The late Mr. Grenville observed, in the House of Commons, "That commerce
tended to corrupt the morals of a people." If we examine the expression,
we shall find it true in a certain degree, beyond which, it tends to
improve them.

Perhaps every tradesman can furnish out numberless instances of small
deceit. His conduct is marked with a littleness, which though allowed by
general consent, is not strictly just. A person with whom I have long
been connected in business, asked, if I had dealt with his relation,
whom he had brought up, and who had lately entered into commercial life.
I answered in the affirmative. He replied, "He is a very honest fellow."
I told him I saw all the finesse of a tradesman about him. "Oh, rejoined
my friend, a man has a right to say all he can in favour of his own
goods." Nor is the seller alone culpable. The buyer takes an equal share
in the deception. Though neither of them speak their sentiments, they
well understand each other. Whilst the treaty is agitating, the profit
of the tradesman vanishes, yet the buyer pronounces against the article;
but when finished, the seller whispers his friend, "It is well sold,"
and the buyer smiles if a bargain.

Thus is the commercial track a line of minute deceits.

But, on the other hand, it does not seem possible for a man in trade to
pass this line, without wrecking his reputation; which, if once broken,
can never be made whole. The character of a tradesman is valuable, it is
his all; therefore, whatever seeds of the vicious kind shoot forth in
the mind, are carefully watched and nipped in the bud, that they may
never blossom into action.