gentlemen, and what they call keeping good company, may be used as a
diversion, or as an excursion, but his stated society must be with his
neighbours, and people in trade; men of business are companions for men
of business; with gentlemen he may converse pleasantly, but here he
converses profitably; tradesmen are always profitable to one another; as
they always gain by trading together, so they never lose by conversing
together; if they do not get money, they gain knowledge in business,
improve their experience, and see farther and farther into the world.

A man of but an ordinary penetration will improve himself by conversing
in matters of trade with men of trade; by the experience of the old
tradesmen they learn caution and prudence, and by the rashness and the
miscarriages of the young, they learn what are the mischiefs that
themselves may be exposed to.

Again, in conversing with men of trade, they get trade; men first talk
together, then deal together--many a good bargain is made, and many a
pound gained, where nothing was expected, by mere casual coming to talk
together, without knowing any thing of the matter before they met. The
tradesmen's meetings are like the merchants' exchange, where they
manage, negociate, and, indeed, beget business with one another.

Let no tradesman mistake me in this part; I am not encouraging them to
leave their shops and warehouses, to go to taverns and ale-houses, and
spend their time there in unnecessary prattle, which, indeed, is nothing
but sotting and drinking; this is not meeting to do business, but to
neglect business. Of which I shall speak fully afterwards.

But the tradesmen conversing with one another, which I mean, is the
taking suitable occasions to discourse with their fellow tradesmen,