The democratic idea, by its theoretic equality amongst men, affords an almost complete relief from this impediment to intellectual conversation. The theory of equality is good, because it negatives the interference of rank and wealth in matters that appertain to the intellect or to the moral sense. It may even go one step farther with advantage, and ignore intellectual authority also. The perfection of the intellectual spirit is the entire forgetfulness of persons, in the application of the whole power of the mind to things, and phenomena, and ideas. Not to mind whether the speaker is of noble or humble birth, rich or poor; this indeed is much, but we ought to attain a like indifference to the authority of the most splendid reputation. "Every great advance in natural knowledge," says Professor Huxley, "has involved the absolute rejection of authority, the cherishing of the keenest scepticism, the annihilation of the spirit of blind faith; and the most ardent votary of science holds his firmest convictions, not because the men he most venerates hold them, not because their verity is testified by portents and wonders, but because his experience teaches him that whenever he chooses to bring these convictions into contact with their primary source, Nature--whenever he thinks fit to test them by appealing to experiment and to observation--Nature will confirm them." FOOTNOTES: [8] I think it right to inform the reader that there is no fiction in this letter. [9] The association between the two is this. If you believe that you are descended from a distinguished ancestor, you are simple enough to believe in his wife's fidelity. PART IX. _SOCIETY AND SOLITUDE._ LETTER I. TO A LADY WHO DOUBTED THE REALITY OF INTELLECTUAL FRIENDSHIPS. That intellectual friendships are in their nature temporary, when there is no basis of feeling to support them--Their freshness soon disappears--Danger of satiety--Temporary acquaintances--Succession in friendships--Free communication of intellectual results--Friendships between ripe and immature men--Rembrandt and Hoogstraten--Tradition transmitted through these friendships.