Date: 1869
I know a poet who wUl not make merchan dise of his poetry, because forsooth he wUl not seU God-given thoughts for mere money, and I knew a singer once, who would not traffic with his voice.  But now he is wiser," he added with a smUe, "and wiU engage himself to sing anything for any man over and over again, tiU he is as much of a machine as any enlightened public can desire, so long at least as that public wUl pay him a fair price.  Yes, I am come to that now, I can talk about the price of my singing just as if it was so much cahco I disposed of by the yard, or in the piece all at the buyer's pleasure."