Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

EMERALD,

OR,

MISCELLANY OF LITERATU

CONT AINING

SKETCHES OF THE

MANNERS, PRINCIPLES AND AMUSEMENTS

OF THE AGE.

NOT DEEPER VERDURE DIES THE ROBES OF SPRING,
WHEN FIRST SHE GIVES IT TO THE SOUTHERN GALE,

THAN THE BRIGHT EMERALD SHOWS.

THOMPSON.

BOSTON....MASS.

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY

BELCHER & ARMSTRONG,
No. 70, State-Street.

1806.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

temptation as well as the generous

No pride, is more ridiculous than rich one; the difference is, that one the pride of wealth; because it con- has exhibited proofs of his courage sists of supposed superiority and in battle, and the other has had no adventitious respect. Arising from opportunity to prove it. In Amerno real merit, riches are acquired ica, property not decending to the without forethought, and "lost with-eldest son, and of course not inherent out deserving." Cunning, selfish-in families, must necessarily be tranness and servility, as they originate sient. The youth, who presumes in the worst passions of mankind, on inheriting a large amount of richare disgraceful to him who practises es, is too apt to acquire a manner of them; and yet wealth is most gen-life, which dissipates it, as soon as erally obtained by the frauds of cun-jobtained. His education often nege ning, the privations of selfishness and lected, he associates with bacchanals, the meanness of servility. But sep-and what was acquired without toil arate, from the means by which bad is squandered with profusion. Remen are enriched. good men, from verses of fortune, even in those cases the mere acquisition of wealth, have where property has been hardly *no peculiar deference to claim. If earned, by honest industry and prua generous man disposes of his su-dent calculation, take place in this perfluity aniong the necessitous, he country more frequently than in any merely does his duty, and should re- other. As trade and speculation ceive a reward, proportioned to the have produced our most wealthy faithfulness with which this duty is men, those objects are universally discharged. The Wanderer agrees regarded as most essentially favourwith the celebrated Doctor Swift, able to the interests of those who enthat, when "he sees a great deal of gage in them. The maritime towns, gratitude in a poor man; he takes it of consequence, throng with traders for granted, there would be as much and speculators; want of success, ingenerosity if he were a rich man;" deed, often disappoints expectation, and of consequence he gives no more but success is sometimes the result credit to the one for his generosity, of calculation. The revolutions in than to the other for his gratitude; fortune are sudden, and her wheel, excepting only in this, that as the whilst it hurls one man into poverty wealthy man has resisted the temp- he knows not why, as suddenly raistations which riches always carry in es another to opulence, he knows VOL. I.]

B

2

not how. This word be sufficient. whom he despises is best though one would think to control the poor, and is his rela though

isagreeable a char-honest.

operation of se Se pride of wealth. "Who resides in tha. splendid

acteristick,

I will inform

e of all the uncertainty mansion?" Listen, and But inche possession of riches you. An adventurer a few years attendthe folly and arrogance of ago, the resident in that house, withandride of the purse, nothing is out money and without friends, wasthe frequent than the supercilious a much more deserving, because a chaviour of such, as have no other much more innocent man, than he recommendation than their money. is at present. He went into an obThis pride is observable in all com- scure situation in this city whence panies; it is seen in the haughty by his tricks and impudence he rose demeanour of the bank director suddenly into notice. From conin the distant civility of the rich nections which soon after this he shopkeeper, and the careless in- formed, his fortune increased with <difference of the merchant, to his age: but his villany outstripped those, who often are much their both and the present year sees him, superiors, in power of comprehenmaster of immense riches, noticed, sion, knowledge of general trade, if not respected, by the powerful and dignity of virtue. But such in- and great, and as arrogant and asstances are not confined to a few in suming, as if born to an estate, and dividuals, in particular classes of the entitled to insult people by prescridcommunity; they extend to most

men.

Fellow is this?

tion.

rich people, and their influence is Before the house of that man, felt, in every situation; in the cere- whom you see at a distance, stands monies of the ball-room, the formal- his brother, the driver of a stage. ities of visiting, the affectation of the The rich man refuses him his counwomen and the contumely of the tenance or support; let the poor "When a rich man speaketh man be reconciled to his humblе every manh oldeth his tongue; when situation, by reflecting that his brotha poor man speaks, they cry, What er, on the velvet seat of his carriage, does not experience the satisfaction which his own rough box affords: This universal principle, as it un- The rich man is racked in his con; science and tortured by reflection ny, ought if possible to be restrained. the poor man is serene, for he has from the dregs of society, and has not committed a crime, and indignant because he is conscious of his not yet become free from his original own integrity, and his brother's vice: taint, be warned not to be too precipi- is he despised for his haughtiness? tate in his opinions, and violent in It is not enough; he deserves to be their support; but let him be re-sacrificed for his crimes. minded that his father was whipped "When men of infamy to grandeur soar, for theft, or sat upon the gallows for swindling, and therefore more mod- They light a torch, to shew their shama

dermines the basis of social harmo

Let the arrogant man who has risen

esty would become him.

Though people may flatter them

That man, who swells with his selves that this odious pride of wealth ideal greatness when he sees a beg may varnish the blemishes of their gar, and marches by him with state life, every reflecting man knows that Liness, should know, that the man they are deceived; the gloss with"

બીર તામાં કે માળી

T

« AnteriorContinuar »