The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-16
PHENOMENAL EXTRAYAGANCE.
The Famous Spendthrifts of Ancient Times
and Their Pronigacy,
New York Adyocate.

PrOdgalS have been confined TO no land or age.
As long as the wealth of the world continues to
be unequally distributed, 50 long probably, shall
We have spendthrifts. Old Adam Smith tells us
that the 'necessaries of life include only those
commodities that are indispensable to our health
full support, and those things, the lack of which
among credtabe people of even the lowest class
is rendered indecent by the custom of the com
munlty. All other things he declares to be
| luXurles. If such definition as that were ac-
cepted most OF us could easily be convicted of
needless extravaganza. A glance at the careers
OF few Of the monumental prodigals OF the
world will be found TO be of interest.
history Of the famous spendthrifts of ancient
Rome would fill a volume Of goodly size and
unique charm Apicius Crassus, Probus, Clau-
dius. Nero Nitellius and Caligula all squandered
vast sums on the most trifiing objects. Apicius
spent $4.0GOO0O on his palate cast up his ac-
counts, and discovering that he had only 800
600 left, Immediately hanged himself to avoid
the prlvations Of threatening poverty! Elaga-
balus RECALLED the attendants of his palace on the
brains OF pheasants, the tongues of thrushes and
the eggs Of partridges. At his own meals the
peas were sprinkled with grains of gold, pearls
were scattered in dishes of rice, and the costhest
amber was used to render palatable dish Of
beans Crassus made great banquet for the
populace during his candidacy for the office Of
consul at which ten thousand tables were heaped
with Injuries Even this was surpassed by
Caesar, who, at the funeral feast on the occasion
thousand tables accommodating three guests at
each. Tiberus, like Cleopatra, gulped down
precious stones mixed, after being crushed in
wine, and he heaped the plates of favolite
guests with gold and jewels, which they carried
away. 1t was Tberus which caused to be built
boats Of cedar, covered with gold and precious
stones and large enough to admit of their being
turned into floating gardens, in which were
planted flowers vines and fruit-trees.
But it is to Nero, of whom it has been said
mat there was not vice to which he was not
gwen, nor crime which he did not commit"
that the prize for senseless prodigalitv must be
awarded. In the simple recreation of fishing he
used lines Of purple silk and hooks of gold His
tiara estimated to be worth two and half
millions of dollars and he never wore the same
costume twice. When on progress through
his dominiOns five hundred asses followed in his
train to supply milk for the daily bath of him
self and his wife, Popp9a
Christianity gradually displaced the fashions
OF heathenlsm, and deuge Of barbarism over
flowed italian civilization. Thenceforward, for
long time the eXtravagant expenditure of
great fortunes confined to the Eastern en-
pre-, whose capital was the city of Constantine.
There was a great revival of luxury and ex-
travagance in Italy and Southern Europe during
the Renaissance but it was only in comparative
ly modern times that the North of Europe pos
Scssed either the means or the inclination to in
dulge in profusion
Authors and artists, as well as kings are pop
ularly accused of improvidence. Many genius
Is IN practical life but child, and not always
SOou one SHerldan mas Deen called the hero
of debt He was the recipient of large sums of
money but always poor His wife brought
him the snug sum of FL 800, but this he frittered
away IN trip to Bath of six weeks duration.
His necessities drove him to literature for live
ihood and to his poverty we owe some of his
matchless productions Six months after the
receipt of $4,000 not a penny remained,
and he was deeply in debt While holding
lucrative posts under government he was in debt
to tradesmen for the commonest necessares of
life, and the shifts he devised to avoid meeting
the many duns that besieged his house are as
humorous as they are humiliatlng. Taylor, his
friend said 'thatif he took off his hat to Sheri-
dan in the street it would cost him $50 such an
mveterate borrower the brilliant wit.
creditor came for his money mounted on fine
mare. Sheridan induced the man to show off
the animals speed, and promptly embraced the
opportunity of slipping round the corner into the
next street
On another occasion a joint of meat was
brought to the house for dinner and the cook
placed it before the fire to roast. The butcher,
however, who was probably wise by experience,
refused to depart without the money for it,
The cook went up stairs for the cash,
but being gone an unreasonably long time,
the man coolly removed the Joint from the fire,
put it in his basket, and marched off This
while Sheridan was paymaster of the British
navy, and in receipt of good income. His cred
itors besieged his door every morning. He would
direct that they be shown into reception-rooms
on either side of the hall and, after cautiously
looking to see that the doors all shut, would
tautlou as descend the STAIRS ana walk out BE-
WEI Yell Cn gu,
WE" d6n oIieFI'h was asked why mere was hog
pIol5AeI 20 ms n'iie ClG
leiloW repleu CilaV ne was Hlorany certain no
other family ever had better title to it. for did
not T, tiey ' owe Nee eVeryooayi e,4,o.,. ,-..,
aus son ION shaFeo ms ialhers lproVldehce,
i anu gu Uli9 eIGr urgrCellIg 10 cuG une young
iloPei y! o!l Wiull 5luIIllg ION s'lu Leu me
ll' H IT, ST, II you nave GOT II ABOUT YOU!
; d1aI'lai fI was notorious spenothrit; hls
iooine rpm I one pooN alone amounted 10 Two
l hundred thousand frames year, YET ms debts
f f siie aStouhuhg sum Oh three nll1on
lrancs "A popular f SUBSCRIPTION was started to
fepuiGr,'se ms laINy es.ales Wnich had oeen
ne"vLy hio or a subscriber TO TINS tund,
man In "lliuenC '71ces Pflced troot