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still furnish the figureheads of politics； but they are now
dependent on the votes of the promiscuously bred masses。 And
this； if you please； at the very moment when the political
problem； having suddenly ceased to mean a very limited and
occasional interference； mostly by way of jobbing public
appointments； in the mismanagement of a tight but parochial
little island； with occasional meaningless prosecution of
dynastic wars； has become the industrial reorganization of
Britain； the construction of a practically international
Commonwealth； and the partition of the whole of Africa and
perhaps the whole of Asia by the civilized Powers。 Can you
believe that the people whose conceptions of society and conduct；
whose power of attention and scope of interest； are measured by
the British theatre as you know it to…day； can either handle this
colossal task themselves； or understand and support the sort of
mind and character that is （at least comparatively） capable of
handling it？ For remember： what our voters are in the pit and
gallery they are also in the polling booth。 We are all now under
what Burke called 〃the hoofs of the swinish multitude。〃 Burke's
language gave great offence because the implied exceptions to its
universal application made it a class insult； and it certainly
was not for the pot to call the kettle black。 The aristocracy he
defended； in spite of the political marriages by which it tried
to secure breeding for itself； had its mind undertrained by silly
schoolmasters and governesses； its character corrupted by
gratuitous luxury； its self…respect adulterated to complete
spuriousness by flattery and flunkeyism。 It is no better to…day
and never will be any better： our very peasants have something
morally hardier in them that culminates occasionally in a Bunyan；
a Burns； or a Carlyle。 But observe； this aristocracy； which was
overpowered from 1832 to 1885 by the middle class； has come back
to power by the votes of 〃the swinish multitude。〃 Tom Paine has
triumphed over Edmund Burke； and the swine are now courted
electors。 How many of their own class have these electors sent to
parliament？ Hardly a dozen out of 670； and these only under the
persuasion of conspicuous personal qualifications and popular
eloquence。 The multitude thus pronounces judgment on its own
units： it admits itself unfit to govern； and will vote only for a
man morphologically and generically transfigured by palatial
residence and equipage； by transcendent tailoring； by the glamor
of aristocratic kinship。 Well； we two know these transfigured
persons； these college passmen； these well groomed monocular
Algys and Bobbies； these cricketers to whom age brings golf
instead of wisdom； these plutocratic products of 〃the nail and
sarspan business as he got his money by。〃 Do you know whether to
laugh or cry at the notion that they； poor devils！ will drive a
team of continents as they drive a four…in…hand； turn a jostling
anarchy of casual trade and speculation into an ordered
productivity； and federate our colonies into a world…Power of the
first magnitude？ Give these people the most perfect political
constitution and the soundest political program that benevolent
omniscience can devise for them； and they will interpret it into
mere fashionable folly or canting charity as infallibly as a
savage converts the philosophical theology of a Scotch missionary
into crude African idolatry。
I do not know whether you have any illusions left on the subject
of education； progress； and so forth。 I have none。 Any
pamphleteer can show the way to better things； but when there is
no will there is no way。 My nurse was fond of remarking that you
cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear； and the more I see
of the efforts of our churches and universities and literary
sages to raise the mass above its own level； the more convinced I
am that my nurse was right。 Progress can do nothing but make the
most of us all as we are； and that most would clearly not be
enough even if those who are already raised out of the lowest
abysses would allow the others a chance。 The bubble of Heredity
has been pricked： the certainty that acquirements are negligible
as elements in practical heredity has demolished the hopes of the
educationists as well as the terrors of the degeneracy mongers；
and we know now that there is no hereditary 〃governing class〃 any
more than a hereditary hooliganism。 We must either breed
political capacity or be ruined by Democracy； which was forced on
us by the failure of the older alternatives。 Yet if Despotism
failed only for want of a capable benevolent despot； what chance
has Democracy； which requires a whole population of capable
voters： that is； of political critics who； if they cannot govern
in person for lack of spare energy or specific talent for
administration； can at least recognize and appreciate capacity
and benevolence in others； and so govern through capably
benevolent representatives？ Where are such voters to be found
to…day？ Nowhere。 Promiscuous breeding has produced a weakness of
character that is too timid to face the full stringency of a
thoroughly competitive struggle for existence and too lazy and
petty to organize the commonwealth co…operatively。 Being cowards；
we defeat natural selection under cover of philanthropy： being
sluggards； we neglect artificial selection under cover of
delicacy and morality。
Yet we must get an electorate of capable critics or collapse as
Rome and Egypt collapsed。 At this moment the Roman decadent phase
of panem et circenses is being inaugurated under our eyes。 Our
newspapers and melodramas are blustering about our imperial
destiny； but our eyes and hearts turn eagerly to the American
millionaire。 As his hand goes down to his pocket； our fingers go
up to the brims of our hats by instinct。 Our ideal prosperity is
not the prosperity of the industrial north； but the prosperity of
the Isle of Wight； of Folkestone and Ramsgate； of Nice and Monte
Carlo。 That is the only prosperity you see on the stage； where
the workers are all footmen； parlourmaids； comic lodging…letters
and fashionable professional men； whilst the heroes and heroines
are miraculously provided with unlimited dividends； and eat
gratuitously； like the knights in Don Quixote's books of
chivalry。
The city papers prate of the competition of Bombay with
Manchester and the like。 The real competition is the competition
of Regent Street with the Rue de Rivoli； of Brighton and the
south coast with the Riviera； for the spending money of the
American Trusts。 What is all this growing love of pageantry； this
effusive loyalty； this officious rising and uncovering at a wave
from a flag or a blast from a brass band？ Imperialism： Not a bit
of it。 Obsequiousness； servility； cupidity roused by the
prevailing smell of money。 When Mr Carnegie rattled his millions
in his pockets all England became one rapacious cringe。 Only；
when Rhodes （who had probably been reading my Socialism for
Millionaires） left word that no idler was to inherit his estate；
the bent backs straightened mistrustfully for a moment。 Could it
be that the Diamond King was no gentleman after all？ However； it
wa