ButaBerkshiresquirehasnopowerovercosmopolitanfinance，forinstance。ABromptonbuilderhasnotmoneyenoughtorunaNewspaperTrust。AWestEnddoctorcouldnotmakeacornerinquinineandfreezeeverybodyout。Themerelyricharenotrichenoughtorulethemodernmarket。Thethingsthatchangemodernhistory，thebignationalandinternationalloans，thebigeducationalandphilanthropicfoundations，thepurchaseofnumberlessnewspapers，thebigpricespaidforpeerages，thebigexpensesoftenincurredinelections——thesearegettingtoobigforeverybodyexceptthemisers；themenwiththelargestofearthlyfortunesandthesmallestofearthlyaims。
Therearetwootheroddandratherimportantthingstobesaidaboutthem。
Thefirstisthis:thatwiththisaristocracywedonothavethechanceofaluckyvarietyintypeswhichbelongstolargerandlooseraristocracies。Themoderatelyrichincludeallkindsofpeopleevengoodpeople。Evenpriestsaresometimessaints；andevensoldiersaresometimesheroes。Somedoctorshavereallygrownwealthybycuringtheirpatientsandnotbyflatteringthem；somebrewershavebeenknowntosellbeer。ButamongtheVeryRichyouwillneverfindareallygenerousman，evenbyaccident。Theymaygivetheirmoneyaway，buttheywillnevergivethemselvesaway；theyareegoistic，secretive，dryasoldbones。Tobesmartenoughtogetallthatmoneyyoumustbedullenoughtowantit。
Lastly，themostseriouspointaboutthemisthis:thatthenewmiserisflatteredforhismeannessandtheoldoneneverwas。Itwasnevercalledself-denialintheoldmiserthathelivedonbones。Itiscalledself-denialinthenewmillionaireifhelivesonbeans。AmanlikeDancerwasneverpraisedasaChristiansaintforgoinginrags。AmanlikeRockefellerispraisedasasortofpaganstoicforhisearlyrisingorhisunassumingdress。His\"simple\"meals，his\"simple\"clothes，his\"simple\"funeral，areallextolledasiftheywerecreditabletohim。
Theyaredisgracefultohim:exactlyasdisgracefulasthetattersandverminoftheoldmiserweredisgracefultohim。Tobeinragsforcharitywouldbetheconditionofasaint；tobeinragsformoneywasthatofafilthyoldfool。Preciselyinthesameway，tobe\"simple\"forcharityisthestateofasaint；tobe\"simple\"formoneyisthatofafilthyoldfool。OfthetwoIhavemorerespectfortheoldmiser，gnawingbonesinanattic:ifhewasnotnearertoGod，hewasatleastalittlenearertomen。Hissimplelifewasalittlemorelikethelifeoftherealpoor。