to make his payments good; if not, all would be lost still.

But, on the other hand, suppose he had sold but three thousand pounds'
worth of the ten for ready money, and had sold the rest for six months'
credit, it might be supposed that the three thousand pounds in cash, and
what else the two hundred debtors might pay in time, might stop the
months of the tradesman's creditors till the difference might be made
good.

So easy a thing is it for a tradesman to lose his credit in trade, and
so hard is it, once upon such a blow, to retrieve it again. What need,
then, is there for the tradesman to guard himself against running too
far into debt, or letting other people run too far into debt to him; for
if they do not pay him, he cannot pay others, and the next thing is a
commission of bankrupt, and so the tradesman may be undone, though he
has eleven thousand pounds to pay ten with?

It is true, it is not possible in a country where there is such an
infinite extent of trade as we see managed in this kingdom, that either
on one hand or another it can be carried on, without a reciprocal credit
both taken and given; but it is so nice an article, that I am of opinion
as many tradesmen break with giving too much credit, as break with
taking it. The danger, indeed, is mutual, and very great. Whatever,
then, the young tradesman omits, let him guard against both his giving
and taking too much credit.

But there are divers ways of over-trading, besides this of taking and
giving too much credit; and one of these is the running out into
projects and heavy undertakings, either out of the common road which the
tradesman is already engaged in, or grasping at too many undertakings at