DEMOCRATIC CULTURE 273 



form, and full of the most various characters ; . . . 

 he answers to the State, which we described as fair 

 and spangled. . . . Let him then be set over against 

 democracy; he may truly be called the democratic 



man.' 



In spite of the satirical tone of this passage much 

 of it may be accepted as the unwilling tribute of 

 a hostile critic. Democracy is the triumph of the 

 masses over the oligarchs. It is merciful in the ad- 

 ministration of justice. It shows a magnanimous 

 spirit and does not magnify the importance of trifles. 

 It prefers the rule of its friends to the rule of a 

 despot. Under its government people feel themselves 

 blessed by happiness, liberty, and equality. The 

 culture of the democratic man is above all charac- 

 terized by adaptability. 



In the nineteenth century Matthew Arnold, the 

 apostle of culture, discussing the civilization of a 

 democratic nation of many millions, unconsciously 

 confirmed the views of Plato in some respects, while 

 showing interesting points of difference. He ex- 

 pressed his admiration of the institutions, solid social 

 conditions, freedom and equality, power, energy, and 

 wealth of the people of the United States. In the 

 daintiness of American house-architecture, and in 

 the natural manners of the free and happy Amer- 

 ican women he saw a real note of civilization. He 

 felt that his own country had a good deal to learn 

 from America, though he did not close his eyes to 

 the real dangers to which all democratic nations are 

 exposed. Arnold failed in his analysis of American 

 civilization to confirm Plato's judgment concerning 

 the variety of natures to be found in the democratic 



