THE GUN, AND HOW TO CHOOSE IT. 61 



The reason of this superiority of the London makers, 

 is easy to be discovered. London concentrates the largest 

 number of the wealthiest men and the best sportsmen and 

 judges, consequently of the largest and best buyers in the 

 kingdom, probably in the world — men who will have noth- 

 ing but what is the best, and will have the best, whatever 

 it may cost. 



Therefore, the most ambitious, enterprising, intelligent, 

 best, master-gunmakers make London their head-quarters; 

 they, finding that nothing but the best work will do, and 

 that for it they can realize the best prices, must have the 

 best workmen' to execute that work, and, to have the men, 

 must pay the best prices, and do so. 



Hence the most intelligent and best mechanics are con- 

 stantly drawn from the provinces to the metropolis ; and 

 so soon as any one becomes known as a fine craftsman in 

 any division of the work, he is sought for, and knowing that 

 he can command larger wages in London, beside a wider 

 sphere of fame, than he can in his province, at once moves 

 thither ; for it needs not to premise that no man works 

 for small wan-es, who can command large, for the same 

 amount of labor. 



Hence, London work is necessarily, naturally, and by 

 admission of the most competent judges, the best ; and 

 comparatively, that of the highest reputed and highest 

 priced London makers is the best of London work. For, 

 although we may say fashion has much to do with it, very 

 few men of the very richest — unless they chance to be 

 natural fools — will prefer giving sixty to forty guineas for 

 any article of purchase, unless they honestly believe the 



