viii INTRODUCTION. 



for confiderable fums of money, when exe- 

 cuted with knowledge, fpirit, and pru- 

 dence : — but I know not of any bufinefs 

 v/herein thefe are not requifite. 



Having thus ventured to premife thefe 

 few circumftances I fhall now lay thefe 

 fheets before the reader, requeuing the fa- 

 vour of him not to condemn too haflily 

 thofe principles which may at firft appear 

 contradi(rtory to feme eftabliftied notions, 

 but which, on a little examination, may 

 be found neither inconfiftent with them- 

 felves, nor incompatible with even com- 

 mon management. If I have proved 



the points which in my fubjedt are of con- 

 fequence to be clearly known, I flatter 

 myfelf I have employed my time fome- 

 what to the benefit of the community. 

 One thing I mud be allowed to add, which 

 is — that I write merely from my own 

 ideas : — not one book ever yet publifhed 

 has furniflied me with a fmglc page. 



THE 



