The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-04-15
From, the Boston Yankee.
FOLLY OF WAITING FOR A DEAD
MANS SHOES

n disposition to talk of rich friends and re-
lations, even though no existing friendship
or relationship can be fairly made out bv
) the powers of human calculation. The
wealth and honorable condition of kindred
and acquaintance, usually increase with
the distance at which they live from those
who claim additional respect on their ac-
count. | am induced to believe the number
persons not small, even in New England,
who are daily feeding their hopes and their
vanity with the thought that they or their
children are, sooner or later, to inherit the
property of some rich relative or friend.
Enter the most obscure and retired neigh
borhood, among the mountains, in the back
parts OF Maine, Vermont, or New Hamp-
shire, and you will often be led to think
either that the inhabitants are possessed of
wonderful powers for the combination OF
strange soG9ds or tn- ,uS. nave con
for the long list Of names they force upon
their children. If you enquire the reason
why child is thus burdened, you will gen.
orally be led into history of family affairs
for one or two centuries past-but the story
will finally wind up with an account of a
rich, or very respectable relative or friend,
who was DESTROYS of having his name pre-
served in this way for which liberal re-
ward is expected. This custom probably
had its origin with the more wealthy part of
society, but being, like practices of every
kind, contagious, it has so diffused itself
through all ranks and conditions, that a
traveller will seldom meet with family. in
which he will not now and then hear hint
in relation to this subject, while much is
evidently left to he inferred. This, to one
who is acquainted with human nature, is
either source of ridicule or of pity, ac-
cording to the disposition of the observer !;
but still it is fashionable. Some parents,
whose appearance gives woful evidence of
their poverty, think it enough FOR son to
have been named for a rich miser that has
little Of the family blood in his veins, es-
peclally if he is advanced in years, and
! happens to be destitute of wife and children.
Thus many boy is brought up in idleness,
while the hopes for his future maintenance,
rests upon the precarious foundation of a
! legacy. In support of this practice, the
plea is sometimes urged, that a child, ac-
customed to the drudgery and every day
business of life, would not be considered a
proper subject to be made heir TO fortune /;
and this, perhaps, may be satisfactory to
such as choose to live upon the earnings of
others, or to run the risk of feeling the
grippe of poverty, rather than engage in any
laudable undertaking for support. Things
like these, do not become the inhabitants of
New England, in any class of society, who
ought, in imitation of their ancestors, to val
ue themselves on industrious habits and in
dividual worth. 1t is folly to think of sup
porting, or of rendering ourselves more res
pcctable in the opinions of others, by talking
of our connexions and in a country like
ours, in which nothing is considered hered-
itary, such folly ought not to be tolerated
Our characters are the same whether our
relations are in high standing in society or
not; and our purses are not so often as is
anticipated, replenished from the riches of
others. If we are poor at present, whatev-
er may be our prospects for the future, let
us use the proper means to procure sub
sistence. Let us depend on ourselves. Our
hopes are frequently deceitful. They may
wither in the bud, or may be blasted after
having been long cherished.
| have learned to place but little conf
dence in moneyed relations. During my
childhood and youth, my parents, who con-
trived to live in decent style, thought it
unnecessary, and even degrading, for me
to he bred to any useful occupation, as they
had taken care to name me after an uncle
of mine, whom they had always spoke of as
immensely rich. Uncle Tom Roderck Fur
cifer Harmonoopooter B!agden, the whole
of whose name have been obliged to own
for my given name, was thorough-going
bachelor of the old school, who, by indus
try, speculation, and parsimony, had hoard
ed up goodly quantity of gold and silver.
My parents, with my grandmother and aunt
Betty, frequently spent whole evenings in
expatiating to visters and neighbors on the
wealth, the responsibility, and the uncom-
mon share of good humor and henevolence,
he possessed. well remember that my
mother once labored for a long time to
prove to surly fellow, who through envy
denied the fact, that her brother was Cor
poral in company of militia at the surren-
der of Burgoyne. He was always said to
have great regard for his namesakes, who
were but few; and this, all may know, was
encouraging to me. When | arrived at
that memorable day which made me twenty
one years old, was so ignorant of all kinds
of business, as to be unable to maintain
myself All that l could do, was to turn
over the leaves Of novel, smoke cigaI
attend at the parties of the neighborhood
and talk with country squires on politics
and on the prospect of change in the
times, and so on; but having been told by
some envious playmates, that my parents
had fed and clothed me, at the expense oil
such as were more industrious than them
selves, resolved to look out for myself in
future. was, therefore, put to my trumps,
and engaged for the first time in a laborious
head work, which lasted until it reduced
me almost to skeleton. My grandmother,
observing my perplexity, advised me to visit
my uncle, who for many years, had resided
in the interior of one of the Middle States.
This ] was forward to do. / had, as
thought, sufficient evidence that he intend
ed to make me, at his death, heir 70 all he