GENTLEMEN BY COURTESY. 429 



to the received opinion of society (I mean society 

 composed of gentlemen), I conceive that any man, 

 unless he possesses the most overweening vanity or 

 obtuseness of intellect, can decide for himself how far 

 he does or does not possess the requisites of a gentle- 

 man, and by so doing save himself the mortification of 

 repulse when he attempts to step within that magic 

 circle that encompasses aristocracy. Superior talent 

 and superior worth may cause his being tolerated, 

 nay, invited within its prescribed limits, but neither 

 gives the right to enter there. These limits are not 

 like those of the rainbow, so softened down that they 

 can hardly be ascertained ; but are clear and definite, 

 however much personal vanity may mislead people. 

 Were it otherwise, distinction in society would be 

 lost. This would certainly be one mode of doing away 

 with any disputes as to gentlemen, gentlemen -jocks, 

 and regular jocks ; but as we have not come to that 

 state yet, we will see whether there is not a better 

 way of settling this oft-disputed matter. 



Whether I understand the character of a gentleman 

 or not, the definition I have given must decide : but 

 that of a jock I certainly can estimate, as he is neither 

 more nor less than a servant regularly engaged to one 

 or more persons to serve him or them, or one ready 

 to be engaged by any one requiring his services. 

 The first character I will not presume so far as to 

 say I have defined so as to be beyond contradiction ; 

 the latter I certainly have : at all events I think it 

 will be conceded to me that a gentleman is not a pro- 

 fessional jock, and equally that the professional jock 

 is not a gentleman. We now come to that anomaly 

 styled gentleman-jock. We might as well say gentle- 

 man-dustman. If some gentleman who could ride a 



