If man's chief end were to manufacture cloth, silk, cotton, hardware, toys, and china; to buy in the cheapest market, and to sell in the dearest; to cultivate land, grow corn, and graze cattle; to live for mere money profit, and hoard or spend, as the case might be, we might then congratulate ourselves upon our National Prosperity.

But is this the chief end of man?
Has he not faculties, affections, and sympathies, besides muscular organs?
Has not his mind and heart certain claims, as well as his mouth and his back?
Has he not a soul as well as a stomach?
And ought not "prosperity" to include the improvement and well-being of his morals and intellect as well as of his bones and muscles?
Mere money is no indication of prosperity.

A man's nature may remain the same.

It may even grow more stunted and deformed, while he is doubling his expenditure, or adding cent, per cent, to his hoards yearly.

It is the same with the mass.