“There are several objects of Desire that must never be entertained, and which are very bad and wicked; among these are
“The Desire of wealth, when unreasonable or unconscionable, called Avarice.
“The Desire of obtaining any advantage of another unfairly, called in the scripture, coveting our neighbours’ goods.
“The Desire of being great or ambitious.
“There are others, which are those forbidden by the Ten Commandments, and of which I need not speak.
“The Desire of wealth, called Avarice, is a most extraordinary passion, as it defeats the very end which it wishes to produce, an enjoyment of the rational pleasures and comforts of life; for the miser lays up hoard upon hoard, and still remains unsatisfied; he punishes himself continually; he submits to the derision, the reproaches, and contempt of the world; he has no enjoyments, no friends; and, besides, he suffers constant dread and apprehension of being robbed of his guineas: he suspects every body. Such a character we have in
The Story of Old Alvarus, the Miser.
“Alvarus was an old miser, who constantly kept his guineas in a bag, which he used to hide in the most secret place he could find in his apartments.
“Alvarus had been so careful to lay by his store where no person would be able to find it and rob him of it, that he forgot where he had put it himself.
“Alvarus searched every hole and corner that he could think of, without success: the bag was not to be found; but he knew that no one could have taken it from him, for not a creature had entered the house. Alvarus fumed and fretted himself ill; he went to his bed alone and disconsolate, for very few cared for Alvarus.