But never did his views appear
To look upon the coming year.
Nor e'er did he his mind distress
To know if he could live on less:
Nay at the thought how he would laugh,
When told that he could live on half,
And felt affront, if 'twere repeated
That by his servants he was cheated.
—Such a receipt to pamper ruin
Nay to hurry an undoing,