The native American., 1838-06-09
From the Delamdrs Register.
sJNGTIAR ACCOUNT OF A MIsER.

SINGULAR ACCOUNT OF MlSER.
"Ayarice, Of all other passions, is the least 10
he accounted for, as il precndes the mlsef rom
ali pleasure except that of boarding. The prodi-
9al the camester the ambitious, having sometfing
70 nlead by way of palliatives for their lnordinae
affections. to their respective objects and pursuits;
but the miser gratifes his passion at the expense
of every conveniency, indulgence, or even neces-
sarv of life. He is aply compared to the ma.
gype, who hides gold which he can make no use
efp'' 81. -"
NJ. Vandille was the most remarkable man in
Paris, both OH account of his immense riches, and
his extreme avarce. He lodged as high up as the
roof would admit him, to avoid noise or visits;
maintained one poor old woman to attend him in
his garret, allowed her only seven sous per week,
or penny per diem. His usual diet was bread
and milk, and, for indulgence, some poor sour
wine on Sunday; on which day he constantly
gave one farthing to the poor, being one shilling
and penny per annum; which he cast up, and
after his DEATH his extensive charity amounted to
forty y-three shillings and four pence. This pru-
dent economist had been magistrate, or officer
at Boulogne, from which obscurity he was pro-
moted to Paris for the reputation of his wealth,
which he lent upon undeniable security to the
public funds; not caring to trust individuals with
his life and soul. While magistrate at Boulogne.
he maintained himself by taking upon him TO
be mlk-tas ter-general at the market, and from
one to another, filed his belly, and washed down
his bread at no expense of his own; not, doubt
less, from any other principle than that of serving
the public, in regulating the goodness of milk.
When he had call to Paris, knowing that stage
vehicles are expensive, he determined to go thiher
on foot; and to avoid being robbed, he took care
to export with himself, neither more less than
the considerable sum of three pence sterling, to
carry him one hundred and thirty miles; and with
the greater facility to execute his plan Of opera
ton, he went in the quality of poor priest or
mendicant; and no doubt gathered some few
pence on the road from such pious and well dis
posed persons Of the country, who were strangers
to him.
The great value miser annexes to a farthing,
will make us less surprised at the infinite at
tachment he must have to guinea, Of which
it is the seed, growing by gentle gradations, into
pence, shillings, pounds, thousands and ten thou
sands, which made this worthy connosseur say
take care of the farthings, and the pence and shl
lings will take care of themselves; these semina o
wealth may be compared to seconds of time
which generate years, centuries, and even eterni
ty itself
When he became extensively rich, being in tht
year 1875, worth seven or 100000 pounds
which he begot multiplied on the body sin
gle shilling, from the age of sixteen to the az
of seventy-two; one day he heard a woodman 90
ing by in the summer, at which season they stool
themselves with fuel for the winter; he agree
with him at the lowest rate possible, but stol
from the poor man several logs, with which HI
loaded himself to his secret hiding-hol and thus
contracted, in that hot season, fever; ne the1
sent, for the first time, for surgeon to blees
him, who asking him half livre for the opera
ton, was dismissed; he then sent for an apothe
cary, buthe was as high in his demands he then sen
for poor barber, who undertook to open vel
for threepence time; but, says this worthy eco
nomist, friend, how often will it be requisite Il
bleed? three times, said he: and what quantity O.
blood do you intend to take? about eight ounces
each time, answered the barber. That will be
ninepence-too much, too much, says the old
miser, have determined to go cheaper way to
work; take the whole quantity you design to take
at three times, at one time, and that will save me
sixpence; which being insisted on, he lost twenty
four ounces Of blood, and died in few days,
leaving all his vast treasures to the king, whom
he made his sole heir. Thus he contracted his
disorder by pilfering, and his death by an unpre
cedented piece of parsimony.