Advances. 67 



brought up from childhood to regard expediency as 

 the one principle by which to regulate his actions, 

 on suddenly finding himself, as an entire stranger 

 (for this is frequently the case), and without having 

 produced any security or guarantee whatever, 

 entrusted with a sum of money sufficient to support 

 himself in comparative ease and comfort for several 

 years, it appears a puzzle how " the advance 

 system " could ever have been allowed to attain 

 the proportions it has arrived at. It requires, how- 

 ever, but a short residence in the East to convince 

 the new comer that he will get only a little way 

 without having to conform to the universal practice. 

 Should you require a pair of boots, the maker 

 must have an advance before he sets to work ; a 

 coat made, and the tailor prefers the same demand. 

 In nine cases out of ten were the person receiving 

 the advance to abscond, he can with the utmost 

 ease place himself beyond the reach of apprehen- 

 sion. Let us suppose, for instance, a Ceylon planter 

 to have given a Kangany 100 rupees with which to 

 repair to Trichinoply, Madura, or even Mysore, 

 many hundred miles distant on the adjacent 

 continent, and there collect a gang of labourers, 

 what probability can there be, in the event of this 

 man's absconding, of his being arrested and brought 

 to justice ? unless, indeed, the planter himself 

 may possibly think it worth while to spend a 

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