The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-05-21
From the Massachusetts Journal.

HRlS 10 People Of Moderate Fortune
The prevailing evil Of the present day is
extravaganza. know very well that the old
are 10 prone to preach about modern dcgen
eracy. whether they have cause or not; but
laugh we may at the sage advice Of our faith.
ers, it is too plain that our present cxpen
sive habits are productive ofmuch domestic
unhappiness, and injurious to public pros
perity. Our wealthy people copy all the
foolish and extrpvagant caprices Of Euro
pean fashion without considering that we
have not their laws of inheritance among
us-and that our frequent changes of poll
icy render property far more precarious
here than in the old world. However, it
is not to the rich | would speak. They
have an un1oubted right 10 spend their
thousands as they please; md if they spend
them ridiculously il is consolipg to reflect
that they must, in some way or other, ben
eft the poorer classes. People of moder-
ate fortunes have likewise an unquestioned
right 10 dispose Of their hundreds as they
please; but | would ask is il lCise to risk
your happiness in a foolish attempt to keep
up with the oppuent? OF what use is the
effort which takes so much Of your time, and
all Of your income? Nay, if any unexpected
change in affairs should deprive you ofa few
yearly hundreds, ynu will find your cx.
penses have crceeded your income-thus
the foundation Of an accumulating debt
will be laid, and your family will have form.
Cd habits but poorly calculated to save you
from the threatened ruin. Not cne valuable
friend viii be gaincd Dy nving beyond your
meaas and old age will be left to compar.
atve, if not to utter poverty.
There is nothing in which the eXtrava
rance Of tho present day strikes mo so for
cibly as the manner in which our young
people Of moderate fortune furnish their
houses.
A few weeks since, called upon farm
er's daughter who had lately married a
Young physician Of moderate talents and
destitute Of fortune. Her father had CIV
on her at her marriage, all he ever expect
ed to give her; viz. two thousand dollars
Yet the lower part Of her horse was fur
nished with as much sp'endor as we usually
find among the weal,hiest. The whole tw,
thousand had been expended upon Brnssel:
Carpets, Alabas,cr Vases, Mahogany Chairs
and Marble Tables. ! afterwards learne,
that the more useful household utensils hu'
been forgotten: and that few weeks afte
her wedding, she was actually obliged 4
apply to her husband for money to purcnas'
baskets, iron spoons, clothes lines, &C.
and her husband, made irritable by th
want Of money, pettishly demanded VIII.
she had bought so many things they di
not want. Did the docter gain any pa
tients, or shc single friend, by offcrn,
their visitors water in richly cut glass tum
blcrs, or serving them with costly damos
napkins, instead of plain soft towels? NJ
Their foolish vanity made them less hap
py, and no more respectable.
Had the young lady been content wit
Kiddermus,er Carpets, and tasteful vase
Other own making, she might have put on
thousand dollars at interest, and had she o|
tanned six per cent il would have clothc
her as well as the wife ofany man who d.
pends merely upon his own industry, oug)
10 be clothed. This would have save
much domestic disquet; for after all, b
mnn nature is human nature, and a wi
is never better beloved, because she ;eaz
for money,