In  cities,  this  term  is  considered  somewhat  fanciful,  and  is
certainly  less  cared  for  :  the  '  gent.'  is  not  indignant  at  being
so  designated  ;  he  thinks  it  short— he  doesn't  know  how  short
— for  '  gentleman.'  In  society,  a.  man  who  was  otherwise
unexceptionable,  and  possessed  of  all  the  virtues,  and  who
could  give  most  cogent  and  unanswerable  reasons  for  preferring
a  cap  to  a  hat,  would  certainly  be  not  a  gentleman  if  met  in
Regent  Street  with  a  cap  on.  He  would  also  be  deprived
of  that  honourable  name  if  he  were  seen  eating  fish  by  help
of  a  knife,  and  not,  at  the  hazard  of  choking  himself,  with  an
unpleasant  piece  of  bread,  that  he  does  not  know  whether  to
eat  or  drop  after  each  mouthful.  A  man  of  high  title  may  do,
however,  pretty  much  as  he  likes.  He  certainly  may  commit
an  incredible  amount  of  vicious  actions  without  losing  this
designation  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  a  man  of  humble  for-
tunes, however  worthy,  scarcely  ever  has  it  bestowed  upon
him  even  by  the  wisest.  One  of  our  coldest-hearted  and
most  profligate  princes  was  denominated  by  this  same  '  society  '
for  years  the  first  '  gentleman  '  in  Europe.  When,  therefore,
we  hear  ourselves  or  others  proclaimed  to  be  '  gentlemen  '  or
'  no  gentlemen ',  we  should  consider,  before  being  flattered  or
annoyed,  who  says  it,  and  what  he  or  she  is  likely  to  mean.
'  He  is  not  a  gentleman,  you  know,'  says  Lieutenant  Chifney
of  the  Heavies,  who  can't  spell,  and  whose  father  keeps  a
livery-stable.  '  Why,  bless  you,  he  gives  drawing-lessons  !  '
'  A  gentleman  ? — oh,  dear  no,'  says  the  rector's  wife.
