questioned by any who reflect that those ingenious artists have provided such elegant articles of the most necessary sort, that, although we are ashamed to name their uses, we are proud to exhibit their decorations.

way

I have thus endeavoured to comply with my correspondent's hint in the which he seems to recommend. Of the utility of the plan I can have no doubt; and I have endeavoured to obviate such objections as seem likely to be started; there may be others which I cannot foresee, but which, if conveyed to me, I shall be very happy to take into consideration. Whether the plan be practicable, is another question, which does not belong to my province. There appears to be no physical impossibility in the way; but there are so many obstructions which may be offered by those who stand up for undefined and undefinable rights of conversation, and privileges of the tongue, that perhaps it will never be easy to propose any plan of this kind which will not be loudly opposed. I am an enemy, however, to disputes in conversation; and, if I happen to hear any improper remarks, or hostile objections made to this paper, in any company where I have the honour to be admitted, I shall certainly take the liberty to call for pen and ink.

THE PROJECTOR. No 44.

NOTANDI sunt tibi mores.

HOR. Art. Poet.

May 1805.

T

It has been remarked, that most of the great projects by which mankind have been benefited, were owing rather to accident than design. This circumstance the enemies of our art have somewhat impertinently advanced, in order to lessen the credit of Projectors, and represent them as a set of men who are more indebted to chance than to ability. But, although I am willing to confess that, in my own case, I am frequently indebted to what men call chance, for the topics of these my lucubrations; yet I hope I may be allowed some small share of merit, in turning to advantage what in other hands might have remained entirely unproductive. Of this my present Paper will furnish an instance, for its birth and being were owing to an accidental visit to an eminent merchant in the city, whose servant requesting me to sit

down in the parlour until his master should be dressed, I was under the necessity of amusing myself a longer time than I at first wished, by looking into the gentleman's library. In this I happened to take up a Dictionary of Commerce, and there, under the article Book-keeping, found it stated, that " Book-keeping is the art by which mercantile transactions are first recorded in an accurate and authentic manner, and afterwards arranged in such a regular and systematic mode, as to enable the details and result of all the transactions, jointly and separately, to be ascertained with ease and accuracy." It was farther said, that "The books of a merchant should contain every particular relative to his transactions, and the state of his affairs: they should show the profit or loss on each particular transaction, as well as the general result of the whole;" and the passage concluded with the following panegyric upon the art of BOOK-KEEPING: "An art which accomplishes so necessary an object will certainly be allowed to be of the first importance to the mercantile world in general, and of course, must engage their particular attention; for it may truly from experience be said, that the property of a merchant or trader rests greatly on the regularity and correctness of his accounts; it is

from such regularity he is enabled to ascertain how far the business he is engaged in is advantageous, at the same time that it is an assistant to his prudence in his various transactions; for, if a merchant cannot daily see the state of his several accounts, does he not expose his credit and capital at a venture? and may it not be asserted, that from such negligence or inattention the first characters have been ruined ?" The Author afterwards proceeds to instruct his readers in all the details of the art of Bookkeeping, and explains the nature and uses of the several books to be kept; particularly the three principal ones, the Waste-book, Journal, and Ledger. But as these are matters with which, perhaps, most of my readers are better acquainted than myself, I shall transcribe no farther on the subject; but, after my interview with the merchant, what I had read occupied my attention, and I have built thereon a Project, which appears to me of great im portance.

After considering the wisdom, accuracy, and correctness, by which mercantile concerns are arranged, and that it is by means of this art of Book-keeping that credit, reputation, and opulence are acquired, and that the want of it implies danger, and most frequently ends in bank

ruptcy; it occurred to me that much mischief had arisen in the world from confining such a system of correctness and precision to one class of men, while others, to whom it might be easily accessible, were going on every day, and in various ways, to absolute ruin for want of it. From such premises I should have ill deserved the name of Projector, had I delayed a moment in recommending my present plan; which is simply, that all classes of men, however distinct in popular opinion, should borrow from each other what appears to be mutually advantageous. And pushing this idea a little farther, it occurred to me that one of the best Projects ever devised, would be to persuade MEN of PLEASURE to study the art of Book-keeping, as practised by MEN of BUSINESS.

That this Project was no sooner announced, and that it was reserved for me to be its Author, are circumstances on which I might, perhaps, dilate with a prolixity tending to vanity, a thing very unbecoming in Projectors. I shall rather, therefore, wave for a moment the consideration of what may be due to myself on this occasion, and observe, that in former times such a Project might be less necessary. There is some reason to think that in former times pleasure was considered by very few as business,