ing to do as there are
of those bowed down to the earth with hard labour; there are more persons
who draw upon themselves calamity by following their own will than there
are who experience it by obeying the will of another. Add to this, that
the rich are so much afraid of dying they have no comfort in living."

"There the poor have another advantage," said Rebecca; "for they may defy
not only death, but every loss by sea or land, as they have nothing to
lose."

"Besides," added the elder Henry, "there is a certain joy of the most
gratifying kind that the human mind is capable of tasting, peculiar to
the poor, and of which the rich can but seldom experience the delight."

"What can that be?" cried Rebecca.

"A kind word, a benevolent smile, one token of esteem from the person
whom we consider as our superior."

To which Rebecca replied, "And the rarity of obtaining such a token is
what increases the honour."

"Certainly," returned young Henry, "and yet those in poverty, ungrateful
as they are, murmur against that Government from which they receive the
blessing."

"But this is the fault of education, of early prejudice," said the elder
Henry. "Our children observe us pay respect, even reverence, to the
wealthy, while we slight or despise the poor. The impression thus made
on their minds in youth is indelible during the more advanced periods of
life; and they continue to pine after riches, and lament under poverty:
nor is the seeming folly wholly destitute of reason; for human beings are
not yet so deeply sunk in voluptuous gratification, or childish vanity,
as to place delight in any attainment which has not for its end the love
or admiration of their fellow-beings."

"Let the poor, then," cried the younger Henry, "no more be their own
persecutors--no longer pay homage to wealth--instantaneously the whole
idolatrous worship will cease--the idol will be broken!"

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