Many
Emigrants Have Met, With Fortitude, Such A Total Change Of
Circumstances As Scarcely Can Be Paralleled, Retiring From A
Palace
to an obscure lodging with dignity; but the greater number glide
about, the ghosts of greatness, with the Croix
De St. Louis
ostentatiously displayed, determined to hope, "though heaven and
earth their wishes crossed." Still good breeding points out the
gentleman, and sentiments of honour and delicacy appear the
offspring of greatness of soul when compared with the grovelling
views of the sordid accumulators of cent. per cent.
Situation seems to be the mould in which men's characters are
formed: so much so, inferring from what I have lately seen, that I
mean not to be severe when I add - previously asking why priests are
in general cunning and statesmen false? - that men entirely devoted
to commerce never acquire or lose all taste and greatness of mind.
An ostentatious display of wealth without elegance, and a greedy
enjoyment of pleasure without sentiment, embrutes them till they
term all virtue of an heroic cast, romantic attempts at something
above our nature, and anxiety about the welfare of others, a search
after misery in which we have no concern. But you will say that I
am growing bitter, perhaps personal. Ah! shall I whisper to you,
that you yourself are strangely altered since you have entered
deeply into commerce - more than you are aware of; never allowing
yourself to reflect, and keeping your mind, or rather passions, in a
continual state of agitation?
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