Litchfield enquirer., 1838-08-09
From the Mothers Magasine. LOVE OF MONEY.


 us, who are mothers, be careful not to per- plrx the unfolding mind with its precepts aud contradictions.
 A child hears perpetual conversation about the dearness or cheapness of the are ticIes, with which he is surrounded. Per- haps the associations which he forms, are not between his apparel, and it's fitness or comfort but between tine quantity of fno- ney which they cost, or the adroiiness with which the merchant was beaten down. He is interested by frequent remarks from the lips that lIes sreveres-about how much such and such person is worth and hears the gradations gravely settled be- tween neighbor and neighbor. Does aoOrth mean goodness? 2 inquiries the child. Nr--it means money.' '.WOrth makes the man, and want of it the fellow,' said the ethical poet. But the child coming with his privately amended dictionary, says, Money makes the man. Of course, he whose purse is empty, is less than man. Some person is spoken of, as possessing distinguished talents. The listening child is prepared to admire, till the clause he can meUer make q fortane,' changes his respect to pity or indifference. The pi- ety of another is mentioned his love of doing good :; his efforts to make others better and happier. But he is poor.'- Alas. that the forming mind should be left 60 undervalue thoso deeds and motives which, tn the sight of heaven, are the only true riches. @ Possibly, in the freedom of domestic discourse, some lady is censured for vanity | nj fOr or an ill-spelt epistle. But she is rich,' may be the reply, and he sees the extenu- alton accepted. If he is skilfll at draw ing differences, or indisposed to study, he says money is an excuse for ignorance so if Ihave but little knowledge, it is no matter, if can only get rich.' He hears Q man spoken of as unkind, or in- temperate, or irreligious. He listens for the sentence of blame, that such conduct deserves. He is worth five hundred thousand dollars,' is the reply; and there is silence. Can money excuse sin 2 asks the poor child in silent ruminations. It is unwarily remarked at the table, such a young man will be very rich, when his fa- ther dies.' Beware, lest that busy casuist arrive at the conclusion, that a parents death is not great affliction, if he leaves something behind that if his possessions are very large, the event may be both con- templa,ed and borne with great indiffer- ence.
 Now, though the long teaching of sell fish world may fasten this result on the minds of men, it should never enter the simple sanctuary of a chiLd's heart, displa- cling the first, hpliest affections of nature. I
 A little girl once had some conversa- ton in the family, about the hiring of a seamstrcss, and reported it to her sister.
 'One is very poor, said she, and has an aged mother, and two little children to sup- port. The other is not so poor. But she does not ask as much by several cents a day. heard it said that she does not work as well, but then she works cheaper, and dresses better. So, we have hired her. Yet. sister, I felt sorry for the widow, with the babes, for she looked sad and pale, and said she had no way to get bread for them but her needle. was afraid they would cry to be fed, and that the lame grandmother would suffer-
 The sister, who had lived longer in this world of calculation, said, it is perfectly right to hire her who asks the least, be- cause ]. saves money.'
 Now, my dear friends, is it not both un- kind and hazardous, thus 10 puzzle the mof- al sense of our children to leave them to believe that wealth is both an excuse for ignorance, and a shelter for vice that il is but another name for virtue that for want of it, neither talent or piety can atone that it is right to wish the death of parent to obtain it? or to grind the face of the poor to save it!
 How could the most inveterate enemy injure them so directly and permanently, as by making their earliest system of mor- als contradiction and suIecism7 Yet this is done, by the conversation and exam- pie of parents, who love them as their Own souls.
 or what effect is it, that we repeat to them, in grave lectures on Sundays, that they must lay up for themselves, treas nres in heaven,' when they can see us for ihe other six days, toiling after, and covet- ing only treasures on earth 2 When we tell them that they mast not value the gold that perisheth, neither love the world nor the things of the world,' ifthey weigh these precepis with our illustration of them, will they not think that we mean to palm on them what we disregard ourselves, and despise oar cunning or else ,lsat we rec peat what we do not believe; and so dis trust our sinccriiyT
 IL is indeed necessary, that where the subsistence of a family is to be acquired, much attention and industry should be em- pIoyed. Parents must often confer togeih- CT on items of expense. and understand each other in every point of economy.- Bot these consultations may surely be sn managed. as not to absorb the thoughts of thasr ofTscr;nw Ft ia rc. un~a~.orv that