The Insecurity and Unsatisfying Character of Riches
TWO THINGS ought to be strongly impressed upon the young people of our country: The insecurity of riches even when acquired, and their unsatisfying character. There is no fallacy so universally cherished as the notion that wealth is surely a means of happiness. The care of a large property is one of the most burdensome of earth's trusts. The only material good which comes from any estate is to be made out of a moderate income far more easily than a large one, and with fewer attendant disadvantages. Few thoughtful men would undergo the entire stewardship of a large estate on a positive bargain that they should receive no more for taking care of it than ordinarily falls into the lap of the owner. The scramble after wealth is due to a wrong estimate of good when it is gained.—Sel.