the Lord Chancellor: and it's odds but he's as happy as a greater man.
Though what I hold to be best of all, is a clear conscience, with a
neat income of 2 or 3000 a year. That's my notion; and I don't think
it's a bad one."

"Weak policy of short-sighted ignorance!" cried Albany, "to wish for
what, if used, brings care, and if neglected, remorse! have you not now
beyond what nature craves? why then still sigh for more?"

"Why?" cried Mr Briggs, who by dint of deep attention began now better
to comprehend him, "why to buy in, to be sure! ever hear of stocks, eh?
know any thing of money?"

"Still to make more and more," cried Albany, "and wherefore? to spend
in vice and idleness, or hoard in chearless misery! not to give succour
to the wretched, not to support the falling; all is for self, however
little wanted, all goes to added stores, or added luxury; no fellow-
creature served, nor even one beggar relieved!"

"Glad of it!" cried Briggs, "glad of it; would not have 'em relieved;
don't like 'em; hate a beggar; ought to be all whipt; live upon
spunging."

"Why as to a beggar, I must needs say," cried Mr Hobson, "I am by no
means an approver of that mode of proceeding; being I take 'em all for
cheats: for what I say is this, what a man earns, he earns, and it's no
man's business to enquire what he spends, for a free-born Englishman is
his own master by the nature of the law, and as to his being a subject,
why a duke is no more, nor a judge, nor the Lord High Chancellor, and
the like of those; which makes it tantamount to nothing, being he is