The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-07-16
WHAT 1T COSTS TO LIVE.
The Number of Dollars One Eat up I'm
Fifty Years

Fifty Years
Mr.. Soyer, who in his lifetime gained
so much fame as cook and food econo-
mist, made calculation as To how much
of the finer wines and meats were con-
sumed 10y professed bon-vivant in the
course of his lifetime. This curious feat
of calculation is based on u lifetime ex-
tending over sixty years; the life OF a
bon-vivant is estimated as enduring for
three score years and ten; but-though
he might have extended the number
the first ten years are not taken into ac-
count, as during that period the boy is
not allowed to consume anything but
what is placed before him. Taking the
round figures of the accumulated "ser-
vices of meat and drink" it appears, by
Mr. Soyer's calculation, that professor
of good living will consume in the sixty
years allotted to him, about sixty tons
of viands, which he probably washes
down with hundred hogsheads of wines
and liquors of various kinds. The fol-
lowing are the materials which, accord
ing to Soyer, composes the daily dinner
of the average epicure-namely, half
pint of soup, four ounces OF fish, eight
ounces of meat, four ounces OF poultry,
four ounces of savory meats, two ounces
of vegetables, two ounces OF bread, two
ounces of pastry, half an ounce of cheese,
four ounces of fruit, one pint of wine,
one glass of liquor, one cup of coffee or
tea. The solids, it will be seen, which
are consumed at this meal amount to
thirty and half ounces; whilst at lunch
con time, eight ounces would be con-
sumed; and calculating the eggs, fish, or
outlets eaten at breakfast, an additional
twelve ounces would fall to be added to
the account, equivalent to forty EIGHT
ounces of solid food per diem; and there
would be at least three pints of liquid
material in coffee, soup, wine, and
liquors. AT present prices, the eating
and drinking of a professed good liver
could not be accomplished for less than
twelve shillings sterling ($3. 00 perdien1,
including wines and liquors. That may
seem large sum; but ths money which
is necessarily expended in cooking such
n dinner as an epicure would order is
considerable, and necessarily fails to be
included in the bill of costs; while if
high-class wines be selected, twelve
shillings will hardly cover the expendi-
ture. Twelve shillings day for a per-
iod of three hundred and sixty-five days
amount to two hundred and nineteen
pounds (S1 ,0960 and in sixty years at
that rate. the good iver's commissariat
account will sum up to the very hand
some sum of thirteen thousand one hun
bred and forty pounds sterling $780,
700)
A healthy and hungry eater of the
upper middle class, able to afford good
dinner, will in the course of his lifetime
consume thirty fat oxen, two hundred
sheep, as many lambs, u hundred calves,
fifty pigs, twelve hundred barn-door
fowls, three hundred turkeys, four hun
dred ducklings, and as much game as
he can afford to puschase; his consump-
ton of fish, fruits, and vegetables will
be in proportion, say sixty salmon, n
hundred and fifty Goldfish, two hundred
soles, and many hundreds of the minor
fishes, not to speak of few hundred
Holsters and many thousand oysters.
Taking, then, the food expenditure of
the professional and higher mercantile
men-we cannot compute 1t at less, in
Guiding wines, spirits beer, than eight
shillings (S2. 00) per diem, which, when
expensive fruits and choice vintages are
taken into account, is moderate enough
estimate, especially if the occasional din
ner and supper parties given i'll the
course of the year be included. A
years dinner and food expenditure at the
rate just mentioned would sum up to one
hundred and forty-six pounds ($730);
and taking a similar rate for period of
fifty years, it represents total amount
of seven thousand three hundred pounds
1896, 500. Presuming that, if he pleased,
the professional or mercantile man of the
class indicated might easily SO restrict
his expenditure as to admit of saving
of two thousand pounds (Sl0, 000) on his
Gfe's ford account, the total gain would
be positively enormous. If there are,
say, a million of such persons-and for
illustrative purposes we may assume
there are O million-the sum gained
would be represented by no less sum
than two thousand million pounds ($10,-
600, 900, 000)! Such figures must of course
be set down rs utopian, because men as
q rule have become such slaves to their
appetites, that it would be hopeless to
attempt to wean them from what they
have grown to consider a necessary of
their lives; but the fact remains notwith-
standing that "we all eat and drink too
much. "-Chan1bers Journal.