There is not a vice which more effectually contracts and deadens the feelings, which more completely makes a man’s affections centre in himself, and excludes all others from partaking in them, than the desire of accumulating possessions.  When the desire has once gotten hold on the heart, it shuts out all other considerations, but such as may promote its views.  In its zeal for the attainment of its end, it is not delicate in the choice of means.  As it closes the heart, so also it clouds the understanding.  It cannot discern between right and wrong; it takes evil for good, and good for evil; it calls darkness light, and light darkness.  Beware, then, of the beginning of covetousness, for you know not where it will end.—­Bishop Mant.

The covetous person lives as if the world were made altogether for him, and not he for the world; to take in everything, and part with nothing.—­South.

Covetous men are fools, miserable wretches, buzzards, madmen, who live by themselves, in perpetual slavery, fear, suspicion, sorrow, discontent, with more of gall than honey in their enjoyments; who are rather possessed by their money than possessors of it.—­Burton.

Why are we so blind?  That which we improve, we have, that which we hoard is not for ourselves.—­Madame DELUZY.

If money be not thy servant, it will be thy master.  The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that it may be said to possess him.—­Bacon.

Those who give not till they die show that they would not then if they could keep it any longer.—­Bishop Hall.

Criticism.—­He whose first emotion, on the view of an excellent production, is to undervalue it, will never have one of his own to show.—­Aiken.

Neither praise nor blame is the object of true criticism.  Justly to discriminate, firmly to establish, wisely to prescribe and honestly to award—­these are the true aims and duties of criticism.—­Simms.

Censure and criticism never hurt anybody.  If false, they can’t hurt you unless you are wanting in manly character; and if true, they show a man his weak points, and forewarn him against failure and trouble.—­Gladstone.

It is easy to criticise an author, but it is difficult to appreciate him.—­VAUVENARGUES.

It is much easier to be critical than to be correct.—­Beaconsfield.

There is a certain meddlesome spirit, which, in the garb of learned research, goes prying about the traces of history, casting down its monuments, and marring and mutilating its fairest trophies.  Care should be taken to vindicate great names from such pernicious erudition.—­Washington Irving.

He who would reproach an author for obscurity should look into his own mind to see whether it is quite clear there.  In the dusk the plainest writing is illegible.—­Goethe.