Page:Rose 1810 Observations respecting the public expenditure and the influence of the Crown.djvu/72

 relates to the management of its public concerns, hould be an aritocracy of talent and of virtue, as well as of rank and property; which principle would be detroyed if remuneration for public ervices hould be withheld; and the community would be deprived of all its advantages. Not only the great offices of late, but ome others of mot efficiency mut then be confined to men of hereditary wealth and independence; and, with all the proper repect which hould be entertained for uch men, it mut be allowed that, for the acquiition and improvement of talents neceary for the higher offices, the paing occaionally through the inferior ituations, and that principle of activity which animates men in the attainment, o much more than in the mere poeion, of power and tation, are much more favorable than the honours claimable by decent alone.

It is true that magnanimity and genuine patriotic ambition will look for a nobler reward for their ervices than the emoluments of office; but, in the preent tate of ociety, a certain appearance is eential to be preerved by perons in certain tations, which cannot be maintained without a liberal pro