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； not only on personal but on moral and philanthropical considerations。 For； first； in a world where money is wanting to buy books for eager students and food and medicine for pining children； and where a large majority are starved in their most immediate desires； it is surely base； stupid； and cruel to squander money when I am pushed by no appetite and enjoy no return of genuine satisfaction。 My philanthropy is wide enough in scope to include myself； and when I have made myself happy； I have at least one good argument that I have acted rightly； but where that is not so； and I have bought and not enjoyed； my mouth is closed； and I conceive that I have robbed the poor。 And； second； anything I buy or use which I do not sincerely want or cannot vividly enjoy； disturbs the balance of supply and demand； and contributes to remove industrious hands from the production of what is useful or pleasurable and to keep them busy upon ropes of sand and things that are a weariness to the flesh。 That extravagance is truly sinful； and a very silly sin to boot； in which we impoverish mankind and ourselves。 It is another question for each man's heart。 He knows if he can enjoy what he buys and uses； if he cannot； he is a dog in the manger； nay； it he cannot； I contend he is a thief； for nothing really belongs to a man which he cannot use。 Proprietor is connected with propriety； and that only is the man's which is proper to his wants and faculties。
A youth； in choosing a career； must not be alarmed by poverty。 Want is a sore thing； but poverty does not imply want。 It remains to be seen whether with half his present income； or a third； he cannot； in the most generous sense； live as fully as at present。 He is a fool who objects to luxuries； but he is also a fool who does not protest against the waste of luxuries on those who do not desire and cannot enjoy them。 It remains to be seen； by each man who would live a true life to himself and not a merely specious life to society； how many luxuries he truly wants and to how many he merely submits as to a social propriety； and all these last he will immediately forswear。 Let him do this； and he will be surprised to find how little money it requires to keep him in complete contentment and activity of mind and senses。 Life at any level among the easy classes is conceived upon a principle of rivalry； where each man and each household must ape the tastes and emulate the display of others。 One is delicate in eating； another in wine； a third in furniture or works of art or dress； and I； who care nothing for any of these refinements； who am perhaps a plain athletic creature and love exercise； beef； beer； flannel shirts and a camp bed； am yet called upon to assimilate all these other tastes and make these foreign occasions of expenditure my own。 It may be cynical： I am sure I shall be told it is selfish； but I will spend my money as I please and for my own intimate personal gratification； and should count myself a nincompoop indeed to lay out the colour of a halfpenny on any fancied social decency or duty。 I shall not wear gloves unless my hands are cold； or unless I am born with a delight in them。 Dress is my own affair； and that of one other in the world； that； in fact and for an obvious reason； of any woman who shall chance to be in love with me。 I shall lodge where I have a mind。 If I do not ask society to live with me； they must be silent； and even if I do； they have no further right but to refuse the invitation！ There is a kind of idea abroad that a man must live up to his station； that his house； his table； and his toilette； shall be in a ratio of equivalence； and equally imposing to the world。 If this is in the Bible； the passage has eluded my inquiries。 If it is not in the Bible； it is nowhere but in the heart of the fool。 Throw aside this fancy。 See what you want； and spend upon that； distinguish what you do not care about； and spend nothing upon that。 There are not many people who can differentiate wines above a certain and that not at all a high price。 Are you sure you are one of these？ Are you sure you prefer cigars at sixpence each to pipes at some fraction of a farthing？ Are you sure you wish to keep a gig？ Do you care about where you sleep； or are you not as much at your ease in a cheap lodging as in an Elizabethan manor…house？ Do you enjoy fine clothes？ It is not possible to answer these questions without a trial； and there is nothing more obvious to my mind； than that a man who has not experienced some ups and downs； and been forced to live more cheaply than in his father's house； has still his education to begin。 Let the experiment be made； and he will find to his surprise that he has been eating beyond his appetite up to that hour； that the cheap lodging； the cheap tobacco； the rough country clothes； the plain table； have not only no power to damp his spirits； but perhaps give him as keen pleasure in the using as the dainties that he took； betwixt sleep and waking； in his former callous and somnambulous submission to wealth。
The true Bohemian； a creature lost to view under the imaginary Bohemians of literature； is exactly described by such a principle of life。 The Bohemian of the novel； who drinks more than is good for him and prefers anything to work； and wears strange clothes； is for the most part a respectable Bohemian； respectable in disrespectability； living for the outside； and an adventurer。 But the man I mean lives wholly to himself； does what he wishes； and not what is thought proper； buys what he wants for himself； and not what is thought proper； works at what he believes he can do well and not what will bring him in money or favour。 You may be the most respectable of men； and yet a true Bohemian。 And the test is this： a Bohemian； for as poor as he may be； is always open…handed to his friends； he knows what he can do with money and how he can do without it； a far rarer and more useful knowledge； he has had less； and continued to live in some contentment； and hence he cares not to keep more； and shares his sovereign or his shilling with a friend。 The poor； if they are generous； are Bohemian in virtue of their birth。 Do you know where beggars go？ Not to the great houses where people sit dazed among their thousands； but to the doors of poor men who have seen the world； and it was the widow who had only two mites； who cast half her fortune into the treasury。
But a young man who elects to save on dress or on lodging； or who in any way falls out of the level of expenditure which is common to his level in society； falls out of society altogether。 I suppose the young man to have chosen his career on honourable principles； he finds his talents and instincts can be best contented in a certain pursuit； in a certain industry； he is sure that he is serving mankind with a healthy and becoming service； and he is not sure that he would be doing so； or doing so equally well； in any other industry within his reach。 Then that is his true sphere in life； not the one in which he was born to his father； but the one which is proper to his talents