particular circumstance too, that you have the hazard without the profit
or success: that is, without a share in the profit or success, which is
very unequal and unfair. I know cunning men will tell you, that there
may be provision made so effectually in the articles of partnership,
that the stock in partnership should be concerned in no other interest
or engagements but its own; but let such cunning gentlemen tell me, if
the partner meets with a disappointment in his other undertakings, which
wounds him so deep as to break him, will it not affect the partnership
thus far? 1. That it may cause his stock to be drawn hastily out, and
perhaps violently too. 2. That it touches and taints the credit of the
partner to be concerned with such a man; and though a man's bottom may
support him, if it be very good, yet it is a blow to him, touches his
credit, and makes the world stand a little at a stay about him, if it be
no more, for a while, till they see that he shows himself upon the
Exchange, or at his shop-door again, in spite of all the apprehensions
and doubts that have been handed about concerning him. Either of these
are so essential to the tradesman, whose partner thus sinks by his own
private breaches, in which the parnership is not concerned, that it is
worth while to caution the tradesman against venturing. And I must add,
too, that many a tradesman has fallen under the disaster by the
partner's affairs thus affecting him, though the immediate losses which
the partner had suffered have not been charged upon him; and yet I
believe it is not so easy to avoid being fallen upon for those debts
also.

It is certain, as I formerly noted, rumour will break a tradesman almost
at any time. It matters not, at first, whether the rumour be true or
false. What rumour can sit closer to a man in business--his own personal
misfortunes excepted--than such as this-_that his partner is broke?_
That his partner has met with a loss, suppose an insurance, suppose a