There is scarce anything more common than animosities
between parties that cannot subsist but by their
agreement: this was well represented in the sedition of
the members of the human body in the old Roman fable.
It is often the case of lesser confederate states against a (10)
superior power, which are hardly held together, though
their unanimity is necessary for their common safety; and
this is always the case of the landed and trading interest
of Great Britain: the trader is fed by the product of the
land, and the landed man cannot be clothed but by the (15)
skill of the trader; and yet those interests are ever
jarring.
We had last winter an instance of this at our club, in
Sir Roger de Coverley and Sir Andrew Freeport, between
whom there is generally a constant, though friendly, opposition
of opinions. It happened that one of the company,
in an historical discourse, was observing that Carthaginian
faith was a proverbial phrase to intimate breach of leagues.
Sir Roger said it "could hardly be otherwise; that the (180: 5)
Carthaginians were the greatest traders in the world, and
as gain is the chief end of such a people, they never
pursue any other,--the means to it are never regarded.
They will, if it comes easily, get money honestly; but if
not, they will not scruple to attain it by fraud, or cozenage. (10)
And, indeed, what is the whole business of the trader's
account, but to overreach him who trusts to his memory?
But were that not so, what can there great and noble be
expected from him whose attention is forever fixed upon
balancing his books, and watching over his expenses? (15)
And at best let frugality and parsimony be the virtues of
the merchant, how much is his punctual dealing below a
gentleman's charity to the poor, or hospitality among his
neighbours?"
Captain Sentry observed Sir Andrew very diligent in (20)
hearing Sir Roger, and had a mind to turn the discourse,
by taking notice, in general, from the highest to the lowest
parts of human society, there was "a secret though
unjust way among men of indulging the seeds of ill-nature
and envy by comparing their own state of life to that of (25)
another, and grudging the approach of their neighbour to
their own happiness: and on the other side, he who is the
less at his ease, repines at the other who, he thinks, has
unjustly the advantage over him. Thus the civil and
military lists look upon each other with much ill-nature:
the soldier repines at the courtier's power, and the courtier
rallies the soldier's honour; or, to come to lower
instances, the private men in the horse and foot of an
army, the carmen and coachmen in the city streets, mutually (181: 5)
look upon each other with ill-will, when they are in
competition for quarters or the way, in their respective
motions."[132]
[132] _I.e_. the soldiers competing for quarters, the carmen and
coachmen for right of way in the narrow streets.
"It is very well, good captain," interrupted Sir Andrew;
"you may attempt to turn the discourse if you think fit; (10)
but I must, however, have a word or two with Sir Roger,
who, I see, thinks he has paid me off, and been very severe
upon the merchant. I shall not," continued he, "at this
time remind Sir Roger of the great and noble monuments
of charity and public spirit which have been erected by (15)
merchants since the Reformation, but at present content
myself with what he allows us,--parsimony and frugality.
If it were consistent with the quality of so ancient a baronet
as Sir Roger to keep an account, or measure things
by the most infallible way, that of numbers, he would (20)
prefer our parsimony to his hospitality. If to drink so
many hogsheads is to be hospitable, we do not contend
for the fame of that virtue; but it would be worth while
to consider whether so many artificers at work ten days
together by my appointment, or so many peasants made (25)
merry on Sir Roger's charge, are the men more obliged?
I believe the families of the artificers[133] will thank me more
than the households of the peasants shall Sir Roger. Sir
Roger gives to his men, but I place mine above the necessity
or obligation of my bounty. I am in very little pain
for the Roman proverb upon the Carthaginian traders; the (182: 5)
Romans were their professed enemies. I am only sorry
no Carthaginian histories have come to our hands; we
might have been taught, perhaps, by them some proverbs
against the Roman generosity, in fighting for and bestowing
other people's goods. But since Sir Roger has taken (10)
occasion from an old proverb to be out of humour with
merchants, it should be no offence to offer one not quite
so old in their defence. When a man happens to break[134]
in Holland, they say of him that 'he has not kept true
accounts.' This phrase, perhaps, among us would appear (15)
a soft or humorous way of speaking; but with that exact
nation it bears the highest reproach. For a man to be
mistaken in the calculation of his expense, in his ability
to answer future demands, or to be impertinently[135] sanguine
in putting his credit to too great adventure, are all (20)
instances of as much infamy as, with gayer nations, to be
failing in courage or common honesty.
[133] Workmen, mechanics.
[134] To fail, become bankrupt.
[135] Unwarrantably.
"Numbers are so much the measure of everything that
is valuable, that it is not possible to demonstrate the success
of any action, or the prudence of any undertaking, (25)
without them. I say this in answer to what Sir Roger
is pleased to say, that 'little that is truly noble can be
expected from one who is ever poring on his cashbook or
balancing his accounts.' When I have my returns from
abroad, I can tell to a shilling by the help of numbers the
profit or loss by my adventure; but I ought also to be
able to show that I had reason for making it, either from (183: 5)
my own experience or that of other people, or from a
reasonable presumption that my returns will be sufficient
to answer my expense and hazard: and this is never to be
done without the skill of numbers. For instance, if I am
to trade to Turkey, I ought beforehand to know the demand (10)
of our manufactures there, as well as of their silks
in England, and the customary prices that are given for
both in each country. I ought to have a clear knowledge
of these matters beforehand, that I may presume upon
sufficient returns to answer the charge of the cargo I have (15)
fitted out, the freight and assurance out and home, the
custom to the queen,[136] and the interest of my own money,
and besides all these expenses, a reasonable profit to
myself. Now what is there of scandal in this skill?
What has the merchant done that he should be so little (20)
in the good graces of Sir Roger? He throws down no
man's enclosure, and tramples upon no man's corn; he
takes nothing from the industrious labourer; he pays the
poor man for his work; he communicates[137] his profit with
mankind; by the preparation of his cargo, and the manufacture (25)
of his returns, he furnishes employment and subsistence
to greater numbers than the richest nobleman;
and even the nobleman is obliged to him for finding out
foreign markets for the produce of his estate, and for
making a great addition to his rents:[138] and yet it is certain
that none of all these things could be done by him
without the exercise of his skill in numbers.
[136] The tariff, or duty.
[137] Shares.
[138] Returns, income.
"This is the economy of the merchant; and the conduct (184: 5)
of the gentleman must be the same, unless by
scorning to be the steward, he resolves the steward shall
be the gentleman. The gentleman, no more than the
merchant, is able, without the help of numbers, to account
for the success of any action, or the prudence of any (10)
adventure. If, for instance, the chase is his whole adventure,
his only returns must be the stag's horns in the
great hall and the fox's nose upon the stable door.
Without doubt Sir Roger knows the full value of these
returns; and if beforehand he had computed the charges (15)
of the chase, a gentleman of his discretion would certainly
have hanged up all his dogs; he would never have
brought back so many fine horses to the kennel; he
would never have gone so often, like a blast, over fields
of corn. If such, too, had been the conduct of all his (20)
ancestors, he might truly have boasted, at this day, that
the antiquity of his family had never been sullied by a
trade; a merchant had never been permitted with his
whole estate to purchase a room for his picture in the
gallery of the Coverley's, or to claim his descent from the (25)
maid of honour. But 'tis very happy for Sir Roger that
the merchant paid so dear for his ambition. 'Tis the
misfortune of many other gentlemen to turn out of[139] the
seats of their ancestors to make way for such new masters
as have been more exact in their accounts than themselves;
and certainly he deserves the estate a great deal
better who has got it by his industry, than he who has
lost it by his negligence." T. (185: 5)
[139] To vacate, be turned out of.