THE OFFICE OF LUXURY. 25 



sunken in bundles ; here, too, the objects have been rendered use- 

 less before deposition. Spears and swords were thrust violently, 

 perpendicularly through the stratum containing the relics. At 

 this locality, too, were found two or three boats ; the largest, of 

 oak, some seventy-seven feet long and about ten feet wide, was a 

 fine piece of work. These were intentionally sunk. Some of the 

 iron objects were magnificent pieces ; certain sword blades were 

 handsomely damascened. Roman workmanship or influence is 

 shown by some of the objects from these mosses. A number of 

 Roman coins from here range from about 60 to 217 A. d. Thus 

 we may fix the age of the deposit. 



We have but glanced at a few of many interesting matters 

 which are fully illustrated in this great museum, of which 

 Denmark is so justly proud (Fig. 22). 



THE OFFICE OF LUXURY. 



By M. PAUL LEROY BEAULIEU. 



THE question whether luxury is legitimate or illegitimate, use- 

 ful or injurious, is most actively debated. The moralists claim 

 that it is within their peculiar field, and it has been one of their 

 favorite subjects for discussion from the days of antiquity down. 

 We can not, however, leave it to them. Economists have an inter- 

 est in it. It does not concern only precepts and rules for an edi- 

 fying conduct of life, but bears also upon the direction that ought 

 to be given to production, or to a considerable part of it at least, 

 and upon the influence of certain kinds of consumption on the 

 distribution of wealth and on the respective situations of differ- 

 ent classes of society. 



One of the difficulties encountered in the discussion, and no 

 small one at that, is that of finding an exact definition of luxury. 

 Most even of the best definitions are insufficient and vague. It is 

 very hard to find an absolute formula for a thing so relative, fluc- 

 tuating, and variable. The definition we would propose is that 

 luxury consists of that superfluity of enjoyment which exceeds 

 what the generality of the inhabitants of a country at a given time 

 consider essential, not only for the necessities of existence but 

 also for decency and comfort in life. It is, therefore, curiously 

 variable, constantly taking a new position as the limit of ordi- 

 nary enjoyment advances at a corresponding pace with the in- 

 creasing wealth and refinement of a society. This definition has 

 the merit of regarding luxury as relative and as changing in 

 standard from age to age. 



To the barbarians who ravaged the Roman Empire the simple 



TOL. XLVII. 3 



