Noble Tombs and Statues to the Memory of their Famous SeaCommanders; which is a certain Indication, that they are fenfible of the vaft Advantages, which accrues to 'em by their Shipping, and I heartily with we in this Nation were not lefs apprehenfive thereof, we should not fee fo many Eminent Perfons of competent Fortunes, fquander the fame away, becaufe they know not how to employ or improve 'em, and that caufed by their Parents looking on their Extract to be above the Sphere of Commerce. Indeed the ill Practices of fome Traders (efpecially the meaner Sort of Retailers) fuch as Lying and Cheating, are two great Caufes of bringing an Odium on that Name: But if it be confidered on the other Hand, that fuch Immoralities are not Eflential to Trade, and that there are many, and I hope the greater part, that may and do grow rich by Traffick, who make Juftice their Rule, and their Word a ftrict Obligation; then fuch Objections against Tradef men will feem vain and frivolous: But 'tis the Foreign Trade, or Merchandizing, that I would chiefly here perfwade fome of our Perfons of Quality to have a due Efteem of: Other Arts or Myfteries they ufually value, according to the Profoundnefs and Excellencies of their Nature, or elfe to the Advantages ufually attending them; for both which, the Employment of a Merchant is as valuable, as that of a Lawyer, Phyfician, or any other Profeffion whatsoever: For if the neceffary Perfections and Qualities of a truly accomplished Merchant be confidered with refpect to his Na-tural, Moral, and acquired Parts, it will place him (in the Opini-on of the Judicious) far above Contempt.

For fuch a Merchant, as to his Natural parts, muft have a quick. Apprehenfion, a folid Judgment, and a found Conftitution of Body; his Apprehenfion to capacitate him for the understanding all that great Myftery of his Honourable Calling; his Judgment to fecurehim from being eafily deceived and impofed on by thofe with whom he has Dealings, and a good Conftitution and Soundness of Body, that he may do Variety of Bufinefs in different Places in a

fhort Time.

His Morals muft likewife be no lefs evident; his Fortitude fuch as gives him an undaunted Courage to adventure his Eftate at Sea, notwithstanding all Dangers; and alfo to correfpond and difcourfe not only with Foreigners and Barbarians, but with Princes and Statefmen; and (in fhort) to infift on his Right from all Perfons in all Places whatfoever. And as his Fortitude must be great, fo his Pr

dences

dence fets Bounds thereto, that it neither Degenerate into Impudence nor Fool-hardinefs; for 'tis by this that a juft Ballance and a due Poize is kept in all his Actions this is the Pole-ftar that directs him how to fteer in his many Novel and Momentous Concerns; by this he firft fixes on the moft probable and fecure way of enriching himself, and the profecutes his Defigns by the moft proper Methods: This teaches him how to manage all his Domeitick Concerns according to the various Mutations of things abroad; and 'tis his Prudence, whereby his Importations, Exportations, Buying, Selling, Exchanging by Bills, Bartering, Accompts, and all his Dealings are fo ordered and carried on, as tend not only to his own, but the Intereft of Trade in general. And as his Prudence makes him act wifely, fo his Juftice makes him act honestly: This reftrains him from affirming a Commodity to be good, when 'tis bad, or Weight and Meafure when deficient; or if he does fo through Ignorance of fuch Defects, he fcruples not to make a proportionable Abatement. This alfo makes him punctual to his Word in all his Affairs, which procures and encreafeth his Credit; his Credit augmenteth the Bulk of Trade, and that Riches; and as an ingenious Author has it, The Merit of the Merchant is above all other Subjects; for while he is untouch'd in bis Credit, his Handwriting is a portable Coin for the Service of his Fellow-Citizen, and bis Word the Gold of Ophyr to the Country where be refides. This Merchant is not only accounted an honeft Man by his Neighbours, (which is fufficient for others) for his Character is well-known in Foreign Parts, as his Name or the Commodities de deals in; and by acquireing the Epithete of a Juft Man, he can carry on as great a Trade, as he, that wants that, can do with treble his Stock. And if we confider his Temperance, Gravity, and Affability, they are fuch as improve his fpacious Capacity and Intellect; the firft makes him able to perform the most intricate part of his Business at any time, whenever it occurs; the fecond makes him fuited to, and become his high and honourable Employment; and the third of an eafie Accefs, gains him Love and Affection, and makes all that knows him delight to deal with him.

