Men of all classes are, as yet, too little influenced by these considerations.  They are apt to live beyond their incomes,—­at all events, to live up to them, The upper classes live too much for display; they must keep up their “position in society;” they must have fine houses, horses, and carriages; give good dinners, and drink rich wines, their ladies must wear costly and gay dresses.  Thus the march of improvidence goes on over broken hearts, ruined hopes, and wasted ambitions.

The vice descends in society,—­the middle classes strive to ape the patrician orders; they flourish crests, liveries, and hammercloths; their daughters must learn “accomplishments”—­see “society”—­ride and drive—­frequent operas and theatres.  Display is the rage, ambition rivalling ambition; and thus the vicious folly rolls on like a tide.  The vice again descends.  The working classes, too, live up to their means—­much smaller means, it is true; but even when they are able, they are not sufficiently careful to provide against the evil day; and then only the poorhouse offers its scanty aid to protect them against want.

To save money for avaricious purposes is altogether different from saving it for economical purposes.  The saving may be accomplished in the same manner—­by wasting nothing, and saving everything.  But here the comparison ends.  The miser’s only pleasure is in saving.  The prudent economist spends what he can afford for comfort and enjoyment, and saves a surplus for some future time.  The avaricious person makes gold his idol:  it is his molten calf, before which he constantly bows down; whereas the thrifty person regards it as a useful instrument, and as a means of promoting his own happiness and the happiness of those who are dependent upon him.  The miser is never satisfied.  He amasses wealth that he can never consume, but leaves it to be squandered by others, probably by spendthrifts; whereas the economist aims at securing a fair share of the world’s wealth and comfort, without any thought of amassing a fortune.

It is the duty of all persons to economize their means,—­of the young as well as of the old.  The Duke of Sully mentions, in his Memoirs, that nothing contributed more to his fortune than the prudent economy which he practised, even in his youth, of always preserving some ready money in hand for the purpose of meeting circumstances of emergency.  Is a man married?  Then the duty of economy is still more binding.  His wife and children plead to him most eloquently.  Are they, in the event of his early death, to be left to buffet with the world unaided?  The hand of charity is cold, the gifts of charity are valueless, compared with the gains of industry, and the honest savings of frugal labour, which carry with them blessings and comforts, without inflicting any wound upon the feelings of the helpless and bereaved.  Let every man, therefore, who can, endeavour to economize and to save; not to hoard, but to nurse his little savings, for the sake of promoting the welfare and happiness of himself while here, and of others when he has departed.