Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
The Danger OF Extravaganza.

Miss Emily Faithful has recently deliy.
cred in several parts of Scotland very ex-
cellent lecture on extravaganza in living.
She is competent by much observation and
careful thought to speak judiciously upon
the subject; and many of the plain home
truths she has uttered are worthy of the at
tention they have received.
1t is difficult to overrate the practical i'm
portance of this subject at the present mo-
ment. There is something in it which ap-
plies directly to every family, if not to every
individual; and the force of surrounding
circumstances tends to press it home with
| great energy. For several years past there
has been state of almost unexampled com
mercial depression in all countries. The
arms OF business have been almost paralyzed /;
and in thousands of cases inconvenience and
privations have been suffered which at one
time were never apprehended. 1t does not
appear that the crisis is yet passed. There
are still ominous rumors and gathering
clouds; and to judge from the present pros.
poets OF trade in Great Britain particularly,
further, il not deeper, distress will be en-
dured during the ensuing winter.
1t is not now inappropriate to inquire in
to the causes of this painful condition of
things. There are doubtless many sugges.
tions to be offered, and very useful lessons
10 be learnt. In one thought there appears
to be a general concurrence of opinion. 1t
is conceded on almost every hand that
nearly all classes of the community have
been living beyond their means, and that
extravaganza OF life has had much to do in
bringing about the calamity deplored. This
complaint is heard in every crisis. 1t found
vent in this country during the appalling
depression of 1857, in the publication Of
such brochures as " Nothing to Wear" There
has been repetition of it in every CONNER
cial crisis since. And it cannot be said that
the complaint is illfounded There is un-
happily too much in it. Among all classes
of the community false and artificial mode
Of life has become general. In dress, in
food, in luxury, in amusement, the evil is
patent. The higher classes outrun their in
come and as matter of course become in
volved in debt. Their example is followed
by others in the stations below them and
thus it comes to pass, as Miss Faithful has
put 1t, that the majority of people in both
the middle and working classes 50 live, live,
ay, the whole of their lives, heavily handi-
capped with needlessly incurred debt, and
no road is more easily travelled than the
road from debt to dishonor." In thousands
of cases the things for which these debts
are contracted are not necessaries of life.
They contribute nothing to health or even
comfort. For the most part they are useless,
if not dangerous extravagances, and indul-
gence in them is injurious to both health
and honor.
1t is not difficult to trace the bearing and
influence OF this mode of living upon trade
in general. When people go beyond their
means they must contract debts or commit
fraud In keen Roth
often done, and both assuredly end in mis-.
chief. There is nothing put by for future
emergency, and in too many cases not only
poverty, but disgrace is the issue. A thousand
cases might be quoted to illustrate and con-
firm this remark, and of all the great domes-
tic and social evils of the present age that of
extravaganza is the most appalling and de-
structive 1t does not matter at all in what
form the extravaganza is indulged. If to
keep up appearance in dress, or furniture,
or food or amuse~,ent, or any other thing,
people 60 beyond their means, spend what
they cannot afford, or what is not their own,
and then run into debt, they commit a suicidal
act or enter upon broad road to ruin. The
evil must be checked, and all credit is due to
Miss Faithful for speaking plainly to her
own sex about it.
A remedy is not lar to seek. 1t may be
difficult OF application in every case at once;
but it must be applied. The first essential
thing is economy. People must compress
their wants within their means, make their
expenditure tally with their income. They
can do it if they will try and they had bet
ter do it willingly when there will be honor
in the act, than by constraint and in disgrace.
Whatever is not really needed should not be
bought, or ii the buying OF it will incur debt,
or cause danger habit of self-denial even
will be found most advantageous. 1t is not
now a question of high or low prices it is
matter of common prudence and honesty.
And if people will practice the good old rules
of economy and thrift they would soon do
much toward the removal of these " hard
times" There might be less glittering show,
but there will be much more solid omfort.
Scottish american Journal