The Collected Writing of Thomas De Quincey, Vol. IIDe Quincey, Thomas
History
The Collected Writing of Thomas De Quincey, Vol. II
De Quincey, Thomas
De Quincey, Thomas, 1785-1859; English literature -- 19th century
that Gentlemen Commoners spend more by a third, or a half, than any
equal number of Commoners, taken without selection. And the reason is
obvious: those who become Gentlemen Commoners are usually determined
to that course by the accident of having very large funds; they are
eldest sons, or only sons, or men already in possession of estates, or
else (which is as common a case as all the rest put together) they are
the heirs of newly-acquired wealth--sons of the _nouveaux riches_--a
class which often requires a generation or two to rub off the insolence
of a too conscious superiority. I have called them an "aristocratic"
class; but, in strictness, they are not such; they form a privileged
class, indeed, but their privileges are few and trifling, not to add
that these very privileges are connected with one or two burdens, more
than outweighing them in the estimate of many; and, upon the whole, the
chief distinction they enjoy is that of advertising themselves to the
public as men of great wealth, or great expectations, and, therefore,
as subjects peculiarly adapted to fraudulent attempts. Accordingly, it
is not found that the sons of the nobility are much inclined to enter
this order: these, if they happen to be the eldest sons of earls,
or of any peers above the rank of viscount, so as to enjoy a title
themselves by the courtesy of England, have special privileges in both
Universities as to length of residence, degrees, &c.; and their rank
is ascertained by a special dress. These privileges it is not usual to
forgo; though sometimes that happens, as, in my time, in the instance
of Lord George Grenville (now Lord Nugent); he neither entered at the
aristocratic college (Christ Church), nor wore the dress of a nobleman.
Generally, however, an elder son appears in his true character of
nobleman; but the younger sons rarely enter the class of Gentlemen
Commoners. They enter either as "Commoners," or under some of those
various designations ("_scholars_," "_demies_," "_students_," "_junior
fellows_") which imply that they stand upon the foundation of the
college to which they belong, and are aspirants for academic emoluments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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