MOCK GRANDEES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4559, 30 October 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

MOCK GRANDEES.

(From the Liberal Itevicvj.) The love of ostentation seems to be innate in'the Englishman of to-day. Just as women of a certain sort -will barter away everything that they should hold precious, in order that they maybe arrayed in silks and gorgeous jewellery, and that they may ride about in carriages and nurse pet dogs, so will many men sacrifice their peace of mind and their honor, so that they may be enabled to make a great dash in the world. Were this not so there would, probably, be no ship sinkers, no promoters of bubble companies, no merchants willing to swindle their creditors out of nineteen shillings and sixpence in the pound, and no employers ready to grind the souls out of their servants and to give . the miserable wretches beggarly pittance just to keep them from starving. But as it is there are desperate and unscrupulous men who are prepared to do this and a great deal more, even though by so acting they run a very good chance of blasting their reputations to such an extent that their names will stink in the nostrils of honest mem At the present moment' there are thousands of men living who are literally standing on a mine which may explode at any moment and smash them into smithereens. Their sole end and aim appears to be to persuade their neighbors that they are rich, when, as a matter of fact, if if their affairs were, carefully and accurately inquired into, it would be found that they do jjot possess a single copper which they are fairly entitled to call their own; that, indeed, they are burdened by a load of debt, which, by fair means, they can never hope to rid themselves of, They conjure with the name of money ; they • persuade others that they are rich by their display and their impudent self-asser-

tiou. They live in fine houses which are furnished irrespective of cost ; they keep sleek horses and a tribe of insolent servants; they clothe themselves and their belongings in purple aud fine linen; and they fritter away money which, it must he distinctly asserted, is not their own, in hundreds of ways which folly, vanity, and policy dictate. Sometimes they keep afloat for a considerable period at a ruinous cost to those with whom they do business ; often they finance—ought we not to write swindle, for the terms are almost synonymous ?—so cleverly that for years they may be literally said to livi on their debts. But in many cases the grand crash is bound to come sooner or later. Invariably it is preceded by ominous signs. When the affairs of the Mock Grandee have reached such a pass that he can no longer “finance” to his satisfaction, that he may no longer live on the strength of his own and other men’s credit, tradesmen have a difficulty in getting their bills settled, and servants wages are not paid as soon as they are due. After this, unless the Mock Grandee can by some exceptionally clever bit of commercial thimble-rigging, once more raise the wind, things become worse and worse. Tradesmen and servants begin to talk, and the latter look out for fresh places. Yet the Mock Grandee and his family solemnly keep up appearances to the last. With dishonorable beggary staring them in the face they despeately pretend that they are rich and would become contaminated if they mixed with the common herd. Mrs. Mock Grandee still buys handsome dresses for herself and children—on credit Mr. Mock Grandee still gives grand dinner parties to men whom he hates and to men whom he intends to plunder; the young Messrs. Mock Grandee still maintain the character of exquisites, and indulge in dubious and very expensive pleasures ; and the wholeJ Mock Grandee brood continue.to turn up their noses in contempt at the miserable Browns, Joneses, aud Robinsons who are audacious enough to come between the wind and their nobility. Those who are permitted to peep behind the scenes, however, are aware that things are not so satisfactory as they seem to those who only see the magnificent Mock Grandees when they are abroad. Papa Mock Grandee snaps and snarls at those of his family who venture to approach' him with requests that he will replenish their empty purses ; Mamma Mock Grandee does ditto, because her allowance of pin-money is not always forthcoming when it is wanted ; while the young Mock Grandees are in a continual state of passion because their father has not a bottomless purse. Servants notice all the miserable wrangling that is carried on, aud, knowing the cause thereof, draw their own conclusions. Such conclusions, it may be said, are not favorable to the tribe of dis-. honest snobs whom they serve. Perhaps, however, some of the beat of the servants do ■ nty the master who is loaded with abuse because be cannot do impossibilities. When the Mock Grandee comes to smash, those who have partaken of bis hospitality and row in the same boat as he does, abuse him. Others pity him, and do not hesitate to say so. Perhaps the vast majority of people bestow compassion upon him. Many think it melancholy that his fine house, ' his grand furniture, his ’ costly pictures, his valuable horses, his handsome carriages, aud his other belongings have been taken from him. They forget that these things have never been truly his, although'He has enjoyed them and has browbeaten many of his fellows upon the strength of them ; they forget that he has been a gigantic' fraud upon the public ; and they forget or condone many of the unscrupulous acts of .which he has been guilty. - More than this, they consider, it very hard,.that the man who has revelled in luxuries of every kind should have to come down to plain bread and .-. butter. ; -But ; in- : all this , they are foolishly sentimental, and it would, be well if. they. thought of those, who .have had; to ~eat dry crusts in order that.the Mock Grandee might sip turtle soup; and it would be well if they also remembered that many-defenceless'people’s lives have been ; darkened through his machinations. Nor is this all.' 1 They should see , that the man who spends more than'‘he 1 makes and, as a consequence, runs into debt, is a paltry knave for whom no excuse should be made.. No doubt many men, who are honest enough in intention, do this. But the vast majority do what they do with their eyes open, aud should be reprobated accordingly! ■ There is really no excuse for the man who voluntarily squanders thousands of. pounds per annum, for he is neither happier nor better than the individual who lives in a simple unaffected manner and pays his creditors twenty shillings in the pound. Nor doesheeujoy better health than thelattter. The chief resultof ostentation and luxurious living is to make people dyspeptic, gouty, and snobbish. Surely, then, there is small reason why men should sacrifice what many of them do for, their sakes. Surely, also, any man who is not a rogue will wait until he has earned his money before be begins to spend, and, upon the strength of what he spends, to look down upon his fellows. We are pleased.to think that it is only necessary for people to regard the conduct of the Mock Graudee tribe in its proper light, in order that a very desirable reform may be brought about. It is to be hoped, then, that there are people who will not hesitate to do, this.