What think you, if he were conveyed to bed,
Wrapped in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers,
read more

What think you, if he were conveyed to bed,
Wrapped in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers,
A most delicious banquet by his bed,
And brave attendants near him when he wakes,
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

Blest hour! It was a luxury--to be!

Blest hour! It was a luxury--to be!

Luxury may possibly contribute to give bread to the poor; but if there were no luxury, there would be no read more

Luxury may possibly contribute to give bread to the poor; but if there were no luxury, there would be no poor.

To treat a poor wretch with a bottle of Burgundy, and fill his
snuff-box, is like giving a pair read more

To treat a poor wretch with a bottle of Burgundy, and fill his
snuff-box, is like giving a pair of laced ruffles to a man that
has never a shirt on his back.

Luxury ruins republics; poverty, monarchies.

Luxury ruins republics; poverty, monarchies.

War destroys men, but luxury destroys mankind; at once corrupts the body and the mind.

War destroys men, but luxury destroys mankind; at once corrupts the body and the mind.

I always thought I should be treated like a star.

I always thought I should be treated like a star.

Falsely luxurious, will not man awake?

Falsely luxurious, will not man awake?

Then there is that glorious Epicurean paradox, uttered by my
friend, the Historian in one of his flashing moments: read more

Then there is that glorious Epicurean paradox, uttered by my
friend, the Historian in one of his flashing moments: "Give us
the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries."