Of Expence — The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall

Riches are for Spending; And Spending for Honour and good Actions. Therefore Extraordinary Expence must be limitted by the Worth of the Occasion: For Voluntary Undoing, may be aswell for a Mans Country, as for the Kingdome of Heaven. But Ordinary Expence ought to be limitted by a Mans Estate; And governed with such regard, as it be within his Compasse; And not subject to Deceit and Abuse of Servants; And ordered to the best Shew, that the Bils may be lesse, then the Estimation abroad. Certainly, if a Man will keep but of Even hand, his Ordinary Expences ought to be, but to the Halfe of his Receipts; And if he thinke to waxe Rich, but to the Third Part. It is no Basenesse, for the Greatest, to descend and looke, into their owne Estate. Some forbeare it, not upon Negligence alone, But doubting to bring Themselves into Melancholy, in respect they shall finde it Broken. But Wounds cannot be Cured without Searching. He that cannot looke 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 lesse Subtile. He that can looke into his Estate but seldome, it behoveth him to turne all to Certainties. A Man had need, if he be Plentifull, in some kinde of Expence, to be as Saving againe, in some other. As if he be Plentifull in Diet, to be Saving in Apparell: If he be Plentifull in the Hall, to be Saving in the Stable: And the like. For he that is Plentifull in Expences of all Kindes, will hardly be preserved from Decay. In Clearing of a Mans Estate, he may as well hurt Himselfe in being too sudden, as in letting it runne on too long. For hasty Selling is commonly as Disadvantageable as Interest. Besides, he that cleares at once, will relapse; For finding himselfe out of Straights, he will revert to his Customes: But hee that cleareth by Degrees, induceth a Habite of Frugalitie, and gaineth as well upon his Minde, as upon his Estate. Certainly, who hath a State to repaire, may not despise small Things: And commonly, it is lesse dishonourable, to abridge pettie Charges, then to stoope to pettie Gettings. A Man ought warily to beginne Charges, which once begun will Continue: But in Matters, that returne not, he may be more Magnificent.