go with his party; a veteran journalist like
myself is more independent. So long as the journalist blames everybody,
he will have plenty of readers."

Kenelm made no reply, and Gordon changed the conversation from men
to measures. He spoke of some Bills before Parliament with remarkable
ability, evincing much knowledge of the subject, much critical
acuteness, illustrating their defects, and proving the danger of their
ultimate consequences.

Kenelm was greatly struck with the vigour of this cold, clear mind, and
owned to himself that the House of Commons was a fitting place for its
development.

"But," said Mivers, "would you not be obliged to defend these Bills if
you were member for Saxboro'?"

"Before I answer your question, answer me this: dangerous as the Bills
are, is it not necessary that they shall pass? Have not the public so
resolved?"

"There can be no doubt of that."

"Then the member for Saxboro' cannot be strong enough to go against the
public."

"Progress of the age!" said Kenelm, musingly. "Do you think the class of
gentlemen will long last in England?"

"What do you call gentlemen? The aristocracy by birth?--the
_gentilshommes_?"

"Nay, I suppose no laws can take away a man's ancestors, and a class of
well-born men is not to be exterminated. But a mere class of well-born
men--without duties, responsibilities, or sentiment of that which
becomes good birth in devotion to country or individual honour--does no
good to a nation. It is a misfortune which statesmen of democratic creed
ought to recognize, that the class of the well-born cannot be destroyed:
it must remain as it remained in Rome and remains in France, after all
efforts to extirpate it, as the most dangerous class of citizens when
you deprive it of the attributes which made it the most serviceable.
I am not speaking of that class; I speak of that unclassified order
peculiar to England, which, no doubt, forming itself originally from
the ideal standard of honour and truth supposed to be maintained by the
_gentilshommes_, or well-born, no longer requires pedigrees and acres to
confer upon its members the designation of gentleman; and when I hear
a 'gentleman' say that he has no option but to think one thing and say
another, at whatever risk to his country, I feel as if in the progress
of the age the class of gentleman was about to be superseded by some
finer development of species."

Therewith Kenelm rose, and would have taken his de