In 1713, Sir Richard Steele shared his idea of the finished gentleman. A gentleman, he said, is to some degree born and not made: but he must be schooled in upright conduct, in sports and in the arts and sciences, and by his travels and knowledge of current affairs he should have risen above both national and social prejudices.

A true gentleman is harder to find, said Steele, than men of integrity, honour or even sense. The mark of a gentleman is that, like a poet, he can add something to every subject and every situation in which he interests himself, something which draws others and enriches their understanding — a rare gift indeed.

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