Sir H. S. Mcysey Thompson, Bart. 523 



•well-lined pelisses and sable caps, who occupied the greater portion of the 

 floor of the room. There, again, you remark a cluster of noble-looking knights 

 with their swords and moustaches, the representatives of the noblesse, ^. e. of 

 all who have not the imvilege of a seat among the magnates of the land, those 

 rich and haughty seigneurs through whose influence feudalism pure and unde- 

 filed still maintains Its iron sway. The magnates have an upper chamber, 

 but not a veto on the proceedings of the lower house ; any measure agreed on 

 by those of the estates must be acquiesced in by the fourth ; the four estates 

 being the fom- classes I have mentioned, viz., magnates, si)iritual dignitaries, 

 knights, and burghers. 



" There are at present in Hungary two classes — nobles and slaves. The 

 Emperor of Austria has long tried to break through the almost boundless 

 privilege of the aristocracy ; but as long as three out of the four estates 

 are nearly all occupied by nobles, I do not see how he is to bring it about. 

 Yesterday I walked over the bridge connecting the two towns of Pest and 

 Ofen or Buda, and, being a stranger, did not observe that toll was or ought 

 to be paid. No one, however, ventured to ask me for it, though the poorest 

 beggar who should attempt to limp over would be immediately stopped 

 for payment. This struck me, and I asked the reason. ' No noble pays 

 toll,' was the answer ; and, as every well-dressed man in Hungary is a noble, 

 they never dreamed of asking me. The nobles pay no taxes or imposts of 

 any kind, so that you may form some idea of the state of society. The 

 Emigration Society ought really to provide means of conveyance to Hungary 

 for all bigoted Tories. They complain bitterly that in England the days for 

 gentlemen are passed, and for ever. In Hungary a noble may screw his boor 

 out of his last farthing, and imprison him when he has no longer anything to 

 pay ; but if, by chance, he should lose his temper, and hang or shoot him, he 

 must pay a fine to the Emperor of nearly thirty shillings. The noble is con- 

 sidered to be of a different species from the peasant, and, in consequence, is 

 IDrivileged to live as a drone in the hive, feeding on the produce of others' 

 labours, disclaiming all active employments, and feasting on the sense of his 

 own dignity. If this is the golden age of gentlemen, so regretted by our own, 

 I wish l;hem joy of it, and length of days to enjoy it in Hungary. 



" Thank God, it can no longer be done in merry England ; but as this is con- 

 stantly repeated (viz., that the age of gentlemen is at an end), it is worth our 

 while to inquire seriously into the losses of these much-to-be-pitied gentlemen 

 of England. 



" If among our gentlemen any be luxurious, luxuries abound ; if studious, 

 heaps of literary treasure may be accumulated about him at a word ; if ambitious, 

 let him show talent proportionate to his ambition, and straightway he will re- 

 ceive that distinction which in England is the rich reward of men of genius of 

 whatever sort or whatever party. What, then, have gentlemen lost, that they 

 should always wear mourning for the times that are past ? There is but one 

 answer — they can no longer wrap themselves in the spirit of exclusiyeness. 

 They are no longer, because born gentlemen, considered as demigods with the 

 attribute of infallibility, and whose inherent right is absolute dominion over 

 all whom nature has placed a link lower in the chain of society ; who now are 

 estimated more by what they are, than by what their forefathers have been. 

 Can any well-regulated mind regret this ? Ought we not rather to rejoice at 

 the stimulus thus given to men of every rank and station by the conscious- 

 ness that rank and station alone are insufficient to procure that high con- 

 sideration which all court, and by the goading fear of being passed by inferiors 

 and dependents in the great march of intellect ? Ought we not to hail with 

 heartfelt satisfaction the prospect held out to us that in this universal culti- 

 vation of mind we may, as a nation, attain to a pitch of education and of 

 intellectuality which will make us the objects of an admiration far more to bo 



