en at the theatres. They have
neither routes, balls, nor music meetings. They have neither expensive
liveries nor equipages. Hence it must follow, that their outgoings, as
far as their living is concerned, cannot in general be as great as those
of others in a similar condition of life. But if their inlets are
greater than their outlets of money, when compared with those of other
persons, a greater overplus of money beyond the expences of living, will
be the constant result, or there will be a greater increasing
accumulation of money, upon the whole, than falls within the possession
of others. Now a question arises here, founded on a knowledge of the
infirmity of our nature. Are men likely, in general, constituted as they
are, to see the golden idol constantly rising in dimensions before them,
and to refrain front worshipping it, or, are they likely to see it
without a corruption of their moral vision? It is observed[40] by one of
the scriptural writers, "A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing
wrong, and a huckster shall not be free from sin." And where is it, that
this old saying, except the mind be strongly fortified by religion, will
not be found equally true in the present, as in former times? The truth
is, that the old maxim, Creseit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia
creseit, is a just one. That is, it is true, "that the coming in of
money in an undue proportion begets the love of it", that the love of
money again leads to the getting of more; that the getting of more again
generally increases the former love. And hence a round is kept up of
circumstances and feelings, till a money-getting spirit creeps into the
character of him, who is placed in a situation so unfortunate for the
purity of his heart.

[Footnote 40: Ecclesiasticus xxvi. 29.]

These then are the acting and the counteracting circumstances on both
sides. Which of the two are likely to be predominant, we must
conjecture. When men have become full grown Quakers, the latter will
lose their power. But where they have not (and it is to be presumed that
there are many in the society who have not reached this stature, and
many again who bear only the name of their profession) they will
frequently prevail. I own I fear that precepts, though there may be a
general moral bias, will not always be found successful against those,
which are considered to be the most powerful of the temptations, to
which our nature is exposed. I own, when I consider that the