264 A SUNDAY IN CHEYNE ROW. 



sure of opposing parties, all the political wisdom and 

 integrity there is in the country stand between the 

 people, the masses, and the men of their choice. 



Undoubtedly popular government will, in the main, 

 be like any other popular thing, it will partake of 

 the conditions of popularity ; it will seldom elevate 

 the greatest ; it will never elevate the meanest ; it is 

 based upon the average virtue and intelligence of the 

 people. 



There have been great men in all countries and 

 times who possessed the elements of popularity, and 

 would have commanded the suffrage of the people ; 

 on the other hand, there have been men who pos- 

 sessed many elements of popularity, but few traits 

 of true greatness ; others with greatness, but no ele- 

 ments of popularity. These last are the reformers, 

 the innovators, the starters, and their greatness is a 

 discovery of after -times. Popular suffrage cannot 

 elevate these men, and if, as between the two other 

 types, it more frequently seizes upon the last, it is 

 because the former is the more rare. 



But there is a good deal of delusion about the 

 proneness of the multitude to run after quacks and 

 charlatans ; a multitude runs, but a larger multitude 

 does not run ; and those that do run soon see their 

 mistake. Real worth, real merit, alone wins the 

 permanent suffrage of mankind. In every neighbor- 

 hood and community the best men are held in highest 

 regard by the most persons. The world over, the 

 names most fondly cherished are those most worthy 



