There are a sort of men whose visages Do cream and mantle like a standing pool, And do a wilful stillness entertain; With purpose to be dress'd in an opinion, As who should say, "I am Sir Oracle, "And when I ope my lips let no dog bark." SHAKESPEARE, Merchant of Venice. Sum felix; quis enim neget? felixque manebo: Hoc quoque quis dubitet? Tutum me copia fecit. ----------------------- THE ALMS-HOUSE AND TRUSTEES. The frugal Merchant--Rivalship in Modes of Frugality--Private Exceptions to the general Manners--Alms-house built--Its Description--Founder dies--Six Trustees--Sir Denys Brand, a Principal--His Eulogium in the Chronicles of the day--Truth reckoned invidious on these Occasions--An explanation of the Magnanimity and Wisdom of Sir Denys--His kinds of Moderation and Humility--Laughton, his Successor, a planning, ambitious, wealthy Man--Advancement in Life his perpetual Object, and all things make the means of it--His Idea of Falsehood--His Resentment dangerous; how removed--Success produces Love of Flattery: his daily Gratification--His Merits and Acts of Kindness--His proper Choice of Almsmen--In this respect meritorious--His Predecessor not so cautious. LEAVE now our streets, and in yon plain behold Those pleasant Seats for the reduced and old; A merchant's gift, whose wife and children died, When he to saving all his powers applied; He wore his coat till bare was every thread, And with the meanest fare his body fed. He had a female cousin, who with care Walk'd in his steps, and learn'd of him to spare; With emulation and success they strove, Improving still, still seeking to improve, As if that useful knowledge they would gain - How little food would human life sustain: No pauper came their table's crumbs to crave; Scraping they lived, but not a scrap they gave: When beggars saw the frugal Merchant pass, It moved their pity, and they said, "Alas! Hard is thy fate my brother," and they felt A beggar's pride as they that pity dealt. The dogs, who learn of man to scorn the poor, Bark'd him away from every decent door; While they who saw him bare, but thought him rich, To show respect or scorn, they knew not which. But while our Merchant seemed so base and mean, He had his wanderings, sometimes "not unseen;" To give in secret was a favourite act, Yet more than once they took him in the fact To scenes of various woe he nightly went, And serious sums in healing misery spent; Oft has he cheer'd the wretched at a rate For which he daily might have dined on plate; He has been seen--his hair all silver-white, Shaking and shining--as he stole by night, To feed unenvied on his still delight. A twofold taste he had; to give and spare, Both were his duties, and had equal care; It was his joy to sit alone and fast, Then send a widow and her boys repast: Tears in his eyes would spite of him appear, But he from other eyes has kept the tear: All in a wint'ry night from far he came,