THE Way to be Rich and Reſpectable.
ADDRESSED TO MEN of ſmall FORTUNE.

THE great degree of luxury to which this country has arrived, within a few years, is not only aſtoniſhing but almoſt dreadful to think of. Time was, when thoſe articles of indulgence, which now every mechanic aims at the poſſeſſion of, were enjoyed only by the Lord or Baron of a diſtrict. Men were then happy to be the vaſſals or dependants of that Lord, and prided themſelves in little but their ſubmiſſion and allegiance. This was the ſtate of things during feudal government: but as, on the increaſe of trade, riches in⯑creaſed; men began to feel new wants, they became gradually leſs hardy and robuſt, grew effeminate as their property accumulated, and ſighed for indulgences they never dreamed of before.—Methods of conveying theſe indul⯑gencies [4]from one part of the kingdom to ano⯑ther were then ſtudied; roads were made paſ⯑ſable, and carriages invented.

For many ages coaches were ſo great a lux⯑ury, that none but old families were ſeen in them; and if they attempted, once in a dozen years, to travel a few miles in one, perhaps, in the courſe of the journey, a whole village with their teams were called in aid, to drag the heavy vehicle out of the clay, and ſet it on its wheels again:— riding on horſeback being the only means of viſiting a neighbour, beyond the reach of a walk, and that only in the ſummer-time. And it is but a very few years ſince, that ladies went about, from place to place, upon a pil⯑lion. Made roads were then unknown, and ſo little deſire had the people to ſtir, beyond the bounds of their pariſh, that even mend⯑ing them was never thought of.

On the eſtabliſhment of poſts, a general communication was opened between all parts of the kingdom, and people received intelli⯑gence of every little improvement that was made: a deſire to inſpect thoſe improve⯑ments, gave men an excentric turn; they were eager to ſee what was doing at ſome [5]diſtance from home, and rambled wide for that purpoſe. The inconvenience, and indeed impoſſibility of travelling, but at certain ſea⯑ſons of the year, led the way to the making of roads; making of roads drew thouſands abroad, and a wiſh to be thought opulent by thoſe whom they viſited, led them into luxury of dreſs. The homeſpun garb then gave way to more coſtly attire, and reſpectable plainneſs was ſoon transformed into laughable frippery.

In a few years, refinements took place in manners, and well had it been, were they merely refinements; but the misfortune is, they ſoon ſpread into extravagancies, and from being commendable, became objects of cenſure. In the reign of Charles I. luxuries were every where ſeen, and though the Civil Wars for ſome time ſmothered them, they broke out afreſh in the reign of Charles II. Wealth then poured in upon the nation; gen⯑tlemen vied with each in the appearance they made; many by theſe means were ruined, eſtates changed their poſſeſſors, a fluctuation of property began, and every ſucceeding year gave birth to freſh wants and new expences. Luxury however had not then gained its pre⯑ſent [6]footing: it is true, the profligacy of the capital made ſome inroads upon the country, but the inhabitants of the country looked on it with dread and aſtoniſhment. Some of the nobility and principal gentry, at this time, ſpent part of their winter in London, but the reſt of the year they lived amongſt their te⯑nants with their uſual hoſpitality. The ex⯑pences of this age were confined to the edu⯑cation of their children, to their houſes, their buildings, their furniture, their attendants and their entertainments; and their tenants and neighbours were conſiderably the better for it: the more they circulated their property within their own eſtates, the richer their eſtates became, and the more powerful and reſpectable they grew. Effeminacy of man⯑ners was then ſeen only in cities; balls and aſſemblies were ſcarcely known, and equipages far from being general.

Matters however reſted not here. Things gazed at with aſtoniſhment quickly grew fa⯑miliar: the infection of the firſt claſs ſoon ſpread among the ſecond, and what they for⯑merly cenſured, they preſently approved. Gen⯑tlemen of ſmall eſtates began annually to viſit the capital; they gradually made their viſits [7]longer and longer, till, at laſt, it became the faſhion to reſide only in the country, when the heat made it intolerable in town. Stage⯑coaches were eſtabliſhed, the communication between London and the country became more and more open, a taſte for elegancies ſpread itſelf through all ranks and degrees of men, and an equipage was conſidered as a neceſſary of life.

