The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-07-22
From the Massachusetts Journal.

HINTS TO PEOPLE OF MODERATE For
TUNE. The prevailing evil of the present
day is extravaganza. l. know very well
that the old are too prone to preach about
modern degeneracy, whether they have
cause or not; but laugh as we may at the
sage advice of our fathers, it is too plain
that our present expensive habits are pro-
ductive of much domestic unhappiness, and
people copy all the foolish and eXtravagan:
caprices of European fashions, without con-
sidering that we have not their laws of in
heritence among us,-and that our frequent
changes of policy render property far more
precarious here than in the old world.
However, it is not to the rich | would speak.
They have an undoubted right to spend
their thousands as they please; and if they
spend them Tidiculously it is consollng to
reflect that they must, in some way or other,
benefit the poorer classes. People of mod
crate fortunes have likewise an unquestion-
ed right to dispose of their hundreds as they
please; but would ask, is it arse to fisk
your happiness in foolish attempt to keep
up with the opulent? Ofwhat use is the
effort which takes so much of your time,
and all your income? Nay, if any unex-
pected change in affairs should deprive
you of few yearly hundreds, you will lind
your expenses have exceeded your income
thus the foundation of an accommodating debt
will be laid, and your family will have form
ed habits but poorly calculated to save you
+ from the threatened ruin. Not one valGa-
BILE friend will I've gained by living beyond
your means, and old age will be left to com
parative if not to utter poverty.
| There is nothing in which the eXtrava'
gance of the present day strikes me so tore
! IDLY as the manner in which our young peo
pie of moderate fortune furnish their houses
A few weeks since | called upon a far
mer's daughter who had lately married 4
young physician of moderate talents and
destitute of fortune. Her father had giver
| her at her marriage, all he ever expected
I to give her; viz, two thousand dollars. Ye
the lower part of her house was furnished
with as much splendor as we usually tnt
among the weathiest. The whole two
thousand had been expended upon Brussels
! Carpets, Alabaster Vases, Mahogany Chairs
and Marble Tables. | afterwards learned
that the more useful household utensils hat
been forgotten; and that few weeks
after her wedding, che was actually obhget
to apply to her husband for money TO pur
chase baskets, iron spoons, clothes lines
&c.,-and her husband, made irritable b.
the want of money, pettishly demanded
why she had bought so many things they dl'
not want. Did the Doctor gain any patients
or she "a single friend, by offering their visit
ers water in richly cut glass tumblers, o
serving them with costly darnask napkins
instead of plain soft towels? No,-Thei
foolish vanity made them less happy, and nj
more. respectable. =,
Had the young lady been content witt
Kidderminster Carpets, and tasteful vase
of her own making, she might have ,pu
one thousand dollars at interest; and hat
she obtained six per cent. it would hav
clothed her as we'll as the wife of any ma
who depends merely upon his own industry
ought to be clothed. This would haV