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themselves to be superseded by the dragoons and dragonnades of Louis
XIV。then the end of the French chivalry was at hand； and came。
But centuries before that shameful fall there had come in with
Christianity the new thought； that domination meant responsibility；
that responsibility demanded virtue。 The words which denoted rank；
came to denote likewise high moral excellencies。 The nobilis； or
man who was known； and therefore subject to public opinion； was
bound to behave nobly。 The gentlemangentile…manwho respected
his own gens； or family and pedigree； was bound to be gentle。 The
courtier； who had picked up at court some touch of Roman
civilisation from Roman ecclesiastics； was bound to be courteous。
He who held an 〃honour〃 or 〃edel〃 of land was bound to be
honourable； and he who held a 〃weorthig；〃 or worthy； thereof； was
bound himself to be worthy。 In like wise； he who had the right to
ride a horse； was expected to be chivalrous in all matters befitting
the hereditary ruler； who owed a sacred debt to a long line of
forefathers； as well as to the state in which he dwelt； all dignity；
courtesy； purity； self…restraint； devotionsuch as they were
understood in those rough dayscentred themselves round the idea of
the rider as the attributes of the man whose supposed duty； as well
as his supposed right； was to govern his fellow…men； by example； as
well as by law and force；attributes which gathered themselves up
into that one wordChivalry： an idea； which； perfect or imperfect；
God forbid that mankind should ever forget； till it has become the
possessionas it is the God…given rightof the poorest slave that
ever trudged on foot； and every collier…lad shall have becomeas
some of those Barnsley men proved but the other day they had become
already：
A very gentle perfect knight；
Very unfaithful was chivalry to its idealas all men are to all
ideals。 But bear in mind； that if the horse was the symbol of the
ruling caste； it was not at first its only strength。 Unless that
caste had had at first spiritual； as well as physical force on its
side； it would have been soon destroyednay； it would have
destroyed itselfby internecine civil war。 And we must believe
that those Franks； Goths； Lombards； and Burgunds； who in the early
Middle Age leaped on the backs （to use Mr。 Carlyle's expression） of
the Roman nations； were actually； in all senses of the word； better
men than those whom they conquered。 We must believe it from reason；
for if not； how could they； numerically few； have held for a year；
much more for centuries； against millions； their dangerous
elevation？ We must believe it； unless we take Tacitus's 〃Germania；〃
which I absolutely refuse to do； for a romance。 We must believe
that they were better than the Romanised nations whom they
conquered； because the writers of those nations； Augustine； Salvian；
and Sidonius Apollinaris； for example； say that they were such； and
give proof thereof。 Not good men according to our higher standard
far from it； though Sidonius's picture of Theodoric； the East Goth；
in his palace of Narbonne； is the picture of an eminently good and
wise ruler。 But not good； I say； as a rulethe Franks； alas！ often
very bad men： but still better； wiser； abler； than those whom they
ruled。 We must believe too； that they were better； in every sense
of the word； than those tribes on their eastern frontier； whom they
conquered in after centuries； unless we discredit （which we have no
reason to do） the accounts which the Roman and Greek writers give of
the horrible savagery of those tribes。
So it was in later centuries。 One cannot read fairly the history of
the Middle Ages without seeing that the robber knight of Germany or
of France； who figures so much in modern novels； must have been the
exception； and not the rule： that an aristocracy which lived by the
saddle would have as little chance of perpetuating itself； as a
priesthood composed of hypocrites and profligates； that the
mediaeval Nobility has been as much slandered as the mediaeval
Church； and the exceptions takenas more salient and excitingfor
the average： that side by side with ruffians like Gaston de Foix
hundreds of honest gentlemen were trying to do their duty to the
best of their light； and were raising； and not depressing； the
masses below themone very important item in that duty being； the
doing the whole fighting of the country at their own expense；
instead of leaving it to a standing army of mercenaries； at the beck
and call of a despot； and that； as M。 de Tocqueville says： 〃In
feudal times； the Nobility were regarded pretty much as the
government is regarded in our own； the burdens they imposed were
endured in consequence of the security they afforded。 The nobles
had many irksome privileges； they possessed many onerous rights：
but they maintained public order； they administered justice； they
caused the law to be executed； they came to the relief of the weak；
they conducted the business of the community。 In proportion as they
ceased to do these things； the burden of their privileges appeared
more oppressive； and their existence became an anomaly in proportion
as they ceased to do these things。〃 And the Ancien Regime may be
defined as the period in which they ceased to do these thingsin
which they began to play the idlers； and expected to take their old
wages without doing their old work。
But in any case； government by a ruling caste； whether of the
patriarchal or of the feudal kind； is no ideal or permanent state of
society。 So far from it； it is but the first or second step out of
primeval savagery。 For the more a ruling race becomes conscious of
its own duty； and not merely of its own powerthe more it learns to
regard its peculiar gifts as entrusted to it for the good of menso
much the more earnestly will it labour to raise the masses below to
its own level； by imparting to them its own light； and so will it
continually tend to abolish itself； by producing a general equality；
moral and intellectual； and fulfil that law of self…sacrifice which
is the beginning and the end of all virtue。
A race of noblest men and women； trying to make all below them as
noble as themselvesthat is at least a fair ideal； tending toward；
though it has not reached； the highest ideal of all。
But suppose that the very opposite tendencyinherent in the heart
of every child of manshould conquer。 Suppose the ruling caste no
longer the physical； intellectual； and moral superiors of the mass；
but their equals。 Suppose themshameful； but not without example
actually sunk to be their inferiors。 And that such a fall did come…
…nay； that it must have comeis matter of history。 And its cause；
like all social causes； was not a political nor a physical； but a
moral cause。 The profligacy of the French and Italian
aristocracies； in the sixteenth century； avenged itself on them by a
curse （derived from the newly…discovered America） from which they
never recovered。 The Spanish aristocracy suffered； I doubt not very
severely。 The English and German； owing to the superior homeliness
and purity of ruling their lives； hardly at all。 But the
continental caste； instead of recruiting their tainted blood by
healthy blood from below； did all； under pretence of keeping it
pure； to keep it tainted by continual intermarriage； and paid； in
increasing weakness of body and mind； the penalty of their exclusive
pride。 It is impossible for anyone who reads the French memoirs of
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries； not to perceive； if he be
wise； that the aristocracy therein depicted was ripe for ruinyea；
already ruinedunder any form of government whatsoever； independent
of all political changes。 Indeed； many of the political changes
were not the causes but the effects of the demoralisation of the
noblesse。 Historians will tell you how； as early as the beginning
of the seventeenth century； Henry IV。 complained that the nobles
were quitting their country districts； how succeeding kings and
statesmen； notably Richelieu and Louis XIV。； tempted the noblesse up
to Paris； that they might become mere courtiers； instead of powerful
country gentlemen； how those who remained behind were only the poor
hobereaux； little hobby…hawks among the gentry； who considered it
degradation to help in governing the parish； as their forefathers
had governed it； and lived shabbily in their chateaux； grinding the
last farthing out of their tenants； that they might spend it in town
during the winter。 No wonder that with such an aristocracy； who had
renounced that very duty of governing the country； for which alone
they and their forefathers had existed； there arose government by
intendants and sub…delegates； and all the other evils of
administrative centralisation； which M。 de Tocqueville anatomises
and deplores。 But what was the cause of the curse？ Their moral
degradation。 What drew them