03-wealth-第3部分

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reckoned　profane；　that　any　person　should　pretend　a　property　in　a　work

of　art；　which　belonged　to　all　who　could　behold　it。　　I　think

sometimes；　　could　I　only　have　music　on　my　own　terms；　　could　I

live　in　a　great　city；　and　know　where　I　could　go　whenever　I　wished　the

ablution　and　inundation　of　musical　waves；　　that　were　a　bath　and　a

medicine。



　　　　　　　　If　properties　of　this　kind　were　owned　by　states；　towns；　and

lyceums；　they　would　draw　the　bonds　of　neighborhood　closer。　　A　town

would　exist　to　an　intellectual　purpose。　　In　Europe；　where　the　feudal

forms　secure　the　permanence　of　wealth　in　certain　families；　those

families　buy　and　preserve　these　things；　and　lay　them　open　to　the

public。　　But　in　America；　where　democratic　institutions　divide　every

estate　into　small　portions；　after　a　few　years；　the　public　should　step

into　the　place　of　these　proprietors；　and　provide　this　culture　and

inspiration　for　the　citizen。



　　　　　　　　Man　was　born　to　be　rich；　or；　inevitably　grows　rich　by　the　use

of　his　faculties；　by　the　union　of　thought　with　nature。　　Property　is

an　intellectual　production。　　The　game　requires　coolness；　right

reasoning；　promptness；　and　patience　in　the　players。　　Cultivated　labor

drives　out　brute　labor。　　An　infinite　number　of　shrewd　men；　in

infinite　years；　have　arrived　at　certain　best　and　shortest　ways　of

doing；　and　this　accumulated　skill　in　arts；　cultures；　harvestings；

curings；　manufactures；　navigations；　exchanges；　constitutes　the　worth

of　our　world　to…day。



　　　　　　　　Commerce　is　a　game　of　skill；　which　every　man　cannot　play；　which

few　men　can　play　well。　　The　right　merchant　is　one　who　has　the　just

average　of　faculties　we　call　_common　sense_；　a　man　of　a　strong

affinity　for　facts；　who　makes　up　his　decision　on　what　he　has　seen。

He　is　thoroughly　persuaded　of　the　truths　of　arithmetic。　　There　is

always　a　reason；　_in　the　man_；　for　his　good　or　bad　fortune；　and　so；

in　making　money。　　Men　talk　as　if　there　were　some　magic　about　this；

and　believe　in　magic；　in　all　parts　of　life。　　He　knows；　that　all　goes

on　the　old　road；　pound　for　pound；　cent　for　cent；　　for　every　effect

a　perfect　cause；　　and　that　good　luck　is　another　name　for　tenacity

of　purpose。　　He　insures　himself　in　every　transaction；　and　likes　small

and　sure　gains。　　Probity　and　closeness　to　the　facts　are　the　basis；

but　the　masters　of　the　art　add　a　certain　long　arithmetic。　　The

problem　is；　to　combine　many　and　remote　operations；　with　the　accuracy

and　adherence　to　the　facts；　which　is　easy　in　near　and　small

transactions；　so　to　arrive　at　gigantic　results；　without　any

compromise　of　safety。　　Napoleon　was　fond　of　telling　the　story　of　the

Marseilles　banker；　who　said　to　his　visitor；　surprised　at　the　contrast

between　the　splendor　of　the　banker's　chateau　and　hospitality；　and　the

meanness　of　the　counting…room　in　which　he　had　seen　him；　　〃Young

man；　you　are　too　young　to　understand　how　masses　are　formed；　　the

true　and　only　power；　　whether　composed　of　money；　water；　or　men；　it

is　all　alike；　　a　mass　is　an　immense　centre　of　motion；　but　it　must

be　begun；　it　must　be　kept　up：〃　　and　he　might　have　added；　that　the

way　in　which　it　must　be　begun　and　kept　up；　is；　by　obedience　to　the

law　of　particles。



　　　　　　　　Success　consists　in　close　appliance　to　the　laws　of　the　world；

