"To treat a poor wretch with a bottle of Burgundy, and fill his snuff-box, is like giving a pair of laced ruffles to a man that has never a shirt on his back"

This quote by Tom Brown is a metaphor that compares the act of giving a luxurious product to someone who requires basic requirements to a futile gesture. The quote recommends that it is pointless to provide a bottle of Burgundy and a snuff-box to a bad wretch who has no shirt on his back. The quote suggests that it is more crucial to offer the poor wretch with the fundamental needs of life, such as a shirt, instead of an elegant item. The quote also recommends that it is better to supply the poor wretch with the standard necessities of life, rather than to give them something that is of no usage to them. The quote is a reminder that it is essential to be mindful of the needs of those who are less fortunate and to offer them with the standard needs of life.