s; the vigor, good looks, and fine
complexion which they acquired and perpetuated in their families by
these means,--all this may be observed still in our aristocratic class.
The chivalry of the Barbarians, with its characteristics of high spirit,
choice manners, and distinguished bearing,--what is this but the
attractive commencement of the politeness of our aristocratic class? In
some Barbarian noble, no doubt, one would have admired, if one could
have been then alive to see it, the rudiments of our politest peer.
Only, all this culture (to call it by that name) of the Barbarians was
an exterior culture mainly. It consisted principally in outward gifts
and graces, in looks, manners, accomplishments, prowess. The chief
inward gifts which had part in it were the most exterior, so to speak,
of inward gifts, those which come nearest to outward ones; they were
courage, a high spirit, self-confidence. Far within, and unawakened, lay
a whole range of powers of thought and feeling, to which these
interesting productions of nature had, from the circumstances of their
life, no access. Making allowances for the difference of the times,
surely we can observe precisely the same thing now in our aristocratic
class. In general its culture is exterior chiefly; all the exterior
graces and accomplishments, and the more external of the inward virtues,
seem to be principally its portion. It now, of course, cannot but be
often in contact with those studies by which, from the world of thought
and feeling, true culture teaches us to fetch sweetness and light; but
its hold upon these very studies appears remarkably external, and
unable to exert any deep power upon its spirit. Therefore the one
insufficiency which we noted in the perfect mean of this class was an
insufficiency of light. And owing to the same causes, does not a subtle
criticism lead us to make, even on the good looks and politeness of our
aristocratic class, and of even the most fascinating half of that class,
the feminine half, the one qualifying remark, that in these charming
gifts there should perhaps be, for ideal perfection, a shade
more _soul_?

I often, therefore, when I want to distinguish clearly the aristocratic
class from the Philistines proper, or middle class, name the former, in
my own mind, _The Barbarians_. And when I go through the country, and
see this and that beautiful and imposing seat of theirs crowning the
landscape, "There," I say to myself, "is a great