THE ESTIMATION OF MEN In AMER
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In one of the Rev. Mr. Lords lectures in
England, in which he chose the "People of
the United States" for his subject, he remar-
ked that ii was difficult now TO estimate the
rank of men in society, because in America
there was ever continual change OF posi-
tion, the rich man of to-day being poor to.
morrow, and the poor again becoming rich


The great mass, he said, remained poor
yet these gave character TO the state and de-
cided the nature ofthe laws. The Englsh


audience open their eyes at this intelligence
of course, and the lecturer continued as fol-
lows:


A man in the United State was democrat
ic and his sons the reverse; or the father


aristocratic and the children democratic; at
least the sons, for the woman were all arris
tocratic by nature.-The law ofentail would
never be re established in the United States;


and, if he mistook not, the tendency in Eu-


rope was rather to abolish than to confirm


that law. The pursuit of money, then. might
make the Americans sordid and worldly, but


ii would not make permanent arristocracy;


for nothing could but privileges, which could


be handed down from father TO son; and


nothing in the United States could be SO


handed down-neither money, nor titles for
none there were hereditary nor learning nor
talent 1t was the order of nature that eve


ry man should begin anew, and work for
himself, Win no other assistance from the
4 past than what was the common brithright


of humanity-the experience of past gene


rations Nor did the love Of money make


missers in America; the spirit of the coun-


try was 10 spend rather than 10 save. There


was no deep conviction in the common


mind that money was every thing, or could
alone confer permanent distinction; nor were


men estimated merely for there wealth. Mo-


ney alone did not give caste, nor was it valued
fro its own sake.-it did not make the heart so


hard or the soul so narrow sto destroy the ap-
lprecation of whatwas nobler and purer. For


what then did the people toll? For it was


that almost the whole nation was scramblIng


for money--rising early in the morning and
retiring late at night.-The desire ofwealth
I animated all classes; and 10 its pursuit they
were all devoted. He replied, they toll
for money toprocure excltement-the love
: of which seemed almost morbid in the Amer
leans, and led them TO he most restless ac-
tivity 1t was kind ofsport or galne-a gam
bling spirit, based on the love of success,
/, the spirit of enterprize. A man engaged
in trade, and poor, was but little thought Of
) not because he was poor, but because he
was unsuccessful, and had not the talent of
j rising in the world. This was low aim;
} he wished the spirit of activity better drec-
ted; but it arose from feelings akin TO those
I formerly excited by war. A man was es-
$ timated not for what he was wo,th, bat for
: what be had gained, &c.


:, The lecturers countrymen should be much
e indebted 10 him for SO liberal a judgment as
e that expressed in the above extract and sho-
a uld understand from ii how to receive him
: when he returns to this country and announ-
ces a course of lectures upon "Enb land the
r Englishl''