Mechanics', operatives', and laborers' advocate., 1837-02-13
From the Commercial Herald. THE RISE AND FALL OF FAMILIES.


 Every young man should start in life determined to act upon the motto of Nil desperandum." or " Don't give up the ship" Let him, on commencing llte look a, ound him and see who are wealthy, who are the influential who the caurted and respected of society, and ask from whence they sprung. In nnety-nlne cases out of hundred, he will find them to be those who, at his age, possessed of as little Of the worlds gere, little of family nAu- ence and as little of any eXtraneous aid, he him self possessed; men who commence the world with nothing, and whose advancement in life rsolely de- pended upon their own industry, fugality integrity, and strict attention to business Most young men consider 1t great misfortune be poor or not to have capital enough to establish themselves at once In good business; this is very mistaken notion: for, so far from poverty being msfo, tune to him, if we may judge from what we every day behold, it IS really blessing for the chance is more than ten to one Tn favor of the success of such young man, over one who starts with plenty of money. Look back twenty years, and see who commenced bus- ness at that time with abundance ofmeans and tree them down to the present day: how many of them in this city can now boast of wealth and high stan ding? On the contrary, how many become poor, lost thelr places Tn society, and passed, by their once boon companions, with look which plainly says :" know you not"
 In this country, the wheel of fortune IS constant y turning, and he who is at zenith this year, mayb be at madlr next, and excite no surprise. It is seldom 4hat the fourth, even the third generation enjoys the property and station in society which was won by the industry and frugality of the first This constant change IS the natural result of causes Ill continual operation. The first generation starts ln
 life poor but industrious and honest he resolves to acquire paoperty, and at the same time sustain character that shall command respect By dint of long perseverance in business, and the sustalnment ot high character for integrity and fair dealing, he succeeds (such man never tails) and becomes wealthy. His sons succeed him, perhaps maintain the character of their father, and add to the wealth he left them-they were educated to buslness and know how the property they enjoy was ecquired.- But Mer sons grew up and from infancy find them selves in the lap of luxury and rocked in the cra- dle of ease their minds turned to business -that is beneath them-they are engrossed with important nothings scorn labor; run the rounds offolly; marry light-headed and fashionable ladies' who have as sovereign a contempt for laborers, and the useful things of life as themselves; dash away a few years in their carrlages lose their parents; divide their property attempt to carry on the busl- ness; are incapable of managing it-fail-strugglc keep up appearances and their places in fashion, able life-are obliged to retire-wretched and mis- erable at homeland get through the world as well as they can, carry always the appearance of shabby gentlemen, and being looked at askance by their former companions. children are more mis- erablc even than themreves being brought up with the Idea that labor is degrading and that they are of superior order; while necessity compels them to re- sort to some means of getting living. Pride and Poverty are ever at war with them, and they drag out miserable and prccarous life.