What is the caſe now? Are things other⯑wiſe than they were? No; expences are yet increaſing, and we are ſtill refining upon luxuries. The ſeveral cities and large towns of this iſland catch the manners of the metro⯑polis, and are vicious and extravagant, in proportion to the wealth and number of their inhabitants. Scarce a town now, of any mag⯑nitude, but has its Theatre Royal, its concerts, its balls, and its card-parties. The notions of ſplendour and amuſement that prevail in the Capital are eagerly adopted; the various changes of the faſhion exactly copied, and the whole manner of life ſtudiouſly imitated. Flys and machines paſs from city to city; great towns become the winter reſidence of thoſe whom ſlenderneſs of fortune will not carry to Lon⯑don, and the country is every where deſerted.

[8]If I might preſume to dictate to the world, I would venture to ſay, that a man of landed property is never ſo reſpectable as when refi⯑dent on his eſtate; when improving his lands and enriching his tenants; when his benefi⯑cence may be read in the looks of the poor; when his houſe is open, not with the ſtiffneſs of a public day, that tells the neighbour⯑hood he would not be perplexed at another time, but with all the hoſpitality of an ancient Baron.

Gentlemen of very extenſive property may act as they pleaſe; the diſſipation and ex⯑pences of a capital can no other ways injure them than in the opinion of their neighbours; but as to men of ſmall fortune, the leſs they ſee of London the better. Look round among the families we know, and we can eaſily trace the infection of the metropolis; the more they pay their viſits there, and the longer they continue, the more viſible are their follies, and not only their follies, but their failings and their vices. The honeſt frankneſs of the country gentleman is obliterated by the equi⯑vocal politeneſs of the courtier, and the open ſincerity of the good neighbour loſt in the artifice and deceit of the man of faſhion.

[9]For many years a country ſquire has been an object of ridicule: but, why? No other rea⯑ſon can be given, but that want of poliſh that too often characterizes the fops of the age. If we diveſt ourſelves of prejudice, he will not appear in ſo contemptible a light: it is true, he may want taſte and politeneſs, but he may poſſeſs qualities infinitely ſuperior. Honeſt unadorned freedom is preferable to ſtudied and faſhionable deceit. The country ſquire lives upon his eſtate, ſpends his patrimony among his tenants and his neighbours, (which form, as it were, but one family around him) and a ſpirit of hoſpitality opens his doors to every comer; while the fine gentleman viſits his domain, perhaps, but once in the ſum⯑mer, ſtays there as little as he can help, diſ⯑dains any familiarity with his neighbours, neglects his grounds, and leaves his tenants at the mercy of his ſteward, In ſhort, an effeminate life emaſculates the fine gentleman, and renders him unfit for any thing but ſip⯑ping of tea, and dealing the cards; whilſt the robuſt and manly exerciſes of the ſquire keep him healthy and hardy, and, inured to hun⯑ger, danger and fatigue, enable him, when [10]called upon in the public cauſe, to be of real ſervice to his country.

But it is to be lamented, that the true coun⯑try gentleman is ſeldom to be found. The luxuries and effeminacies of the age have ſoft⯑ened down the hardy roughneſs of former times; and the country, like the capital, is one ſcene of diſſipation. If there be any economy in their expences, it is merely the ſaving of neceſſaries, to waſte on ſuperfluities: the pri⯑vate gentleman with three or four hundred pounds a year muſt have his horſes, his dogs, his pictures, his carriages, his parties of plea⯑ſure, equally with him of five times his for⯑tune: dreſs, ſhow and entertainment engroſs his attention; his lands are unimproved; debts accumulate upon him; he mortgages his eſtate; and, when he has lived to the end of his fortune, he either puts a dreadful period to his exiſtence, or wears out the remainder of his life, a beggar.

However alarming this picture may be, it is nevertheleſs a juſt one. As I take it, the happineſs of life conſiſts in health, eaſe, and competency, which is as much within the reach of a gentleman of three hundred pounds a-year, as one of three thouſand. If the ar⯑ticles [11]of living are dearer than they were ſome few years back, (and they certainly are, a hundred per cent.) it ought to quicken the in⯑duſtry of every one, to increaſe his income, if poſſible, or reduce his expence in proportion to his fortune.

It is not in the power of men, who have the income only of a ſmall eſtate to ſupport them, to encreaſe their revenues; but they may decreaſe their expences, or lay out their money to advantage. Frugality and economy have put many upon a footing with men of larger fortunes; and often made them far more reſpectable.—Nothing gives ſupe⯑riority in life, but independency. Whilſt we are at the command of another, we are in a ſtate of ſubordination: it is being maſter of one's ſelf only, that makes a man free; and it is independency that makes him great.