and；　since　those　laws　are　intellectual　and　moral；　an　intellectual　and

moral　obedience。　　Political　Economy　is　as　good　a　book　wherein　to　read

the　life　of　man；　and　the　ascendency　of　laws　over　all　private　and

hostile　influences；　as　any　Bible　which　has　come　down　to　us。



　　　　　　　　Money　is　representative；　and　follows　the　nature　and　fortunes　of

the　owner。　　The　coin　is　a　delicate　meter　of　civil；　social；　and　moral

changes。　　The　farmer　is　covetous　of　his　dollar；　and　with　reason。　　It

is　no　waif　to　him。　　He　knows　how　many　strokes　of　labor　it　represents。

His　bones　ache　with　the　day's　work　that　earned　it。　　He　knows　how　much

land　it　represents；　　how　much　rain；　frost；　and　sunshine。　　He　knows

that；　in　the　dollar；　he　gives　you　so　much　discretion　and　patience　so

much　hoeing；　and　threshing。　　Try　to　lift　his　dollar；　you　must　lift

all　that　weight。　　In　the　city；　where　money　follows　the　skit　of　a　pen；

or　a　lucky　rise　in　exchange；　it　comes　to　be　looked　on　as　light。　　I

wish　the　farmer　held　it　dearer；　and　would　spend　it　only　for　real

bread；　force　for　force。



　　　　　　　　The　farmer's　dollar　is　heavy；　and　the　clerk's　is　light　and

nimble；　leaps　out　of　his　pocket；　jumps　on　to　cards　and　faro…tables：

but　still　more　curious　is　its　susceptibility　to　metaphysical　changes。

It　is　the　finest　barometer　of　social　storms；　and　announces

revolutions。



　　　　　　　　Every　step　of　civil　advancement　makes　every　man's　dollar　worth

more。　　In　California；　the　country　where　it　grew；　　what　would　it

buy？　　A　few　years　since；　it　would　buy　a　shanty；　dysentery；　hunger；

bad　company；　and　crime。　　There　are　wide　countries；　like　Siberia；

where　it　would　buy　little　else　to…day；　than　some　petty　mitigation　of

suffering。　　In　Rome；　it　will　buy　beauty　and　magnificence。　　Forty

years　ago；　a　dollar　would　not　buy　much　in　Boston。　　Now　it　will　buy　a

great　deal　more　in　our　old　town；　thanks　to　railroads；　telegraphs；

steamers；　and　the　contemporaneous　growth　of　New　York；　and　the　whole

country。　　Yet　there　are　many　goods　appertaining　to　a　capital　city；

which　are　not　yet　purchasable　here；　no；　not　with　a　mountain　of

dollars。　　A　dollar　in　Florida　is　not　worth　a　dollar　in　Massachusetts。

A　dollar　is　not　value；　but　representative　of　value；　and；　at　last；　of

moral　values。　　A　dollar　is　rated　for　the　corn　it　will　buy；　or　to

speak　strictly；　not　for　the　corn　or　house…room；　but　for　Athenian

corn；　and　Roman　house…room；　　for　the　wit；　probity；　and　power；　which

we　eat　bread　and　dwell　in　houses　to　share　and　exert。　　Wealth　is

mental；　wealth　is　moral。　　The　value　of　a　dollar　is；　to　buy　just

things：　a　dollar　goes　on　increasing　in　value　with　all　the　genius；　and

all　the　virtue　of　the　world。　　A　dollar　in　a　university；　is　worth　more

than　a　dollar　in　a　jail；　in　a　temperate；　schooled；　law…abiding

community；　than　in　some　sink　of　crime；　where　dice；　knives；　and

arsenic；　are　in　constant　play。



　　　　　　　　The　〃Bank…Note　Detector〃　is　a　useful　publication。　　But　the

current　dollar；　silver　or　paper；　is　itself　the　detector　of　the　right

and　wrong　where　it　circulates。　　Is　it　not　instantly　enhanced　by　the

increase　of　equity？　　If　a　trader　refuses　to　sell　his　vote；　or　adheres

to　some　odious　right；　he　makes　so　much　more　equity　in　Massachusetts；

and　every　acre　in　the　State　is　more　worth；　in　the　hour　of　his　action。

If　you　take　out　of　State…street　the　ten　honestest　merchants；　and　put

