Monday, January 25, 2010

Fraud

One who defrauds others of their money. A confidence man. A scam artist.

"Hearken also to Solomon, and beware of hasty gathering of riches: He who maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. The poets feign, that when Plutus (which is riches) is sent from Jupiter, he limps, and goes slowly; but when he is sent from Pluto, he runs, and is swift of foot; meaning, that riches gotten by good means and just labor pace slowly; but when they come by the death of others (as by the course of inheritance, testaments, and the like), they come tumbling upon a man. But it might be applied likewise to Pluto, taking him for the devil (as by fraud and oppression, and unjust means), they come upon speed. The ways to enrich are many, and most of them foul: parsimony is one of the best, and yet is not innocent; for it withholdeth men from works of liberality and charity."

Francis Bacon, Essays, Of Riches (1625)

No comments:

Post a Comment