The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-07
waking Haste TO be Rich.

an insane husband OF his wife and two chill
dren, and his subsequent suicide--is full oil
warning to a large class of men who believe
themselves to be peculiarly exempt from In
tellectual infirmities. MIR. Blackstone, the
unfortunate gentleman who destroyed himself
and his family, had invested his capital In Q
business which was really prosperous and
profitable, but by the dishonesty OF an ao-
couptspt. a considerable amount OF cash had
been embezzled. There was no deficiency
which the resources Of the partnership were
not ample to meet; but the theft and less Of so
large sum overthrow the mind Of Mr.. Black
stone until in his madness he sought, with
perverted tenderness, TO save those who were
dear to him from want by consigning them
10 the tomb. The motive, IL
man in his condition can be said
70 have motive, was un-
deubtedly oreditable to the best feelings of his
nature; but the original delusion was mis-
Saken notion, a melancholy and morbid over
estimate Of the value and importance of
money. This delusion has at all times been a
fruitful source of insanity. II has filledsthe
brains of squalid alchemists with dreams at
pnoe pleasure and pain; It has beguiled
ahe halfclsd and hslf-fed miser into a con-
teptment with nakedness and an indifference
70 hunger; 1t has destroyed the sweetest
natural relations and changed brothers to
enemies II has caused those who were at first
Ingenious to become badly subtle and full of
Discrimination; 1t has proved too strong for
constitutional benevolence, and has made the
hand close and gripping which nature meant
should be generously open; It has developed
new forms Of felony and led men into pc
euliar and irresistible temptations; it
has y provoked disgraoeful breaches Of
the most sacred trusts and the cruel
spolistion Of the widow and the fatherless;
and for more than moiety of all the pain
and misery Of this groaning globe IL is either
directly or indirectly responsible. But avarioe
can hardly be considered at this time distin-
gushing mark of the money maker. Gene
rally, If his gains have been great, his expen-
ditSres have kept pace with them, and he has
been anxious to proclaim by luxurious osteu
Sation the golden favors which have been be-
slowed upon him. But IL is easy to see that
this profusion only adds to his eager appetite
by increasing the demand upon his check.
book. To be rich contents the miser; to be
Thought rich Is the passion of the modern
votary OF Plutus. This is not feeling which
Ss confined to Wall street, nor does it inf uence
chose alone who stir the foundations of the
market by large transactions. II a mans
sphere be narrow one, within that sphere
he wishes to be thought successful and he
looks eagerly forward from the twilight of small
ahings TO the broad MONDAY Of unlimited
Opulence. Such passions are contagious, and
are shared by most Of those who buy and sell.
Peounisry losses become the worst of misfor-
tunes; he who owes and cannot pay Is the
vilest Of criminals; rivals in trade are hated
and, II possible, crushed, until society seems
10 be held together only by the cohesive power
Of mutual loss and gain. Here and there ia a
man who is driven from his equsnimity by the
prospect Of insolvency, and is half mad be-
cause he has promised what he cannot per-
form; but failure to most Is distasteful because
~ kan ;posp of
Imply want Of commercial talent. A third
or fourth place in the race may content the
majority, but TO be wholly distanced Is intoIe-
rable. In one Of Mr.. Irving's earliest but
most exquisite sketches there Is the story
of merchant who was overtaken by bank
ruptcy, and whose principal thought was of
the disoomforts and privations which his
young and lovely wife would be forced, in
consequence Of his reverses, to suffer. It ia
hardly necessary TO remind the reader OF the
delightful moral of the tale-of the cheerful
soquiesoencs of an amiable and loving woman
In misfortune, OF the summer light which her
presence diffused throughout the new and
humble home. II men would but remember
how many excellent pleasures, how many ele-
waiting pursuits, how many Of the worthiest
ends, are quite Independent of mere material
wealth; If they would but consider the ambi-
tions which best become our better nature; II
and oonstanoy, and selfsacrifice are oftenest
most beautifully developed in an atmosphere
Of poverty; II they would but reflect
that no bankruptcy can deprive them
Of the charms Sof nature, Of the gratifca-
lions Of study, of the happiness of home, they
might be less eager in the pursuit of wealth,
and less inoonsolable for the loss of it. But
we have forgotten the better half of the lesson
which DR.. Franklin taught us. We are will
ling enough to thrive luxurisntly, but we are
mot willing to enjoy moderately. 1t is safe to
say that none Of the admoniti0ns Of that fine
old man, which are oftenest quoted in defense
of acquisition, referred to enormous aggrega-
fions OF private wealth such as in our day have
become almosttoo common for notice. Happy
Is he that can hit upon the happy medium
who can fairly decide for himself the relative
value Of different schemes of life and who
oan be content with poverty II 1t be his por-
zion, or wise in the use Of wealth should 1t be
vouohssfed TO him.
aSenetaI Siclxles and tle Mission