There is a certain class of people who prefer to say that their fathers came down in the world through their own follies than to boast that they rose in the world through their own industry and talents. It is the same shabby-genteel sentiment, the same vanity of birth which makes men prefer to believe that they are degenerated angels rather than elevated apes.

Summary

This quote suggests that there are individuals who would rather attribute their family's decline in social status to their own mistakes, rather than acknowledge their own effort and abilities as the reason for their rise in society. It reflects a particular class of people who have a misplaced sense of pride in their lineage and would rather believe they are fallen angels rather than accept the idea of progress and improvement. The quote underlines the vanity and superficiality associated with valuing birth and social status over personal achievements.

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