, 1862-07-31
[From BlaekwOOd'S MaEaEine for May,l
Management of Money.

acter."
In the humber grades Of life, certainly character
is money. The man who gives me his labor in
return for the wages which the labor is worth,
pledges to me something more than bis labor; he
pledges to me certain qualities Of his moral being,
slch as honesty, sobriety, and diligence. II, in
these respects, he maintain his character he will
have my money as long as / want his labor; and,
| when want his labor no longer, his character is
| moneys worth to him from somebody else II, in
addition to the moral qualities have named, he
establish a character for other attributes which
have their own price in the money market-if he
exhibit superior Intelligence, skill, energy zeal
his labor rises in value. Thus, in the humblest
class of life, character is money; and, according
as the man earns or spends the money, money ID
turn becOmcs character.
As money is the most evident power in theworld's
uses so tie use that he makes Of money is often ali
| that the world knows about man. Is our money
gained Justly and spent prudentlyp our character
establishes a claim on respect. Is it gained nobly
| and spent henefcently? our character commands
more than respect-it wins a place in that higher
sphere Of opinion which comprises admiration.
gratitude love. Is money, inherited without merit
Of ours, lavished recklessly awayS our character
dsperses itself with the spray Of the golden shower
it is not the money alone Of viii we are spend
thrills. Ismorey meaDly acquired, sel6shly b ard
ed? tits not the money alone OF which weare m sers;
we are starving our own human hearts-dep living
thnm Of their natural aliment in the approval and
affection Of others. We invest the money which
we fancy so safe out at compound interest, In the
very worst pOss ssion man can purchase-viz.,
an odious reputation In fact, the more we look
round the more we shall come to acknowledge that
there is no test Of a mans character more gvner-
ally adopted than the Aay in which his money is
managed. Money is terrible blab; she will be
tray the secrets of her owner whatever he do to gag
her. His virtues will creep It in her whisper-hs
vices she will cry aloud at the top Of her tongue.
But the management Of money is an artp True,
but that which we call an art means an improve
ment, and not deterioration, Of a something ex-
istent already in nature, and the artist can only
succeed in improving his art in proportion as he
improves himself in the qualities which the art
demands in the artist. Now the management OF
money is, in much, the management Of SELF II
heaven allotted to each man seven guardian angels,
| Eve Of them, at least, would be found night and
day lowering over his pockets.
On the first rule Of the art Of managing money
all preceptOrs must be agreed II is told in three
words: Horror OF debt"
Nurse. cherish. never cavil away, the wholesome
horror Of Debt Personal liberty is the paramount
essential TO human dignity and u nan happiness.
Man hazards tn condition and loses the rtues OF
freeman. in proportion as he accusoms his thoughts
|
the bondage Of debtor Debt is to man what the
serpent is to the bird itseye iascnates, its breath
poisons its coil crushes snew and bone. its jaw IS
the pitiess grave. II you mock my illustration, f
YOU snecr at the truth il embOdes, give yourself
no further trOuble TO learn how TO manage your
money. Consider yourself doomed pass on your
way with a jaunty step; the path is taclle--paths
to Avnrnus always are. But i, while write, your
heart, true to the instinct Of manhood responds to
my wOrds-if you say Agreed; that which you
call the first rule for the management OF money,
rod yet more imperative as the necessity to free
I'M apd the liz spring Of prObity' advance
on your way assured that wherever it wind It must
ascend. You see but the temple Of Honor; close
behind Il is the temple of Fortune You will pass
through the one to the other
"But," sghs the irresnlute youth whom the eye
Of the serpent has already charmed, :" is by no
means so easy to keep out Of debt as it is to write
warnings against getting into it"
Easy to keep out Of debit Certainly not. No
thing IN life worth an effort iseasy. Doyou expect
to know the first six books Of Euclid by inspira-
ton? Could you get over that problem in the
first book, popularly called the ASS Bridge, with
out sigh Of fatigue? Can you 10 back to the
rudmentary agOnies Of the Multipl cation Table
and the Rule Of Three without lively Renaissance
of the moment in which you fairly gave in, and
said, /" This is too much for human powers " Even
in things the pleasautest IL we wish TO succeed we
must toll. We are all Adams children. What
ever We culture on earth, till we win back our way
into Eden. we must earn by the sweat Of our brow
or the sweat Of our brain. Not even the Sybarite
was at ease on his rosebed-even iof him some labor
was neelfu. No hand save bis own could uncrum-
ple the roseleaf that ehafed him. Each object under
| the sun reflects difficulty on the earth. Every
hair" says that exquisite Publius Syrus, whOse
fragments Of old verse are worth libraries Of mod
ern comedies" every hair casts its shadow"
But think, o Young mani Of the object | place
before you, and then be ashamed Of yourself Il you
still sigh, Easy to preach and not easy to practice"
have no Interest in the Freaching; your interest
is immense in the practices That object not won.
your heart has no peace, and your hearth no Sc
curty. Your conscience itself leav, s a door open
| night and day TO the tempter night and day, to
the ear of debtor, steal whispers that prompt to
the deeds of a fe!on. Three years ago you admired
the rising success Of some-most respectable man.
| Where Is he now? In the dock--in the jail-in
the hulksY What that opalent banker, whose
plate dazzled princesI or that AOurishing clerk.
who drove the highstepping horse 10 his Office?
The same And his crime? Fraud and swindling.
| What demon c0uld urge so respectable man to
so shameful an act2 know not the name Of the
demon but the cause Of the crime tn, wretch tells
you himself. Ask him; what is b s answerI 81
got into debt-no way to get out OF Il but the
way which tOok-to the dock, 10 the jail, to the
| hulks =
Easy to keep out Of debt! No, my young
friend, II is difficult Are you rich! The bland
tradesman cries, Pay when you please" Your
rents or your fathers allowance will not be due
for three months; your purse, in the meanwhile,
cannot afford you some pleasant vice or some IN
nocent luxury, which TO young heirs seems want
YOU are about 10 relinquish the vice or dispense
with the luxury charming acquaintance, who
lives no one knows how though co one lives better.
introduces an amiabe creature. sleek IS cat with
paws Of velvet hiding claws Of steel bis r.anners