Sofas 'twas half a sin to sit upon,
So costly were they; carpets, every stitch
Of workmanship read more

Sofas 'twas half a sin to sit upon,
So costly were they; carpets, every stitch
Of workmanship so rare, they make you wish
You could glide o'er them like a golden fish.

Then there is that glorious Epicurean paradox, uttered by my
friend, the Historian in one of his flashing moments: read more

Then there is that glorious Epicurean paradox, uttered by my
friend, the Historian in one of his flashing moments: "Give us
the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries."

Luxury and dissipation, soft and gentle as their approaches are,
and silently as they throw their silken chains about read more

Luxury and dissipation, soft and gentle as their approaches are,
and silently as they throw their silken chains about the heart,
enslave it more than the most active and turbulent vices.

Give us the luxuries of life and we'll dispense with the necessaries.

Give us the luxuries of life and we'll dispense with the necessaries.

Every luxury must be paid for, and everything is a luxury, starting with being in the world.

Every luxury must be paid for, and everything is a luxury, starting with being in the world.

Falsely luxurious, will not man awake?

Falsely luxurious, will not man awake?

Living in the lap of luxury isn't bad, except that you never know when luxury is going to stand up

Living in the lap of luxury isn't bad, except that you never know when luxury is going to stand up

Like sending them ruffles, when wanting a shirt.

Like sending them ruffles, when wanting a shirt.

On his weary couch
Fat Luxury, sick of the night's debauch,
Lay groaning, fretful at the obtrusive read more

On his weary couch
Fat Luxury, sick of the night's debauch,
Lay groaning, fretful at the obtrusive beam
That through his lattice peeped derisively.