It may be neceffary to fuggeft to the trader a particular caution against infringing the Sabbath. Let him not imitate those among his brethren who make it a mere day of pleasure and conviviality; or who, being prevented by eftablished cuftom from opening their counting-houses and shops, fhew by employing it in cafting up books and writing letters on bufinefs, that principle would not detain them from their ordinary occupation. A flrict attention to the proper duties of the seventh day, in addition to the daily duties of religion, is not more than fufficient to teach him who is en gaged during the fix days in "laying up trea"fure on earth," "that his firft concern is to In felecting the perfons with whom he connects himself in partnership, while the trader reflects, that one ignorant, careless, or adventurous man may impair the credit and bring on the ruin of his affociates; let him not undervalue the danger to which his own prin ciples may be expofed by continual intercourfe with a man of immoral character. Let him remem remember too, that the character of the perfons whom he felects to be his friends and the companions of his leisure hours, will have a manifeft effect, not only, as has been already mentioned, on his credit, but alfo on his manners and private conduct. The intimacies of a trader are commonly formed on mercantile principles. He is apt to affociate chiefly with men engaged in commerce, with brokers, customers, and others, by whofe inftrumentality he may gain money; and to affociate with them not merely from fimilarity of purfuits, and the neceffary connections of business, but from an habitual attention to profit, and a folicitude to turn even the moments of relaxation to pecuniary advantage. Through the influence of lurking avarice, he is prone to confider little, either the religious, moral, or mental qualities of his acquaintance, except as far as they may be likely to make him poorer. And through the fame influence he fometimes renders himself defervedly unhappy through life, by making wealth and lucrative connections the grand object of matrimonial engagements. It frequently happens that men over-rate the good which they have done; and perhaps it is equally common for them to have confidered too little the good which they might have done. The fervices which a perfon engaged in a liberal line of trade or business may render to the public by an upright discharge of the duties of his occupation, and a diligent attention to the opportunities of usefulness which it affords, are not fufficiently regarded. He who purfues his employment for its proper ends; and conducts himself on principles of equity and benevolence; who fcrupulously obeys the precepts of religion, and the laws of his country; who feeks no unfair or unreafonable advantages, nor takes them even when they obtrude themselves upon him for acceptance; who withstands pernicious combinations, and daṛes even to fet the example of breaking dishoneft and difingenuous customs; who joins opennefs to prudence, and beneficence to frugality; who fhews himself candid to his rivals, modest in fuccefs, and cheerful under difappointments; and who adorns his profeffional knowledge with the various açquifitions of an enlarged and cultivated under ftanding, standing, is a benefactor to his country and to mankind. His example and his influence operate at once on the circle in which he moves, and gradually extend themfelves far and wide. Others who have been witneffes of his proceedings and his virtues, imitate them both; and become the centres of improvement to additional circles. Thus a broad foundation is laid for purifying trade from the real flains which it has contracted, and of refcuing it from the difgraceful imputations with which it is undefervedly charged. And it is thus that even a single individual may contribute in no fmall degree to produce a moral revolution in the commercial character, We may now proceed to illuftrate fome of the general principles and observations which have been laid down, by applying them to the conduct of bankers, merchants, factors or agents, and manufacturers, confidered under distinct heads; and to fubjoin such remarks in their proper places as, in confequence of their referring chiefly or entirely to one of the above-mentioned claffes of men, could not be diftinctly diftinctly introduced in the former part of this chapter. There are two points concerning which I would briefly explain my intentions before I enter upon this investigation. Perfons who are ranged under one of the above-mentioned heads, occafionally practise the business of thofe who are ftationed under another. The banker and the merchant, for example, in tranfacting business for other perfons, often act as agents; and the great manufacturer frequently treads almoft in the steps of the merchant. But I fhall feldom detain the reader by anticipating or by repeating admonitions, however applicable to the persons immediately under confideration, which may be found by turning a few pages forward or backward, though applied in those pages to men of a different defcription. Neither shall I attempt to enumerate the vast variety of particular duties, and of particular temptations, occurring in the courfe of business to thofe who are engaged in any of the employments of which I am about to fpeak; but shall con tent |