THE POOREST MAN IN THE WORLD.

ROBINSON CRUSOE, shipwrecked on a lonely island, furnishes a picture of woe and desolation which it would be difficult to exaggerate, and yet, through his invention and enterprise, frugality and foresight, he transformed inhospitable shores into a garden of plenty. He conquered nature, by reason of his kindly acts even the wild animals learned to love him and the ferocious savages gave him their trust. In strong contrast to him is the man who heaps opulence upon greed and by his selfishness separates himself from the companionship of men. Faith, Hope and Love, once his attendants, he has allowed to perish. Eternity surrounds him. Opportunity is wrecked, and no ship will ever again come near his lonely island. The poorest man in the world is the man who has the means to purchase everything but has lost his capacity for enjoying anything.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

Rev. 3:17.

Scanned from Fifty Great Cartoons (Chicago: The Ram's Horn Press, 1899) unpaginated. This cartoon is part of the collections of the The Cartoon Research Library of Ohio State University.