Left to his own devices he would have us smoke his particular brands, drink his labels, eat his selections, wear his kind of a cravat, overcoat, cap, hat, shoes, and underwear.

And to make his proposition sound business like he would willingly pay the bills! In this little amusement we are supposed to play the part of receiver and _praise his generosity_.
Whatever may be our verdict on this chap we must keep in mind that his inordinate desire to waste his substance was no less than a vice if for no other reason than its example upon others; it is just as bad to be _a "receiver"_ as it is to be _a spendthrift_.

If we cannot build up a reputation for generosity without becoming ostentatious we might better take lessons in refinement from someone "to the manor born." There is no desire to single out and set down by name and number every sort of self-indulgence.

_Excesses of any kind are indulgences_, and it is easy to fall into them if we have not built up our stamina to resist.
Our failures are usually traceable to ourselves.

No matter what excuses may be offered in our behalf we know in our own minds that we are to blame.