I think much has changed between Old Jolyon and Jo applying for Hotch-Potch. The upper middle class has become more accepted and more central to British society. We are now in the age of Empire, growing wealth of the middle classes and diminshing wealth for aristocracy. It is not just Forsytes that are climbing but the whole upper middle-class was moving higher in the social strata.

Certainly Forsytes themselves feel they represent everything proper and British; they keep the Empire's wheels rolling. Land owning aristocracy is accepted as one step up from bourgeoisie, but the Forsyte's really don't see much value in them and apart from occasional twinges of jelousy know their place and are quite happy where they are, thank you very much ;-)

Sari