Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century; Social problems
Aristocracy and Priesthood, a Governing Class and a Teaching
Class: these two, sometimes separate, and endeavouring to
harmonise themselves, sometimes conjoined as one, and the King a
Pontiff-King:--there did no Society exist without these two vital
elements, there will none exist. It lies in the very nature of
man: you will visit no remotest village in the most republican
country of the world, where virtually or actually you do not find
these two powers at work. Man, little as he may suppose it, is
necessitated to obey superiors. He is a social being in virtue
of this necessity; nay he could not be gregarious otherwise. He
obeys those whom he esteems better than himself, wiser, braver;
and will forever obey such; and even be ready and delighted to
do it.
The Wiser, Braver: these, a Virtual Aristocracy everywhere and
everywhen, do in all Societies that reach any articulate shape,
develop themselves into a ruling class, an Actual Aristocracy,
with settled modes of operating, what are called laws and even
_private-laws_ or privileges, and so forth; very notable to look
upon in this world.--Aristocracy and Priesthood, we say, are
sometimes united. For indeed the Wiser and the Braver are
properly but one class; no wise man but needed first of all to
be a brave man, or he never had been wise. The noble Priest was
always a noble Aristos to begin with, and something more to end
with. Your Luther, your Knox, your Anselm, Becket, Abbot Samson,
Samuel Johnson, if they had not been brave enough, by what
possibility could they ever have been wise?--If, from accident or
forethought, this your Actual Aristocracy have got discriminated
into Two Classes, there can be no doubt but the Priest Class is
the more dignified; supreme over the other, as governing head is
over active hand. And yet in practice again, it is likeliest the
reverse will be found arranged;--a sign that the arrangement is
already vitiated; that a split is introduced into it, which will
widen and widen till the whole be rent asunder.
In England, in Europe generally, we may say that these two
Virtualities have unfolded themselves into Actualities, in by far
the noblest and richest manner any region of the world ever saw.
A spiritual Guideship, a practical Governorship, fruit of the
grand conscious endeavours, say rather of the immeasurable
unconscious instincts and necessities of men, have established
themselves; very strange to behold. Everywhere, while so much
has been forgotten, you find the King's Palace, and the
Viceking's Castle, Mansion, Manorhouse; till there is not an
inch of ground from sea to sea but has both its King and
Viceking, long due series of Viceking, its Squire, Earl, Duke or
whatever the title of him,--to whom you have given the land that
he may govern you in it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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