The Complete English Tradesman (1839 ed.)

to break in time, before they run on too far, and thereby prevent the consequences of a fatal running on to

their understandings, are able to manage, when I have already spoken of the fatal consequences of over-trading; to say it is trusting carelessly people unable to pay, and running too rashly into debt, when I have already spoken of taking and giving too much credit-this would all be but

lar trades, and where the trades which are placed there succeed very well, but would do very ill any where else, or any other trades in the same places; as the orange-merchants and wet-salters about Billingsgate, and in Thames

the sale of their goods, where people expect to find such shops, and consequently, when they want such goods, they go thither for them; as the booksellers in St Paul's churchyard, about the Exchange, Temple, and the Strand, &c., the merc

uld a milliner have among the fishmongers' shops on Fishstreet-hill, or a toyman about Queen-hithe? When a shop is ill chosen, the tradesman starves; he is out of the way, and business will not

street, famous some years ago, shall, in a few years after, be quite forsaken; as Paternoster Row for mercers, St Paul's Chu

st soon follow-knowing, that if the fame of the trade is not there, the customers will not resort thither: and that a tradesman's business is to follow wherever the trade leads. For a mercer to set up now in Paternoster

ns his business, that he may put himself in the way of business; and then, with God

ce where his shop is situated; for example, a particular trade is not only proper for such or such a part of the town, but a particular assortment of goods, even in the same way, suits one part of the town, or one town and not another; as he that sets up in the Strand, or near the Exchange, is likely to sell more rich silks, more fine Hollands, more fine broad-cloths, more fine toys and trinkets, than one of the same trade setting up in the skirts of the to

is to sell in the town he removes to, are sometimes so different from the sorts of goods which he sold in the place he removed from, though in the same way of trade, that he is at a great loss both in changing his hand, and in the j

o trade in, and to sort his goods to the demand which he is like to have there; otherwise he will not only lose the customers for wa

thing that may furnish the tradesmen there with parcels fit to fill their shops, and invite their customers; and if they fail, and do not thus sort their cargoes, the factors there

a trade; one seldom finds any thing there that is new or fashionable:' and so they go away to another shop; and not only go away themselves, but carry others away with them-for it is observable, that the buyers or retail customers, especially the ladies, follow one another as sheep follow the flock; and if one buys a beautiful silk, or a cheap piece of Holland, or a new-fashioned thing

must never be angry; no, not so much as seem to be so. If a customer tumbles him five hundred pounds' worth of goods, and scarce bids money for any thing-nay, though they really come to his shop with no intent to buy, as many do, only to see what is to be sold, and if they cannot be better pleased than they are at some other shop where they intend to buy, it is all one, the tradesman must take it, and place it to the account of his callin

men and shopkeepers, and have not so much as the least occasion, much less intention, to buy any thing; nay, not so much as carrying any money out with them to buy anything if they fancied it: yet this the mercers who understand themselves know their business too well to resent; nor if they rea

by the good usage of the shopkeeper, and so unexpectedly surprised with some fine thing or other that has been shown them, that they have been draw

not see it-he must at least not appear to see it, nor any way show dislike or distaste; if he does, he reproaches not only himself but his shop, and puts an ill name upon the general usuage of customers in it; and it is not to be imagined how, in this gossiping, tea-drinking age, the scandal will run, even among people who have ha

izen, 'did the man of the

he used me ill, for I

ur ladyship know

cily, because she gave him a great deal of

ady that told you

such a notion in my head, and I don't care to try, for I hate t

ay be a mistake-and the lady that t

at Mrs Whymsy's on a visiting day; it was the talk of the whole circle, and all

was strangely used; did she

to her, but to some other lady, a friend of hers; but it was all one; the company took

out examining the

d not doubt

r proof of it, Madam

ody asked for a proof; it w

her it was true or no, and perhaps had it from a third or fourth ha

cely, you know, into the tru

when reputation is at stake, we

e you so concerned about it, Madam? do

ften bought there, and I always found them t

be they kno

went but I saw new faces, for they have a g

sed; you are good-humoured yourself, an

r three hundred pounds' worth of goods one day, and bought nothing; and y

y, so th

is a token they do as they ou

now much of it indeed

know the truth of it, you would do a

s, I have a mercer

our own mercer, and if you can't find any thing t

e I shall deal if

trouble as we can for nothing, and see how he'll behave, for I want to be satis

h you; but I will go and lay out my money at my

t on your ladyship till yo

y was surprised-the shop was shut up, and nobody to be seen. The next door was a laceman's, and the journeyman being at

