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the poor butcher was terrified. The Justice then addressed himself to the Esquire, and begged his pardon for using him in such a manner. imputing it to his not knowing his quality. The Esquire, with a smile; replied. that he must also beg his pardon for throwing him and his chair over.The Justice answered, there was no offence.
Thus we may see the misery of wanting money. The butcher could certainly have punished Percy for killing his dog in such an unprovoked manner, and would have obtained it, had not the Justice discovered Percy's family, and let justice wink rather than offend the brother of a favorite of his Majesty's. The poor Butcher must not only content himself with the loss of his dog, but be glad he escaped so well. It is just so, generally speaking, in every state of life; if a man be ever so virtuous, and of the best principles, if he want that principle of principles, money, he wants every thing, and is looked upon as a mean pitiful fellow; on the contrary, if a man be possessed of that, he has every thing, though otherwise of the most consummate ignorance debauched life, and insignificant conversation.
I confess, if we look backward into the better and wiser ages of the world, virtue tho' clothed in rags was more esteemed than the trappings of the gold ass; it is in these last and worst of days that vice has got such an ascendant in the world as to make men think all that are poor are miserable; for in the primitive times, poverty was the badge of religion and piety: and well it might for not many great, nor many noble were called; and the study of wisdom, and contempt of the world was then in esteem among the wisest philosophers in the earliest ages. But as Ovid
