LETTER XXXVIII. From a merchant at Leghorn, to a brother in London, desiring him to sell some goods and purchase others. Sir, ACCORDING to the agreement settled between us when I left England, I have sent, by the Charming Sally, Captain Johnson, twelve bales of raw silk, marked A Z, desiring you to dispose of them to the best advantage; they are warranted good, as I examined every parcel separately, before they were sent on board. You will receive an inclosed order for several different articles of British manufacture to be sent by the first ship sailing for this port. Let them be as good and cheap as possibly you can procure, as they are much wanted at present. I am, sir, your humble servant. Sir, You LETTER XXXIX. The answer. OURS I received, and the twelve bales, marked A Z, were delivered at the Custom-house. Iimmediately advertised them for sale at Garraway's, in twelve different lots, but they were all purchased by an eminent manufacturer in Spitalfields, for nine hundred and forty pounds, which I have lodged in the bank in your name. I have ⚫ likewise shipped on board the Despatch, Captain Hervey, the different articles which you ordered. There are twenty bales, marked B M. I am told they are the best that can be had in London, and doubt not of their giving satisfaction. I am, sir, your humble servant. LETTER XL. An urgent demand of payment. Mr. Thompson, HE exigence of my affairs compels me thus importunately, nay, peremptorily, to write to you. Can you' think it possible to carry on business in the manner you act by me? you know what promises you have made, and how, from time to time, you have broken them. Can I therefore you you depend upon any new ones make? if use others as you do me, how can you think of carrying on business? if you do not, what must I think of the man who deals worse by me than he does by others? if you think you can trespass more upon me, than you can on others, that is a very bad compliment to my prudence, or your own gratitude: for surely good usage should be entitled to the same in return. I know how to allow for disappointments as well as any man; but can a man be disappointed for ever? trade is so dependent a thing, that it cannot be carried on without mutual punctuality. Does not the merchant expect it from me for these very goods I send you? and can I make a return to him without receiving it from you? what can it answer to give you two years credit, and then be at an uncertainty, for goods which I sell at a small profit, and have only six months credit for myself? Indeed, sir, this will never do. I must be more punctually used by you, or else must deal as little punctually with others: and then what must be the consequence? In short, sir, I expect a handsome payment by the next return, and security for the remainder; as I am very loath to take any harsh measures to procure justice to myself, my family, and creditors. For I am, it be not your own fault, Your faithful friend and servant, LETTER XLI. if The answer. Sir, ACKNOWLEDGE with gratitude the lenity you have at all times shown, and my being obliged to disappoint I do assure you, you so often, gives me much uneasiness. sir, that I am not so ungrateful as my conduct has given you reason to believe. From the state of my accounts, you will find that the greatest part of my property is in the hands of country dealers, who, although they seldom fail, yet their times of payment are very precarious and uncertain. However, to convince you of my integrity, I have sent by this day's post an order for seventy pounds, and next week you shall receive one much larger. The remainder shall be sent in a very short time. I am determined, for the future, to make the rules laid down in your excellent letter, a guide in my dealings with those people, whose dilatori ness in making good their payments to me, obliged me to disappoint you and to convince you farther of grity, the goods which I order, till the old account is paid my inteoff, shall be for ready money. continue to treat me with the same good usage as formerI doubt not but you will ly, and believe me to be unfeignedly, Your obliged humble servant. LETTER XLII. . From a young person in trade, to a wholesale dealer who had suddenly made a demand on him, Sir, OUR demand coming very unexpectedly, I must con credit in this article used only to be four months; as it has been always the custom to allow at least two months more, I did not think you would have sent for it till that time, and consequently trusted to a practice so long established in trade. Sir, I beg you will not suppose it is any deficiency which hinders me from complying with your request, nor shall I ask any more than is usual. If you will be pleased to let your servant call this day three weeks for the one half of the sum, it shall be ready, and the remainder in a fortnight after. In the mean time, I beg that you willnot let any word slip concerning this, as very little will hurt a young beginner. Sir, you may take the greatest safety, that I will pay you as I have promised; my word with and if you have any reason to demand the money sooner, be pleased to let me know, that if I have it not I borrow it; for if I have lost credit with you, I hope I have not done so with all the world. may I am, sir, your humble servant. THE HERE is no person in the world, who could more willingly show every indulgence to a young beginner than myself, and I am extremely sorry to press you on the present occasion; but I have reasons: and although it is not al ways either fair or prudent to mention them, yet you will give me leave to ask the following question: whether you have any dealings with an usurer near Moorfields, and what is his name? if you give me satisfaction on this head, I shall not urge the demand I have made upon you sooner than the time you mention; but as it may be done at once, I expect your answer by the bearer, whom you well know, for he was, as he informs me, very lately your servant. .1 I assure you, sir, it is in consideration of the great opinion I have of your integrity, that I refer the payment of my demand to a simple answer to this question; but I fear that cannot be done. I am your friend and well-wisher. I LETTER XLIV. Soliciting the loan of money from a friend. Dear Sir, BELIEVE that ever since you first knew me you will be ready to acknowledge, that no person was ever more bashful in asking favours than myself. Indeed I have always considered it as more pleasing to an honest mind, to confer, than receive a favour: but an unexpected affliction in my family, obliges me to solicit your assistance, by the loan of about forty pounds, for six months; but on this condition, that you can spare it, without hurting yourself: for I would by no means choose that my friend should suffer in his. present circumstances in order to oblige me. Indeed, sir, I was some days engaged amongst my acquaintances to raise the money, before I could prevail with myself to ask it from you; and that I have now done it is from a principle far more noble than any lucrative motive; nor indeed would I have asked it at all, were I not morally certain of paying it at the time proposed. I hope this will not give any offence, and as I said before, if it is any way inconvenient, let me beg that you will refuse it. I am, sir, Yours with the greatest sincerity. Dear Sir, LETTER XLV. The answer. letter; and had I known that my worthy friend had been in the want of the sum mentioned, I should never have put his unaffected modesty to the blush, by suffering him to ask it no, sir, the offer should have come from myself. However the sum is sent by the bearer, but let me beg, that if you consider me really as your friend, that you will suit the payment to your own circumstances, without being confined to a particular time, and not only so, but that you will likewise command my assistance in every thing else wherein I can serve you. But lest you think me strictly formal, I have hereby given you leave to draw on me to the amount of two hundred pounds, or for any less sum, to be paid as is most suitable to your circumstances. I am, sir, your sincere friend. LETTER XLVI. From a tenant to a landlord, excusing delay of payment. Sir, 15 1 HAVE been your tenant above ten years in the house where now live, and you know that I have never failed to pay my rent quarterly when due. At present I am extremely sorry to inform you, that from a variety of losses and disappointments, I am under the necessity of begging that you will indulge me one quarter longer. By that time I hope to have it in my power to answer your just demand, and the favour shall be ever gratefully acknowledged by your Sir, IT Obedient humble servant.. LETTER XLVII. The answer. T was never my design to oppress you. I have had long trial of your honesty, and therefore you may rest perfectly satisfied concerning your present request. No demand shall |