lies lead them to a conduct oppofite to the general maxims and practice of mankind; fome who feem to rush upon poverty with the fame eagerness with which others avoid it, and fee their revenues hourly leffened, and the eftates which they inherit from their ancestors mouldering away, without refolution to change their courfe of life; yet perfevere against all remonftrances, and go forward with full career, though they fee before them the precipice of deftruction.

It is not my purpose, in this paper, to expoftulate with fuch as ruin their fortunes by expenfive fchemes of buildings and gardens, which they carry on with the fame vanity that prompted them to begin; chufing, as it happens in a thousand other cafes, the remoter evil before the lighter, and deferring the fhame of repentance till they incur the miferies of diftrefs. Thofe for whom I intend my prefent admonitions, are the thoughtlefs, the negligent, and the diffolute; who having, by the vicioufness of their own inclinations, or the feducements of alluring companions, been engaged in habits of expence, and accuftomed to move in a certain round of pleasures difproportioned to their condition, are without power to extricate themfelves from the enchantments of custom; avoid thought, because they know it will be painful; and continue, from day to day, and from month to month, to anticipate their revenues, and fink every hour deeper into the gulphs of ufury and extortion.

This folly is lefs to be regarded with pity, because it cannot be imputed to the vehemence of fudden paffion; nor can the mischief which it produ

ces, be the effect of any fingle act, which rage or defire might execute before there could be time for an appeal to reafon. These men are advancing towards mifery by foft approaches; and destroying themselves, not by the violence of a blow, which, when once given, can never be recalled; but by a flow poison, hourly repeated, and obftinately continued.

This conduct is fo abfurd, when it is examined by the unprejudiced eye of rational judgment, that nothing but experience could evince its poffibility: yet, abfurd as it is, the fudden fall of fome families, and the fudden rife of others, prove it to be common; and every year fees wretches fink into contempt and want, by their coftly facrifices to Pleasure and to Vanity.

It is the fate of almost every paffion, when it has paffed the bounds which Nature prefcribes, to counteract its own purpose. Too much rage hinders the warrior from circumfpection, too much eagerness of profit hurts the credit of the trader, too much ardour takes away from the lover that eafinefs of addrefs with which ladies are delighted. Thus extravagance, though dictated by vanity, and incited by voluptuoufnefs, feldom procures ultimately either applause or pleasure.

If praise be juftly estimated by the character of thofe from whom it is received, there will be little fatisfaction given to the fpendthrift by the encomiums which he purchases. For who are they that animate him in his purfuits, but young men, thoughtless and abandoned like himself, unacquainted with all on which the wisdom of mankind has imposed the stamp of excellence, and de

void alike of knowledge and of virtue? By whom is his profufion praifed, but by wretches who confider him as fubfervient to their purposes, Sirens that entice him to fhipwreck, and Cyclops that are gaping to devour him?

Every man whofe knowledge, or whofe virtue, can give value to his opinion, looks with fcorn, or pity, neither of which can afford much gratification to pride, on him whom the panders of luxury have drawn into the circle of their influence; and whom he fees parcelled out among the different minifters of folly, and about to be torn to pieces by taylors and jockeys, vintners and attorneys, by whom he is at once robbed and ridiculed, and who are fecretly triumphing over his weakness, when they prefent new incitements to his appetite, and heighten his defire by counterfeited praise.

Such is the praife that is purchased by prodigality. Even when it is yet not difcovered to be falfe, it is the praife only of those whom it is reproachful to pleafe, and whofe fincerity is corrupted by their intereft; men who live by the riots which they encourage, and who know, that whenever their pupil grows wife, they fhall lose their power. Yet with fuch praife, if it could laft, might the cravings of vanity, which is feldom very delicate, be fatisfied: but the time is always haftening forward, when this triumph, poor as it is, fhall vanish; and when thofe who now furround him with obfequioufnefs and compliments, fawn among his equipage, and animate his riots, fhall turn upon him with infolence, and reproach him with the vices promoted by themfelves.

And

And as little pretenfions has the man who fquanders his eftate by vain or vicious expences, to greater degrees of pleasure than are obtained by others. To make any happiness fincere, it is neceffary that we believe it to be lafting; fince whatever we fuppofe ourselves in danger of lofing, muft be enjoyed with folicitude and uneafinefs; and the more value we set upon it, the more must the pleafure of prefent poffeffion be imbittered. can he then be envied for his felicity, who knows that its continuance cannot be expected, and who is conscious that a very fhort time will give him up to the gripe of poverty, which will be harder to be born, as he has given way to more exceffes, wantoned in greater abundance, and indulged his appetites with more profufeness?

How

It appears evident, that frugality is neceffary even to complete the pleasure of expence for it may be generally remarked of thofe who fquander what they know their fortune not fufficient to allow, that, in their most jovial expence, there always breaks out fome proof of difcontent and impatience. They either fcatter with a kind of wild defperation, and affected lavishness, as criminals brave the gallows when they cannot escape it, or pay their money with a peevish anxiety, and endeavour at once to spend idly, and to fave meanly; having neither firmness to deny their paffions, nor courage to gratify them, but murmuring at their own enjoyments, and poifoning the bowl of pleasure by reflection on the coft.

Among these men there is often the vociferation of merriment, but very feldom the tranquillity of chearfulness. They inflame their imaginations to a

kind of momentary jollity, by the help of wine and riot; and confider it as the first business of the night, to ftupify recollection, and lay that reason afleep which disturbs their gaiety, and calls upon them to retreat from ruin.

But this poor broken fatisfaction is of short continuance, and must be expiated by a long feries of mifery and regret. In a fhort time the creditor grows impatient, the laft acre is fold; the paffions and appetites ftill continue, and call inceffantly for their ufual gratifications; and the remainder of life paffes away in vain repentance, or impotent defire.