4 Four-i7i-Ha7td in Britain, 



give to mortals all they pray for and more ; but how she 

 must stand amazed at the blindness of her idolators, 

 who continue to offer up their prayers at her shrine, 

 wholly unconscious that their first requests have been 

 granted ! It takes Fortune a little time to prepare the 

 gifts for so many supplicants — the toys each one spe- 

 cially wants; and lo and behold ! before they can be 

 delivered (though she works with speed betimes) the 

 unreasonable mortals have lost conceit of theij prizes, 

 and their coming is a mockery; they are crying for 

 something else. If the Fates be malignant, as old re- 

 ligions teach, how they must enjoy the folly of man! 



Imagine a good spirit taking Fortune to task for 

 the misery and discontent of mortals, as she gazes with 

 piteous eyes upon our disappointments, our troubles, 

 and, saddest of all, our regrets, charging her with pro- 

 ducing such unhappiness. " Why have you done this?" 

 would be the inquiry. Listen to the sardonic chuckle 

 of the Fate : " Hush ! I've only given them what they 

 asked (chuckle — chuckle — chuckle) ! Not my fault ! 

 See that unhappy wretch, sleeplessly and feverishly 

 tossing on his pillow, and in his waking hours absorb- 

 ing all his lofty faculties in gambling at the Stock Ex- 

 change — wife, children, home, music, art, culture, all 

 forgotten. He was once a bright, promising, ingenuous 

 youth. He was born among trees and green fields, 

 spent the morn of life in the country, sensitive and re- 

 sponsive to all nature's whisperings ; lay in cool, leafy 



