Star.
London, England, 1820-05-22 00:00:00

TILE SAVE-ALL-CLUB.

[rrem Review of this entertaining Work. in COlbsins's New

3tonibly
Our author, to spew the evil effects of luxury and
extravagance, even in a national point of view, gives
the following narrative:
" The Seven United Provinces were at the height
of their power and prosperity about 1650, before
England, recovering front a destructive civil war,
b.:gan to reclaim the dominion of the ocean.
" But in their successful periods, the private vir-
tues had also their share, and parsimony, as usual,
produced wealth and industry. In a conversation at
Rotterdam, this subject was discussed ; and as the
parties mostly imputed the decline of their Republic
to political causes, an opulent merchant said, that if
the company would dine with him nn such a day, he
would convince them that there were other causes
more hi their power.
• " The invitation was accepted, and it was hoped
futtthe merchant would explain his sentiments, by
which they might improve their speculations in com-
merce over a glass of wine, after an elegant repast,
as he was accustomed to give. But what was their
surprise to find nothing on the table but salted her-
rings and table beer ! They ate, however, a morsel
in silence and dissatisfaction. which the master seem-
ed not to observe, praying them repeatedly to eat
and posh the glass. At length, when they began to
look at their watches, the master ordered in the din-
iser. At this word they brighteited up, when in
Came a leg of-mutton boiled with turnips, and a pot
pr two of strong beer. This dish was little more
satisfactory than the other, as they expected very
different lat-e is such a magnificent house. There
was. however, a great sacrifice of conscience and ve-
racity in praising the mutton and the beer. llut some
yawned, and half the gigot remained even among a
numerous company, .when the master, seeing their
distress, nodded unnoticed to an old hoary-headed
domestic, who alone had appeared along with the
mutton, and who stood respectfully at the sideboard
to serve the bread or the beer. lie went out, and
the company was left to a languid conversation;
their eyes saying more than their tongues.
" On a sudden the folding doors opened, and a
train of twelve servants entered, bearing on massy
plate the choicest fish, flesh, fowl—all the delicacies
of the season. Two without livery took their places
behiad the master: the others, in splendid uniform,
behind the guests. The number of wines presented
was computed at fifteen, and even the richest guests
were astonished at the splendour and variety of the
festival. When an equal dessert was served, and the
wine began to circulate, a' prudent and wary guest
thought it was time to request our opulent merchant
to explain his sentiments, as he had promised. All
were fixed in mute attention, when he made this me-
morable answer 6 Gentlemen, my sentiments are
already explained; the lesson is already given. When
our ancestors were gradually rising to wealth under
the yoke of Burgundy, Austria, Spain, their fruga-
lity was contented with our first dish, and they even'
blessed the inventor. In their second period, when
the noble House of Orange, when Maurice of Nas-
sau was establishing our power in the East and West
Indies, and commercial wealth began to overflow all
our ports and canals, still habits and prudence occa-
sioned economy, and our rich senators dined on plain
mutton, and drank wholesome beer. The dinner I
-have had the honour to give you is a very moderate
specimen of our present existence. Add the luxury
and pomp of houses, furniture, and equipages, and
judge, as you well can, of the difference of expense.
a difference which, I would venture to say, would
have, even for one year, been regarded as a fortune
by our bearded ancestors."
But to a scheme of economy so vast as this saw
would recommend, objection),ll be urged. sonisl
well meaning veripOUS will arga that a return OD'

those frugal habits which formed the wealth of other
times, would produce incalculable distress. The
ministers a luxury roust be thrown out of employ—
those branches of our commerce which are connected
with their labours must suffer, and the public revenue
would in consequence decline. These are certainly
serious considerations ; but we think it would be no
difficult task to prove, beyond all doubt, that the evil
apprehended would be greatly compensated by the
good produced. It is well remarked by Humef that
" there is no abuse so great in civil society as not to
,be attended with a variety of beneficial consequences."
He supports this assertion by shewing that even the
suppression of the Monasteries, in the time of the
eighth Henry, was a subject of serious complaint,
though that the measure was most desirable, will
not now be denied. So in the present day, if men
were suddenly to become wise and honest, what ex-
tensive calamity would be the consequence! A ge-
neral peace would be nothing to it! if we take into
our consideration the immense crowd of judges, advo-
cates, students, attornies, conveyancers, clerks, jailers,
turnkeys, bailiffs, deputy-bailiffs, police officers, exe-
cutioners, and assistants, that would at once become
useless members of society, we must be-alarmed for
the condition of the multitude, whose hopes would
in a moment be blasted, whose prospects would be
wholly closed by a change so unexpected. We might
even go farther, and shew the ruin which must tall
on many meritorious makers and powderers of wigs,
dealers in gowns, and letters of lodgings in all the
assize towns, as well as in London, while the dimi-
nished consumption of parchment, as it must make
sheep skin a drug in the market, would undoubtedly
fill the landed interest with dismay. And so if PRO-
VIDENCE should be pleased to relieve all the human,
race from bodily infirmity, it requires no great stretch
of mind to perceive how severely this merciful dis-
pensation wou!cl press on several numerous and in-
dustrious classes : how fatally it would oppose the
progress of certain vehicles before-mentioned in this
article, and consequently, how vast a sum of misery
would arise from the total absence of affliction. But
because such consequences must flow from the ex-
tinction of ' crime and infirmity, shall we reward a
robber as a benefactor to society, instead of hanging
him—and exult that we are menaced with no scarcity
of disease? Surely this would not be rational! But
it would not be more absurd than the arguments
which we haze supposed, and which unfortunately
we have beard, in favour of luxury.
The Member of the Save-all Club. in his anoma-

lous production, gives some very amusing lessons
on this subject, which are introduced with much
eccentricity. Annexed to the Preface, there is a string
of approbations from a Committee of that Society,
of which the author professes himself u member, and
the several certificates, with the signatures annexed,
constitute such an imprimatur as might be expected
to issue from a set or humourists of the old school.
Next appears a list of the names of all this hopeful'
brotherhood, with the rules of the Club and here
the singularity of the work begins. The rules are
eight in number ; but by an ingenious mode of ar-
rangement, number viii stands first, and the series
ends with number i. To justify this innovation on
the practice of all legislative authorities, the writer
cites a dictum of Justice Mansfield, wbo was ac-
customed to say, that in order to do well we should
always begin at the end ;" and the reader, it seems,
may comply with this precept either by taking the
numbers in their inverse order, and ascending to the
head of the code, or by perusing the rules as they
stand, and finishing with number one—ever bearing
in mind the author's memento, that the true begin-
ning is PRUDENCE, and the end ECONOMY.
PRICY OF A BIBLIt IN 1274.
In the year 1274, the price of a small Bible neatly
written was £SO-a sum equal to £2OO of our money.
A good Bible may now be had for two or three shil-
lings ! It is said that the building of two arches 01
London Bridge cost only £25, which is £5 less than
a copy of the Bible many years afterwards. Of what
incalculable value is the art of printing !