The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-09-19
The Road 70 Ruin.
DErLoRABLE CONDITION OF soCIETY-wAN
TON ExTRAyAGASCg OF THE WOMEN.
[FTom the London Times ]

from tue LONDON Times
1t must always be with pain and delicacy
and hesitation that we make any allusion to
those who are supposed to be less able to
defend them selves, and the more under
just authority, as well, it must be added,
as also the most sinned against. But one
remark must be- made. Even on the most
superficial survey of society, whether in
the great furnace Of the metropolis or in
the lesser fires of provincial and rural life,
who can shut his eyes to the lamentable
fact that the gentler and kindlier sex have
a great deal to do with that boundless and
rulnous extravaganza which Introduces all
the vices, and disables all the virtues, even
to decay and extinction 1t may be the
necessity the duty of some to spead
princely fortunes iu princely pomp and
luxury if so, they are only to be pitied
for the difficulty of doing it gracefully, and
redeeming material waste with personal
refinement. But in this great town, and each
| season more than the last, there are thou
sands aud thousands who are man,festiy
/ spending far more than their circumstances
will allow. For very much of this deep,
widespread, and still spreading evil the
women are answerable. 1t is they who
dress at rate far beyond their income ;
they who insist on the best houses in the
neighborhood; they who must have equip
ages for all uses, times, aud places they
who cannot abate their manifold require
ments even when the family increases and
nobler cares should take place of child sh
things.
OF course, the men have their besetting
sins aud their pet extravageuccs, some
tineA very costly; aud they have often
the still greater fault of not explaining
their pecuniary affairs to their wives with
manly caDd0r or common business like &C
curacy. They do not make the wife a
confident and fellow counsellor. But there
r cannot be doubt that in the great major
ity of houses the lady knows quite enough
; t" see, with very little reflection, that
she is driving her husband and family iuto
straitness and embarrassment, with the
risk of ruin. People must have very
many and very good acres, very good
Investments indeed, to he able to spend
often the rental of good estate in single
entertainment, n dressmaker's or an up
holster's bill, "a house at a fashionable wa
terIng place, prolonged Continental tour,
, necklace, or some other toy. Yet w0-
, men are such creatures of rivalry and dis
play that they cannot help sort of triumph
I over those who are less fortunate or less
spirited, and sn are continually the fore
= most to iniiame pernicious rivalry
, What can their husbands do7 They sub
NIT, perhaps. They sulk, perhaps. They
more commonly cast about for ways and
means and, as they hear and learn more
they are more apt to take counsel from
, despair, and give themselves up to the
, stream in which they are already floating
r he'pIossly. They cannot be worsc than
they are; they may be better. so they
sprcuIate-thnt is gamble. They soon
, lind they are victims, aud set 1t down tc
, their simplicity or their scruplos. BY aud
e by they make the discovery that in suc'
= an affair 1t IL better to bc at the head thar
at the tail better 10 hc on the right I'D,
OF the wall better to be IN the Iing thar
an outstdor. So they prcss toward, Civ,
y aud take coUhdcncrs, and IN time are mi.
1 lionarrrs, or baukrupts and cxilCs,