The stronghold and natural seat of this passion was in the nobles of whom our aristocratic class are the inheritors; and this class, accordingly, have signally manifested it, and have done much by their example to recommend it to the body of the nation, who already, indeed, had it in their blood.  The Barbarians, again, had the passion for field-sports; and they have handed it on to our aristocratic class, who of this passion too, as of the passion for asserting one’s personal liberty, are the [101] great natural stronghold.  The care of the Barbarians for the body, and for all manly exercises; the vigour, good looks, and fine complexion which they acquired and perpetuated in their families by these means,—­all this may be observed still in our aristocratic class.  The chivalry of the Barbarians, with its characteristics of high spirit, choice manners, and distinguished bearing,—­what is this but the beautiful commencement of the politeness of our aristocratic class?  In some Barbarian noble, no doubt, one would have admired, if one could have been then alive to see it, the rudiments of Lord Elcho.  Only, all this culture (to call it by that name) of the Barbarians was an exterior culture mainly:  it consisted principally in outward gifts and graces, in looks, manners, accomplishments, prowess; the chief inward gifts which had part in it were the most exterior, so to speak, of inward gifts, those which come nearest to outward ones:  they were courage, a high spirit, self-confidence.  Far within, and unawakened, lay a whole range of powers of thought and feeling, to which these interesting productions of nature had, from the circumstances of their life, no access.  Making allowances for the [102] difference of the times, surely we can observe precisely the same thing now in our aristocratic class.  In general its culture is exterior chiefly; all the exterior graces and accomplishments, and the more external of the inward virtues, seem to be principally its portion.  It now, of course, cannot but be often in contact with those studies by which, from the world of thought and feeling, true culture teaches us to fetch sweetness and light; but its hold upon these very studies appears remarkably external, and unable to exert any deep power upon its spirit.  Therefore the one insufficiency which we noted in the perfect mean of this class, Lord Elcho, was an insufficiency of light.  And owing to the same causes, does not a subtle criticism lead us to make, even on the good looks and politeness of our aristocratic class, the one qualifying remark, that in these charming gifts there should perhaps be, for ideal perfection, a shade more soul?

I often, therefore, when I want to distinguish clearly the aristocratic class from the Philistines proper, or middle-class, name the former, in my own mind, the Barbarians:  and when I go through the country, and see this and that beautiful and [103] imposing seat of theirs crowning the landscape, “There,” I say to myself, “is a great fortified post of the Barbarians.”