On a Miser who had Built a Stately Mansion
The story is about a miser who built a stately mansion but was unable to enjoy it due to his stinginess. He refused to spend money on anything, including food and clothing, and lived in poverty despite being wealthy. The moral of the story is that material possessions are not everything and that one should be generous with their wealth.
By George Borrow · First published 1854 · Genre: Poetry, Satire, Social Commentary · 185 words
First lines
Of every pleasure is thy mansion void; To ruin-heaps may soon its walls decline.
O heavens, that one poor fire's but employ'd, One poor fire only for thy chimneys nine!
Towering white chimneys -- kitchen cold and drear -- Chimneys of vanity and empty show -- Chimneys unwarm'd, unsoil'd throughout the year -- Fain would I heatless chimneys overthrow.
Plague on huge chimneys, say I, huge and neat, Which ne'er one spark of genial warmth announce; Ignite some straw, thou dealer in deceit -- Straw of starv'd growth -- and make a fire for once!
What this Textopian page supports
On a Miser who had Built a Stately Mansion is listed on Textopian as a short story by George Borrow, dated 1854 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: George Borrow
- Date: 1854 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Satire, Social Commentary, Philosophical, Literary Fiction
- Length: 185 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for On a Miser who had Built a Stately Mansion by George Borrow
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Similar titles
- The Strangeness Of Luxury by G. K. Chesterton
- The Innocence Of The Criminal by G. K. Chesterton
- The Mappined Life by Saki
- Pomps And Vanities by Sabine Baring Gould
- The Bronckhorst Divorce Case by Rudyard Kipling
- Debasing The Moral Currency by George Eliot
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, employing rhyme and meter typical of poetry.
- Satire — The text critiques and mocks the miser's behavior and values, a hallmark of satirical writing.
- Social Commentary — The themes address societal issues related to wealth, vanity, and the misuse of resources.
- Philosophical — The work explores deeper questions about the nature of happiness and the folly of materialism.
Tags
miser · wealth · greed · mansion · society · class · morality · human nature · paradox · character study · narrative · satire