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 wages, 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 
