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part of the morning was always wanted to dispel the fumes of the wine. Whoever, therefore, called on him before nine, was desired to call again; and, when he rose, so many matters waited for him, as directly threw him into a flutter; so that, from his first rising till dinner time, he was in one continued ferment. At dinner, which always occupied a considerable time (that he might recover himself from the fatigue he had undergone) all his tabletalk was, how heavy his business lay on his hands, and what pains he took in it! The hearty meal, and the time he indulged himself at table, begot an inappetency for any more business for that short afternoon; so all that could be deferred was put off till next morning. Longed-for evening approaching, he flies to his usual solace-empties his bottle by eleven-retires home to bed—is invisible till the next morning at nine; and, then rising, enters on his usual hurry and confusion. Thus did his life seem, to those who saw him in his business, one constant scene of fatigue; though he scarce ever applied four regular hours to it in any one day. Whereas, had he risen only at seven in the morning, he would have got all his business over by noon; and those two hours, from seven till 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 example, directed them in the business of the day, inspected his books, wrote to his dealers, and put every thing in so regular a train, that whatever occurred during the reinainder of the day, would rather have served to divert than fatigue him. To cut my story short, the event of the business was, that meeting with some disappointments and losses (as all traders must expect, and ought to provide for) and his customers not seeing him in the shop so much as they expected, and when there, always

in

in a disobliging petulant hurry; his business, by these means, dwindled insensibly away and not being able to go out of his usual course, which impaired both his capacity and ardour for business, his creditors began to look about them, and he was compelled to enter into the state of his affairs; when he had the mortification to find a balance of two thousand pounds against him. This was a shocking case to himself, but more so to his family: his wife had lived, and his children been educated, in such a manner, as induced them to believe 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 on a charitable foundation, which afforded him a bare subsistence for himself; his children were dispersed, different ways, into low spheres of life; and his wife returned to her friends; to be reprimanded and reflected on by her family for faults not her own.

This example will afford several hints to a young tradesman, which are too obvious to need expatiating upon. As I always found you in a hurry when' I called on you, I could not but suggest these remarks to you; lest you should not proportion your time to your business, but defer to the next hour what ought to be done in the present, and so not keep your business properly under. Next to diligence, method is every thing in business: and you will, by adopting a regular one, always be calm and unruffled, and have time to bestow in your shop with your customers; but this is not to be done by the inan who 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 affectionate Uncle.

From

From an Aunt to her Niece, containing Instructions to judge of Proposals of Marriage.

DEAR HANNAH,

THE friendship I had for your mother, and the unlimited confidence she always placed in me, will make me ever anxious for the welfare of her family; you will therefore pardon me if I sometimes presume to offer you my advice. Not that I pretend to be wiser than you; but my years and experience have taught me many things which you have not yet had an opportunity of learning; and even should the precepts I am going to lay down, prove of no service, they can do you no injury. You are now in London, where your personal charms and mental endowments cannot fail procuring you admirers, and the number is sure to be increased when your character is publicly known. Your business will be to distinguish between such as make love to your person, and those who only court you for the sake of your fortune. You will find some difficulty in doing this, without the assistance of some maturer heads than your own; therefore make your guardian your confidant in this case, and turn a deaf ear to the insinuations of people who often make themselves busy where they are not wanted, and are, perhaps, the tools of sharpers and fortune-hunters-the betrayers of female innocence. According to the general custom of these gentry, it may be represented to you, "that some gentleman of importance is deeply smitten with you-that he has seen you at some public place, and is impatient for an opportunity of declaring his passion that he is unwilling to make any overtures to your guardian, till he knows what reception he shall meet with from yourself that your guardian may, probably, raise

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some groundless objections that, having daughters of his own, he may wish to see them disposed of first-that your fortune being in his hands, he may have occasion for it in trade, and, consequently be unwilling to part with it-that it wouid, therefore, be improper to trust your guardian with the secret, till, by seeing the person proposed, you had formed an opinion of your own that, after all, it was at your own option, either to admit of or decline his offers and that there could be no harm in receiving a letter from the gentleman, if it should seem improper to grant him a personal interview." Discountenance, with disdain, such officious meddlers, and assure them that you are positively determined to listen to no propostions, however seemingly advantageous, otherwise than with the knowledge and approbation of your guardian or other judicious friends, who, you may be assured, have your happiness at heart. Such a conduct as this will make the busy interveners desist from their designs on you, if they have any sense of shame; and you will be convinced that such persons are undeserving your acquaintance. By such a conduct you will not lose one lover, who is worthy of the name; for, if he is sincere in his pretensions, he will readily consent to apply to your guardian; and will like you the better for your discretion. If he declines his suit, you may conclude that his designs were base; and you will have reason to rejoice that you were deaf to his artful insinuations. If, without the assistance of a go-between, a young fellow should presume to send you letters, without first making a regular application to your guardian, do you get some friend to write to him in a manner similar to the following-but be sure not to write yourself:

SIR,

SIR,

I AM to inform you, that Miss G thinks herself obliged to every one who has a good opinion of her; but she begs you will not give yourself, or her, the trouble of any more letters; for she is so circumstanced as to have neither power nor inclination to encourage your addresses.

I am, Sir, your humble servant,

Unknown.

Should a proposal be made in this manner, which you think deserves some attention; your plan will be to rebuke the attempt as a clandestine proceeding; which you may do by getting some friend to write to him to the following purport:

SIR,

IT may not be improper to inform you, that Miss G is happy in having a friend of probity and experience in Mr. M, who is her guardian; and without whose advice she undertakes nothing of consequence. You will, therefore, naturally conclude, that she will not admit of any proposals of moment, except what come through the medium of his approbation.

I am, Sir, your's, &c..

Thus, my dear Hannah (emboldened by your good opinion of me) I have endeavoured to give you such instructions as may soon be serviceable to you; and I doubt not but you will pay a proper attention to what I have said, since you know it comes from the heart of one who will always be solicitous for your welfare.*

I am,

Your faithful and affectionate Aunt.

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