22. This is one instance out of hundreds of thousands; not, indeed, exactly of the same description, but all arising from the same copious source. The words _speculate_ and _speculation_ have been substituted for _gamble_ and _gambling_. The hatefulness of the pursuit is thus taken away; and, while taxes to the amount of more than double the whole of the rental of the kingdom; while these cause such crowds of idlers, every one of whom calls himself a _gentleman_, and avoids the appearance of working for his bread; while this is the case, who is to wonder, that a great part of the youth of the country, knowing themselves to be as _good_, as _learned_, and as _well-bred_ as these _gentlemen_; who is to wonder, that they think, that they also ought to be considered as _gentlemen_? Then, the late _war_ (also the work of the Septennial Parliament) has left us, amongst its many legacies, such swarms of _titled_ men and women; such swarms of '_Sirs_' and their '_Ladies_'; men and women who, only the other day, were the fellow-apprentices, fellow-tradesmen's or farmers' sons and daughters, or indeed, the fellow-servants, of those who are now in these several states of life; the late Septennial Parliament war has left us such swarms of these, that it is no wonder that the heads of young people are turned, and that they are ashamed of that state of life to act their part well in which ought to be their delight.
23. But, though the cause of the evil is in Acts of the Septennial Parliament; though this universal desire in people to be thought to be above their station; though this arises from such acts; and, though it is no wonder that young men are thus turned from patient study and labour; though these things be undoubted, they form no reason why I should not _warn you_ against becoming a victim to this national scourge. For, in spite of every art made use of to avoid labour, the taxes will, after all, maintain only _so many_ idlers. We cannot all be '_knights_' and '_gentlemen_': there must be a large part of us, after all, to make and mend clothes and houses, and carry on trade and commerce, and, in spite of all that we can do, the far greater part of us must actually _work_ at something; for, unless we can get at some of the taxes, we fall under the sentence of Holy Writ, 'He who will not _work_ shall not _eat_.' Yet, so strong is the propensity to be thought '_gentlemen_'; so general is this desire amongst the youth of this formerly laborious and unassuming nation; a nation famed for its pursuit of wealth through the channels of patience, punctuality, and integrity; a nation famed for its love of solid acquisitions and qualities, and its hatred of everything showy and false: so general is this really fraudulent desire amongst the youth of this now '_speculating_' nation, that thousands upon thousands of them are, at this moment, in a state of half starvation, not so much because they are too _lazy_ to earn their bread, as because they are too _proud_! And what are the _consequences_? Such a youth remains or becomes a burden to his parents, of whom he ought to be the comfort, if not the support. Always aspiring to something higher than he can reach, his life is a life of disappointment and of shame. If marriage _befal_ him, it is a real affliction, involving others as well as himself. His lot is a thousand times worse than that of the common labouring pauper. Nineteen times out of twenty a premature death awaits him: and, alas! how numerous are the cases in which that death is most miserable, not to say ignominious! _Stupid pride_ is one of the symptoms of _madness_. Of the two madmen mentioned in Don Quixote, one thought himself NEPTUNE, and the other JUPITER. Shakspeare agrees with CERVANTES; for, Mad Tom, in King Lear, being asked who he is, answers, 'I am a _tailor_ run mad with _pride_.' How many have we heard of, who claimed relationship with _noblemen_ and _kings_; while of not a few each has thought himself the Son of God! To the public journals, and to the observations of every one, nay, to the '_county-lunatic asylums_' (things never heard of in England till now), I appeal for the fact of the vast and hideous _increase of madness in this country_; and, within these very few years, how many scores of young men, who, if their minds had been unperverted by the gambling principles of the day, had a probably long and happy life before them; who had talent, personal endowments, love of parents, love of friends, admiration of large circles; who had, in short, everything to make life desirable, and who, from mortified pride, founded on false pretensions, _have put an end to their own existence_!