Speaker 1: Chapter forty six of Philip Drew, Administrator by Edward House.
Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recorded by
Speaker 1: the Progressing America Project, Chapter forty six, The Wise Disposition
Speaker 1: of a Fortune. In one of their confidential talks, Selwyn
Speaker 1: told Dru that he had a fortune in excess of
Speaker 1: two hundred million dollars, and that while it was his
Speaker 1: intention to amply provide for his immediate family and for
Speaker 1: those of his friends who were in need, he desired
Speaker 1: to use the balance of his money in the best
Speaker 1: way he could devise to help his fellowmen. He could
Speaker 1: give for this purpose, he said, two hundred million dollars
Speaker 1: or more, for he did not want to provide for
Speaker 1: his children further than to insure their entire comfort, and
Speaker 1: to permit them to live on a scale not measurably
Speaker 1: different from what they had been accustomed. He had never
Speaker 1: lived in the extravagant manner that was usual in men
Speaker 1: of his wealth, and his children had been taught to
Speaker 1: expect only a moderate fortune. At his death. He was
Speaker 1: too wise a man not to know that one of
Speaker 1: the greatest burdens that wealth imposed was the saving of
Speaker 1: one's children from its contaminations. He taught his sons that
Speaker 1: they were seriously handicapped by their expectations of even moderate wealth,
Speaker 1: and that unless they were alert and vigilant and of
Speaker 1: good habits, the boy who was working his own way upward,
Speaker 1: would soon outstrip them. They were taught that they themselves
Speaker 1: were the natural objects of pity and parental concern, and
Speaker 1: not their sins seemingly less fortunate brothers. Look among those
Speaker 1: whose parents have wealth and have given of it lavishly
Speaker 1: to their children, he said, and count how few are
Speaker 1: valuable members of society or hold the respect of their fellows.
Speaker 1: On the other hand, look at the successful in every
Speaker 1: vocation of life, and note how many have literally dug
Speaker 1: their way to success. The more drew saw of Selwyn,
Speaker 1: the better he liked him, and knowing the inner man
Speaker 1: as he then did, the more did he marvel at
Speaker 1: his career. He and Selwyn talked long and earnestly over
Speaker 1: the proper disposition of his fortune. They both knew that
Speaker 1: it was hard to give wisely and without doing more
Speaker 1: harm than good. Even in providing for his friends, Selwyn
Speaker 1: was none too sure that he was conferring benefits upon them.
Speaker 1: Most of them were useful, though struggling members of society.
Speaker 1: But should competency come to them, he wondered how many
Speaker 1: would continue as such. There was one, the learned head
Speaker 1: of a comparatively new educational institution with great resources ultimately
Speaker 1: behind it. This man was building it on a sure
Speaker 1: and splendid foundation, in the hope that countless generations of
Speaker 1: youth would have cause to be grateful for the sagacious
Speaker 1: energy he was expending in their behalf. He had Selwyn
Speaker 1: knew the wanderlust to a large degree, and the millionaire
Speaker 1: wondered whether, when this useful educator's slender income was augmented
Speaker 1: by the generous annuity he had planned to give him,
Speaker 1: he would continue his beneficent work or become a dweller
Speaker 1: in arabs tents. In the pitude of his wealth and generosity,
Speaker 1: he had another in mind to share his largesse. He
Speaker 1: was the orphaned son of an old and valued friend.
Speaker 1: He had helped the lad over some rough places, but
Speaker 1: had been careful not to do enough to slacken the
Speaker 1: boy's own endeavor. The young man had graduated from one
Speaker 1: of the best universities, and afterwards at a medical school
Speaker 1: that was worthy the name. He was at the time,
Speaker 1: Selwyn was planning the disposition of his wealth, about thirty
Speaker 1: years old, and was doing valuable laboratory work in one
Speaker 1: of the great research institutions. Gifted with superb health and
Speaker 1: a keen analytical mind, he seemed to have it in
Speaker 1: him to go far in his profession and perhaps be
Speaker 1: of untold benefit to mankind. But Selwyn had noticed an
Speaker 1: indolent streak in the young scientist, and he wondered whether
Speaker 1: here again he was doing the fair and right thing
Speaker 1: by placing it within his power to lead a life
Speaker 1: of comparative ease and uselessness. Consequently, Selwyn moved cautiously in
Speaker 1: the matter of the distribution of his great wealth and
Speaker 1: invoked Drew's aid. It was Drew's supernormal intellect, tireless energy,
Speaker 1: and splendid constructive ability that appealed to him, and he
Speaker 1: not only admired the administrator above all men, but he
Speaker 1: had come to love him as a son. Drew was
Speaker 1: the only person with whom Selwyn had ever been in
Speaker 1: touch whose advice he valued above his own judgment. Therefore,
Speaker 1: when the young administrator suggested a definite plan of scientific giving,
Speaker 1: Selwyn gave it respectful attention at first and afterwards, his
Speaker 1: enthusiastic approval and of chapter forty six