rry out the principle of the
social stake in such a way as should cause me to love all things, and
consequently to become worthy of being intrusted with the care of all
things.

On reaching town my earliest visit was one of thanks to my Lord Pledge.
At first I had felt some doubts whether the baronetcy would or would not
aid the system of philanthropy; for by raising me above a large portion
of my kind, it was in so much at least a removal from philanthropical
sympathies; but by the time the patent was received and the fees were
paid, I found that it might fairly be considered a pecuniary investment,
and that it was consequently brought within the rule I had prescribed
for my own government.

The next thing was to employ suitable agents to aid in making the
purchases that were necessary to attach me to mankind. A month was
diligently occupied in this way. As ready money was not wanting, and
I was not very particular on the subject of prices, at the end of that
time I began to have certain incipient sentiments which went to prove
the triumphant success of the experiment. In other words I owned much,
and was beginning to take a lively interest in all I owned.

I made purchases of estates in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
This division of real property was meant to equalize my sentiments
justly between the different portions of my native country. Not
satisfied with this, however, I extended the system to the colonies.
I had East India shares, a running ship, Canada land, a plantation in
Jamaica, sheep at the Cape and at New South Wales, an indigo concern at
Bengal, an establishment for the collection of antiques in the Ionian
Isles, and a connection with a shipping house for the general supply
of our various dependencies with beer, bacon, cheese, broadcloths, and
ironmongery. From the British empire my interests were soon extended
into other countries. On the Garonne and Xeres I bought vineyards. In
Germany I took some shares in different salt and coal mines; the same
in South America in the precious metals; in Russia I dipped deeply into
tallow; in Switzerland I set up an extensive manufactory of watches, and
bought all the horses for a voiturier on a large scale. I had silkworms
in Lombardy, olives and hats in Tuscany, a bath in Lucca, and a
maccaroni establishment at Naples. To Sicily I sent funds for the
purchase of wheat, and at Rome I kept a connoisseur to conduct a general
agency in the supply of British