Further to my previous post, I've just looked up the quote I was trying to remember. It was by the Scottish humorist John Arbuthnot, writing c 1730. He was composing a magnicently insulting epitaph for Francis Charteris, a notable shitbag of the time.The relevant section reads:

"Oh! Indignant reader! Think not his life useless to mankind. Providence connived at his execrable designs, to give to after ages a conspicuous proof and example of how small estimation is exorbitant wealth in the eyes of God, by his bestowing it on the most unworthy of all mortals"

They don't write insults like that any more!