189 -You, my friends, have not lefs cause of gratitude than the more opulent. A present God fills your hearts with food and with gladness. Had it been otherwise, you had felt first, and most severely, the effects of scarcity. Nor have you cause to repine at your lot. It is the appointment of the infinite Wisdom and Goodnefs, of our Heavenly Father, who knows what is best for each of his children. He can, and will, in due time, reward their patience, integrity, resignation, and other virtues. Besides, even at present, the meanest labourer in Britain possesses blessings and sources of enjoyment more valuable than fall to the lot of princes in lands not very remote. May these advantages be continued; and may we prize and improve them, exprefsing our grateful sense of his goodness, by obeying the laws of our Maker, and promoting the happiness of society, by a chearful performance of every relative duty; and may we thus obtain his favour, whose blessing maketh rich in time, and happy through eternity! Amen!"

Thus ends the exhortation of the pious pastor. I wish I could give you such an account as you would like of its effects. From what I could observe of the audience, in their looks of approbation, silence, and fixed attention, I was led to entertain great hopes, that deeds of charity, and labours of love would employ the pen of the recording angel in the mansions of bliss: but futurity is known to God alone: we must wait the event before it can be disclosed; and even then it may be hid from our view.

October 23. 1793.

ICAM.

HINTS ON DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

FROM AN OLD TRADESMAN TO YOUNG ONES.

LETTER IV.

Continued from p. 73.

IN In my former pages I considered the improper ideas very often too often entertained, respecting the value of money; and the folly and misery of wasting that overplus of income, which ought to be employed in extending your business, in idle schemes of household extravagance. This is an error so common, and I have so many instances of it now before my eyes, that I cannot help adding a few remarks to what I have formerly advanced.

It cannot, I think, escape the observation of any reflecting man, that a false spirit of genteel manners prevails in the present day; a wish to be thought fine, generous, hearty fellows-to give frequent entertainmentsto push about the bottle, and perhaps to sing a good song, and "6 Keep it up." These were not the charac

teristics of tradesmen in former times; when a tradesman was represented on the stage, it was a snug, close, rich, and parsimonious fellow, who had amafsed much money, and would not part with one filling without good security; a vulgar low bred fellow, without one idea in his head but of acquiring money.

This, gentlemen, was the general character of Cits, as they were called; but it is not an amiable nor a just character. The stage writers are generally very ignorant of real life, and borrow of one another a few traits which they enlarge and render monstrous by the grofsest amplification The truth is, that the character of a trader is, and always has been, that of frugality and riches; and the fashionable part of the world know no better way to

render them odious then by adding avarice for frugality.

The young began soon to dislike seeing themselves, represented on the stage in a point of view unfavourable; and unfortunately went into the contrary extreme, dressing, visiting, treating, and doing every thing according to fashion.

Hence that absurd and extravagant spirit, which we find among so many young traders, who become fashionable before they have acquired credit at their banker's, and put on the appearance of wealth, before they have acquired as much as is necefsary to carry on a very little businefs.

A young tradesman ought to consider himself as surrounded by numerous temptations; and that it is his businefs as much to resist and combat these, as to apply to the immediate duties of his profefsion. I know it is commonly said, "every one has friends, and one must see one's friends now and then." It is true, every one has his friends; but it is not necefsary that every common acquaintance fhould be ranked in that number. Frequent dinners and entertainments to common acquaintances serve no good purpose that I know of; they increase the business of no fhop; and when adversity comes, it will be found that they have made no real friends. A man, who has just entered the fatal WHEREAS page of the gazette, may be called a Good, hearty, generous, fine fellow ;" but of what use will this character be when it is known he did not otherwise deserve it than by good dinners, good wine, and a hearty welcome to every one who flattered him, and got into his acquaintance.

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All the morality in the world cannot suggest a better maxim to young tradesmen, than to avoid debt by every honest means. Engage in no business which you cannot

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carry on yourselves, and you will thereby avoid incurring debts which you cannot pay. If a business falls in your way which you are not able to carry on yourself, before you seek the afsistance of friends, be sure it is a business which will enable you to fulfil your engagements with them". If you neglect this advice, you may go on borrowing and borrowing, paying with one hand what you borrow with the other; but you are only, by these desperate means, increasing that horrid catalogue which will soon be presented to you, when you stand in the most mortifying situation a human creature ever stood in, before the commifsioners of bankruptcy. For one that will be found among your friends to pity, you may be very happy, if you do not find ten who will not scruple to call you a swindler.

What, indeed, can we think of a man who borrows of those who have generously given him their confidence ? what crime can be mentioned more base in the individual, and more injurious to society, than to abuse that confidences which, thank God, still subsists between man and man, in spite of all the wickednefs with which the world abounds?

To be continued.

To CORRESPODENTS.

The obliging letter of Philanthropos is received. It has been, and ever will be, the study of the Editor, to make such selections as best promise to suit the various tastes of his readers in different branches of useful research. On this plan it is impofsible that every paper fhould prove agreeable to all clafses of readers.

*Farther acknowledgements deferred on account of the Editor's in isposition.

As the great end of national improvement undoubtedly is to enable every individual to live comfortably; so every attempt to remove an inconveniency is not only allowable, but must be praise worthy. I do not know if I am excusable in saying, that our present system does not seem to have this end in view, as its most immediate object. The desire of obtaining wealth, and acquiring over other nations, a superiority in the political balance, seems more attended to in our exertions, than the purpose of rendering the condition of the individual lefs inconvenient. This desirable purpose is undoubtedly the ultimate effect of the extension of commerce and agriculture; but I think it would be sooner obtained, if the societies that are formed for national purposes were to join to their exertions in favour of arts and VOL. Xviii.

BB