d. As a defence; 4th. To improve our appearance.

These purposes of dress should all be considered; and in the order here
presented. That dress, which best answers all these purposes combined,
both as respects the material and the _form_ or _fashion_, is
unquestionably the best and most appropriate. It is certainly true that
the impressions which a person's first appearance makes upon the minds
of those around him are deep and permanent, and the subject should
receive a measure of our attention, on this account. It is only a
slight tax which we pay for the benefits of living in civilized
society. When, however, we sacrifice every thing else to appearance, we
commit a very great error. We make that first in point of importance,
which ought to be fourth.

Let your dress be as cheap as may be without shabbiness, and endeavor
to be neither first nor last in a fashion. Think more about the
cleanliness, than the gloss or texture of your clothes. Be always as
clean as your occupation will permit; but never for one moment believe
that any human being, who has good sense, will love or respect you
_merely_ on account of a fine or costly coat.

Extravagance in the haunting of _play-houses_, in _horses_, in every
thing else, is to be avoided, but in young men, extravagance in _dress_
particularly. This sort of extravagance, this waste of money on the
decoration of the body, arises solely from vanity, and from vanity of
the most contemptible sort. It arises from the notion, that all the
people in the street, for instance, will be _looking at you_, as soon
as you walk out; and that they will, in a greater or less degree, think
the better of you on account of your fine dress.

Never was a notion more false. Many sensible people, that happen to see
you, will think nothing at all about you: those who are filled with the
same vain notion as you are, will perceive your attempt to impose on
them, and despise it. Rich people will wholly disregard you, and you
will be envied and hated by those who have the same vanity that you
have, without the means of gratifying it.

Dress should be suited, in some measure, to our condition. A surgeon or
physician need not dress exactly like a carpenter; but, there is no
reason why any body should dress in a very _expensive_ manner. It is a
great mistake to suppose, that they derive any _advantage_ from
exterior decoration.

For after all, men are estimated by other _men_ according to their
capacity