has Mr-'s sho

bout a mon

hat! is

, madam, he

hat the

orse, madam; he has

indeed. So her ladyship made her

the shop single, because she fancied the mercer knew the city lady, and therefore would behave more civilly to them both on that account, the other having laid out her money there several times. Well, they went in, and the lady asked for such and such rich things, and had them shown her, to a variety that she was surpri

She treated him, on the contrary, as she said herself, even with a forced rudeness; she gave him all the impertinent trouble she was able, as above; and, pretending to l

if all the French and Italian merchants' warehouses in London, or all the weavers' looms in Spitalfields, could furnish them. But when that would not do, she comes forward from his b

my goods, I may sell them; if I do not show them, I cannot; if it is not a trouble to you, I'll show you every piece of goods in my shop; if you do not

t had been by mere chance, she salutes her with, 'Your servant, cousin; pray, what brought you here?' The cousin answers, 'Madam, I am might

this two hours, and I cannot meet with any thing to my mind.' So away they go together to the door; and the lady ge

cer and his partner, seeing them talk together, withdrew, but waited at a distance

fied this man has been

how does your l

t gentleman-like man of a tradesm

adyship try him as

has tumbled three thousand p

u oblige hi

to it, indeed, fo

well stocke

im his shop wa

did he s

ner shop, or warehouse, where he had goods t

at could yo

any more, but still was resolved not to

not disobliged y

ted the words the mercer had said to her, and th

im so ill as I have used his partner-for I have perfectly abused him for having nothing to pl

how did he

l mild and mannerly, smiling, and in perfect temper; for my part,

but what sha

e teazed them enough; it would be

them any more; but shall we r

es-you know I promised you I would not buy; that is

ame, go out of this sh

ship see any thing

t things in England-I don't think

ou resolve to buy, let

e, sir,' says she, 'I think I will look upon that piece of brocade aga

please you; but, I beseech your ladyship, don't speak of the trouble, for

d laid out between sixty and seventy pounds, for they both boug

-what impertinences, what taunts, flouts, and ridiculous things, he must bear in his business, and must not show the least return, or the least signal of disgust-he must have no passions, no fire in his te

upstairs from their shop, and fall into phrensies, and a kind of madness, and beat their heads against the wall, and mischief themselves, if not prevented, till the violence of it had gotten vent, and the passions abate and cool. Nay, I heard once of a shopkeeper that behaved himself thus to such an extreme, that, when he was provoked by the impertinence of the customers, beyond what his temper could bear, he would go upstairs and beat his wife, kick his children about like dogs, and be as furious for two or t

own to them and worship them;[17] at least, he is not any way to displease them, or show any disgust or distaste at any thing they say or do. The bottom of it all is, that he is intending to get money by them; and it is

stand before the storm of impertinence, he is said to be fit

e the customers, to quarrel with them, and drive them away. We see by the lady above, after having seen the ways she had taken to put this

y with their money in their pockets; but the man's patience and tempe

TNO

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ishing trade in London; and there are now some splendid shops of mercers

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e civility and forbearance above insisted on. He is not called upon, in such circumstances, to feel, speak, and act, as he would find himself in honour required to do in his private or absolutely personal capacity-in his own house, for instance, or in any public place where he mingled on a footing of equality with his fellow-citizens. Accordingly, there is such a general sense

, to inquire, as she said, for better and cheaper goods elsewhere, she found that a shower was falling, against which she had no protection. The tradesman, who had politely shown her to the door, observing her hesitate on the threshold at sight of the rain, requested her to wait a moment, and, stepping backwar

inest silks to be turned over, after which he coolly asked for a pennyworth of a certain splendid piece of satin. 'By all means,' said the discreet trader; 'allow me, Sir, to have your penny.' The coin was handed to him, and, taking up the piece of satin, and placing

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ness of manner. This, by disgusting the common sense and good taste of customers, may do as much harm as want of civility. A too pressing manner, likewise, does harm, by causing the customer to feel as if he were obliged to purcha