Page:Satire in the Victorian novel (IA satireinvictoria00russrich).pdf/237

 *holder, deplores this apparent lack of public interest, and remarks that it is "indeed melancholy to see what little heed people paid to the most precious of all institutions." Her guest observes,—

"I could say nothing in reply, but I have ever been of opinion that the greater part of mankind do approximately know where they get that which does them good."

The Musical Bankers not only protest too much as to the ascendancy of their institution, but consistently depreciate the other:

"Even those who to my certain knowledge kept only just enough money at the Musical Banks to swear by, would call the other banks (where their securities really lay) cold, deadening, paralyzing, and the like."

As to the cashiers and managers,—

"Few people would speak quite openly and freely before them, which struck me as a very bad sign. * * * The less thoughtful of them did not seem particularly unhappy, but many were plainly sick at heart, though perhaps they hardly knew it, and would not have owned to being so. Some few were opponents of the whole system; but these were liable to be dismissed from their employment at any moment, and this rendered them very careful, for a man who had once been a cashier at a Musical Bank was out of the field for other employment, and was gen-*