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<v Speaker 1>Chapter forty six of Philip Drew, Administrator by Edward House.

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<v Speaker 1>This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recorded by

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<v Speaker 1>the Progressing America Project, Chapter forty six, The Wise Disposition

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<v Speaker 1>of a Fortune. In one of their confidential talks, Selwyn

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<v Speaker 1>told Dru that he had a fortune in excess of

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<v Speaker 1>two hundred million dollars, and that while it was his

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<v Speaker 1>intention to amply provide for his immediate family and for

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<v Speaker 1>those of his friends who were in need, he desired

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<v Speaker 1>to use the balance of his money in the best

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<v Speaker 1>way he could devise to help his fellowmen. He could

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<v Speaker 1>give for this purpose, he said, two hundred million dollars

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<v Speaker 1>or more, for he did not want to provide for

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<v Speaker 1>his children further than to insure their entire comfort, and

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<v Speaker 1>to permit them to live on a scale not measurably

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<v Speaker 1>different from what they had been accustomed. He had never

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<v Speaker 1>lived in the extravagant manner that was usual in men

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<v Speaker 1>of his wealth, and his children had been taught to

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<v Speaker 1>expect only a moderate fortune. At his death. He was

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<v Speaker 1>too wise a man not to know that one of

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<v Speaker 1>the greatest burdens that wealth imposed was the saving of

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<v Speaker 1>one's children from its contaminations. He taught his sons that

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<v Speaker 1>they were seriously handicapped by their expectations of even moderate wealth,

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<v Speaker 1>and that unless they were alert and vigilant and of

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<v Speaker 1>good habits, the boy who was working his own way upward,

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<v Speaker 1>would soon outstrip them. They were taught that they themselves

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<v Speaker 1>were the natural objects of pity and parental concern, and

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<v Speaker 1>not their sins seemingly less fortunate brothers. Look among those

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<v Speaker 1>whose parents have wealth and have given of it lavishly

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<v Speaker 1>to their children, he said, and count how few are

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<v Speaker 1>valuable members of society or hold the respect of their fellows.

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<v Speaker 1>On the other hand, look at the successful in every

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<v Speaker 1>vocation of life, and note how many have literally dug

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<v Speaker 1>their way to success. The more drew saw of Selwyn,

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<v Speaker 1>the better he liked him, and knowing the inner man

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<v Speaker 1>as he then did, the more did he marvel at

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<v Speaker 1>his career. He and Selwyn talked long and earnestly over

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<v Speaker 1>the proper disposition of his fortune. They both knew that

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<v Speaker 1>it was hard to give wisely and without doing more

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<v Speaker 1>harm than good. Even in providing for his friends, Selwyn

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<v Speaker 1>was none too sure that he was conferring benefits upon them.

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<v Speaker 1>Most of them were useful, though struggling members of society.

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<v Speaker 1>But should competency come to them, he wondered how many

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<v Speaker 1>would continue as such. There was one, the learned head

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<v Speaker 1>of a comparatively new educational institution with great resources ultimately

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<v Speaker 1>behind it. This man was building it on a sure

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<v Speaker 1>and splendid foundation, in the hope that countless generations of

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<v Speaker 1>youth would have cause to be grateful for the sagacious

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<v Speaker 1>energy he was expending in their behalf. He had Selwyn

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<v Speaker 1>knew the wanderlust to a large degree, and the millionaire

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<v Speaker 1>wondered whether, when this useful educator's slender income was augmented

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<v Speaker 1>by the generous annuity he had planned to give him,

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<v Speaker 1>he would continue his beneficent work or become a dweller

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<v Speaker 1>in arabs tents. In the pitude of his wealth and generosity,

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<v Speaker 1>he had another in mind to share his largesse. He

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<v Speaker 1>was the orphaned son of an old and valued friend.

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<v Speaker 1>He had helped the lad over some rough places, but

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<v Speaker 1>had been careful not to do enough to slacken the

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<v Speaker 1>boy's own endeavor. The young man had graduated from one

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<v Speaker 1>of the best universities, and afterwards at a medical school

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<v Speaker 1>that was worthy the name. He was at the time,

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<v Speaker 1>Selwyn was planning the disposition of his wealth, about thirty

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<v Speaker 1>years old, and was doing valuable laboratory work in one

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<v Speaker 1>of the great research institutions. Gifted with superb health and

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<v Speaker 1>a keen analytical mind, he seemed to have it in

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<v Speaker 1>him to go far in his profession and perhaps be

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<v Speaker 1>of untold benefit to mankind. But Selwyn had noticed an

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<v Speaker 1>indolent streak in the young scientist, and he wondered whether

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<v Speaker 1>here again he was doing the fair and right thing

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<v Speaker 1>by placing it within his power to lead a life

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<v Speaker 1>of comparative ease and uselessness. Consequently, Selwyn moved cautiously in

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<v Speaker 1>the matter of the distribution of his great wealth and

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<v Speaker 1>invoked Drew's aid. It was Drew's supernormal intellect, tireless energy,

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<v Speaker 1>and splendid constructive ability that appealed to him, and he

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<v Speaker 1>not only admired the administrator above all men, but he

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<v Speaker 1>had come to love him as a son. Drew was

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<v Speaker 1>the only person with whom Selwyn had ever been in

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<v Speaker 1>touch whose advice he valued above his own judgment. Therefore,

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<v Speaker 1>when the young administrator suggested a definite plan of scientific giving,

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<v Speaker 1>Selwyn gave it respectful attention at first and afterwards, his

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<v Speaker 1>enthusiastic approval and of chapter forty six