quently, they are not able to value
them enough to consumingly envy them.

But, whenever an American (or other human being) is in the presence,
for the first time, of a combination of great Power and Conspicuousness
which he thoroughly understands and appreciates, his eager curiosity and
pleasure will be well-sodden with that other passion--envy--whether he
suspects it or not. At any time, on any day, in any part of America,
you can confer a happiness upon any passing stranger by calling his
attention to any other passing stranger and saying:

"Do you see that gentleman going along there? It is Mr. Rockefeller."

Watch his eye. It is a combination of power and conspicuousness which
the man understands.

When we understand rank, we always like to rub against it. When a man
is conspicuous, we always want to see him. Also, if he will pay us an
attention we will manage to remember it. Also, we will mention it now
and then, casually; sometimes to a friend, or if a friend is not handy,
we will make out with a stranger.

Well, then, what is rank, and what is conspicuousness? At once we
think of kings and aristocracies, and of world-wide celebrities in
soldierships, the arts, letters, etc., and we stop there. But that is a
mistake. Rank holds its court and receives its homage on every round of
the ladder, from the emperor down to the rat-catcher; and distinction,
also, exists on every round of the ladder, and commands its due of
deference and envy.

To worship rank and distinction is the dear and valued privilege of all
the human race, and it is freely and joyfully exercised in democracies
as well as in monarchies--and even, to some extent, among those
creatures whom we impertinently call the Lower Animals. For even they
have some poor little vanities and foibles, though in this matter they
are paupers as compared to us.

A Chinese Emperor has the worship of his four hundred millions of
subjects, but the rest of the world is indifferent to him. A Christian
Emperor has the worship of his subjects and of a large part of
the Christian world outside of his domains; but he is a matter of
indifference to all China. A king, class A, has an extensive worship; a
king, class B, has a less extensive worship; class C, class D, class
E get a steadily diminishing share of worship; class L (Sultan of
Zanzibar), class P (Sultan of Sulu), and class W (half-king of Samoa),
get no worship at all outside their own little patch of sovereign