE ORIGIN, AND THE SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE WEALTHIER CLASSES BY W. H. MALLOCK AUTHOR OF ‘IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?’ ‘A HUMAN DOCUMENT,’ ‘LABOUR AND THE POPULAR WELFARE,’ ETC. Toute civilisation est l’œuvre des aristocrates. RENAN. ’Tis thus the spirit of a single mind Makes that of multitudes take one direction, As roll the waters to the breathing wind, Or roams the herd beneath the bull’s protection, Or as a little dog will lead the blind, Or a bell-wether form the flock’s connection By tinkling sounds, when they go forth to victual, Such is the sway of your great men o’er little.    ·   ·   ·   ·   ·   · There was not now a luggage-boy but sought Danger and spoil with ardour much increased; And why? Because a little—odd—old man, Stript to his shirt, was come to lead the van. BYRON. LONDON ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK 1898 PREFACE The word _aristocracy_ as used in the title of this volume has no exclusive, and indeed no special reference to a class distinguished by hereditary political privileges, by titles, or by heraldic pedigree. It here means the exceptionally gifted and efficient minority, no matter what the position in which its members may have been born, or what the sphere of social progress in which their exceptional efficiency shows itself. I have chosen the word _aristocracy_ in preference to the word _oligarchy_ because it means not only the rule of the few, but of the best or the most efficient of the few.