, 1841-08-21
From the Vermont Spirit of the Age.
RICHESNOT WORTH.

life, look upon wealth as the true Standard Of
merit, and pass by the cottage Of the intelli-
gent and ~virtuous, to associate with the ig.
norant nabob in his castle reared upon fraud
and oppression. Their standard may suit
their present condition. But if it does not
prove their ruin, it surely will that Of their
children. Their riches may fly with the
wind, in a moment, and then where is the
merit? Flown also, leaving them neglected
by their old associates, and despised by those
whom they before summed, merely because
they were poor. Let those, then who wish
TRUE GREATNESS, seek it through moral and
intellectual, rather than pecuniary culture
Good talents and good character are the pass
port to any circle and an honor worth seek
ing"
The preceding extract we have caught.
as we found it floating about OF the sea Of
ne newspapers. 1t embraces 4 subject upon
which we are accustomed to think too little,
and which is not rightly understood. What
L fool is that human being who imagines that
riches are worth. A man who may happen
to have so many dolla rs, is said TO be north
so much, a most wretched perversion Of the
meaning of the good old English term
Worth cannot be bought with money. 1t is
not composed of stars, garters, ribbons, bro
cade and costly equipage. Successful specu-
~lation, q slight change in the tide of mems
affairs, chance, circumstances, may in an hour
clothe a man in all the trappings and butter
1y-consequence of riches. But a rise in the
price Of snuff and tobacco, does not bring
porh along whit. 1t is not gained by 'fair
,-,pe, IL a., NOT. t,., ,r.,h q
bad bargain. II falls not with the fall Of
stocks 1t rises not with the price Of calico.
1t spreads not with the spread Of bank notes.
1t liveih not with a great yield OF potatoes.
Ii dieth not with n horse. II is Il mighty,
giant principle, that heeds not the consequent
tial strut Of circumstances. Ii sweetens
poverty, alleviates distress, endures suffer.
ing, is not dependent upon pomp, show, and
circumstance; tiIneless, indestructible, living
as well in the breast Of brawny-armed labor
as in that of silken-robed ease.
Riches may take TO themselves wings
Hawkers, and knaves, and men cunning in
the bargaining and cheapening Of this worlds
goods, may make the rich ricb-less, but they
cannot make the uorth-v rorh-lesS. The
elements may scatter riches Ia the four
winds OF heaven, as the tornado scat,ers
the sands OF the desert. They have no con-
troll. over T0rM. Our houses, our lands, our
and our horses may be taken from us,
but north, the true and the faithful, stays be-
hind with us, TO comfort, 10 cheer, TO bless,
TO sanctify. Though hope. and JOY, and ease.
and love, and health and friends, those tickle
children, of tickle and incons,ant parents.
may desert us, rorM knows no change; but
with a deeper strength and 4 more en-
during affection TO the heart that cherishes
if, and becomes TO the hopeless, and wretch.
ed, like the shadow of n great rock in a wea-
ry land;' like the shade of palms and the
Of waters 10 the weary wanderer in
a burning and trackless desert.
Who, that is the richest Of us, at times,
not felt the winged spirit urn away from
all his gold and gliding with loathing? Who
not felt that all his goods and his chattles
have been like a puff of empty air to salts
fly the mysterious and undesirable yearnings
of the soul? Who hath not seen moments
when, if all his worldly goods had been
weighed in the balance with the lighiest
breath Of an infant, they would be found
wanting? Who hath not seen moments,
hours, days, when he would give all his es-
late, without a thought, even of "what he
should eat or drink, or withall he
should be clothed" TO look into his own heart
md find north 'en,hroned there with the
:almness Of aGod! Riches may remain
With US through life, and ensure US ease, COM
ort, and worldly honors. And in the last
Tread hour, they may pile silken cushions be-
leath the crazed and wandering head. They
nay hang curtains of damask about our last
ouch. They may command menials and
'ycophants and crocodile tears. They may
,ild with gold, deck with satin, and orna-
with tassels our last narrow bed; but
hey can go nc further. They'll have done all
hey could do; before the sods are leveled on
,ur graves, they hasten into other hands as
f we had never been. But north stops not
It the portals of the narrow house. It takes
IS by the hand and leads Us, with mothers
are, through the valley Of the shadow of
leath, to a blessed Immortality.
How fooIish'then, oh! how vain, how ut
erly vain and idle to allow ourselves, and TO
each others to think, that the sum and sub
Itance Of life is to pile up heaps Of gilded
oys, to scrape together handsful Of glitter
ng dust, and to place our affections upon
t,Ck,t 90 -. Her., ,,,,L, ~otborsho,tI |