Page:The Poor Rich Man, and the Rich Poor Man.djvu/120

112 very best persons in society. I know some such—there is Mr. Beckwith, he has ten talents, and a faithful steward is he; he and his whole family are an honour and blessing to their country—doing in every way all the good they can. Such a rich man as Morris Finley I despise, or rather pity, as much as you or any man can; but, pray, do not let us envy him his riches—they are something quite independent of himself; and, can a man be really poorer than he is—a poor mind, a poor heart—that is the poverty to shun. As to rich men being at their ease, Miner, every new acquisition brings a new want—a new responsibility."

"But, Aikin, Aikin—now, candidly, would you not be willing to take their wants and responsibilities with their purses?"

"I cannot say, Miner; money is the representative of power—the means of extended usefulness; and we all have dreams of the wonderful good we should do if we had these means in our hands. But this I do know, that, till we are conscious of employing, and employing well, the means we have, we ought not to crave more. But let us look at the matter in the right point of view. We are all children of one family—all are to live here a few years—some in one station, and some in another. We are all of us, from the highest to the lowest, labourers in our Father's field; and as we sow, so shall we reap. If we labour rightly, those words of truth and immense import will sound in our ears like a promise, and not like a threat. We shall work at our posts like faithful children, not like tasked slaves; and shall be sure of the riches that perish not in the using. As to all other riches, it