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PART I.

LETTERS ON BUSINESS.

LETTER I.-To a Young Trader, generally in a hurry of Business, advising Method as well as Diligence.

Dear Nephew,

THE affection I have always borne you, as well for your own sake, as for your late father's and mother's, induces me to trouble you with a few lines, which I hope you will receive as kindly as I intend them.

I have lately called upon you several times, and have as often found you in an extraordinary hurry; which I well know cannot be sometimes avoided; but, methinks, need not be always the case, if your time were disposed of in regular and proper proportions to your business. I have frequently had reason to believe, that more than half the flutter which appears among traders in general, is rather the effect of their indolence than their industry, however willing they are to have it thought otherwise, and I will give you one instance in cor. firmation of this opinion in a neighbor of mine.

This gentleman carried on for some years, a profitable business; but indulging himself every evening in a tavern society, or club, which the promotion of business (as is usually the case) gave the first pretence for, he looked upon those engagements as the natural consequence of the approach of night; and drove on his business in the day with precipitation, that he might get there with the earliest. He seldom kept very late hours, though he never came home soon. The night being gone and his bottle emptied, the morning was always wanted to dispel the fumes of the wine. Whoever therefore came to him before nine, was desired to call again; and when he arose, so many matters waited for him, as directly threw him into a flutter; so that, from his rising until dinner-time, he seemed in one continual ferment. A long dinner-time he always allowed himself, in order to recover the fatigues he had undergone; and all his table-talk was, how heavy his business lay upon him, and what pains he took in it. The hearty meal, and the time he indulged himself at

table, gat an inappetency for any more business for that afternoon; so that all that could be deferred, was put off till next morning; and longing for the approach of evening, he flies to his usual solace; empties his bottle by eleven; comes nome; gets to bed, and is invisible till next morning at nine; and then rising, enters upon his usual hurry and confusion.

Thus did his life seem to those who saw him in his business, onc constant scene of fatigue, though he scarce ever applied to it four regular hours in any one day. Whereas had he risen only at seven in the morning, he would have got all his business under by noon; and those two hours from seven to nine, being before many people go abroad, he would have met with no interruption in his affairs; but might have improved his servants by his own example, directed them in the business of the day, have inspected his books, written to his dealers, and put every thing in so regular a train for the rest of the day, that whatever had occurred afterwards, would rather have served to divert than to fatigue him.

And what, to cut my story short, was the upshot of the matter? Why, meeting with some disappointments and losses (as all traders must expect, and ought to provide for), and his customers not seeing him in his shop so much as they expected, and when there, always in a disobliging, petulant hurry; and, moreover, mistakes frequently happening through the hurry into which he put himself and every one about him, by these means his business dwindled away insensibly, and not being able to go out of his usual course, which helped tc impair both his capacity and ardor for business, his creditors began to look about them, and he was compelled to enter into an examination of his affairs-when he had the mortification to find the balance of 9000 dollars against him.

This was a shocking case to himself, but more so to his family; for his wife had lived, and his children had been educated in such a manner, as induced them to hope their fortunes would be sufficient to place them in a state of independence.

In short, being obliged to quit a business he had managed with so little prudence, his friends got him into a subordinate situation, which afforded him a bare subsistence for himself; his children were dispersed, some one way and some another, into low scenes of life; and his wife went home to her friends, to be snubbed and reflected on by her own family for faults not her own.

This example will afford several good hints to a young

radesman, which are too obvious to need expatiating upon. and, as I hope your prudence will keep you from the like faults, you will never have reason to reproach yourself or this score. But yet, as I always found you in a hurry, when I called upon you, I could not but give you this hint, for fear you should not rightly proportion your time to your bus.. ness, and lest you should suspend to the next hour, what you could and ought to do in the present, and so not keep your business properly under. Method is every thing in busi ness, next to diligence. And you will, by falling into a regular one, always be calm and unruffled: and have time to bestow in your shop with your customers; the female ones especially; who always make a great many words in their bargainings, and expect to be humored and persuaded: and how can any man find time for this, if he prefers the tavern to his shop, and his bed to his business? I know you will take in good part what I have written, because you are sensible how much I am your truly affectionate, &c.

LETTER II.-From a Father to a Son, on Negligence in his affairs.

Dear Jemmy,

You cannot imagine what a concern your carelessness and indifferent management of your affairs give me. Remissness is inexcusable in all men, but in none so much as in a man of business, the soul of which is industry, diligence, and punctuality.

