But all such trades as can be rendered decent the aristocracy has
adopted one by one. At first they followed the profession of arms,
flouting all others as unworthy, and thinking it ungentlemanlike to
know how to read or write. They did not go into the church in very early
days, till the money to be got from the church was strong enough to
tempt them. It is but of later years that they have condescended to
go to the bar, and since the same time only that we see some of them
following trades. I know an English lord's son, who is, or was, a
wine-merchant (he may have been a bankrupt for what I know). As for
bankers, several partners in banking-houses have four balls to their
coronets, and I have no doubt that another sort of banking, viz, that
practised by gentlemen who lend small sums of money upon deposited
securities, will be one day followed by the noble order, so that they
may have four balls on their coronets and carriages, and three in front
of their shops.

Yes, the nobles come peoplewards as the people, on the other hand, rise
and mingle with the nobles. With the plebs, of course, Fitz-Boodle, in
whose veins flows the blood of a thousand kings, can have nothing to do;
but, watching the progress of the world, 'tis impossible to deny that
the good old days of our race are passed away. We want money still as
much as ever we did; but we cannot go down from our castles with horse
and sword and waylay fat merchants--no, no, confounded new policemen
and the assize-courts prevent that. Younger brothers cannot be pages
to noble houses, as of old they were, serving gentle dames without
disgrace, handing my lord's rose-water to wash, or holding his stirrup
as he mounted for the chase. A page, forsooth! A pretty figure would
George Fitz-Boodle or any other man of fashion cut, in a jacket covered
with sugar-loafed buttons, and handing in penny-post notes on a silver