Now, be our fortune as great as it will, we are never independent, whilſt we are in debt; and can a man be ſaid to be free, while it is in the power of his taylor or his ſhoemaker to confine him? A miſtaken notion, that a re⯑duction in our way of living is diſgraceful, has led many a man to his ruin. Retrench⯑ing our expences, when we have lived too faſt, [12]is a proof of good ſenſe; it declares an ab⯑horrence of our follies, and a determination to be in future free. It is highly degrading to make a figure at the expence of others. Vil⯑lains of every denomination have done it; an honeſt man therefore will deſpiſe the thought; and, if his connections have inſenſibly led him on, from one expence to another, till he finds himſelf involved, he will purſue the earlieſt and the readieſt means to diſcharge his debts and ſet himſelf at liberty.

Such is the abſurdity in life, that men are rated in worth, according to the appearance they make. "Keep up appearances,"—ſaid a diſſipated poet,

This idle notion has brought on the de⯑ſtruction of thouſands. In this luxurious age, wealth is the only object of admiration; and to wear the appearance of wealth, we become expenſive and extravagant in our manner of living. Thus we go on, 'till we exhauſt the little property we poſſeſs; and, when we can keep ourſelves no longer afloat, on what is called Credit, we ſink into beg⯑gary and contempt.

[13]He who lives within his income, may be truly called a rich man. It is this that gives the Hollanders the reputation of being wealthy. They never live to the extent of their fortunes; and, of courſe, are able to do a deal of good. A family eſtate with them is ſeldom put up to ſale; whereas with us, inheritances are ever at market. A Dutch⯑man contributes as largely and as chearfully to the exigencies of the ſtate, or to the erec⯑tion of a public building, as he would to the repairs of his houſe, or the decoration of his garden.

To be reſpectable, it is not neceſſary to live in a certain line of life.—Every man may be conſidered as the centre of a circle; ſome of a larger, ſome of a ſmaller; and, in this light, he is of greater or of leſs importance, according to the character he bears.—He who has feweſt wants, and is moſt able to live within himſelf, is not only the happieſt, but the richeſt man; and if he does not abound in what the world calls Wealth, he does in in⯑dependency.—Though he may not be a Peer of his own country, he is a Lord of the creation; may fill his ſtation equal to the firſt of men; and look down with pity and con⯑tempt [14]on the tinſelled ſycophant, though covered with an ermined robe, and parading with a ducal coronet.

I will allow, it is rather mortifying to ſee a neighbour of leſs pretenſions than ourſelves, living in a degree of ſplendour which we can⯑not reach. If his fortune be large enough, to admit of it, it is well; if not, he is an object of contempt. But, be it as it may, whilſt we have ſufficient to command the neceſſaries and indulgencies of life, (wanting the ſuperfluities) and do abſolutely enjoy them, we are in a ſituation equal to any man; and if we keep but a pair of horſes, and pay for that pair, we are far more reſpectable, in the eyes of ſenſible people, than he who is drawn in a coach and ſix, but his gate everlaſt⯑ingly crowded with importunate creditors.

Perſons with circumſcribed fortunes, or whoſe family encreaſes upon them, would do well to retrench their expences in time; or retire from towns, and lay out their money with economy. It is wonderful to think what an appearance in life a perſon may make for a little money, who reſides wholly in the country, and makes the moſt of what he poſ⯑ſeſſes. [15]I ſpeak not to perſons in trade, as the ſcheme may be impracticable with them, but to gentlemen of ſmall fortune, who, in a rural retreat, with a few acres of land, may live as well on three or four hundred pounds a-year, as many do, on three times the ſum. The oc⯑cupier of a middling farm enjoys all the neceſ⯑ſaries and conveniencies of life, and many of its ſuperfluities. Where ſhall we meet with better health, than where temperance and ex⯑erciſe enliven our minds, invigorate our bodies, and give a conſtant flow of ſpirits? A country life is commonly a chearful one; we there meet few of thoſe rubs that embitter the hours of other men, and are the too conſtant at⯑tendants on ambition and vanity. It is there only that true happineſs and independen⯑cy can be found; where honeſty and the beſt of manners mark the man; and where employment exempts from the ill effects of luxury

The following then is an eſtimate whereby, a gentleman, with a wife, four children, and five ſervants, living in the country, may, with frugality, ſave 2500l. in the courſe of twenty years, keep two of his children at a boarding⯑ſchool, [16]drink wine every day at his table, keep a carriage and four horſes, and make an appearance equal to 1000l. a year, for half the money; and may, with the further addi⯑tion of a ſmall farm, live equally well for conſiderably leſs.