The Blood of the Nation 



riority was emphasized by the law of 

 primogeniture. On "inequality before 

 the law " British polity has always 

 rested. Men have tried to take a cer- 

 tain few, to feed these on " royal jelly," 

 as the young queen bee is fed, and thus 

 to raise them to a higher class, dis- 

 tinct from all the workers. To take 

 this leisure class out of the struggle 

 and competition of life, so goes the 

 theory, is to make of the first-born and 

 his kind harmonious and perfect men 

 and women, fit to lead and control the 

 social and political life of the state. 

 In England the eldest son is chosen 

 for this purpose, a good arrangement, 

 according to Samuel Johnson, " be- 

 cause it insures only one fool in the 

 family." For the theory of the leisure 

 class forgets that men are made virile 

 by effort and resistance, and the lord 

 developed by the use of " royal jelly " 

 has rarely been distinguished by per- 

 fection of manhood. 



26 



