Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-12-15
Rich Folks.

We suppose there are people in all parts of the
United States, who think they are pretty well off
even rich. We know few unfortunate indi-
viduals that labor under this hallucination, and
who look with a mixture of pity and contempt
upon their fellow worms Of the dust, whom they
suppose to possess less of ssthe dust' than them
selves. But Heaven help these poor whitlings;
they have not the slightest conception of what
wealth is. They rich, forsooth! They are beg
gars comparatively Many a rich mans supper
servants live in better style. Mr.. Cresus, who
| fourished before our time, and whom the reader
has doubtless heard of, used to say that citizen
who had not fortune to support an army, or a le-
gion, did not deserve the title of a rich man; and
he is good authority. His landed property alone
was worth the snug little sum of So 5G0,oe0.-
Then he possessed slaves, furniture, horses, cat
tie and cash to an equal amount; making the
comfortable sum Of S17 100000
Mr. Cresus was rich man; but many of the
old gentlemen who departed this life centuries
ago, were richer than he. There was Seneca, the
philosopher, who uttered and wrote some tolerable
good things, considering the age in which he
lived, who was worth $l7,50o,0Oo! Many. mod
i ern authors would doubtless have been glad to be
remembered in the old fellows WILL And so they
were, all of them. He left them an invaluable
legacy, and this is it: s'Whenever you have
written book, lay it aside for nine years; and at
the expiration of that time peruse it carefully and
ea if your judgement approve, publish it, but not
before.''
Julius Caesar, like Wilkins Micawber, Esq,
was continually incurring pecunary liabilities
that he found it difficult to discharge He set
4 high value on friendship, having purchased that
! of Lucus Pallus for 81 100000. He was terri
Bile spendthrift.. Before he succeeded in obtaining
any office, he had contracted debts to the amount
Eof $14,975O0O. But Office holders had good pick
ings in those day, as we'll as in our own; and as
soon as Julius got his handinto the public treasury,
his debts began to diminish. He. soon became
rich. He gave Seryilla, the mother of Brutus, a
pearl of the value of 100000. He would doubt
! less have been guilty of many other extrava-
gances, had not the sswell-beloved Brutus'' given
him that cruel stab under the fifth rib. On the
day of the assassination, Casar's 1riend Mark
Antony, owed $l,5oo,000, which was all paid
thirty days afterwards. This same Antony sub
tsequeAIly SHdlioWeu pearl ulSSOlVeu III vinegar,
(Which Cleopatra administered to him,) worth
100000. He also squandered, $735, 900, 200. of
the public treasury. He would have been splen-
did fellow to have held d fiscal agency under our
federal government.
Tiberius, at his death, left $11s, 125,0oe, which
Caligula spent in less than twelve months. He
lived at the rate of about $35 900 aday; one sup
per cost 100000. .-
Esopus, the comedian, even transcribed Cali
gula in extravaganza having given 100000 for
one single dish. He had son, CIodius, who was
a chip of the old block. Among other gastrono-
mic feats, he swallowed pearl Ga Ia Antony)
valued at $4,000.
/ Appius, another Roman millionaire, squandercd
in debauchery, some $2,5oo,ooo; after which,
finding himself sober day, he Investigated his
pecuniary affairs, and finding that he had only
half million dollars left, he poisoned himself,
because he considered that sum insufficient for
his maintenance.
i A Mr.. Helingobalus, who lived in those times,
and was one of the upper tens used occasionally
to get up nice suppers that cost 100000.
Another gentleman, named Lucullus, seldom
sat down to repast that cost less than 100000.
His private table eclipsed the "ladies' ordnares'
of any twenty of the best hotels in the world
The fish from his pond were sold for $4,000.