at the world's pace (and the movements of the vast body
of mankind must needs be slow), forgo this scheme as impracticable, on
account of opposition,--that as immature, because against the sense of
the majority,--are forced to calculate drawbacks and difficulties, as
well as to think of reforms and advances,--and compelled finally to
submit, and to wait, and to compromise."

"The Right Honourable Arthur Pendennis could not speak better, or be
more satisfied with himself, if he was First Lord of the Treasury and
Chancellor of the Exchequer," Warrington said.

"Self-satisfied? Why self-satisfied?" continued Pen. "It seems to
me that my scepticism is more respectful and more modest than the
revolutionary ardour of other folks. Many a patriot of eighteen, many a
Spouting-Club orator, would turn the Bishops out of the House of Lords
to-morrow, and throw the Lords out after the Bishops, and throw the
Throne into the Thames after the Peers and the Bench. Is that man more
modest than I, who takes these institutions as I find them, and waits
for time and truth to develop, or fortify, or (if you like) destroy
them? A college tutor, or a nobleman's toady, who appears one fine day
as my right reverend lord, in a silk apron and a shovel-hat, and assumes
benedictory airs over me, is still the same man we remember at Oxbridge,
when he was truckling to the tufts, and bullying the poor undergraduates
in the lecture-room. An hereditary legislator, who passes his time with
jockeys and black-legs and ballet-girls, and who is called to rule
over me and his other betters because his grandfather made a lucky
speculation in the funds, or found a coal or tin mine on his property,
or because his stupid ancestor happened to be in command of ten thousand
men as brave as himself, who overcame twelve thousand Frenchmen, or
fifty thousand Indians--such a man, I say, inspires me with no more
respect than the bitterest democrat can feel towards him. But, such as
he is, he is a part of the old society to which we belong and I submit
to his lordship with acquiescence; and he takes his place above the best
of us at all dinner-parties, and there bides his time. I don't want
to chop his head off with a guillotine, or to fling mud at him in the
streets. When they call such a man a disgrace to his order; and such
another, who is good and gentle, refined and generous, who employs his
great means in promoting every kindness and charity, and art and grace
of li