modern democratic state there must be many fountains of honour._
That is a necessity upon which one cannot insist too much. There must
be no court, no gang, no traditional inalterable tribunal. Local
legislative bodies, for example,--in America, state legislatures and
in England, county councils,--might confer rank on a limited number of
men or women yearly; juries drawn from certain special constituencies,
from the roll of the medical profession, or from the Army, might
assemble periodically to nominate their professional best, the Foreign
or Colonial Office might confer recognition for political services, the
university governing bodies might be entrusted with the power--just as
in the middle ages many great men could confer knighthood. From among
these distinguished gentlemen of the second grade still higher ranks
might be drawn. Local juries might select a local chief dignitary as
their "earl," let us say, from among the resident men of rank, and
there is no reason why certain great constituencies, the medical
calling, the engineers, should not specify one or two of their
professional leaders, their "dukes." There are many occasions of local
importance when an honourable figure-head is needed. The British fall
back on the local hereditary peer or invite a prince, too often some
poor creature great only by convention--and what the Americans do I do
not know, unless they use a Boss. There are many occasions of something
more than ceremonial importance when a responsible man publicly
honoured and publicly known, and not a professional politician, is of
the utmost convenience. And there are endless affairs, lists,
gatherings, when the only alternative to rank is scramble. For myself I
would not draw the line at such minor occasions for precedence. A
Second Chamber is an essential part of the political scheme of all the
English-speaking communities, and almost always it is intended to
present stabler interests and a smaller and more selected constituency
than the lower house. From such a life nobility as I have sketched a