Page:The Effects of Civilisation on the People in European States.djvu/83

Rh It is not the person that holds such authority and employs the power, but the persons that gave and uphold the power in him, that are the real rulers of the land: these are the wealthy, i. e. the aristocracy, in almost every civilised country.

In the republican government this is more obvious; since, in these times, it is wealth universally that puts power into the hands of those that have it.

I have often imagined that the first state of things might be aptly represented by a cylinder of a great length, but whose thickness or base was too small for it, when placed perpendicularly, to continue in that position. Around this towering royal cylinder, other cylinders, about two-thirds of its height, are placed; these may represent the late princes of the blood in France: to these another row is put, somewhat shorter, composed, as we may say, of dukes, archbishops, &c.: next follows a circle of cylinders, which we call counts, barons, bishops: after this another, of knights, and other men of great landed estates: then a row of cylinders representing merchants, master manufacturers, wholesale dealers: lastly, one of lesser landholders, &c. &c.; each succeeding row lessening in height. The individuals of each row standing close to each other, and every inferior one closely encircling the next above it, the whole