, 1859-03-24

We have once or twice, recently, alluded to
practice prevalent among business men. Qf ttFt"y
1ryo"I fheir means-anl thus bringing upon
themselves failure which was no fault If their
mode Of business, but only nj their mailncr Of
living. 1t is not safe to lonk only Ut IL mans
store, to know bis stundins in business; you
must Look also ut his house. His splendid prof
its may entirely merge themselves in his spen-
did dwelling; 80 t!ut if he should suddenly full,
lis assets wuull bc found to cuns>t chiefly Vi
carpets, mirrors, frescoes, pictures, marbles,
furniture, and variety Of similar articles, ail
belonging to the inside Of !" brown stone 'front.'
Now, if what is poured into the top Of Il pitcher
runs out through hole in the bottom, it will
take continual pouring to keep it full; sudden
hardly ssy thnt it takes large business 10 sup.
port tine house md when the fine house taxes
the business to its utmost, small reverse, which
otherwise man would hardly haye felt, may
now occasipn his ruin. The foundation Of
mans fortune is laid on two corner stones; one
in Lis store, the other in his house. lfhc builds
too heavily IN either Of these, lie will }llrc the
whole roof down upon him. Many man who
has been known us the architect Of his own
fortunc," has built nnwise1y upon one or other
Of these foundations, aud has ut last been sur
rrised with worse fall tlan the tun.bl'ny Of the
State Arsenal!
1t is true, the line Of difference between living
within ones means, and living beyond them,
n1uy sometimes be difficult to draw 81 as to give
the greatest proper limit to free expenditure.
For Instance, man may be able to keep horse
aud buggy, and live within Ills means, WIN, #
hcawcrc to keep two horses, and Carriage, would
be- liyin,. beyond them. 4 man may keep Il tinc
house in the city, and be well able to afford it,
Who as soon Us he builds an"ther in tue coan-
try, is gony further than his ,noney will foo".
\ man may give m ice cream party, aud not ftsi
Jt11
suffer tprkit Il montl, afterwards 4 man may
pick his teeth OIL the steps IF the st. Nicholas
und be living frugally within his means. who. Il
he were once Ia i,ny for 1ix dinner t|,t hotcl
| would not have Il cent left for his supper: Whrl
Il man il conscious that lie il Stra!nil'1 pnilt
fnr splendid housc, or FAST horse, Or Il grand
Rnircc, or IN cxtrayngant table. lie lnar be sufc
| til;t he is the HILL who is "llyiny beyond lii
| nlrans!"
The temptations to such cxtraya:-ancc. IN stcl
| n CITY as this arr very grsat. In this respect
the improved architectural taste exhibited il
our modern dwelling houses has cxr:trtl II ti4
yoruhlc and a!su Ill untlyurilblr influence III tn
community; favorable. 70 fur lis tue proSrts
Of art and tic culture of the people are con
cernca; but nufayorablc, in l4slviu; incitra a dc
sire for ambitious disptay iu wl,icl, men seek t
Indulge themselves beyond their means. il
fact, nine out If every ten opinions given in :e
cuunting for the Commercial CriSis, alleged tl'i
| general extravaganza lis the CAUSE Of The resH'
sion. When onc-tllird If the merchants oi
great city hang unc-1llird Of their fortunes n"
the lace lnantlcs Of their wires. merely To n,ak
glitter By gas light ut grand soiree. it is M
ut all surprising that the ghost of Il n.crcantil
crisis should BE- seen stalEsns behind the guest
after they leave in the dead hours Of the night
The expense Of u well-dressed wife or d'us'lte
in thu simple article of jcwelrs, for single ev.
ming, is ottcntimcs is much al would original
havc bought t]sc rntirc island Of Manhattan b,
fore the times of Peter Stnyvcsant! Wlsrn I'll
"little bills " for these tritics arc sent III ais
paid. the Crisis may be imagined bringing ii
iile rear. like Banqno's Ghost!
We write Il true cpitarl, when We say tn
many j mans failures las resulted, not frn
lnsses in his business but fron, losses 10 wlIis
1c is blind because they are hidden in parlt
!: carpets. cna.uelrd furniture. and silt:ed corr
ccs, or in pearl necklaces, topaz brooches, a1
diamond rings!
If it be true that ECONOMY leads TO wealt1,
it must be equally true TINT Extravaganza lca
To Poverty; aila almost the greatest cxtrav
gance to which business nlcn arc now tempt
Is that Of os.cntatiuus display. DR.. Frank
said that ''tl,c road IL wealth is Us plain rs Il
road to market" lfloor Richard were to CO,
again and point il out. he would likely adsi
:. that It be not carpetcd with Brussels. except
! its extreme further ~. !. Lndtln""t
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