POPULAR FALLACIES II. -- THAT ILL-GOTTEN GAIN NEVE

Theweakestpartofmankindhavethissayingmonestintheirmouth.Itisthetriteconsolationadministeredtotheeasydupe,whenhehasbeentrickedoutofhismoneyorestate,thattheacquisitionofitwilldotheownernogood.Buttheroguesofthisworld——theprudenterpartofthem,atleast——knowbetter;and,iftheobservationhadbeenastrueasitisold,wouldnothavefailedbythistimetohavediscoveredit.Theyhaveprettysharpdistinctionsofthefluctuatingandthepermanent."Lightlye,lightlygo,"isaproverb,whichtheycanverywellaffordtoleave,whentheyleavelittleelse,tothelosers.Theydonotalwaysfindmanors,gotbyrapineorchicanery,insensiblytomeltaway,asthepoetswillhaveitorthatallgoldglides,likethawingsnow,fromthethiefshandthatgraspsit.Churchland,alienatedtolayuses,wasformerlydenouncedtohavethisslipperyquality.Butsomeportionsofitsomehowalwaysstucksofast,thatthedenunciatorshavebeenvaintopostponetheprophecyofrefundmenttoalateposterity.