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N° 58.

THE RAMBLER.

25

of those with whom they conversed, and yielded reluctantly to a thousand prodigalities, either from a trivial emulation of wealth and spirit, or a mean fear of contempt and ridicule; an emulation for the prize of folly, or the dread of the laugh of fools.

I am, SIR,

Your humble Servant,

Sophron.

Numb. 58. Saturday, October 6, 1750.

——Improbæ Crescunt divitiæ; tamen Curtæ nescio quid semper abest rei.	Hor.

But, while in heaps his wicked wealth ascends, He is not of his wish possess'd; There's something wanting still to make him bless'd.	Francis.

AS the love of money has been, in all ages, one of the passions that have given great disturbance to the tranquillity of the world, there is no topick more copiously treated by the ancient moralists than the folly of devoting the heart to the accumulation of riches. They who are acquainted with these authors, need not be told how riches excite pity, contempt, or reproach, whenever they are mentioned; with what numbers of examples the danger of large possessions is illustrated; and how all the powers of reason and eloquence have been exhausted in endeavours to eradicate a desire, which seems to have intrenched

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