On Extravagance.

HERE is fcarcely among the evils of human life,

THE

any fo generally dreaded as poverty. Every other fpecies of mifery, thofe, who are not much accustomed to disturb the present moment with reflection, can easily forget, because it is not always forced upon their regard; but it is impoffible to pass. a day or an hour in the confluxes of men, without seeing how much indigence is expofed to contumely, neglect, and infult : And, in its loweft ftate, to hunger and nakedness; to injuries against which every paffion is in arms, and to wants which nature cannot sustain.

Against other evils the heart is often hardened by true or by falfe notions of dignity and reputation: Thus we fee dangers of every kind faced with willingnefs, because bravery, in a good or bad cause, is never without its encomiafts and admirers. But in the profpect of poverty, there is nothing but gloom and melancholy; the mind and body fuffer together; its miferies bring no alleviations; it is a ftate in which every virtue is obfcured, and in which no conduct can avoid reproach; a state in which cheerfulness is infenfibility, and dejection, fullennefs; of which the hardships are without honour, and the labours without reward.

Of these calamities there seems not to be wanting a general conviction; we hear on every fide the noise of trade, and fee the streets thronged with numberless multitudes, whofe faces are clouded with anxiety, and whose steps are hurried by precipitation, from no other motive than the hope of gain; and the whole world is put in motion by the defire of that wealth, which is chiefly to be valued as it fecures us from poverty; for it is more useful for defence than acquifition, and is not fo much able to procure good as to exclude evil.

Yet there are always fome whofe paffions or follies lead them to a conduct oppofite to the general maxims and practice of mankind; fome who seem to rush upon

poverty with the fame eagerness with which others avoid it; who see their revenues hourly leffened, and the eftates which they inherit from their ancestors mouldering away, without refolution to change their courfe of life; who perfevere against all remonstrances, and go forward with full career, though they fee before them the precipice of deftruction.

It is the fate of almost every paffion, when it has paffed the bounds which nature prescribes, to counteract its own purpose. Too much rage hinders the warrior from circumfpection, too much eagerness of profit hurts the credit of the trader, too much ardour takes away from the lover that eafinefs of addrefs with which ladies are delighted. Thus extravagance, though dictated by vanity, and incited by voluptuousness, seldom procures ultimately either applaufe or pleasure.

If praise be justly eftimated by the character of those from whom it is received, little fatisfaction will be given to the spendthrift by the encomiums which he purchases. For who are they that animate him in his pursuits, but young men, thoughtless and abandoned like himself, unacquainted with all on which the wif dom of nations has impreffed the stamp of excellence, ́and devoid alike of knowledge and of virtue? By whom is his profufion praised, but by wretches who confider him as fubfervient to their purposes; Sirens that entice him to fhipwreck, and Cyclops that are gaping to devour him?

Every man, whofe knowledge or whofe virtue can give value to his opinion, looks with fcorn or pity, neither of which can afford much gratification to pride, on him whom the panders of luxury have drawn into the circle of their influence, and whom he fees parcelled out among the different minifters of folly, and about to be torn to pieces by taylors and jockies, vintners and attornies, who at once rob and ridicule him, and who are fecretly triumphing over his weakness, when they prefent new incitements to his appetites, and heighten his defires by counterfeit applaufe.

Such

Such is the praise that is purchased by prodigality. Even when it is not yet difcovered to be falfe, it is the praise only of thofe whom it is reproachful to please, and whofe fincerity is corrupted by their intereft; men who live by the riots which they encourage, and who know that whenever their pupil grows wife, they shall lofe their power. Yet with fuch flatteries, if they could laft, might the cravings of vanity, which is feldom very delicate, be fatisfied; but the time is always haftening forward when this triumph, poor as it is, fhall vanish, and when those who now furround them with obfequiousness and compliments, fawn among his equipage, and animate his riots, fhall turn upon him with infolence, and reproach him with the vices promoted by themselves.

And as little pretenfions has the man, who squanders his eftate by vain or vicious expenfes, to greater degrees of pleasure than are obtained by others. To make any happiness fincere, it is neceffary that we believe it to be lafting; fince, whatever we suppose ourselves in danger of lofing, must be enjoyed with folicitude and uneafinefs; and the more value we fet upon it, the more muft the prefent poffeffion be embittered. How can he then be envied for his felicity, who knows that its continuance cannot be expected, and who is conscious that a very fhort time will give him up to the gripe of poverty, which will be harder to be borne, as he has given way to more exceffes, wantoned in greater abundance, and indulged his appetites with more profuseness?

It appears evident that frugality is neceffary even to complete the pleasure of expenfe; for it may be generally remarked of those who squander what they know their fortune not sufficient to allow, that, in their most jovial expense, there always breaks out fome proof of discontent and impatience; they either scatter with a kind of wild defperation and affected lavishness, as criminals brave the gallows when they cannot escape it, or pay their money with a peevish anxiety, and endeavour at once to spend idly and to fave meanly: Having

Q2

neither

neither firmness to deny their paffions, nor courage to gratify them, they murmur at their own enjoyments, and poifon the bowl of pleasure by reflection on the coft.

Among thefe men there is often the vociferation of merriment, but very feldom the tranquillity of cheerfulness; they inflame their imaginations to a kind of momentary jollity, by the help of wine and riot, and confider it as the first business of the night to ftupify recollection, and lay that reafon afleep which disturbs their gaiety, and calls upon them to retreat from ruin.

But this poor broken fatisfaction is of fhort continu ance, and must be expiated by a long feries of mifery and regret. In a fhort time the creditor grows impatient, the laft acre is fold, the paffions and appetites ftill continue their tyranny, with inceffant calls for their ufual gratifications, and the remainder of life paffes away in vain repentance, or impotent defire.

time more true, than, That one half of the world are ignorant how the other half lives. The misfortunes of the great are held up to engage our attention; are enlarged upon in tones of declamation; and the world is called upon to gaze at the noble fufferers: The great, under the preffure of calamity, are conscious of feveral others fympathizing with their diftrefs; and have at once the comfort of admiration and of pity.

There is nothing magnanimous in bearing misfor tunes with fortitude, when the whole world is looking on: Men in fuch circumftances will act bravely, even from motives of vanity; but he who, in the vale of obfcurity, can brave adverfity; who, without friends to pity, or even without hope to alleviate, his misfortunes, can behave with tranquillity and indifference, is truly great; whether peafant or courtier, he deferves admiration, and fhould be held up for our imitation and refpect.

Q3

While