The Drunkard – William H Smith

The Drunkard – William H Smith

            The Play “The Drunkard” or “The Fallen Saved ” is considered to be the best example of temperance  drama  and proclaimed as “a grand sacred concert with all the sacred music”. The writer of this play is William H Smith . The excerpt focuses us  on the conversation between a successful Lawyer  Cribbs and Edward Middleton , a drunkard.

            One day the famous lawyer happens to meet Edward, a seasoned criminal. Edward enquires Cribbs ,if he sees his wife and child . Cribbs replies that they are getting on well- exquisitely well. He tells that his wife found plenty of sewing and her petty face has enthused gentle folk. She has a good education  and  she is as merry as a cricket  and his little girl is as brisk as a bee.

          Cribbs tells him that his wife thinks of him occasionally and she longs to see him a respectable member of society. Cribbs  adds that she cannot but pity him. God creates the antidote to every affliction. Edward questions Cribbs how one can become respectable without a cent in his pocket. The lawyer asserts that there are more ways than one.

            Edward astounds that he is encouraged to do forgery for five thousand dollars cheque. He has to forge the signature of Arden Rencelaw, who is a noble philanthropist , poor man’s friend and benefactor of mankind. The drunkard call the lawyer a villain and refuses to do forgery. The drunkard is already a wretch ,despised ,shunned and neglected by those who should save and help him. He says that the money given to him is a bribe a miscalled charity. Hurling defiance at his hypocrisy he throws down the money.

          The lawyer says that the drunkard will think better when he is in starving and exists. The drunkard feels sad that he has become an object of pity to his once adored wife. She only treats him now with cold compassion. She no longer regards him with love and respect. She is flourishing, while he is starving. He longs for liquor which relives him of misery.

          The dramatist indicates that “ masked faces and tinsel voices flourish in society”. True appearances are deceptive. In the character of  Edward , the dramatist suggests that there may be an element of goodness. He is against the notion of “buying” respectability be selling his “soul”.

Pecuniary Independence --- P T Barnum

Pecuniary  Independence    --- P T Barnum

            The essay “Pecuniary Independence” is an extract from “The Life of Barnum” written by P T Barnum. He draws our attention to the major preoccupations and problems confronting modern men and women . He provides excellent advice to mitigate the stress and strain of day to day life. He believes that ‘pecuniary Independence’ can be achieved through ‘rational saving’ than irrational spending’.

         The author suggests different methods of saving money regarding house-hold expenses. Old clothes can be worn a little longer; new pair of gloves can be dispensed with; Old dresses can be mended; plainer food can be taken. Thus some expenditure can be saved. A penny saved is a dollar gathered.

            One of the most important points he makes ,is if the expenditure is less than income of an individual ,we would have no financial worries at all. More income and less expenditure is the crux of happiness in life. People may have good income but they fail to save anything. The author advises to take a small notebook and note down the luxuries and the necessaries in two columns. We can see the former exceeding the latter.

            Another important clue to real happiness is that one should realize that all men are “born equal” but their “bank accounts ” are not equal. “People are born free and equal,” it is a glorious truth ,no doubt .But it is also equally true that we are all not born equally rich.  People should therefore ,regulate their expenditure in accordance with their means(income) and needs.

           Women in particular are warned to stay away from vanity and envy which will provoke them into spending lavishly to keep up ‘appearances’.” They become victims of vanity and slaves of vain shows. Thus they waste their money. The majority are to rule” but this principle must be ignored regarding fashions. If people run after false standard of perfection they remain poor. People ought to be as sensible  on the subject of money getting  as on any other subject. Following the roads to that lead to poverty one cannot become rich.  Indeed ,”like causes produce like effects”.

Meanings:

Preoccupy=to be the main thought in someone's mind, causing other things to be forgotten

Mitigate = to make something less harmful, unpleasant or bad

Rational   = showing clear thought or reason

Dispensed with = to get rid of something or someone or stop using them because you do not need them

Crux = the most important or serious part of a matter

Vanity = when you are too interested in your appearance

Lavishly =more than enough

                                                                       

In London - M K Gandhi

                               In London  --- M K Gandhi    

               “In London” is an extract taken from the autobiography of Gandhi ,titled “ My Experiments With Truth” being  translated into English by Mahdev Desai. Gandhi is known for his simplicity. In this lesson he tells us how he struggled hard when he stayed in London  for his education.

              He decided that he should not trouble others. He was a vegetarian and he wanted to cultivate other accomplishments which make him a decent gentleman in society. Bond street was the centre of fashionable life in London. H e felt  that the Bombay clothes were unsuitable to English society. So he bought new ones at “ The army and Navy” stores. He learnt the art of tying for himself. He wanted to dress like an  Englishman. Gandhi started taking lessons in dancing , French and elocution. He even attempted to take lessons in music but could not follow the Piano. He thought that he should learn to play the violin in order to cultivate an ear for the Western music.

          In his retrospection he thought that he was not going to spend a life time in England. This thought made him realise that he was wasting money . Having listened to him, the dance teacher was convinced and encouraged him to go ahead. He wrote letters to the other teachers also. They encouraged his idea. He struggled for austerity and frugality. He exercised strict economy in all aspects. His living with a family involved him a lot of unnecessary expenditure. So he decided to take two rooms on his own account. The rooms were close to the business place. So, he walked eight miles every day and this kept him physically healthy.

         Gandhi knew that the Bar examinations did not require great study. On a friend’s advice Gandhi decided to pass the London Matriculation ,though it was difficult he passed in  his next attempt. He was forced to learn Latin which was very useful in the paper of roman law. Gradually , he acquired a taste for Latin ,French  and Chemistry.

      Anyhow , Gandhi felt that his way of living did not fit in the modest means of his family . So, he adjusted himself with one room instead of two rooms and cooked food at home for breakfast .  Plain living saved his plenty of time and he passed his examination . Gandhi says at the end that he spent only frugal life which by no means of dreary one.