Can wealth give happiness? look round and see
What gay distress! what splendid misery!
Whatever fortunes lavishly read more

Can wealth give happiness? look round and see
What gay distress! what splendid misery!
Whatever fortunes lavishly can pour,
The mind annihilates, and calls for more.

A library of wisdom, is more precious than all wealth, and all things that are desirable cannot be compared to read more

A library of wisdom, is more precious than all wealth, and all things that are desirable cannot be compared to it. Whoever therefore claims to be zealous of truth, of happiness, of wisdom or knowledge, must become a lover of books.

He who wishes to become rich wishes to become so immediately.
[Lat., Dives fieri qui vult
Et read more

He who wishes to become rich wishes to become so immediately.
[Lat., Dives fieri qui vult
Et cito vult fieri.]

Riches, the incentives to evil, are dug out of the earth.
[Lat., Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum.]

Riches, the incentives to evil, are dug out of the earth.
[Lat., Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum.]

Poor worms, they hiss at me, whilst I at home
Can be contented to applaud myself, . . . read more

Poor worms, they hiss at me, whilst I at home
Can be contented to applaud myself, . . . with joy
To see how plump my bags are and my barns.

If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars.

If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars.

And you prate of the wealth of nations, as if it were bought and
sold,
The wealth of read more

And you prate of the wealth of nations, as if it were bought and
sold,
The wealth of nations is men, not silk and cotton and gold.

We are stripped bare by the curse of plenty.

We are stripped bare by the curse of plenty.

I am rich beyond the dreams of avarice.

I am rich beyond the dreams of avarice.