As we go to press, we find a meeting held at the Mansion House, London (the Earl of Shaftesbury in the chair), to hear Miss Emily Faithfull lecture against the extravagance of modern life. Ladies (she said) were sometimes accused of being the direct means of wild expenditure; and what answer could be made to their accusers? They had only to walk in any fashionable resort to see a great deal of prodigal display in dress, which could be accounted for only by the explanation that many of its wearers were living beyond their means. This state of things arose because women were ranked by what they wore, and not by what they were. Men and women seemed to have lost the faculty of enjoying inexpensive pleasures. The same extravagance was to be found among high and low, master and man. The reason of the outcry about bad servants was, because all those of the present day wished to be like their betters; fine-ladyism had descended from the drawing-room to the kitchen. Of the various causes of this, one was the love of money, more deeply rooted in the minds of the people of England than in those of any other nation in the world. Another was the modern fusion of classes—people finding themselves in a position in which they were compelled, by the tyranny of custom, to “make an appearance” beyond their legitimate means. One of the most crying evils of these times was the credit system, and its twin-brother debt, well described as the curse of the middle classes, and which, like drink, was carried on in a blind, stupid, reckless fashion. The meaning of the word “economy” was continually being falsely made to imply the saving of money, whereas it only meant the best possible administration of time, labour, and money.—Mr. Thomas Hughes, Q.C., said that the great dangers for this country were unthrift and intemperance; and unless we could make it sober and thrifty it would soon become insolvent. ADVERTISEMENTS. {0} A PRACTICAL BOOK FOR PRACTICAL MEN. THE INDUSTRIES OF THE WORLD. A Complete Course of Technical Education for the Artizan and the Manufacturer. _Fully Illustrated with Diagrams and Portraits_. * * * * * In 30 parts, price 1s. each; 15 parts, price 2s. each, or in 5 divisions (Cloth Backs), price 6s. 6d. each; also in 2 vols. (Cloth Gilt), price 36s. * * * * * This Noble Work should find a place in every Household. CHARLES & CO., 1, Salisbury Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C. * * * * * Now Publishing, a New Edition of EUROPE ILLUSTRATED. _Its Picturesque Scenes and Places of Note_.