442 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



work at a much less cost than they do in New York, which, of 

 course, is some recommendation to every one, provided it is equally 

 good; and this one circumstance is perhaps sufficient to account 

 for the many orders which the Philadelphia gunsmiths receive 

 from New York sportsmen. 



We have handled many fine guns, fresh from the hands of the 

 gunmakers of our city, and no doubt there are many persons 

 ready to say they have seen as many bad ones. In this particular 

 the respectable mechanics of America difier from those of Eng- 

 land. With us, they turn out good, bad, and indifi"erent work 

 every day, calculated to suit the requirements of trade, or rather 

 the tastes and purses of their customers; whereas those of the 

 old country — we mean those of some reputation — have but one 

 style of doing business, and that is, all that comes from their shops 

 is as perfect as it can be made, and the sending forth of one bad 

 piece of workmanship would not unfrequently be attended with 

 heavy loss, if not perhaps professional ruin. In matters of sport- 

 ing the English are extremely particular, and consequently are 

 less disposed to forgive or forget a piece of negligence on the part 

 of a gunsmith than any other mechanic, as such negligence or 

 slighting of work is often attended with serious results, in the 

 maiming or perhaps untimely death of some one of their number, 

 perhaps from among a large circle of influential sporting friends, 

 whose patronage alone is sufficient to make a fortune, — at all events, 

 quite strong enough to create or destroy the professional reputation 

 of any gunsmith in the country whose character as a mechanic is 

 not already well and deservedly established. 



