The Complete English Tradesman (1839 ed.)

s to another, and launch out of the trade or employment he was bred to: Tractent fabrilia

into another, out of a shop into a warehouse, out of a warehouse into a shop, out of a single hand into a partnership, and the like; and they trade one time here, another time there, and with very good success too. But I say, be that as it will, a tradesman ought so fa

otion of business in general, and a knowledge how and in what manner it is carried on; that he should know where every manufacture is made, and how bought at first hand; that he should know w

ng, and to embark with other persons better qualified than himself in any new trade, which he was not in before; in which, though he may not have a particular knowledge and judgment in the goods they are to deal in or to make, yet, having the benefit of the knowledge his new partner is master of, and

od, fustick, madder, and the like; so that he does his part very well. C.D. is an experienced scarlet-dyer; but now, doubling their stock, they fall into a larger work, and they dye bays and s

erienced head workman to direct him, which, if that workman proves honest, is as well as a partner. On the other hand, his own application and indefatigable industry supply the want of judgment. Thus, I have known several tradesmen turn their hands from one business to another, or from

eads him to it, and if he sees an evident view of profit and advantage in it; and this is only done by his having a general knowledge of trade, so as to have a capacity

those fatal people called projectors, who are, indeed, among tradesmen, as birds of prey are among the innocent fowls-devourers and destroyers. A tradesman cannot be too well armed, nor too much cautioned, agai

swer, or which not; to examine all his specious pretences, his calculations and figures, and see whether they are as likely to answer the end as he takes upon him to say they will; to make allowances for all his fine flourishes and outs

erefore to fortify his judgment, that he may be able to guard against su

e a tradesman should confine himself within his own sphere: never was the Gazette so full of the advertisements of commissions of bankrupt as since our shopkeepers are so much engaged in part

e was in prison, could not sleep for the concern he had for the liberties of his dear country: the man was a good patriot, but a bad shopkeeper; and, indeed, should

er of conversation but among his own class: I shall speak to that in its place also. A tradesman may on occasion keep company with gentlemen as well as other people; nor is a trading man, if he is a man of sense, unsuitable or unprofitable for a gentleman to converse with, as occasion requires; and you will often find, that not private gentlemen only, but even ministers of state, privy-councillors, members of parliament, and persons of all ranks in the government, find it for their purpose to converse with tradesmen, and are not ashamed to ackno

ng first known to be diligent and industrious men in their private and lower spheres; such advancements make good the words o

earns to thrive himself; there he hears all the trading news-as for state news and politics, it is none of his business; there he learns how to buy, and there he gets oftentimes opportunities to sell; there he hears of all the disasters in

nding, in spite of a good beginning, and in spite of the most indefatigable industry, sink in his circumstances, lose his cre

to the world, and beginning with little or nothing, yet rises apace in the mere road of business, in which he goes on like the miller's horse, who, being tied to the post,

vations he may learn something useful to himself, and fit to guide his own measures, that he may not fall into the sam

ons are made from it, teach the tradesman more than his apprenticeship; for there he learned the operation, here he learns the progression; his apprenticeship is his grammar-school, this is his university; behind his master's counter, or in his warehouse, he learned the first rudiments of trade, but here he learns the trading sciences; here he comes to lear

ds among the shopkeeping trading world: this may be granted without any impeachment of what I have advanced-for where shall a man converse, and find no fools in the society?-and where shall he he

a man, chatter and say a great deal of nothing, and talk his neighbours to death-out of every one you will learn something-they are all tradesmen, and there is always something for a young tradesman to learn from them. If, understanding but a little French, you were to converse every day a little among some Frenchmen in yo

ophy from them, you may learn many things in trade from them, and something from every one; for though it is not absolutely necessary

ion to describe the thing he wanted, he goes into his study, calls his pupils about him, and tells them that Betty, who herself knew nothing of the matter, could show them the sun revolving about itself in a more lively manner than ever he could. Accordingly, Betty was called, and bidden bring out her mop, when, placing his scholars in a due-position, opposite not to the face of the maid,

though it may be indeed very ordinary, coarse, and unlooked for, communicate something, give some useful hint, dart some sudden thought into the mind of the observing tradesman, whic

ways peculiar and particular to themselves, which they either derived from the masters who taught them, or from

one tradesman finds out a nearer way of buying than another, another finds a vent for what is bought beyond

e of his own rank. The conversation of gentlemen, and what they call keeping good company, may be used as a diversion, or as an excursion, but his stated society must be with his neighbours, and people in trade; men of business are companions for men of business; with gentlemen he may converse pleas

f trade; by the experience of the old tradesmen they learn caution and prudence, and by the rashness a

a pound gained, where nothing was expected, by mere casual coming to talk together, without knowing any thing of the matter before they

taverns and ale-houses, and spend their time there in unnecessary prattle, which, indeed, is nothing but sotting a

d quit their counters, in the proper seasons for their attendance there, would be a preposterous negligence, would be going out of business to gain business, and would be cheating themselves, instead of improving themselves. The proper hours of

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