Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-05-09
TANTALUS, NO FABLE.

TANTALUS, NO FABLE.
The unfortunate wight described by
ancient poets as standing amid all the
Iuxuries wealth can accumulate, yet un-
able to grasp any Of them, is no mere
creature ofimagination, nor is he one
only, nor is his place in the unsubstan-
tial re- zion of ghosts. The Tantaluses
of this living and breathing world are so
numerous that their names may be said
to be legion. The EnglishLord Hun;Ingto'
wer is Tantalus. He believed that he
ha d money; he had or will have :he name
of possessing money. The glittering
phantasm lies in heaps around him, but
ifhe seeks to touch it, 1t eludes his
grasp. He gave one friend acceptance
for 10000 pounds, and received 100 or
200 pounds for Them; he purchased a
dressing case to pawn, and his friends
pocket the advanced on the pledge; he
takes a picture off dealers hands at a
Dominal value of 900 which turns out
to be worth 90. # is not merely the
money he fancies he holds that proves uu,
substantial; the luxuries purchased with
this shadow coin turn out to be equally
unreal. He lives in a world Of appear
ancas which have no reality-or mock~
ing shadows of pleasure which he cannot
taste. And this tantalising condition
will be Lord Huntingtower's through
life. A large portion ofhis nomical
debts are declared to be not binding, but
enough remain behind to absorb the
property he may here after become
heir 10. Colonel Copeland too is Tantal-
US. Lord Huntngtower's acceptances
enable him to raise part Of the sum they
we're ostensibly worth, but it was all
needed to meet claims that were falling
due. These had accumulated to such
an amount by allowing comparative small
debts to be called larger in order TO obs
tain prolonged term Of payment. A
plausible man was the Colonel inventive
in devising ways and means TO meet f.
MAMMAL difficulties; but in proportion as
: the sum he raised increased, the claims
to be Iiquidated by him increased also -
; He realized nothing. The money seem
ed to be there--he evoked its spectre,
but he could not touch it. Again the
, money lender who obtained mortgage
on Lord Huntingtower's estate may prove
I Tantalus. He borrowed money to
. lend upon the credit Of, it may be Span
, ish bonds, and received Windbills in re.
> rurn, as security for the payment Of
: which he obtained a mortgage that may
. possible be found invalid; or, if he is
$ more lucky, the money lenders of othel
5 Lord Huntingtowers have experienced
v this fate. Thus the money grub, the
blaze man OF pleasure, tho voluptuous
Q boy lord, are all realization of the mythu'
y of Tantalus. They see, or seem TO see
o. heaps ofwhatever is most attractive tt
II their several cravings; they try to clutct
e them, and find nothing but empty air il
s their grasp. They are in world ofvaiI
e imagnations, their appetites, their active
e powers arc wasted upon illusions. Ant
Is il is not only among the vo taries Of sen
d sualty, and the misers who prey uPol
}. them, that we are to seek the multitude
/, Gus and immoral counterparts ofTan
talus.
g. There is scarcely man VINO couI
D. not produce examples from his own de-
il meslic circle. Banking speculalations
OF bubble companies and agricultural i'm
le provemenIs, have reduced as many t
nj this condition as the gaming table, or til
lg brothsl, or the Stock Exchange
There is much real property in this Ian
III of ours, but the imaginary property t'iE
r pies il in amount. Every hun dred pound
he is, by dint OF credit and bills, forced
hi do duty for thrice asmuch; every thou
or sand pounds has three nomiCal propri'
N. tors. 1t is not that there is not enoue
Tor all, but man have got so accustome
if to talk of large sums and lavish exPend
ev ture, tina! they are rarely ashamed
of confess to what they really have an
be what would really suffice them. We a
les nation of braggers, all affecting to Il
lb. richer, wiser happier than we really are
so an overgrown kennel Of puppies, lettil
go our respective bits Of meat to sn
.ict at their big shadows in the water.