Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1818-10-27
MISCELLANY.
From the Connecticut Courant.
THE BRIEF REMARKER.

Harding conversation and writings with pro-
verbs or old sayings, by his dealing them
out whole dozens 10 string, from the SIM
Pile lips Of Sanclso. Moreover the polish
ed Chesterfield is known to have warned
his son against this species of vulgarism as
well as against all questionable vice.
But notwithstanding these high authorities,
there is great deal Of pith in some old
sayings for, in fewest words they convey
The lessons of sound experience.
OF adages OF this sort, few have more
extensive, or more useful meaning, than
The one which here follows: =" Cat your
coat according TO your cloth"
The literal sense, nobody can mistake,
and nobody's general practice is wide from
lit. But the metaphorical sense is daily
contravened in the practice Of no inconsid-
cradle part OF the sons and daughters OF the
giddy race of Adam, and more especially
in the present age, aud 10 this so highly
favoured country of ours. Nor is any
single frailty Astounding among us, of more
mischievous consequence, than the per-
verse effort to enlarge the coat beyond
what the cloth will allow. Thousands,
and many thousands, are the hapless VIC
tins of this prevailing folly. Thousands.
and many thousands, at this very moment,
are 10 poverty and straits, pining, aud
perhaps repining, who might have been at
their ease, had they always minded to cut
their coat according TO the measure Of
their cloth. And though what is past
admits of no remedy, yet it may be made
to have salutary bearing upon things to
come since hardly any thing has more
direct tendency to make us prudent, than
the iHprudenCes Of which We soreiy feel
the smart.
Be it so And then great many even
of those who are now grieving that their all
Of earthly substance is lost, viii yet, by
Gods blessing, restore themselves to a
competence aud smile in the sunshine of
contentment.
It has been remarked by writer of
other times, that he who is ignorant Of
the art Of arithmetic is but half man
Meaning that one who goes on with his
affairs at random, or without calculation,
must needs conduct them i'll, whatever be
his natural taisnts or capacity.
We are told of noble Venetian, who
ordered his steward to deal out to bis ex-
travagant son no more money than what
he should count when he received it; and
that the prodigal youngster, having been
used to nothing but the pursuit Of his
pleasures, was led by the iabour Of count
ing his money, to reflect upon the labour
it cost his father to get it, and thence was
induced to retrench his expenses and alter
| his manner of life.
Indike manner, only little attention to
arithmetic, as respects apportioning the
size Of the coat to the measure of the cloth,
might save from ruin many goodly young
man, and many an estimable family, OF the
present generation.
eft is seldom seen," observes the great
Locke, &c that he who keeps an account
of his income and expenses, and thereby
has constantly under view the course Of
| his domestic affairs lets them run to ruin
aud it is not to be doubted but many a
man gets behindhand before he is aware,
for want Of this care, or skill to do it,"
The arithmetic that is here recommend
ed is by no means complex or puzzling,
but is plain and level to every common
understanding. Therein the only ques-
ton to be asked and solved is, Can 1 afford
IT.? No matter that the thing is cheap. No
matter that this is comfortable, and that is
fashionable no matter that such style Of
living is most respectable in the eye ofthe
world Before you purchase the one, or
go into the other, ask yourself the simple
question, whether you can afford it, and
let the true answer be the regulator of
your expenses; else your circumstances
will soon be ruined past all hope.
With all those, in short, whose utmost
means of living are small and scanty, res
olute abstinence from all extraordinary ex-
pense, rigid frugality, and even parsimony,
along with well directed industry, SO far
from marks of meanness, are noble virtues.
There are yet some other respects in,
which the sage advice, to cut the coat to
the cloth, is to be carefully needed: Of
these shall now mention only one, name
ly, the effort more especially in early life,
to build up the fabric Of reputation too
high and magnificent for its basis.
This is an error of no uncommon oc-
currence. The youth Of forward parts
and feeling, is in haste to acquire fame, and
lneglects no opportunities Of self display.
His own indiscretien in this respect, is
seconded by that of his friends, who, by
means Of extravagant encomiums on his
parts and genius, puff him into notice.