, the time has been, when the rich were even exempt from
contributing to the ordinary exigencies of the state. But it is quite
useless to theorize on this subject, for, by that cry in the streets,
the lower limb of the great postulate is beginning to be obscured, and,
alas! we shall soon have too much practical information."

The brigadier was right. On referring to the clocks, it was found that,
in truth, the eclipse had commenced some time before, and that we were
on the verge of an absolute occultation of Principle, by the basest and
most sordid of all motives, pecuniary Interest.

The first proof that was given of the true state of things, was in the
language of the people. The word Interest was in every monikin's mouth,
while the word Principle, as indeed was no more than suitable, seemed to
be quite blotted out of the Leaplow vocabulary. To render a local term
into English, half of the vernacular of the country appeared to
be compressed into the single word "dollar."

"Dollar--dollar--dollar"--nothing but "dollar! Fifty thousand
dollars--twenty thousand dollars--a hundred thousand dollars"--met one
at every turn. The words rang at the corners--in the public ways--at the
exchange--in the drawing-rooms--ay, even in the churches. If a temple
had been reared for the worship of the Creator, the first question was,
how much did it cost? If an artist submitted the fruits of his labors to
the taste of his fellow-citizens, conjectures were whispered among the
spectators, touching its value in the current coin of the republic. If
an author presented the offspring of his genius to the same arbiters,
its merits were settled by a similar standard; and one divine, who
had made a strenuous, but an ill-timed appeal to the charity of his
countrymen, by setting forth the beauties as well as the rewards of
the god-like property, was fairly put down by a demonstration that his
proposition involved a considerable outlay, while it did not clearly
show much was to be gained by going to heaven!

Brigadier Downright had good reasons for his sombre anticipations, for
all the acquirements, knowledge, and experience, obtained in many years
of travel, were now found to be worse than useless. If my honorable
colleague and covoyager ventured a remark on the subject of foreign
policy, a portion of politics to which he had given considerable
attention, it was answered by a quotation from the stock market; an
observation on a matter of taste wa