RICHES are for spending, and spending for
honor and good actions. Therefore extra-
ordinary expense must be limited by the worth of
the occasion; for voluntary undoing, may be as
well for a man's country, as for the kingdom of
heaven. But ordinary expense, ought to be limited
by a man's estate; and governed with such regard,
as it be within his compass; and not subject to de-
ceit and abuse of servants; and ordered to the best
show, that the bills may be less than the estima-
tion abroad. Certainly, if a man will keep but of
even hand, his ordinary expenses ought to be but
to the half of his receipts; and if he think to wax
rich, but to the third part. It is no baseness, for the
greatest to descend and look into their own estate.
Some forbear it, not upon negligence alone, but
doubting to bring themselves into melancholy, in
respect they shall find it broken. But wounds can-
not be cured without searching. He that cannot
look into his own estate at all, had need both choose
well those whom he employeth, and change them
often; for new are more timorous and less subtle.
He that can look into his estate but seldom, it be-
hooveth him to turn all to certainties. A man had
need, if he be plentiful in some kind of expense, to
be as saving again in some other. As if he be plenti-
ful in diet, to be saving in apparel; if he be plenti-
ful in the hall, to be saving in the stable; and the
like. For he that is plentiful in expenses of all kinds,
will hardly be preserved from decay. In clearing
of a man's estate, he may as well hurt himself in
being too sudden, as in letting it run on too long.
For hasty selling, is commonly as disadvantage-
able as interest. Besides, he that clears at once will
relapse; for finding himself out of straits, he will
revert to his custom: but he that cleareth by de-
grees, induceth a habit of frugality, and gaineth
as well upon his mind, as upon his estate. Cer-
tainly, who hath a state to repair, may not despise
small things; and commonly it is less dishonor-
able, to abridge petty charges, than to stoop to
petty gettings. A man ought warily to begin
charges which once begun will continue; but in
matters that return not, he may be more magni-
ficent.
Back to: The Essays