station, or degree of wealth, a man of good sense may know how far he may go in eating and
drinking, or any other expences, without impairing his health or fortune, or hindering any offices of
religion or humanity, he has found the bounds of temperance, frugality, and moderation for himself;
and any other, who keeps the same proportion, is equally temperate, though he eats and drinks, or
spends more than the other.
That these are the ideas of temperance, frugality, and moderation, given by all moralists, antient and
modern, except a few Cynics of old, and some popish Hermits, is plain to all who read them. All
sects, as well as the Stoics, recommended the correction of our opinions and imaginations about
the pleasures above necessity; and yet the use of them they all allow, when it is not inconsistent
with the offices of life; in such circumstances they were always looked upon as preferable to their
contraries. The Christian law suggests nothing contrary to this; it has set before us, beside the
present pleasures of virtue, which it represents as superior to all others, the hopes of eternal
happiness; yet it frequently recommends diligence and industry in providing for ourselves and
families, and for a fund of good offices toward others: it no where condemns the rich or powerful for
being so, or for desiring high stations, unless when these desires are so violent as to counteract our
duty. The requiring some to part with their possessions, was only a candid forewarning of the first
disciples, what their profession of Christianity would probably cost them in those days of perfection.
A community of goods is no where commanded; though men who knew the approaching perfection
did wisely sell their possessions, to turn them to the only valuable purpose then in their power, and
conveyed them to persons who could possess them.
Since then intemperance, or pride, were scarce ever understood to denote all use of any thing
above bare necessaries, all conveniency of life above Hottentots; why any one should affect to
change their meaning, is not easily guessed, unless it be with this view. Luxury, intemperance, and
pride, in their common meaning, are vices; but in this new meaning are often innocent, nay virtuous;
and without them, in this new sense, there can be no consumption of manufactures. Common
readers however will still imagine that these sounds denote vices; and finding that what they
confusedly imagine as vicious is necessary to public good, they will lose their aversion to moral evil
in general, and imagine it well compensated by some of its advantages.
But let us retain the common meaning of these words. It is certain, luxury, intemperance, and pride,
tend to consume manufactures; but the luxurious, intemperate, or proud, are not a whit the less
odious, or free from humanity and barbarity, in the neglect of families, friends, the indigent, or their
country, since their whole intention is a poor selfish pleasure. The good arising to the public is no
way owing to them, but to the industrious, who must supply all customers, and cannot examine
whether their expences are proportioned to their fortunes or not. To illustrate this by an instance in
the manner of that notable writer: "Suppose his Decio, or Aleander, or Jack, surfeited with beef, falls
into some light distempter, and in hopes of attendance at low rates, sends for a neighbouring quack:
the quack imagines no danger, but makes the patient believe it; he talks much in the usual cant of
bilious temperaments and sanguine complexions, of the sinking of spirits, and the heart's feeling
cold and condensed, and heavy as lead, of mists and confusion about his eyes; he promises, after
some previous preparations, which the quack finds necessary to prolong the disorder, by some
powerful medicines, to swell his spirits, restore them to their strength, elasticity, and due contexture,
that they may fan the arterial blood again, and make him so light that he may tread on air. The
patient grows worse, fears death, thinks on his past life,and sends for an honest parson, who
instructs him in true principles of virtue, and shews him wherein he has been deficient: the strength
of his constitution overcomes both the drugs and the disease, the patient recovers, becomes a man
of integrity and religion, and ever after honours the honest clergy as the most useful men in any
state." Now are these effects to be ascribed to the quacks? Are such pretenders the less odious? Is
quackery the cause of religion or virtue, necessary to it? Does the honour of the clergy depend upon
the practice of quacks? It is best in such affairs to go no farther than confused apothegms: "private
quackery, public virtue: medicinal nonsense, patients repentance: quacks prescriptions, honours to
the clergy."
But let us in the next place examine if an equal consumption of manufactures, and encouragement
of trade, may be without these vices. Any given number, in a small time, will certainly consume more
wine by being drunkards, than by being sober men; will consume more manufactures by being
luxurious or proud, if their pride turn upon expences, than by being frugal and moderate. But it may
be justly questioned, whether that same number would not have consumed more in their whole
lives, by being temperate and frugal: since all allow that they would probably live longer,and with
better health and digestion; and temperance makes a country populous, were it only by prolonging
life.