[Footnote 231-2: Turkish magnates who keep several magnificent equipages ride to the sultan's in a very bad one. Risa Pascha, when at the height of his power, had his house near a villa of the sultan painted in the plainest and most unsightly manner possible. The walls of a park in Constantinople painted half in red and half in blue, to give it the appearance of being two _gardens_. (Alg. Zeitung, 16 Juli, 1849.) In Saxony, between 1847 and 1850, the number of luxury horses diminished from 6.11 to 5.64 per cent. of the total number of horses in the kingdom. (_Engel_, Jahrbuch, I, 305.) In the same country there were coined in 1848 over 64,000 silver marks, derived from other sources than the mines. (_Engel_, Statis. Zeitschr. I, 85.) In England, on the other hand, the number of four-wheeled carriages increased more than 60 per cent. between 1821 and 1841, while the population increased only 30 per cent. (_Porter_, Progress, V, 3, 540.)] [Footnote 231-3: Such a head-dress may very easily be worth 300 guldens in Friesland. Gold crosses worn by the peasant women about Paris. (_Turgot_, Lettre sur la Liberté du Commerce des Grains.)] [Footnote 231-4: So far it is of some significance, that nearly all not uncivilized nations use their principal article of food to prepare drinks that are luxuries. Thus, the Indians use rice, the Mexicans mais, the Africans the ignam-root. It is said that in ancient Egypt, beer-brewing was introduced by Osiris. (_Diodor._, I, 34.) Compare _Jeremy Bentham_, Traité de Législation, I, 160. _Malthus_, Principle of Population, I, ch. 12; IV, ch. 11.] [Footnote 231-5: While in thinly populated North America, space permits the beautiful luxury in cemeteries of ornamenting surroundings of each grave separately (_Gr. Görtz_, Reise, 24), the Chinese garden-style seeks to effect a saving in every respect. In keeping with this is the fact that animal food has there been almost abolished. Compare, besides, _Verri_, Meditazioni, XXVI, 3.] [Footnote 231-6: _Garve_ thinks that luxury, when it takes the direction of a great many trifles, little conveniences, etc., has the effect of distracting the people. Here there are few men of towering ambition or of inextinguishable revenge, but at the same time, few entirely unselfish and incorruptible patriots. (_Versuche_, I, 232.)] SECTION CCXXXII. LUXURY IN DECLINING NATIONS. In declining nations, luxury assumes an imprudent and immoral character. Enormous sums are expended for insignificant enjoyments. It may even be said that costly consumption is carried on there for its own sake. The beautiful and the true enjoyment of life makes place for the monstrous and the effeminate.