Definitions HQ

Riches (n.) are ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠nothing but a reference to pleasures: otherwise a broken banker's bill or gold on a desert island would be worth as much.

Riches (n.) are ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the power of acquiring the property of what pleases; money is riches not as a heavy, fusible metal but only through its relation to the pleasures of life — which is why paper can be riches too.

Riches (n.) are, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠at bottom, the anticipation of pleasure — and that anticipation is itself already a considerable pleasure.

Riches (n.) are ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠respected even in the miser who will never spend them: to him alone the power seems entire, and we borrow his feeling by sympathy.

Riches (n.) alone ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠drive men out of the natural state of society without government: an Indian is little tempted to steal another's hut or bow.