Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-04-04
LUXURY THE ca USE or NA.
TIOAL DECAY T.


Frugality Of manners is the nourish-
ment and strength Of bodies polite. 1t
is that by which they grow and sub
sisl, until they are corrupted by luxury
Tho natural cause OF their decay aud
ruin. or this we have examples in the
Persians, Laccd@monans aud Romans;
not to mention many latter Govern.
ments which have sprung up, continued
awhile, and then perished by the same
natural causes But these are, il seems,
Of no use to us; and, in spite Of them,
we are in lair way Of becoming our
selves auotheruseless example t0iuture
ages.
Simplicity Of manners may be more
easily preserved in Republic than in
a Monarchy but If once lost, may be
sooner recovered in Monarchy, the
example Of a Court being of great
efficacy, either to reform or corrupt
people that alone were enough 10 dis.
counteiance the wearing of gold or
silver, either in clothes or equipage,
and il the same were prohibited by
law, the saving Of so much bullion
would be the smallest benefit Of such
an institution there being nothing
more apt 10 debase the virtue and good
sense of our gentry, OF both sexes,
which wc have learned from France,
and which has had such visible i'll con-
sequences on the genius of that people.
Wiser nations have made il their care
to shut out this folly BY severe laws
and penalties, aud its spreading among
us can torehcde nogood, II there be any
truth in the observation Of one of the
ancients, that the direct way TO ruin a
man is TO dress him up in fine clothes.
But we are doomed to be undone.
Neither the plain reason Of the thing,
nor the experience Of past ages, nor
the examples we have before our eyes,
can restrain us from initiating, not to
say ur,iassing, the most corrupt and
ruined people in those very points OF
luxury that ruined them. Our gaming,
our operas, our masquerades, are, in
spite Of our debt and poverty, become
the wonder OF our neighbors. ifthcre
be any man so void of all thought and
common sense, as not to see whore this
must end, let him but compare wha.
Venice was at the league OF Cambray,
with what 1t is at present, and be will BE-
convinced how truly those fashionable
pastimes are calculated to depress aud
ruin mutton.
1t is not TO be believed, what influ-
cnce public diversions have Oh the
spirits and manners Of a people. The
Greeks wisely saw this, aud made a
very serious affair Of therpublic sports.
For the same reason, il will, perhaps,
seem worthy the care of our Legisla-
ture TO regulate the public diversions,
by an absolute prohibition of those who
have n direc, tendency to corrupt our
morals, as well as by a reformation OF
the drama which, when rightly man
aged, is such noble entertainment,
and gave those fine lessons Of morality
and good sense to Athenians Of old aud
to our British gentry above century
ago but for these last ninety years,
hath entertained us, for the most part,
with such wrctched things as spoil, in
stead OF improving the taste and man
ners of the audience Those who arc
attentive to such propositions only as
may dll their pockets, will probably
slight these things as trfes below tho
care of the Legislature, But | am
sure all honest, thinking men must
lament to see their country run head
long into all those luxurious fOllics,
which, it is evident, have been fatal to
other nations, and will undoubtedly
prove fatal to us also, if a timely stop
be not put to them BerkeyIeys Essays.