But let them look over all the great and
monstrous wickednesses, they shall never find those in poor
families. They are the issue of the wealthy giants and the mighty
hunters, whereas no great work, or worthy of praise or memory, but
came out of poor cradles. It was the ancient poverty that founded
commonweals, built cities, invented arts, made wholesome laws, armed
men against vices, rewarded them with their own virtues, and
preserved the honour and state of nations, till they betrayed
themselves to riches.
Amor nummi.--Money never made any man rich, but his mind. He that
can order himself to the law of Nature is not only without the sense
but the fear of poverty. O! but to strike blind the people with our
wealth and pomp is the thing! What a wretchedness is this, to
thrust all our riches outward, and be beggars within; to contemplate
nothing but the little, vile, and sordid things of the world; not
the great, noble, and precious! We serve our avarice, and, not
content with the good of the earth that is offered us, we search and
dig for the evil that is hidden. God offered us those things, and
placed them at hand, and near us, that He knew were profitable for
us, but the hurtful He laid deep and hid.
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