The ancient fable of King Midas and his gift of turning
everything he laid his hands upon into gold has been exactly
reversed in these modern days. This good king was delighted
with the gift the gods gave him until one day he turned his
daughter into a golden image by a careless use of his power, and
the counterfeit presentment was so utterly worthless compared
with his child of flesh and blood that henceforth his charm
was a horrible curse. Now it is our brightest and best which
come under the spell of gold itself, and how it does harden
and fossilize them! Our artists paint, our literary men write,
our business men take hazardous and doubtful ventures, our
young men and maidens marry, all for gold. How bright was the
promise of Bret Harte until he began to command high prices for
his stories? Howells, James and Stockton all delighted us, but
presently we found ourselves wading through such stories as
“April Hopes” and the “Hundredth Man.” As soon as one begins to
preach good sermons in the pulpit he immediately attracts the
attention of some rich congregation and becomes a high-priced
man. Everywhere the test of excellence is price, and all the
choicest spirits are sought out and put into the livery of our
sovereign gold.--Providence _Journal_.
(1262)