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CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL
OF
POPULAR
LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.
CONTENTS
GOLD.
BY MEAD AND STREAM.
INDIAN SNAKES.
A WITNESS FOR THE DEFENCE.
LITERARY SELF-ESTIMATES.
BURIED ALIVE.
CAMEO-CUTTING.
ANGEL VISITORS.
No. 14.—Vol. I.
Price 1½d.
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1884.
GOLD.
The fable of Midas, whose touch transformedeven his food into gold, testifies that the ancientsfelt the limits, while they adored the virtues ofthe wonderful metal. Since the morning of theworld, gold has been the chief object of desire ofmankind; and it is highly probable that a verylarge percentage would still make the sameselection as the son of Gordius, were the opportunityafforded, even with the knowledge of allit implied. For from the days of Midas untilnow this gold,
has been
No other material object has retained in a likedegree the united devotion of man in all ages.And not merely because gold is the synonym ofmoney. By money we mean that by which theriches of the world can be expressed and transferred.But money may exist in various forms.It may be rock-salt, as in Abyssinia; cowries andbeads, as in Africa; tobacco, as formerly inVirginia. Gold is greater than money, becausegold includes money, and makes money possible.Upon gold rests the whole superstructure of thewealth of the world. Let us consider for amoment why this is, and how this is.
And first of all, it is desirable because it isscarce. Abundance begets cheapness, and raritythe reverse. That is most valuable whichinvolves the greatest amount of effort to acquire.But we must not jump from this to the conclusionthat were gold to become as plentiful as iron, andbe as easily obtained, it would recede in value tothe equivalent of iron, bulk for bulk. Gold hasan intri