(The Snobs of England, p. 146.)
[22]: Pendennis, t. III, p. 111.
[23]: Voyez, par exemple, dans the Great Hoggarthy Diamond, p. 121, la mort du petit enfant.—Dans le livre des Snobs, voyez la dernière ligne: «Fun is good, truth is still better, and love best of all.»
[24]: I can bear it no longer—this diabolical invention of gentility which kills natural kindliness and honest friendship. Proper pride, indeed! Rank and precedence, forsooth! The table of ranks and degrees is a lie, and should be flung into the fire. Organise rank and precedence! that was well for the masters of ceremonies of former ages. Come forward, some great marshal, and organise EQUALITY in society.
(The snobs of England, p. 322.)
[25]: If ever our cousins the Smigsmags asked me to meet lord Longears, I would like to take an opportunity after dinner and say, in the most good-natured way in the world:—Sir, Fortune makes you a present of a number of thousand pounds every year. The ineffable wisdom of our ancestors has placed you as a chief and hereditary legislator over me. Our admirable Constitution (the pride of Britons and envy of surrounding nations) obliges me to receive you as my senator, superior, and guardian. Your eldest son, Fitz-Heehaw, is sure of a place in Parliament; your younger sons, the de Brays, will kindly condescend to be post-captains and lieutenant-colonels, and to represent us in foreign courts, or to take a good living when it falls convenient. These prizes our admirable Constitution (the pride and envy of, etc.) pronounces to be your due; without count of your dulness, your vices, your selfishness, of your entire incapacity and folly. Dull as you may be (and we have as good a right to assume that my lord is an ass, as the other proposition, that he is an enlightened patriot);—dull, I say, as you may be, no one will accuse you of such monstrous folly, as to suppose that you are indifferent to the good luck which you possess, or have any inclination to part with it. No—and patriots as we are, under happier circumstances, Smith and I, I have no doubt, were we dukes ourselves, would stand by our order.
We would submit good-naturedly to sit in a high place. We would acquiesce in that admirable Constitution (pride and envy of, etc.) which made us chiefs and the world our inferiors; we would not cavil particularly at that notion of hereditary superiority which brought so many simple people cringing to our knees. May be, we would rally round the Corn-Laws: we would make a stand against the Reform bill; we would die rather than repeal the acts against Catholics and Dissenters; we would, by our noble system of class-legislation, bring Ireland to its present admirable condition.
But Smith and I are not earls as yet. We don't believe that it is for the interest of Smith's army that young de Bray should be a colonel at five-and-twenty,—of Smith's diplomatic relations that lord Longears should go ambassador to Constantinople,—of our politics, that Longears should put his hereditary foot into them.
This bowing and cringing Smith believes to be the act of snobs; and he will do all in his might and main to be a snob and to submit to snobs no longer. To Longears he says, "We can't help seeing, Longears, that we are as good as you. We can spell even better; we can think quite as rightly; we will not have you for our master, or black your shoes any more."
(The Snobs of England, p. 322.)