With riches merely surpassing those of any
citizen, it would have been easy to suppose him engaging to supreme
excess in the fashionable extravagances of his time- or busying
himself with political intrigue- or aiming at ministerial power- or
purchasing increase of nobility- or collecting large museums of virtu-
or playing the munificent patron of letters, of science, of art- or
endowing, and bestowing his name upon extensive institutions of
charity. But for the inconceivable wealth in the actual possession
of the heir, these objects and all ordinary objects were felt to
afford too limited a field. Recourse was had to figures, and these but
sufficed to confound. It was seen that, even at three per cent., the
annual income of the inheritance amounted to no less than thirteen
millions and five hundred thousand dollars; which was one million
and one hundred and twenty-five thousand per month; or thirty-six
thousand nine hundred and eighty-six per day; or one thousand five
hundred and forty-one per hour; or six and twenty dollars for every
minute that flew. Thus the usual track of supposition was thoroughly
broken up. Men knew not what to imagine. There were some who even
conceived that Mr. Ellison would divest himself of at least one-half
of his fortune, as of utterly superfluous opulence- enriching whole
troops of his relatives by division of his superabundance.
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