ABSTRACT
Of the bad qualities of my own country one of the chief is snobbery. Not that snobbery is confined to England: it is almost more in evidence in the self-governing Dominions and is by no means unknown in America. In the first days of the United States, the leaders of society tried hard to establish hereditary titles in imitation of the British practice but were fortunately defeated by the democratic forces under the leadership of Jefferson. To this day, not a few Americans display a surprising interest in titles. Of this I can speak from experience. Having always held the view that hereditary distinctions are a mistake, I have done all in my power to prevent all mention of such distinctions in my own case. But not infrequently I have encountered a considerable reluctance in this respect, and sometimes hostesses beseech me to allow myself to be introduced by my title.
