In reverencing wealth we reverence not a man, but an appendix to a man; in reverencing inherited nobility, we reverence the probable possession of a great faculty--the faculty of bringing out what is in one.
This quote distinguishes between reverence for wealth and nobility, suggesting that the latter implies a greater potential for talent.
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More from Walter Bagehot
They say, We reject your Bill for this once or these twice, or even these thrice: but if you keep on sending it up, at last we won't reject it.
That a House of Commons may work well it must perform, as we saw, five functions well: it must elect a Ministry well, legislate well, teach the nation well, express the nation's will well, bring matters to the nation's attention well.
The work would be done so well that we should not want any one to look over or revise it.
The moderate people of every party must combine to support the Government which, on the whole, suits every party best.
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