andareconvincedthattheBritishConstitutionrepresentsanunsurpassablethoughunfortunatelyanidealorderofthings，whichmusthaveexistedatsomeindefiniteperiod。Chathaminoneofhismostfamousspeeches，appeals，forexample，tothe’ironbarons’whoresistedKingJohn，andcontraststhemwiththesilkencourtierswhichnowcompeteforplaceandpensions。Thepoliticalreformersofthetime，likereligiousreformersinmosttimes，conceiveofthemselvesonlyasdemandingtherestorationofthesystemtoitsoriginalpurity，notasdemandingitsabrogation。Inotherwords，theyproposetoremedyabusesbutdonotasyetevencontemplateareallyrevolutionarychange。
Wilkeswasnota’Wilkite，’norwasanyofhisparty，ifWilkitemeantanythinglikeJacobin。
II。TheRulingClassThus，howeveranomaloustheconstitutionofparliament，therewasnothoughtofanyfar-reachingrevolutionThegreatmassofthepopulationwastooignorant，tooscatteredandtoopoortohaveanyrealpoliticalopinions。Solongascertainprejudiceswerenotaroused，itwascontenttoleavethemanagementofthestatetothedominantclass，whichalonewasintelligentenoughtotakeaninterestinpublicaffairsandstrongenoughtomakeitsinterestfelt。Thisclassconsistedinthefirstplaceofthegreatlandedinterest。
WhenLordNorthopposedPitt’sreformin1785hesaid4*thattheConstitutionwas’theworkofinfinitewisdom……themostbeautifulfabricthathadeverexistedsincethebeginningoftime。’Headdedthat’thebulkandweight’
ofthehouseoughttobein’thehandsofthecountry-gentlemen，thebestandmostrespectableobjectsoftheconfidenceofthepeople。’Thespeech，thoughintendedtopleaseanaudienceofcountry-gentlemen，representedagenuinebelief。5*Thecountry-gentlemenformedtheclasstowhichnotonlytheconstitutionallawsbuttheprevailingsentimentofthecountrygavetheleadinpoliticsasinthewholesocialsystem。EvenreformersproposedtoimprovetheHouseofCommonschieflybyincreasingthenumberofcounty-members，andacounty-memberwasalmostnecessarilyacountry-gentlemanofanexaltedkind。Althoughthecountry-gentlemanwasveryfarfromhavingallthingshisownway，hisidealsandprejudiceswereinagreatdegreethemouldtowhichtheotherpoliticallyimportantclassconformed。Therewasindeedagrowingjealousybetweenthelandholdersandthe’monied-men。’Bolingbrokehadexpressedthisdistrustatanearlierpartofthecentury。Butthetruerepresentativeoftheperiodwashissuccessfulrival，Walpole，athoroughcountry-gentlemanwhohadlearnedtounderstandthemysteriesoffinanceandacquiredtheconfidenceofthecity。ThegreatmerchantsofLondonandtherisingmanufacturersinthecountrywererapidlygrowinginwealthandinfluence。Themonied-menrepresentedthemostactive，energetic，andgrowingpartofthebodypolitic。Theirinterestsdeterminedthedirectionofthenationalpolicy。ThegreatwarsofthecenturywereundertakenintheinterestsofBritishtrade。TheextensionoftheempireinIndiawascarriedonthroughagreatcommercialcompany。Thegrowthofcommercesupportedthesea-powerwhichwasthemainfactorinthedevelopmentoftheempire。Thenewindustrialorganisationwhichwasarisingwasinlateryearstorepresentaclassdistinctlyopposedtotheoldaristocraticorder。Atpresentitwasinacomparativelysubordinateposition。Thesquirewasinterestedinthelandandthechurch；