The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-04-29
From the N. Y. Ledger
WHAT CAN A MAN AFFoRDs
BY HENRY WARD BRECHER.

urged the duty of buying and reading
books. We. said that whenever we
should BS elected Pope, we should re-
quire every married young man to set
apart one-tenth of his income for the
purchase ofhooks, &c. This remark,
of which the form was half jesting, but
the substance of which was good
earnest-has called forth several epis-
ties. That is good sign. When as
boy, we went out nutting, we al
ways listened after throwing a club,
to hear if the chestnuts ratified. An
article on practical subject, in the
peoples paper, is like club thrown
into tree.
We insert part Off letter, premis-
ing, that we do not judge the case pre-
sented therein. The man, for ought
we know, may be pursuing the wisest
course. But it may serve as text for
further remarks.
~ am myself in favor of all you
say in that article, if a man can afford
it; indeed, have been after buying
the new American Encyclopedia for
at least three or four years, but have
not bought it up to the present time;
had the money several times, but al
ways needed it for something else. |
have some books now, which | find
great delight in reading, and should
add if possible; but always need the
money for something else, having Il
family of four children. However, |
do want you to tell me to stay away
from grog-shops and avoid tobacco,
and invest such money in books. |
have not spent a dollar in bar-room
this year.
"ln conclusion, | will say, l hope
you will be able to read and under
stand these few lines, and give an an
swer through the Ledger"
In bringing up family, there are
thousands of persons Who are so poor,
at least in the earlier part of their ca
reer, that, with the utmost industry
and frugality, they can barely supply
the material wants Of the household.
Clothes, food and fuel, without these
a man dies. They are the primary
wants. Sometimes, from peculiar and
local reasons, men do not get beyond
this conflict for mere existence. But,
in America, at least, with ordinary
industry and frugality, accompanied
with the morals Of temperance, this
fight for subsistence lasts but few
years at most, and by perhaps the
majority of men is hardly entered up
on.
The moment a man earns more than
enough to secure physical existence,
new questions arise How much of
earnings shall be saved for capital? I?
Upon what principle shall that which
is expended upon The family be distri-
Duted to various wants?
Shall clothes grow finer, and shall
there be more Of them? Shall our
children be brought up to the average
style Of dress prevailing in the village
Shall our table be little more gener-
ously supplied? Shall coarser food
give way to more luxurious diet?
Shall the linen table-cloth become
finer?-the cutlery and dishes grow
more expensive? Shall the beds and
chairs and bureaus improve? ?-the
carpets, the mirrors, the chairs, cur
tains, and the whole wardrobe !?
All these may be steps of real pro-
gress. But, whether they are Or not,
depends upon other considerations.
All this, so far, is only larger pro-
vision for physical wants. If social,
intellectual, and moral needs have
been provided for with equal liberality,
then the progress is real sound, and
salutary, ..
But what ifa man cannot afford, in
addition to these things, to take good
newspapers--cannot afford to put
his children to thoroughly good
schools, because the charges are too
high? Cannot afford to have a good
seat in church-camot afford to go to
concerts, to lectures, and other means
of Improvement
All these interrogatories may be
summed up in one question: Can a
man qford to pamper his body and
stnrue his munds
Every man has four children in
every child--a physical child, social
child, an intellectual child, and a
moral child. These four natures unite
in forming each individual.
The education ofa ollild is to be car
ried up in these four lines. Now, no
man can afford to starve three parts OF
his child, for the sake of overfeeding
one part,
Here is the common mistake. Par
ents do well by their children's bodies,
but their intellectual, social, and moral
natures are subject to rigid economy.
Is it not so? Let the facts be looked
at.
When men begin to prosper, do
they spend in proportion halfas much
for the inward manhood of their
families as for the outward? Do they
not pay lavishly Tor better house,
better furnishings, better food and
clothes, but stingily for books, schools,
newspapers, church privileges, and for
refining and hpmanizing amusements?
The other fact: /: When times are
hard and men are embarrassed, and
begin to curtail expenses, where does
tha lyp;fa fall 6rct0 GL:1I -