Final answer:
The narrator's lack of concern for the poor, aged, diseased, or maimed suggests a resignation to their fate due to harsh societal realities, rather than a focus on empathy or economic prosperity alone.
Step-by-step explanation:
The narrator in the passage suggests that he is not overly concerned with "that vast number of poor people who are aged, diseased, or maimed". The tone and context imply that the narrator sees these groups as natural casualties of their circumstances, dying due to adverse conditions like cold, famine, and disease. It could be argued that the narrator's lack of concern is due to a focus on economic prosperity and a belief that the mortality of these groups will alleviate societal burdens, fitting within the harsh realities and discourse around poverty during the time. This perspective is neither purely about empathy nor solely economic but suggests a resigned acceptance of their fate as an inevitable part of the societal landscape.