Wesley Corpus

Will they never charge more than it is fairly worth? If you have found a set of such workmen, pray do not conceal so valuable a treasure; but immediately advertise the men, and their places of abode, for the common benefit of your countrymen. Happy you who have such as these about your house ! And are your neighbours as honest and loving as they? They who live either in the same, or in the next house; do these love you as themselves? and do to you, in every point, as they would have you do to them? Are they guilty of no untrue or unkind sayings, no unfriendly actions towards you? And are they, (as far as you see or know,) in all other respects, reasonable and religious men? How many of your neighbours answer this character? Would it require a large house to contain them? But you have intercourse, not with the next neighbours only, but with several tradesmen. And all very honest; are they not? You may easily make a trial. Send a child, or a coun tryman, to one of their shops. If the shopkeeper is an honest man, he will take no advantage of the buyer's ignorance. If he does, he is no honester than a thief. And how many tradesmen do you know who would scruple it? Go a little farther. Send to the market for what you want. “What is the lowest price of this?” “Five shillings, Sir.” “Can you take no less?” “No, upon my word. It is worth it, every penny.” An hour after he sells it for a shilling less. And it is really worth no more. Yet is not this the course (a few persons excepted) in every market throughout the king dom? Is it not generally, though not always, “Cheat that cheat can: Sell as dear as you can, and buy as cheap P” And what are they who steer by this rule better than a company of Newgate-birds? Shake them all together; for there is not a grain of honesty among them. But are not your own tenants, at least, or your landlord, honest men ? You are persuaded they are. Very good: Remember, then, an honest man’s word is as good as his bond.