are brought to London, and from London again conveyed into the country, where they are principally bought at best hand, and most to the advantage of the buyer, and where the proper markets are to dispose of them again when bought.

These are the degrees by which the complete tradesman is brought up, and by which he is instructed in the principles and methods of his commerce, by which he is made acquainted with business, and is capable of carrying it on with success; after which, there is not a man in the universe deserves the title of a complete tradesman like the English shopkeeper.

CHAP. I.

Of the tradesman in his preparations while an apprentice.

THE first part of a trader's beginning is ordinarily very young; I mean, when he goes apprentice, and the notions of trade are scarce got into his head; for the first three or four years they are rather to be taught submission to family orders, subjection to their masters, and dutiful attendance in their shops or warehouses; but this being a part already well performed, we shall not dwell upon it here.

But after they have entered the fifth or sixth year, and begin to think of setting up for themselves, then is the time to instruct them in such things as may qualify them best to enter upon the world, and act for themselves when they are so entered.

The first thing a youth, in the latter part of his time, is to do, is to endeavour to gain a good judgment in the wares of all kinds that he is like to deal in. The first years of his time he of course learns to weigh and measure either liquids or solids, to pack up and make bales, trusses, packs, &c., and to do the coarser and laborious part of business; but all that gives him little knowledge in the species of

In a little piece, entituled "The Apprentice's Vade Mecum, or Young Man's Pocket Companion," which, besides some other very needful things, contain general rules and directions for a young man's behaviour in his apprenticeship.

goods he is to deal in, much less a nice judgment in their value and sorts; which, however, is one of the principal things that belong to trade.

It is supposed, that by this time, if his master is a man of considerable business, his man is become the eldest apprentice, and is taken into the countinghouse, where, among other things, he sees the bills of parcels of goods bought, and thereby knows what everything costs at first hand; what gain is made of them, and what loss, if any; by which he is led, of course, to look into the goodness of the goods, and see the reason of things: if the goods are not to expectation, he sees the reason of that loss, and he looks into the goods, and sees where and how far they are deficient: this, if he be careful to make his observations, brings him naturally to have a good judgment in the goods, and in the value of them.

If a young man neglects this part, and passes over the season for such improvement, he very rarely ever recovers it; for this part has its season; and that lost, never comes again. A judgment in goods, taken in early, is never lost; as a judgment, taken in late, is seldom good.

For want of this knowledge, he is liable to be imposed upon in the most notorious manner by the sharp-sighted world; for his bad judgment cannot be hid the very boys in the warehouses of wholesale-men and merchants will play upon him, sell him a worse sort for a better; and, when they have bubbled him, will triumph over his ignorance behind his back; and the further consequence is, he sells, as he buys, an inferior sort for a better; and this is the way to blast his reputation; since it will be charitable to think no worse of him, than that he has been imposed upon himself, and is ignorant of his business.

2. The next thing to be recommended to an apprentice, in the latter part of his time, is to choose to cultivate an acquaintance, as his opportunities will give him leave, with young people of his own standing, who serve those who are his master's chapman and customers, and who have the prospect of beginning the world much about his own time; and even with such of his master's chapmen themselves, as, by dealing with several tradesmen of the same business, may, upon an opinion of his good behaviour in his apprenticeship, and knowledge in his business, dispense to him some part of their business.

What I mean by this is, not that the young man should confine himself absolutely to such as are of like standing with himself, and not seek, as occasion offers, to make himself friends among his master's customers, in a fair, and not undermining manner; for this would be to circumscribe him too unreasonably, and is what no master, who takes an apprentice, ought honestly to expect. If any inconveniences are likely to arise to a master on such account, he ought to have considered them before he took an apprentice, and not think to abridge the young man of any honest means to get his livelihood, when the time of his service is expired; so far otherwise, he ought, in conscience and duty, to do all in his power, that is not absolutely detrimental to himself, to further and promote the young man in his setting out in the world; and to do by him as he would have been glad to be done by, whether he was so or not, at his own beginning.

But what I mean is, in the first place, to hint to the young man to choose his acquaintance and friends principally from among those that are most likely to contribute to his future welfare; and next, that as the less detriment he shall do to his master,

on beginning for himself, cannot but be most pleasing to an ingenuous mind; so, by such a choice of companions or intimates, he will strike out, as it were, a new train of business, and possibly receive and confer a reciprocal benefit, without hurting any other person.

But where this more eligible course cannot be taken, the young man, no doubt, is to acquaint himself with his master's chapmen of both sorts; that is to say, as well those he sells to, as, still more particularly, those he buys of, that he may be able, in the latter case, to purchase upon the best terms, and so form his conduct, as well upon his master's, as his own experience.

To hinder an apprentice from an acquaintance with the dealers of both sorts, is somewhat like Laban's usage to Jacob; viz., keeping back the beloved Rachel, whom he served his seven years' time for, and putting him off with a blear-eyed Leah in her stead; it is, indeed, a kind of robbing him, taking from him the advantage which he served his time for, and, perhaps for which his friends gave a considerable sum of money with him; and sending him into the world like a man out of a ship set ashore among savages, who, instead of feeding, are indeed more ready to eat him up and devour him.

An apprentice who has served faithfully and diligently, ought to claim it as a debt to his indentures, that his master should make him master of his business, or enable him, as he ought, to set up in the world; for as buying is the first, so selling is the last end of trade; and the faithful apprentice ought to be fully made acquainted with them both, or how can he be said to be taught the art and mystery which his master engages to learn him?

3. In the next place, the apprentice, when his time is near expiring, ought to learn his master's