They are rich City merchants, and their stake in the Bank is trifling in comparison with the rest of their wealth.

If the Bank were wound up, most of them would hardly in their income feel the difference.

And what is more, the Bank directors are not trained bankers; they were not bred to the trade, and do not in general give the main power of their minds to it.

They are merchants, most of whose time and most of whose real mind are occupied in making money in their own business and for themselves.
It might be expected that as this great public duty was cast upon the Banking Department of the Bank, the principal statesmen (if not Parliament itself) would have enjoined on them to perform it.

But no distinct resolution of Parliament has ever enjoined it; scarcely any stray word of any influential statesman.