The gentleman, with the help of his friends, takes responsibility for living at a high standard. Four historical examples are used to illustrate this point: Cicero, Castiglione, Lord Chesterfield, and Adam Smith. These lives span the period from the last half of the century before Christ to the last half of the eighteenth century. Gentlemen of that status are rare today, but the legacy of values, self-image, friendships, manners, and speech remain. These are especially a legacy of the professions.