Page:Pleasing art of money-catching (7).pdf/14

14 piety ; and well it might, for not many great nor many noble were called ; and the study of wisdom, and contempt of the world was then in esteem among the wisest philosophers in the earliest ages. But as Ovid, says

The times are chang'd, and even we

Seem changed with times to be.

So that in those times, considering the misery of wanting money is so great, we may say with the wise man, “ My son, it is better to die than to be poor ;" which saying was perhaps the occasion of an old miser's mistake, who bid his son observe what Solomon said, “ Always keep penny in your pocket." But his son answered again, he did not remember that Solomon said any such thing. The miser replied, then Solomon was not so wise as I took him to be.

Indeed money's now become the worldly man' god, and the card which the devil turns up trumph to win the game ; for it gives birth breeding, beauty, honour, and credit ; and make the possessors think themselves wise, though their very thinking so, declares them fools. But because money answers all things, and is in such vogue with the world, therefore many are so willing to purchase it though with the loss of soul and body.

But the want of money does not only cause