*793* hints on domestic economy. 187 



'1 he main drift of all my advices, is to prevent those 

 disti-efies which are now so frequent among tradesmen. 

 Our papers are crowded with bankrupts, and the greatest 

 part of them young ones, a circumstance wliich to me 

 appears alarming in the following point of view. As the 

 old must soon die, whom ihall we find to succeed them^ 

 and keep up the spirit of trade in this coantry ? If ex- 

 travagance, folly, and levity, are the characteristics of 

 you tradesmen, where (hall we find proper succefsors 

 to those eminent characters, who from small beginnings, 

 much smaller, gentlemen, than some of you have begun 

 with, have risen to be heads of their several profefsions, 

 and who have been dignified with those great offices and 

 honours that are conferred on distinguifhed probity and 

 worth ? On your conduct now, therefore, much depends 

 on a national view of the matter. It is not the man who 

 makes a long speech to the populace, and catches the ap- 

 plause of the vulgar by an aftected contempt of courts, 

 and places which in fact he wifhes to have, that is to be 

 accounted a patriot : for repeated experience has convin- 

 ced us, that such men are no better than impostors. No, 

 you, gcmlemen, are the patriots of this nation. It is you 

 who are expected to support her glory, by preserving the 

 spirit 01 generous commerce ; it is you who, while you 

 enrich yourselves, pour v^'ealth into your country, provide 

 for the industrious poor, and make your nation courted 

 by all others as a commercial nation. 



A tradesman who has raised a petty fhop, by slow in- 

 dustry and probity, to a capital warehouse, and whose 

 .character adds consequence to the name of a Britilh mer- 

 chant, he is the true patriot. Those will be happy that 

 are under him j and from superior ranks eyed with plea- 

 sure. Look round and mark the potency of a great name, 

 a nam., raised by probity, industry, and honour, to rank 

 and munificence. See what power that man has — what 

 confidence the world outs in such men ; and 



