The information he requires
is not the erudition obtained in libraries and in private study. He
must be familiar with living men, and, besides these, with
agglomerations of men, and even more with human organizations, with
States, with Governments, with parties, with administrative systems,
at home and abroad, in full operation and on the spot. There is but
one way to reach this end, and that is to see for himself, with his
own eyes, at once in general outline and in details, by intercourse
with the heads of departments, with eminent men and specialists, in
whom are gathered up the information and the ideas of a whole class.
Now the young do not frequent society of this description, either at
home or abroad, except on the condition of possessing a name,
family, fortune, education and a knowledge of social observances.
All this is necessary to enable a young man of twenty to find doors
everywhere open to him to be received everywhere on an equal
footing, to be able to speak and to write three or four living
languages, to make long, expensive, and instructive sojourns in
foreign lands, to select and vary his position in the different
branches of the public service, without pay or nearly so, and with
no object in view but that of his political culture Thus brought up
a man, even of common capacity, is worthy of being consulted.
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