101 

 " POUNDS, SHILLINGS, AND PENGE.- 



BT SLIM SLAM SLUM, ESQ. 



*' Ways and Means" is a sentence which at once establishes its 

 weight, and carries with it peculiar feelings. To the man in diffi- 

 culties, it sounds like the benevolent strains of some kind philan- 

 thropist ; to the wretched ffeni whose livings are in other people's 

 pockets, it comes like unexpected advice ; and the poor soul who has 

 had the misfortune to retire from a bad trade to a worse place, hears 

 it with feelings fragrant with deliverance. This self- same piece of 

 intelligence appears to be a mighty lump of kindness, and may be 

 defined in a variety of ways. We may look upon it as a " new way 

 to pay old debts" — an easy way of acquiring a fortune, or a 6ne dis- 

 covery as a preventative from insolvency or bankruptcy. These are 

 all very good in their places ; but " ways and means " means as 

 often " silver and gold " as anything else. 



Money is nearly an exception to any other article ; to-day it is a 

 virtue — to-morrow a vice; sometimes "the root of all evil" — at 

 other times the source of all good ; worshipped by the rich, loved by 

 the poor, hoarded by the miser, made cun-ent by the profligate, and 

 universally esteemed by all. It is also the cause of mighty eflfects — 

 the promoter of diligence, the soother of care, and the rewarder of 

 peril. With what joy does the young urchin commit to memory his 

 usually unpleasant task, when he knows a penny is to reward him for 

 his labour ! The tradesman toils in paths of care and anxiety with 

 a smile of gladness when he thinks it is for precious gold ; and the 

 adventurer exposes himself to death, with the idea that an inde- 

 pendency will be the result. 



I have often amused myself in great cities and bustling towns 

 with studying the mugoJogy of the passers by, and have read in 

 wrinkled faces and hurried steps one continued pursuit of wealth. 

 Only perambulate the streets of a city which finds employment, 

 amusement, and starvation for more than half a million living souls ; 

 ibserve them as they pass, like one continued cloud — hundreds in 



