There are several such examples of “ethical interpretation” of economics among the most illustrious thinkers. They may be exculpated for their disagreements only on the ground that they lived in times when social science was in incumbent stage, when scientific ideas were intermingled from one sphere of science into another. Good, gentle Tolstoy, may also be pardoned for his “blunders of expression” because he made them in his fanatic love of truth, and truth although it is truth, does not always seem true, says a French proverb. To treat the delicate and intricate complexity of money and wealth, and never mislead, one should be a higher-man, a superman. But supermen are not yet born in this sordid earth as fitly objected a well-known philosopher. FOOTNOTES: [1] “If Tolstoy’s teaching is not systematic, two facts may be urged in extenuation: his doctrines, so far as he expounds them, are consistent in themselves”--says T. S. Knowlson in his biographical and critical study on _Leo Tolstoy_, ch. VII, p. 143. [London, 1904]. [2] See J. W. Harper, _Money and Social Problem_, ch. V, sec. I, p. 98. [3] _What Shall We Do Then_, ch. XIX, p. 127. [Wiener’s ed. 1904]. [4] _Loc. cit._, ch. XVII, p. 100. [5] Cf. for instance, Plato, _Laws_, ch. XI, and Aristotle’s _Politics_, bk. I, ch. 9; _Nicomachean Ethics_, by Aristotle, bk. V, ch. 5.--Roman authors defined money as a “just medium and measure of commutable things” _Moneta est justum medium, et mensura rerum commutabilium_, quoted in H. C. Black, _Dictionary of Law_, p. 785. [1891]. [6] _Wealth of Nations_, bk. II, ch. II. [7] _Principles of Political Economy and Taxation_, ch. XXI. [8] _Principles of Political Economy_, bk. III, ch. VII. [9] _Principles of Social Science_, vol. II, ch. XXX, 1. [10] _Die Philosophie Heracleitos des Dunkeln_, vol. I, p. 22. [1845]. [11] _Capital_, English ed. part I, ch. III. [12] _The Purchasing Power of Money_, ch. II, ces. 1. [New York, 1911]. [13] D. Kinley, _Money_, a Study of the Theory of the Medium of Exchange, ch. V, 6. [New York, 1913]. [14] Some excellent hints as to the money-commodity, compare H. White, _Money and Banking_, bk. I, ch. I. [New York, 1908]. [15] Valuable suggestions on standard money, see W. A. Scott, _Money and Banking_, ch. I, sec. I.--J. L. Laughlin, _The Principles of Money_, ch. III.--J. B. Clark, _The Ultimate Standard of Value_, in _Yale Review_, Nov. 1892, vol. 1, p. 258-74.--The same subject is well treated by C. Manger in an article entitled “Geld” in the _Handwoerterbuch der Staatswissenschaften_, bd. IV. [1900], and L. Nasse, “Das Geld und Muenzwesen” in Schoenberg, _Handbuch der Politischen Oekonomie_, bd. I. [1896]. [16] _What Shall We Do Then_, ch. XXI, p. 164. [Wiener’s ed.] [17] _Id. Ibid._ ch. XXII, p. 161. [18] _What Shall We Do Then_, ch. XXI, p. 158. [19] _Op. cit._, p. 160. [20] _Loc. cit._ ch. XXI, p. 159. [21] _Id. Ib._ ch. XIX, p. 126. [22] _Op. cit._ ch. XVIII, p. 122.