The simple acceptation of the term, was the most proper for explaining the political effects of extraordinary consumption. I cannot however deny, that the word[word] luxury commonly conveys a more complex idea; and did I take no notice of this circumstance, it might be thought that I had purposely restrained a general term to a particular acceptation, in order to lead to error, and to suppress the vicious influence of modern oeconomy over the minds of mankind; which influence, if vicious, cannot fail to affect even their political happiness.
My intention therefore, in this chapter, is to amuse, and to set my ideas concerning luxury (in the most extensive acceptation of the word) in such an order, as first to vindicate the definition I have given of it, by shewing that it is a proper one; and secondly, to reconcile the sentiments of those who appear to combat one another, on a subject wherein all must agree, when terms are fully understood.
For this purpose I must distinguish luxury as it affects our different interests, by producing hurtful consequences; from luxury, as it regards the moderate gratification of our natural or rational desires. I must separate objects which are but too frequently confounded, and analyze this complicated term, by specifying the ideas it contains, under partial definitions.
The interests affected by luxury, I take to be four; 1mo. the moral, in so far as it does hurt to the mind; 2do. the physical, as it hurts the body; the domestic, as it hurts the fortune; and the political, as it hurts the state.
The natural desires which proceed from our animal oeconomy, and which are gratified by luxury, may be also reduced to four; viz. hunger, thirst, love, and ease or indolence. The moderate gratification of these desires, and physical happiness, is the same thing. The immoderate gratification of them is excess; and if this also be implied by luxury, no man, I believe, ever seriously became its apologist.
The first point to be explained, is what is to be understood by excess. What appears an excess to one man, may appear moderation to another. I therefore measure the excess by the bad effects it produces on the mind, the body, the fortune, and the state: and when we speak of luxury as a vice, it is requisite to point out the particular bad effects it produces, to one, more, or all the interests which may be affected by it: when this is neglected, ambiguities ensue, which involve people in inextricable disputes.
In order to communicate my thoughts upon this subject with the more precision, I shall give an example of the harm resulting to the mind, the body, the fortune, and the state, from the excessive gratification of the several natural desires above-mentioned.
1mo. As to the mind, eating to excess produces the inconvenience of rendring the perceptions dull, and of making a person unfit for study or application.
Drinking confounds the understanding, and often prevents our discovering the most palpable relations of things.
Love fixes our ideas too much upon the same object, makes all our pursuits and pleasures analogous to it, and consequently renders them trifling and superficial.