A disposition of mind addicted to pleasure, riot, and superfluities. Luxury implies a giving one's self up to pleasure; volupiuousness, and indulgence in the same to excess. Luxury may be farther considered as consisting in
1. Vain and useless expenses.
2. In a parade beyond what people can afford.
3. In affecting to be above our own rank.
4. In living in a splendour that does not agree with the public good. In order to avoid it, we should consider that it is ridiculous, troublesome, sinful, and ruinous.
Robinson's Claude, vol. 1: p. 332; Ferguson on Society, part. 6: sec. 2.