B O O'K - K E E P I N G. 
20 .). 
By the foregoing method, a complete ftateme'nt of a 
Ik op keeper’s affairs is attained, with hardly any more la¬ 
bour than is ufually bellowed on the books of this defcrip- 
tion of traders, but which, for want of a fyitematic ar¬ 
rangement, are incapable of affording them the necelfary 
information. In order, however, that no benefit of the 
Italian method may be loll, a concife mode of analyfing 
the Goods’ account is Subjoined, by which the fhopkeeper 
will at all times be able to fee what is tine amount on hand 
of any particular fort of goods, how much lie has turned 
in that article, and whether the profit upon the fales is a 
fufficient equivalent for the capital inverted in it, and for 
the lofs likely to be fuftained from the change of fafhion, 
or any other contingency ; and of courfe to be enabled to 
determine whether it is worth his while to continue to deal 
in the article. It is to be obferved, that this analyfis is 
by no means to be conlldered as a part of the general fyf- 
rem, but is merely offered to fuel) perfons as may think 
its objects worth the additional trouble it will occafion. It 
may neverthelefs be adopted as part of the fyflem, in 
which cafe the reference column in the Bought Day-book 
may be omitted ; or it may be kept as a private check upon 
that column, which indeed would be an objedl of confi- 
derable utility. It is entitled Goods Leger ; and like other 
Legers it is to be provided with an Index. An account is 
opened foreach fpeciesof Goods in which dealings are had, 
*nd which are included in the Goods’ columns of the Day¬ 
books. 
The polling from the Bought Day-book is as fliort as 
poflible, without other reference than the numbers of the 
articles which are inferted in the frjl Column, and the 
prime cod in the fecond. The number of the page of the 
Sold Day-book is inferted in the 3d column, and the prime; 
coll in the 4th, when the article is difpofed of: the 3th 
Contains the Aim for which it was fold, confequently the 
difference between the 2d and 4th columns (hews the 
amount of the articles on hand, and the difference between 
the 4th and 5th finews the profit on the fales. The total 
of the differences of the refpedlive columns of all the ac- 
#ounts in this Leger mud agree with thofe of the general 
Goods’ account. The following Specimen is formed from 
the fame materials with that of the Bought Day-book. 
GOODS LEGER. 
TOOTHPICK CASES. 
No. 
Co ft 
Refer. 
Sold 
For 
117 
O 
18 
0 
2 7 
0 
18 
b 
[ 1 
I 
0 
118 
I 
I 
0 1 
PATCH BOXES. 
No. 
S Coft 
i 
Refer. 
Sold 
For 
119 
0 
0 
• 
2 7 
O 
•4 
0 
0 
18 
0 
RINGS. 
No. 
Coir 
Refer. 
Sold 
For 
12° 
1 14 
1 
18 
0 
The above improved fyilem of Book-keeping by double 
entry, is the prodmTion of Mr. John Richter, jun. of 
Rondom—Many attempts have been made, and feveral 
plans luggelled, with a view to fuperfede the neceifity of 
keeping accounts by double entry; but we think, hitherto 
without fucceis, A method ot Book-keeping by a new 
kind of double entry, has alio been lately ufhered into 
the world, under the fan£lion of letters patent, and call¬ 
ed, The Znglijh Syjlem of Book-keeping, hy Edward Thomas 
Jones, of Briftol ; who gives an. explanation of it in the 
following words: “ I the (aid Edward Thomas Jones, do 
hereby declare, that my invention is deferibed in manner 
following ; that is to fay, The Engliih fyfiem of book¬ 
keeping requires three books, called a day-book or journal, 
an alphabet , and a leger, which muff be ruled after the fol¬ 
lowing deferibed method, viz. the day-book to have three 
columns on each page, for receiving the amount of the 
tranfactions; one column of which to receive the amount 
ot debits and credits, one column to receive the debits 
only ; or it may be ruled with only two columns on each 
page, one column to receive the amount of the debits, and 
one column to receive the amount of the credi's. There 
mult alfo be, on each page of the day-book, four other 
columns ruled, two on the left iide next the amount of 
the debits, and two on the right iide, next the amount of 
the credits, for receiving the letter or mark of porting, and 
the page of the leger to which each amount is to be ported. 
The alphabet need not be ruled at all, but mud contain 
the name of every account in the leger, the letter that is 
annexed to it as a mark of porting, and the page of the- 
leger. The leger muft be ruled with three, four, five, or 
(even, columns on each page, as may be moil agreeable, 
for receiving the amounts of the different tranfairtions en¬ 
tered in the day-book; and the procefs for ufing the'fe 
books, or making up books of accounts on this plan, is as 
follows. When a perfon enters into trade, whether by 
himfelf or with co-partners, he muft have an account open¬ 
ed with, himfelf in the leger; entering firft in the day-book, 
and then to the credit of his account in the leger, the a- 
mount of the property lie advances into trade : the account 
may be headed either with his name only, or elfe called 
his ftoch-account. If you buy goods, give the perfon credit 
of whom you purchafe : when you fell goods, debit the 
perfon to whom faid goods are fold. If you pay money, 
debit the perfon to whom paid, not only for what you pay, 
but alfo for any difeount or abatement he may allow, and 
give tiie caihi'er credit for the neat amount paid. If you 
receive money, credit the perfon of whom you receive it, 
not only for what he pays, but alfo for any difeount or 
abatement you may allow, and debit the calfiier for the 
neat amount received ; taking care in thefe entries to have 
nothing myfterious or obicure, but merely a plain narra¬ 
tive of the fact, introducing not one iingle ulelefs word, 
and avoiding every technical termor phrafe, except the 
words debit and credit, which are full and compreheniive, 
and the only terms that are applicable to every traufacEon, 
and may be affixed to every entry. But, as a hurry of 
buiinefs will fometimes take place in almoft every count- 
ing-houfe, which may caufe the entries to be made to the 
debit inftead of the credit of an account in the day-bcok, 
and to the credit inftead of the debit, I have endeavoured, 
as much as poflible, to counteract the evil, by having only 
one column for receiving the amount of every tranfaEEon, 
whether debits or credits, at the inftant of making the en¬ 
try ; and, for the convenience of feparating the debits 
from the credits, previous to porting, which is necelfary 
to prevent confnlion and perplexity, I have two other co¬ 
lumns on the fame page ; that on the left iide into which 
the amount of every dehit muft be carefully entered, and 
that on the right for the amount of tiie credits; which 
column muft be cart up once’a'month. The column of 
debits and credits of it'felf forming one amount; the co¬ 
lumn for the debits producing a fecond amount; and the 
column of credits a third amount; which fecond and third 
amounts, added together, muft exactly agree with the 
firft amount, or the work is not done right. By tins means 
the man of buiinefs may obtain monthly fuch a itatement 
of his affairs, as will (hew how much he owes for that 
month, and how much is owing to him ; and the debits 
being added together for any given time, with the value 
of the flock of goods on hand, will, When the amount of 
the credit is iubtradted therefrom, flievv the profits of the 
trade. I Ihall now proceetj to the procefs of porting; 
which 