And as this Merchant is thus qualified with refpect to his Natural Parts and Morals, fo his Acquired Parts are fuch as fit him for the Practice of that great and copious Undertaking, to perform it with Eafe and Satisfaction, and makes him a fit Correfpondent or Companion for the moft Noble or Judicious. To inftance in

fome

fome of the neceffary Accomplishments which properly denomi nate him a Merchant: He underftands not only the Language, and Cuftoms (with refpect to Trade) of the Place where he refides; but alfo thofe of fuch Parts of the World where he has any confiderable Traffick: He writes a fair and legible Hand, and the Matter in a good Style, for fatisfaction not only of Foreigners, who may not well understand his Dialect, but of Judges and Magiftrates (in Cafe of Conteft) who may be unacquainted with the Myfteries of Merchantile Concerns: He is likewife well verfed in Accounts, whereby he can do his business the shorteft and fureft Way And in Book-keeping, by Debtor and Creditor, which informs him with Eafe and Certainty how Matters ftand at any time with respect to Men, Money or Merchandize, and to Profit and Lofs, whether he goes forward or backward, grows Rich or Poor. He is likewife a good Proficient in Mathematical Learning, as in Geometry, by which he knows how to meafure Board, or Timber, or other Things, relating to his Trade, as guaging Wine and Oyl Veffels, &c. In Navigation, whereby he knows the Distance and Rombs leading to the moft noted Ports or Places of Trade which are of ufe to him in difcourfe and Agreements with Mafters of Ships, &c. In Geography, thereby to know the Situation of the moft remarkable Places of Traffick, what Commodities they produce, and alfo the Cuftoms, Subfidies and Impofitions paid upon Exportation or Importation, the Manner of buying and Selling, with the Value of their Coins, Weights and Measures. Add to all this the clear Notions he has of the great Myfteries of Exchange; the Reason of its Rifing and Falling, the Laws and Cuftoms ufed in Drawing, Accepting, Endorfing, and Protefting Bills of Exchange, and the Quantity made up for Sale, Quality and Ufe of the moft material and beft Commodities, together with the Political part of Trade, as the Intereft of all Countries, with respect to all Commodities, i. e. which are moft proper for, or are to be prohibited Exportation, or Importation in this or that Country, and many other things; which, fhould I particularize it would fwell this Epiftle beyond due proportion to the fubfequent Treatife; all which a compleat Merchant muft neceffarily be acquainted with, in order to the qualifying him for the judicious Performance of his own Business, and that of his Country in a Court of Merchants. So that we may well conclude with the fore-cited ingenious Author, That of this

[b]

Study,

Study, as well as others, it may be faid, There is Infinity in it, none, though of the largest Intellects and Experience, being able to fathom its utmost Depth.

The Book-keeping Part, I purposely abbreviated to prevent discouraging the Reader in his firft Attempts to acquire the Knowledge thereof, being very well affured many younger Learners have been confounded by the Multiplicity of Rules and Examples; for the feveral Entries in the Waffe-Book, Journal, and Ledger, and Ballancing, being numerous and prolix, make it next to impoffible they fhould have a juft Idea of the Tendency thereof: I have therefore for the fake of fuch made the Examples few, and the Rules for Posting and Ballancing plain and eafie to be apprehended; and for thofe who have acquired more Knowledge in this Art, I have given fuch Variety of Cafes and Rules as may be a help to their Memory, as well as a Guide to thofe who are not fo good Proficients; and had time permitted, I fhould have publifh'd a Treatife by it felf of Rules and Examples of the most mysterious Parts of Book-keeping. I muft affure, the Reader, that I have proceeded in compofing the following Pages, in the most Familiar, Rational and Copious Method I could think proper in this Treatife, and have endeavoured throughout the whole, to prevent Errour, and to explain those things moft clearly, which others have either but tranfiently touched, or wholly omitted.

B

T Numbers powerful, and barmonious Aid,
This fately Fabrick of the World was made.
The mighty Fiat was no fooner faid,
But tuneful Numbers readily obey'd

And the rude Chaos, Form and Beauty bad.
Since, to Mankind fubfervient they become,
And fuffer not that bis wild Fancy roam,
And when it erring ftrays, conduct it home.
By a long Series found of mighty use,
Humane Affairs, to Method to reduce.

By thefe, (after long Hazard, Toil, and Pains,
Th adventrous Merchant counts bis Lofs or Gains,
What is bis Charge, and what that Charge maintains.
By thefe, each Art, and Science, is made known,
And their dark Myfteries reveal'd and shewn.
By thefe, we Wars and Sieges undertake,
Great Conquefts gain, and brave Defences make.
By thefe we fadly count for a paft Life,
Made up of Labour, Sorrow, Care, and Strife.
By thefe, we compafs Earth, and Seas about,
By thefe, all's done, and nothing done without.
Tet, we were in Traditions dull Track got,
And this Age copy'd what a former wrote,
And talk'd thereof as Parrots do by rote.
But you, to fhow your Pity, and your Love,
Reafon and Practice make together move,
And a dull Age, as 'twere by Force improve.
Whilft others, poorly coaft along the Shoar,
By Reafon's Compass, you bave ventur'd o're,
And taught us foreign Truths unknown before.
Go on, but know, great Danger you must run,
Of Rocks call'd Criticks, you may fpilt upon;
I'll but this fhort Defcription of 'em mention,
They all things Damn for want of Apprehenfion.
But (for their Int'reft) let the Wife be kind,
By this they'll judge what fill remains behind
In the Rich Treafury of your Wealthy Mind.
[b 2]

}

P. Cleffold.