The hydraulic press., 1860-12-08
THE MISER.

OF mOrallty, Oy concerning the 10llleS OF
others. in order to make avarice, in bis own
case, appear virtue. This man is named
King He is money-shaver. In an article
which he publishes over his own signature,
! he uses this language:
81 sometimes think that even the devils in hell
must laugh, to see my fellow-men stand before
me trembling, In want OF that gold they have
made master over them. Every dime 1 make
or save, adds still little more to that power
possess, and which it is only natural I should
seek to increase"
King is a bad logician. He fails to dis
cover that it is the exuavagances of bis
victims, their want of proper estimate of
the value of money, which gives him the
advantage. 1t is he over whom the sordd
mastery is obtained. The idea, however, of
addressing the intelligence of such men
with rational argument, is absurd. They
have no sensibilty liable to be impressed
no conscientiousness to be awakened-no
generosity to be appealed to. One idea, that
of acquisitiveness, absorbs all the rest, and
makes them what they truly ale, libel upon
Gods sacred image-a reproach and dis :.
grace to their kind.
There are two kinds of marked men to be
avoded the leper, because contact might
result in the contracting of loathsome dis
ease; and the miser, because be is beneath
contempt, and entitled to none of that minis
te.ing care which it is within the power of
leper only, is dried into a scurf, which ap-
pears on the surface of the skin; but every
mngnan,mons impulse, every noble ambition,
every sympathetic thrill of the mser's heart
is destroyed. The heart itself is serulchre,
in which are engendered offensive smells.
leper has the soul, the instincts. the feel
ings, the sympathies of man. His malady
is misfortune distnc. from his nature.
The miser is all moral rottanness He has
no nature above the vilest brute He is in
different to all progress, all discovery, al
merit in others, and enjoys himself only in
the contemplation of money, around which
every groveling desire of his british soul
has clustered.
He is shabbily dressed because he grudges
to spend for new clothing. He goes hungry
in order to husband the means which would
bny him dinner. He walks on journey,
to avoid paying fare. When he can obtain
favorS without cost, be accepts them. He
crnges 10 dollar, and would lick the hand
that bestowed it upon him. He never gets
sick, for fear OF the doctors bll He is both
glutton and drunkard, at other peoples
expense.
When the mser is a married man, he takes
pleasure in making his wife miserable There
are no comforts in his house. His children
are ragged, filthy, and uneducated. On hol-
day occasions, they are envious spectators
of enjoyments in which they cannot parti-
cipate. They have no toys, no tokens Of
paternal affection to exhibit. They are told
such things are idle. The mercenary fatht r
measures their youthful aspirations ard
yearnings by his own niggardiy nature and
if in an unguarded moment a sensation Of
liberality should get the better of his cal
lous soul, and be should confer upon either
of them a pittance, it would be with the
self-couviction that means might be success
fully employed to procure it back again.
In our hearts EXTREMIST charity we can
not, after the most comprehensive survey of
animated nature, conceive q reptile that
Kisses, worm that shines, beast that de-
Yours, which is not more to 6e favored, ad-
: mired and Eindlier dealt with, than the SEM
because of the base and groveling passion
that possesses it-a lust which the snake,
nor the toad, nor the dog know anything
about, and above which, consequently, their
instincts rise superior.
We recollect, when boy, to have read of
one of these despicabie creatures with a
! human form, who serves as type of bis
| class. He was wealthy curnudgeon, and
resided days journey from London. His
name was Daniel Dancer. He was too stingy
to buy clothing, and wound wisps of straw
around his body and limbs to cover thier ma
kedness. Having occasion to visit that city
on business connected with his estate, he
took staff in one hand, to support his age,
and Il penny in the other. to bear his expen-
ses, and started off afoot. When he had
arrived in one of the bustling streets of the
great metropolis, he was weary and hungry,
and stood gazing at bakers window, de-
batting in his mind whether he would NOS
purchase small loaf, with which to appease
the cravings of his appetite. A gentleman
happening TO pass. and nistaking him for a
mendicant, tossed him another penny. This
he clntched with the trembling grip of ava
rice. Tears OF delight ran down his cheeks
as he gazed upon it. His fatigue was for
gotten. his hunger cured and he resumed
his hohhfinc mace In rnomeae 40 eSn;.d