The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-11-08

nueS Take, Sir, take this money, yon
will not find il any cheaper elsewhefe I;
il becomes so scarce IN our age that ev-
cry one wants il every thing IS said
neutrality-suspicious., wit, friendship,
love. We shall soon have enough la
every talent, every favor for every klnd
of merit which is hired, borrowed ol
bought, The item only for covenants Of
conscience would suffice, think, for The
Disappearance, in shou lime, of our
ready money, and party spnit h'slens 10
drain il with a pruiieiou' rapldItv.
You speak wonders, SAID | the An-
thor .af the book Of wisdom, even Solo
mon, would moi express himself better,
| am enraptured 10 see aud hear PIT
losophicaI usurer.
\ philosopher, | agree, ietorted Tn"
malicious old man, aud not III every
ones reach To bo SO; hut IN nSmer
why give me tint common name p! eN-
cry one is an usurer.
Every one, / exclaimed I. WLl.ll. ny
dear md very dear Balthazar, that is the
strongest paradox ever heard.
Well, said he, viii prove il 10 you
IN icw words; il is an inGisputablc truth
tha' nothing is giren: every thing is
said and bonght; the earth sells to man
for the price of his sweat and labour,
the produce of her soil. II is not an
axiom that life was gireR us by heaven,
il is so short thai it rather appears tent J;
and, if in il we enjoy some few pleasure
il Is said the devil below, makes us pay
for them rather uNIuIonslV. Our very
sou even, is so little ofan absolute gift,
thu ii is generally said ola dead man,
that he has gieen w the ghosts
justice, which is certainly very good
thing, is sotd, we are told, in many
countries and whore it is in need Of
help, II is never said HAT it is giUen, but
aid IS tent 10 it, perhaps in the hope that
II may be restored.
Those predestned morials whom we
envy, because we imagine fate has law
ished on them all it, fayors, inierroeatc
them, they will inform you how dearly
bought, and how Justly the poet has said
thai fortune sells what we think she
gires."
Nothing ought 10 be so gratuitousas adj
vice.; il costs no disbursements, yet see
in every country, what sums are paid TO
counsellors, &c. DC.
OF all usurcrs, nattcrv is that which
makes most profit when the ersat are
in want of virtue, it lends them some,
and is amply paid with pensions, favors,
offices and honorS.
What profit hive not the Bones and
Defvises found almost every where, by
iendihg 10 vice the mask of piety.
Trnth the most Impoverished virtue
for she is naked, is she not OBLIGED ,c
b0rrom the vel of fiction : without thi'
b0rr0Wed passport, she would often only
have to endure, in showing herself, in,
juros and disfavors.
Many great pcrsonages only obtaiI
our foolish admiration by a borr0neC
spIendor every thing, even names ar
lent al great interest how many Crane
spccnlallons are made al The Exchange
and fine speeches in the Senate will
borrowed names.
Ask the most renowned Mantua-ma
kers II they donot owe their fortunes anC
fame to the charms they Tend To many
females to whom nature had forgotten
To grant any.
In short, concerning ourselves, To,
humpbacked ser, | know il Ia be eener
ally believed you can granitously turI
as into ridicule, bur You perceive W,
know how TO return even this with IN
teresL Therefor, | repeat, III th'
world bends to gain therefore all th'
world are uSurerS.
After this fine discourse, which ha,
diverted rather than edited me, the oil,
usurer departed, leaving mo his money
and taking my note. ! FASTENED IN In,
prison and had my friend liberated.
had purchased rather dearly his liberty
but he was content ; his happiness an,
his gratitude replid me with usury thi
service, nsury the most delightful, ant
vet fha FaTpSf oI all