THE MESSRS. JARDINE OF CAMBRIDGE.

166 The establishment of the Messrs. Jardine was the most dirty of all the shops in Cambridge. Customers seldom went in to purchase, except perhaps out of curiosity. The brothers were most disreputable looking beings; for although surrounded with gay apparel, as their staple in trade, they wore the most filthy rags themselves. It is said that they had no bed, and, to save the expence of one, always slept on a bundle of packing cloths under the counter. In their housekeeping they were penurious in the extreme. A joint of meat did not grace their board for twenty years. They always had an eye to business; and if a shopkeeper or a farmer happened to purchase of them, they would enquire their address, and go a mile or two to purchase of them in return a few eggs or half a pint of beer; yet they always observed the utmost caution, lest, as they used to observe, any of their other customers should be offended. When the first of the brothers died, the other, much to his surprise, found large sums of money which had been secreted even from him. They both died suddenly and within a few months of each other. They left about eight thousand pounds, the whole of which, with the exception of a twenty pound legacy, was left to a neighbour, who, on one or two occasions had shown them some little kindness, and sent them now and then a dinner.

We do not pretend, from these facts, to build a theory

or to maintain a new doctrine: we offer them simply as facts and illustrations, which may be useful in forming an opinion. We do not pretend to think them sufficient to prove the passion of avarice hereditary, but we regard them as examples of some weight in favour of that opinion. We would, in short, rather that our readers judged for themselves, than that we should point out the way that we would have them judge. The subject is a difficult one, and we think it rash and somewhat unseemly to decide prematurely upon that, which so many great men have been unable to decide, and so many philosophers have been unable to prove.

CHAPTER XIII.

MAMMON WORSHIP; ITS SACRIFICES AND REWARDS.

Love of Speculating-The Tulip Mania in Holland-The South Sea Stock bubble; its origin, &c.—Its demoralizing influence -The Railway Mania-Illustrations of avarice-Anecdote from Madame de Genlis of a miser and a Surgeon-Sacrifices of the parsimonious-The rewards of Mammon, &c.

WITH the advancement of science and the progress of civilization, the general tone of society has not proportionately improved. The age abounds with many illustrations of progress, of vast enterprize-of genius and of

talent. But the mainspring of all this activity-of all these gigantic schemes, admirable inventions, and discoveries, is evidently the love of gain. Napoleon designated us a nation of shopkeepers; could he now describe us, he would designate us a nation of speculators; competition has rendered the usual course of trade inadequate to satisfy ambition, and men look eagerly for some speculation by which their riches may be augmented with greater speed, they enter into any scheme however wild, and into any project however improbable; some few grow rich on the ruin of the many, and votaries of Mammon become more numerous. If we call to mind the bubbles which at various times have excited the cupidity of avarice, we shall be surprised that men have not learnt in their failure a little wisdom to protect them against such fascinations for the future. The tulip mania, which raged among the Dutch in the year 1634, will show how the reason will become dazzled with the hope of gain. We regard now, that singular infatuation as a species of madness; and we can scarcely credit, although the fact is well authenticated, that men could have been so absurd as to invest four thousand florins in the purchase of a single bulb. A tulip, called the Admiral Liefken was worth, at the market value, four thousand four hundred florins; and the Semper Augustus produced five thousand five hundred florins in cash. Holland was the El Dorado of enthu

siasts. In 1636 the tulip mania was at its height: regular offices were established in the cities of Holland. Stock jobbers were seized with the prevailing epidemic, dealt largely in tulips, and they became a favorite species of stock, and every one was eager to invest their fortunes in Dutch bulbs; men threw up their trade, and rushed to the tulip marts with their capital. The wealthy parted with houses and broad lands for a few bulbs. Legitimate trade was neglected, and the public mind was in a continual ferment; every day reports reached the ears of anxious tradesmen and poor artisans of some case of sudden fortune, of some needy man made rich by the lucky speculation of a day. Laws were drawn up with legislative gravity for the due regulation of tulip dealers, and tulip buyers; and every one seemed to be convinced that the golden trade in tulips would last for ever. By and bye when they had their tulips instead of lands and tenements; instead of cash in the funds, or capital in trade, some few found a time to think-thought soon restored the reason, and cooled the brain; and those who were wise enough to think, made speedy sales. There were more tulips, but fewer buyers-the bubble burst-a panic spread, and thousands mourned over ruin and desolation-over cheerless homes, and beggared prospects the once ample fortune of many an opulent merchant-of many a thriving trader, and comfortable artisan, was now con

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170

THE SOUTH-SEA BUBBLE

tained in a few bulbs, which no one cared to buy. The South Sea bubble is another lamentable instance of the spirit of avarice as displayed in speculation. This company, as our readers are doubtless aware, was first proposed in the year 1711, and was founded upon the supposition, that the English would be allowed to trade to the coast of Peru. In the year 1720, the scheme was brought before the public, Sir John Blunt drew up the plans, and submitted them to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, A company was formed, and a bill brought before parliament. By circulating favourable reports, the project soon excited the attention of the public. For five days the books of the company were opened for a subscription of one million, at the rate of three hundred pounds for every hundred pound of capital. Eager crowds came to invest their money; in a few days the stock was worth three hundred and fifty per cent, and it ultimately rose to one thousand pounds. The rage for speculation now commenced; new companies started up every day, with schemes as chimerical as the South Sea delusion. Some, in fact had no scheme at all; and actually issued prospectuses, and solicited subscriptions for a stock, the intention and purpose of which they did not condescend to to explain; one cunning rogue pretended that he had discovered a plan, by which fortune would be certain to follow; he promised to publish the particulars in a month; in the meantime, two guineas were to be paid to entitle the