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human happiness, nor is it any evidence of acquaintance with the
intricate machinery of social greatness and a lofty civilization. These
gradations in attainments are inseparable from civilized society, and if
the skill of the ingenious and laborious is indispensable to a solid
foundation, without the tastes and habits of the refined and cultivated, it
never can be graceful or pleasing.
{exparte = should be "ex parte"--one-sided (Latin)}
Eudosia had some indistinct glimmerings of this fact, though it was not
often that she came to sound and discriminating decisions even in
matters less complicated. In the present instance she saw this truth only
by halves, and that, too, in its most commonplace aspect, as will appear
by the remark she made on the occasion.
"Then, Clara, as to the PRICE I have paid for this handkerchief," she
said, "you ought to remember what the laws of political economy lay
down on such subjects. I suppose your Pa makes you study political
economy, my dear?"
"Indeed he does not. I hardly know what it means."
"Well, that is singular; for Pa says, in this age of the world, it is the only
way to be rich. Now, it is by means of a trade in lots, and political
economy, generally, that he has succeeded so wonderfully; for, to own
the truth to you, Clara, Pa hasn't always been rich."
"No?" answered Clara, with a half-suppressed smile, she knowing the
fact already perfectly well.
"Oh, no--far from it--but we don't speak of this publicly, it being a sort
of disgrace in New York, you know, not to be thought worth at least
half a million. I dare say your Pa is worth as much as that?"
"I have not the least idea he is worth a fourth of it, though I do not
pretend to know. To me half a million of dollars seems a great deal of
money, and I know my father considers himself poor--poor, at least, for
one of his station. But what were you about to say of political
economy? I am curious to hear how THAT can have any thing to do
with your handkerchief."
"Why, my dear, in this manner. You know a distribution of labor is the
source of all civilization--that trade is an exchange of equivalents--that
custom-houses fetter these equivalents--that nothing which is fettered is
free--"
"My dear Eudosia, what IS your tongue running on?"
"You will not deny, Clara, that any thing which is fettered is not free?
And that freedom is the greatest blessing of this happy country; and that
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trade ought to be as free as any thing else?"
All this was gibberish to Clara Caverly, who understood the phrases,
notwithstanding, quite as well as the friend who was using them. Political
economy is especially a science of terms; and free trade, as a branch of
it is called, is just the portion of it which is indebted to them the most.
But Clara had not patience to hear any more of the unintelligible jargon
which has got possession of the world to-day, much as Mr. Pitt's
celebrated sinking-fund scheme for paying off the national debt of Great
Britain did, half a century since, and under very much the same
influences; and she desired her friend to come at once to the point, as
connected with the pocket-handkerchief.
{Mr. Pitt's celebrated sinking-fund = Sir William Pitt "the younger"
(1759-1806), when he became Prime Minister in 1784, sought to raise
taxes in order to pay off the British national debt}
"Well, then," resumed Eudosia, "it is connected in this way. The luxuries
of the rich give employment to the poor, and cause money to circulate.
Now this handkerchief of mine, no doubt, has given employment to
some poor French girl for four or five months, and, of course, food and
raiment. She has earned, no doubt, fifty of the hundred dollars I have
paid. Then the custom-house--ah, Clara, if it were not for that vile
custom-house, I might have had the handkerchief for at least five-and-
twenty dollars lower----!"
"In which case you would have prized it five-and-twenty times less,"
answered Clara, smiling archly.
"THAT is true; yes, free trade, after all, does NOT apply to pocket-
handkerchiefs."
"And yet," interrupted Clara, laughing, "if one can believe what one
reads, it applies to hackney-coaches, ferry-boats, doctors, lawyers, and
even the clergy. My father says it is----"
"What? I am curious to know, Clara, what as plain speaking a man as
Mr. Caverly calls it."
"He is plain speaking enough to call it a ----- HUMBUG," said the
daughter, endeavoring to mouth the word in a theatrical manner. "But,
as Othello says, the handkerchief."
{Othello says... = "Fetch me the handkerchief," Shakespeare, "Othello,"
Act III, Scene 4, line 98}
"Oh! Fifty dollars go to the poor girl who does the work, twenty-five
more to the odious custom-house, some fifteen to rent, fuel, lights, and
ten, perhaps, to Mr. Bobbinet, as profits. Now all this is very good, and
very useful to society, as you must own."
Alas, poor Adrienne! Thou didst not receive for me as many francs as
this fair calculation gave thee dollars; and richer wouldst thou have
been, and, oh, how much happier, hadst thou kept the money paid for
me, sold the lace even at a loss, and spared thyself so many, many
hours of painful and anxious toil! But it is thus with human calculations,
The propositions seem plausible, and the reasoning fair, while stern truth
lies behind all to level the pride of understanding, and prove the fallacy
of the wisdom of men. The reader may wish to see how closely
Eudosia's account of profit and loss came to the fact, and I shall,
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consequently, make up the statement from the private books of the firm
that had the honor of once owning me, viz.:
Super-extraordinary Pocket-handkerchief, &c., in account with
Bobbinet & Co.
DR.
To money paid, first cost, francs 100, at 5.25, -- $19.04
To interest on same for ninety days, at 7 per cent., -- 00.33
To portion of passage money, -- 00.04
To porterage, -- 00.00 1/4
To washing and making up, -- 00.25
-------------
$19 66 1/4
CR.
By cash paid by Miss Thimble, -- $1.00
By cash paid for article, -- 100.00
By washerwoman's deduction, -- 00.05
----------
101.05
----------
By profit, -- $81.39 3/4
As Clara Caverly had yet to see Mrs. Thoughtful, and pay Eudosia's
subscription, the former now took her leave. I was thus left alone with
my new employer, for the first time, and had an opportunity of learning
something of her true character, without the interposition of third
persons; for, let a friend have what hold he or she may on your heart, it
has a few secrets that are strictly its own. If admiration of myself could
win my favor, I had every reason to be satisfied with the hands into
which fortune had now thrown me. There were many things to admire in
Eudosia--a defective education being the great evil with which she had
to contend. Owing to this education, if it really deserved such a name,
she had superficial accomplishments, superficially acquired--principles
that scarce extended beyond the retenue and morals of her sex--tastes
that had been imbibed from questionable models--and hopes that [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]