in　ten　roguish　persons；　controlling　the　same　amount　of　capital；　

the　rates　of　insurance　will　indicate　it；　the　soundness　of　banks　will

show　it：　the　highways　will　be　less　secure：　the　schools　will　feel　it；

the　children　will　bring　home　their　little　dose　of　the　poison：　the

judge　will　sit　less　firmly　on　the　bench；　and　his　decisions　be　less

upright；　he　has　lost　so　much　support　and　constraint；　　which　all

need；　and　the　pulpit　will　betray　it；　in　a　laxer　rule　of　life。　　An

apple…tree；　if　you　take　out　every　day　for　a　number　of　days；　a　load　of

loam；　and　put　in　a　load　of　sand　about　its　roots；　　will　find　it　out。

An　apple…tree　is　a　stupid　kind　of　creature；　but　if　this　treatment　be

pursued　for　a　short　time；　I　think　it　would　begin　to　mistrust

something。　　And　if　you　should　take　out　of　the　powerful　class　engaged

in　trade　a　hundred　good　men；　and　put　in　a　hundred　bad；　or；　what　is

just　the　same　thing；　introduce　a　demoralizing　institution；　would　not

the　dollar；　which　is　not　much　stupider　than　an　apple…tree；　presently

find　it　out？　　The　value　of　a　dollar　is　social；　as　it　is　created　by

society。　　Every　man　who　removes　into　this　city；　with　any　purchasable

talent　or　skill　in　him；　gives　to　every　man's　labor　in　the　city；　a　new

worth。　　If　a　talent　is　anywhere　born　into　the　world；　the　community　of

nations　is　enriched；　and；　much　more；　with　a　new　degree　of　probity。

The　expense　of　crime；　one　of　the　principal　charges　of　every　nation；

is　so　far　stopped。　　In　Europe；　crime　is　observed　to　increase　or　abate

with　the　price　of　bread。　　If　the　Rothschilds　at　Paris　do　not　accept

bills；　the　people　at　Manchester；　at　Paisley；　at　Birmingham；　are

forced　into　the　highway；　and　landlords　are　shot　down　in　Ireland。　　The

police　records　attest　it。　　The　vibrations　are　presently　felt　in　New

York；　New　Orleans；　and　Chicago。　　Not　much　otherwise；　the　economical

power　touches　the　masses　through　the　political　lords。　　Rothschild

refuses　the　Russian　loan；　and　there　is　peace；　and　the　harvests　are

saved。　　He　takes　it；　and　there　is　war；　and　an　agitation　through　a

large　portion　of　mankind；　with　every　hideous　result；　ending　in

revolution；　and　a　new　order。



　　　　　　　　Wealth　brings　with　it　its　own　checks　and　balances。　　The　basis

of　political　economy　is　non…interference。　　The　only　safe　rule　is

found　in　the　self…adjusting　meter　of　demand　and　supply。　　Do　not

legislate。　　Meddle；　and　you　snap　the　sinews　with　your　sumptuary　laws。

Give　no　bounties：　make　equal　laws：　secure　life　and　property；　and　you

need　not　give　alms。　　Open　the　doors　of　opportunity　to　talent　and

virtue；　and　they　will　do　themselves　justice；　and　property　will　not　be

in　bad　hands。　　In　a　free　and　just　commonwealth；　property　rushes　from

the　idle　and　imbecile；　to　the　industrious；　brave；　and　persevering。



　　　　　　　　The　laws　of　nature　play　through　trade；　as　a　toy…battery

exhibits　the　effects　of　electricity。　　The　level　of　the　sea　is　not

more　surely　kept；　than　is　the　equilibrium　of　value　in　society；　by　the

demand　and　supply：　and　artifice　or　legislation　punishes　itself；　by

reactions；　gluts；　and　bankruptcies。　　The　sublime　laws　play

indifferently　through　atoms　and　galaxies。　　Whoever　knows　what　happens

in　the　getting　and　spending　of　a　loaf　of　bread　and　a　pint　of　beer；

that　no　wishing　will　change　the　rigorous　limits　of　pints　and　penny

loaves；　that；　for　all　that　is　consumed；　so　much　less　remains　in　the

baske