Life and Literature Part 120

1661

It is difficult to gather a heap in a long time, but it is easy to squander the whole in a day.

--_Diphilus._

1662

Sir Thomas Sutton, the founder of the Charter House, was one of the wealthiest merchants of his day. Fuller tells how he was overheard one day praying in his garden: "Lord, Thou hast given me a large and liberal estate; give me also a heart to make use of it."

1663

_The Influence of Riches._--A respectable widow lady, with a very small income, which she was obliged to eke out by the produce of her own industry and ingenuity, was remarkable for her generous liberality, especially in contributing to the cause of religion. When any work of pious benevolence was going forward, she was always ready to offer a donation equal to those of persons in comparative affluence. In process of time this lady came into the possession of an ample fortune, greatly to the joy of all who knew her willing liberality. But she no longer came forward unsolicited towards the cause of Christ, and when applied to, she yielded her aid but coldly and grudgingly, and sometimes excused herself from giving at all. On one occasion she presented a shilling to the same cause to which she had formerly given a guinea when in a state of comparative poverty. Her minister felt it his duty to expostulate with her, and reminded her of her former generosity when her means were so circ.u.mscribed. "Ah! sir," she affectingly replied; "then I had the shilling means, but the guinea heart, now I have the guinea means, but only the shilling heart. Then I received day by day my daily bread, and I had enough and to spare; now, I have to look at my ample income, but I live in constant apprehension that I may come to want!"

1664

Riches and care are as inseparable as sun and shadow.

1665

As riches and favor forsake a man, we discover him to be below mediocrity, but n.o.body could find it out in his prosperity.

1666

I remember when Mr. Locke first came over from Italy. Old Dr. Moore, who had a high opinion of him, was crying up his drawings, and asked me if I did not think he would make a great painter? I said, "No, never!" "Why not?" "Because he has six thousand a year."

--_Northcote._

1667

Few men are both rich and generous; fewer are both rich and humble.

--_Manning._

1668

Riches serve a wise man but command a fool.

--_German._

1669

'Tis strange, the miser should his cares employ To gain those riches he can ne'er enjoy.

--_Pope._

1670

_Riches_:--We see how much a man has, and therefore we envy him; did we see how little he enjoys, we would rather pity him.

--_Seed._

1671

My riches consist not in the greatness of my possessions, but in the smallness of my wants.

--_Cobbett._

1672

OPULENCE.

Every one who rightly considers it, may know, that eminence and opulence in the world are not real divine blessings, notwithstanding man, from the pleasure he finds in them, calls them so; for they pa.s.s away, and also seduce many, and turn them away from heaven; but that eternal life, and its happiness, are real blessings, which are from the Divine: this the Lord also teaches in Luke: 12 ch., 33-34. "Make to yourselves a treasure that faileth not in the heavens, where the thief cometh not, nor the moth corrupteth; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

--_Emanuel Swedenborg, 1688-1772._

1673

Without frugality none can become rich, and with it, few would become poor.

--_Dr. Johnson._

1674

No man has a right to do as he pleases, except when he pleases to do right.

1675

_Late Rising._--He who rises late, must trot all day, and will scarcely overtake his business at night.

--_Dr. Fuller._

1676

To wish for anything that is unattainable is worthless, and a poor road to travel.