Let me beg of you to shake off the idle habits you have contracted; quit unprofitable company and unseasonable recreations, and apply to your compting house with diligence. It may not be yet too late to retrieve your affairs. Inspect therefore your gains, and cast up what proportion they bear to your expenses; and then see which of the latter you can, and which you cannot contract. Consider, that when once a man suffers himself to go backward in the world, it must be an uncommon spirit of industry that retrieves nim, and puts him forward again.

Reflect, I beseech you, before it be too late, upon the inconveniences which an impoverished trader is put to, for the remainder of his life; which, too, may happen to be the crime part of it; the indignities he is likely to suffer from those whose money he has unthinkingly squandered; the cor.tempt he will meet with from all, not excepting the idle companions of his folly; the injustice he does his family, ir

depriving his children, not only of the power of raising themselves, but of living tolerably; and how, on the contrary, from being born to a creditable expectation, he sinks them into the lowest class of mankind, and exposes them to most dangerous temptations. What has not such a father to answer for! and all this for the sake of indulging himself in an idle, careless, thoughtless habit, that cannot afford the least satisfaction, beyond the present hour, if in that; and which must be attended with deep remorse when he comes to reflect. Think seriously of these things, and in time resolve on such a course as may bring credit to yourself justice to all you deal with, peace and pleasure to your own mind, comfort to your family; and which will give at the same time the highest satisfaction to your careful and loving father.

LETTER III.-The Son's grateful answer. Honored Sir,

I RETURN you my sincere thanks for your seasonable reproof and advice. I have indeed too much indulged my self in an idle careless habit, and had already begun to feel the evil consequences of it when I received your letter, in the insults of two of my creditors, from whom I expected kinder treatment. But indeed they wanted but their own, so I could only blame myself, who had brought their rough usage upon me. Your letter came so seasonable upon this, that I hope it will not want the desired effect; and as, I thank God, it is not yet too late, I am resolved to take another course with myself and my affairs, that I may avoid the ill consequences you so judiciously forewarn me of, and give to my family and friends the pleasure they so well deserve at my hands; and particularly that satisfaction to so good a father, which is owing to him by his most dutiful son.

Sir,

LETTER IV.-Recommending a Man Servant.

THE bearer has served me with integrity and fidelity these three years, but having a desire to settle in Philadel pnia, he left my house about a week ago, and by a letter re ceived from him this day, I find you are willing to employ him on my recommendation; and it is with the greatest plea. sure that I comply with this request. His behavior, while with me, was strictly honest, sober, and diligent, and I doub not but it will be the same with you. I have sent this en

closed in one to himself, and if you employ him I hope he will give satisfaction.

Sir,

I am, Sir, your humble servant.

LETTER V.-The Answer.

I RECEIVED your obliging letter in recommendation of the young man, and in consequence of that have taken him mto my family. I doubt not from what you say, of his giv ing satisfaction, and you may be assured of his being treate with humanity, and rewarded according to his merit. I am your humble servant.

LETTER VI.-An Urgent Demand of Payment. Mr. Thomson,

THE exigence of my affairs compels me thus importu nately, nay peremp'orily, to write to you. Can you think it possible to carry on business in the manner you act by me? You know what promises you have made, and how, from time to time, you have broken them. Can I therefore depend upon any new ones you make? If you use others as you do me, how can you think of carrying on business? If you do not, what must I think of the man, who deals worse by me than he does by others? If you think you can trespass more upon ine than you can on others, that is a very bad compliment to my prudence, or your own gratitude; for surely good usage should be entitled to the same return. I know how to allow for disappointments as well as any man; but, can a man be disappointed for ever? Trade is so dependent a thing, that it cannot be carried on without mutual punctu ality. Does not the merchant expect it from me for those very goods I send you? And can I make a return to him without receiving it from you? What end can it answer to give you two years' credit, and then be at an uncertainty, for goods which I sell at a small profit, and have only six months' credit for myself?-Indeed, Sir, this will never do. I must be more punctually used by you, or else deal with as little punctuality with others. And then, what must be the consequence? In short, Sir, I expect a handsome payment by the next post, and security for the remainder; as I am unwilling to take any harsh measures, to procure justice to myself, my family, and my creditors. For I am, if it be no your own fault,

Your faithful friend and servant.

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