ocracy of
Talent be verily, in an approximate degree, vouchsafed us by and by:
an infallible sifting-process; to which, however, no soul can help his
neighbour, but each must, with devout prayer to Heaven, endeavour to
help himself. It is, O friends, that all of us, that many of us,
should acquire the true _eye_ for talent, which is dreadfully wanting
at present! The true eye for talent presupposes the true reverence for
it,--O Heavens, presupposes so many things!

'For example, you Bobus Higgins, Sausage-maker on the great scale, who
are raising such a clamour for this Aristocracy of Talent, what is it
that you do, in that big heart of yours, chiefly in very fact pay
reverence to? Is it to talent, intrinsic manly worth of any kind, you
unfortunate Bobus? The manliest man that you saw going in a ragged
coat, did you ever reverence him; did you so much as know that he was
a manly man at all, till his coat grew better? Talent! I understand
you to be able to worship the fame of talent, the power, cash,
celebrity or other success of talent; but the talent itself is a thing
you never saw with eyes. Nay what is it in yourself that you are
proudest of, that you take most pleasure in surveying meditatively in
thoughtful moments? Speak now, is it the bare Bobus stript of his very
name and shirt, and turned loose upon society, that you admire and
thank Heaven for; or Bobus with his cash-accounts and larders dropping
fatness, with his respectabilities, warm garnitures, and pony-chaise,
admirable in some measure to certain of the flunky species? Your own
degree of worth and talent, is it of _infinite_ value to you; or only
of finite,--measurable by the degree of currency, and conquest of
praise or pudding, it has brought you to? Bobus, you are in a vicious
circle, rounder than one of your own sausages; and will never vote for
or promote any talent, except what talent or sham-talent has already
_got_ itself voted for!'--We here cut short the _Indicator_; all
readers perceiving whither he now tends.

* * * * *

'More Wisdom' indeed: but where to find more Wisdom? We have already a
Collective Wisdom, after its kind,--though 'class-legislation,' and
another thing or two, affect it somewhat! On the whole, as they say,
Like people like priest; so we may say, Like people like king. The man
gets himself appointed and elected who is ablest--to be appointed and
elected. What can the incorruptiblest _Bobuses_