On the waste of wealth / by William Hoyle.

  • William Hoyle
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the waste of wealth / by William Hoyle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ladder, but he does not like the process of climbing, so he makes a venture,—he. goes into business, gets as much credit as possible, persuades all his good-hearted friends to help him, by endorsing his bills, &c. Now and then such an one succeeds, but much oftener fails ; heavy losses fall upon all concerned, and in this way the wealth of the community is wasted. The anxiety to shine, and to be fully up to the mark, or in other words, to be fashionable and respectable, in the upper walks of life, entails an enormous expense, and great waste of the country’s wealth. No one, for instance, can visit Hyde Park during the season without being struck by the magnificent gorgeousness of the display, but what do these displays cost ? In an article in Fraser's Magazine for October, 1872, it is shown that something like £370,000,000 is ex¬ pended annually upon luxuries by about45o,ooo families. It would be folly to assume that all this is waste, but there can be no doubt but that a considerable amount of it might be saved without any detriment either to the health or comfort of those concerned. These large amounts are not paid to purchase comforts, but they are the price of fashion and show, the parties often finding the bargain to bring loss and misery, instead of happiness and comfort. Again, the ideas which many of the young ladies and gentlemen in the upper walks of life cherish in reference to work, exercise a pernicious influence upon their conduct in life, and upon the country’s wealth. Many of them think it beneath them to put their hands to any manner of work. Like drones in a hive, they consume the produce which is gathered, but they make no honey, and not only does society lose the benefit of their services as producers, but they are among the most extravagant of consumers. There is thus a double loss—first, the loss of their labour, and second, the loss by their extravagance. They move, however, in a
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