among our rich tradespeople, and the family would have descended rapidly to the undergrades. It goes to show the value of birth, what is more, and how those Americans, who made a pretence long ago of scorning birth and title and casting it all off, are glad enough now to buy their way back again, if not for themselves, for their children. But, David, for a man to voluntarily degrade his family by marrying beneath him, with no such need as that of Lord H — — , of ultimately by that very means lifting it up is — is — inexpressible — why — ! In the case of Lord H — — there was a certain nobility in marrying beneath him.”

“Beneath him! For me, I married above me, over all of us, when I took my sweet, clean mountain girl. The nobility of Lord H — — is