52 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book II. 



age, but, on the contrary, is commonly increafed by it: Nor 

 has it any bounds fet to it; for it is true what the Roman hif- 

 torian fays of it, Pecuji'ice cttpido infinita^ infatiabilis^ neque copia 

 neque inop'ia mmmttir''^ . It is the maft common paflion among ci- 

 vilifed men, and the mod predominent: So predominent, that it en- 

 groffes fome men altogether, and extinguifhes every other paflion 

 in them; fo that fuch men think of nothing elfe but money, and 

 employ themfelves wholly in diviiing means how they (hall gain 

 it or fave it f. It furni{hes the materials of vanity and luxury, 

 and therefore may be faid to produce them, and confequently 

 the vices and difeafes which accompany them. It has produced, 

 as Ariftotle obferves, more crimes than any of our other paf- 

 fions ; and, I will add, more wars, and more deftrudion of man- 

 kind, than all our other paflions put together. It is of fo mifchieve- 

 ous a nature, that it is not eafy to fay, whether the acquifition, or 

 the enjoyment of it, produces mod mifchief. The invention of what 

 we call money or coin^ was, I think, a curious, if not an ufeful in- 

 vention. Herodotus fays we owe it to the Lydians. By this inven- 

 tion a certain value is fixed or ftamped on pieces of gold, filver, or 

 brafs : And thefe pieces will, to that value, procure any thing of 

 neceflity, eafe, convenience, or pleafure ; and, in Ihort, will gratify 

 all the appetites and defires which the civilifed life produces: And it 

 makes the enjoyment of wealth very eafy, as w^ can carry it about 

 with us fo eafily. In modern times, we have invented a kind of 

 money which is ftill more eafily carried about with us ; I mean pa- 

 per money or bank notes. 



One of the greateft mifchiefs that money has produced is war; fo 

 that Virgil has very properly joined the belli rabies with the amor ha- 



bendL 



* Sail, in initio Bell. Catalitt, 



I See upon this iubje<St Origin of Language, vol. 3. p. 446. 



