CULTURE AND THE NEW ELECTORATE. [To THE EDITOR OF THE
" SPECTATOR."I SrE,—Your interesting article on "The Educated Classes and the New Suffrage" suggests the thought that it would be a valuable contribution to political literature if some one would prepare a list of the men distinguished for culture now sitting in Parliament, or who have sat since 1832, with the names of the constituencies which they have represented. Such a list would, I believe, confirm your view, that the Democracy is not antagonistic to culture. Among men who have won distinction in some branch of literature, or in connection with education, and who have sat for large urban constituencies (all, with the exception of the City of London, of more or less democratic proclivities), the names occur to one of Lord John Russell, Grote, Macaulay, Professors Fawcett, Bryce, Thorold Rogers, and Stuart, J. S. Mill, Sir C. Dllke, Layard, Roebuck, Forster, Baines, Miall, Mundella, Molesworth, Cobbett, John Morley, Labouchere, and H. Richard. I venture a confident opinion that no such roll could be produced by the medium-sized boroughs, small boroughs, counties, or Universities; and the above list could, no doubt, be indefinitely extended. That the Democracy is opposed to culture is a statement frequently heard from the lips of our opponents, which rests on very slender foundations.—I am, Sir, &c., Sayile Club, January 12th. ALFRED W. BENNETT.
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