An essay of the true happines of man in two books / by Samuel Gott ...

X. Of Riches.

MOney is the eldest Son and Heir of Fortune, Lord Para∣mount, and universall King in every particular Kingdom. The Image and Superscription of Caesar on his Coin is more powerfull then Caesar himself. Witty men have many con∣ceited disparagements of it, calling

it, The Excrement of Earth, Metall turned up Trump, and the like: but they speak of it in its Naturall capacity, whereas they ought to consider it in its Politike, as Money, and not at Metall: & so it is rightly defined, the Measure of all commu∣table things. In this sense Petronius calls it, Iovem in arca: and they who profess an absolute contempt of it, must also despise all externall things, whereof it is the price and value: and without a competency whereof the outward Man cannot be maintained: for particular men having impropriated all the Good things of the World necessary for the life of Man, they will be left in a worse condition then Brute Beasts, who are either nourished by Men, or may Forrage for them∣selvs. Wherefore leaving such who have Bodies, and yet despise the means of preserving them, to feed on their airy notions, we will dis∣course of the severall Estates and

Revenues of others who too much admire them, and show what Hap∣piness every Degree and Census of them may contribute to the life of Man. The first sort are such as have all their Estates in their own Hands, that is, live upon their daily labors, being slaves to every man who will hire them: which is a condition al∣most as servile as to be enslaved to one proper Master, the one being of Necessity, as the other of Com∣pulsion. For this reason the Iews generally refuse even Mechanicall Trades, as bordering upon the same inconvenience, and are commonly either Merchants or Physicians. Yet this mean Condition hath a blessing in it, for as such are sure never to gain much, so they are sure never to want much, so long as Health and Strength last. Rich men need their Labors as much as they need their Riches. An able Body may well earn its own Living. The second sort is of them whose Revenues are

sufficient to maintain them in a ge∣nerous and free kind of life, or at least so as they may command Busi∣ness, and need not be commanded by it, taking as much or as little thereof as they please; which ren∣ders it the best of Recreations, and takes off the Burden and wearisom∣ness of it. This sort of men, though not the richest, may live as happily as any, if they do not wrong them∣selvs by covetous Desires, or too pressing Emploiments. The last are such as have an Excessive and Super∣fluous Estate, which as it is a great advantage of doing Liberall and Magnificent things, so it is a very great tentation, not only to Idle∣ness, but also to Luxury and Prodi∣gality. A great Estate, without great Abilities to manage it, can∣not be improved to the hight in the right use of it, but that the greatest part of the Water will run beside the Mill: on the one hand Vain Company, Parasiticall Servants,

French Cooks and Tailors, Game∣sters, Usurers, and such Birds of prey will devour most of it: on the other hand Covetousness will rust it, and bury it like a hid Treasure or Talent in the ground. Of all three the middle is the safest, and Agars Dimensum the best, if a man can think so as he did. Yet the highest Degree of an inferior Rank doth not only excell in the same, but is more valuable in the true Accompt of Estates, then the lowest Degree of an higher Rank. As for example, A rich Yeoman if he turn Gentle∣man, may be a poor and mean Gen∣tleman, and a rich Gentleman made a Lord, may be a poor and mean Lord, not only in the Estimate of Honor, for that is another consi∣deration, but even in this Accompt of Riches, with relation to the De∣gree of Honor, for the Estate must alwaies hold a proportion with the State and Port which a man bears. Again, the Rates of particular things

are wisely to be considered, as well as the quality of Estates in generall. The first consideration to be had in Expence, is of things Necessary, as of Food, Raiment, and the like. Diogenes wondered that a Statue should be sold for more then a bushell of Wheat. The second is of things Usefull and Convenient. It is very ill Husbandry to want any cheap conveniencies, and it is far better laying out money upon small Wares of daily use, then upon cost∣ly Trifles. To want a good Book, be∣cause it is somwhat dear according to the rate of Printing, or not to have the best advise in a Case of Physike or Law, because it may cost a little more, is foolish; for such Intellectuall things are worth no∣thing if they be not worth far more then they cost. The last considerati∣on is of Ornament and Delight, as Jewels, Flowers, Pictures, and such like rarities of Nature or Art, which are also valuable in their kind,

and are commodities fit for super∣fluous Estates. Rich men seem pur∣posely to have inhanced the price of them, that so they might have oc∣casion of laying out their great Riches for themselvs, which other∣wise they could never spend in an ordinary way. The Vulgar honor Great men for those things, and va∣lue them according to the price which is set upon them: but a Wise man, who considers their true and naturall worth, need not envy them the Happiness of a fair Diamond, or strange Tulip, or Michael Angelo's Masterpiece. Or if these things be so valuable, why should we not as highly value such Ornaments of Na∣ture as cannot be bought for mo∣ney: Beauty is a richer Ornament then gorgeous Apparell, and dis∣creet Elegancy then great Cost. When others presented Socrates with their severall Gifts, poor Aes∣chines presented himself, and outvied them all with a Complement.

Credit and Reputation are the greatest Expenditors, Garbs and Fashions of Apparell, Sumptuous Entertainments, the Pomp of Festi∣vals and Funerals, and the like, which are the Customes of the Peo∣ple, are more chargable then the Customes and Imposts of Princes. The bravest Minds could be content with the lest, but they stand upon their Honor, and others make them pay for it. The strangest Humor is of the Covetous, who least need Money, and yet most affect it, and of Prodigalls, who most need it, and least regard it. The way be∣tween both, is so to spend, as a man may continue spending through the whole course of his Life, and leav to his to spend after him. The first is a Debt which he owes to Himself, the second to Posterity. But no Money can purchase true and perfect Hap∣piness, because it trades only in the Market of things commutable, and cannot buy out the proper Goods

either of Body or Mind. Crassus counted him a Rich man who could maintain an Army with his own Revenues: and indeed he spake the most of Riches, for he who hath an Estate to keep an Army, may have an Army to keep his Estate: yet we have a sad Instance of the contrary in the same man: for both he and his great Army, with his Son and Heir fell together, and left his great Estate to others. The Exam∣ples of such great Rich men in for∣mer times, may teach us to despise the poor Pedlers of our times, who spend all their lives in gaining some few Thousands, and when they have scraped together all they can, dy Beggers in comparison of a Crassus, or a Seneca: and so are defeated of their chiefest ambition, which is to be said to dy Rich.