reach, and he cannot get them in, which in one respect is as bad; he has
more bills running against him than he knows how to pay, and creditors
dunning him, whom it is hard for him to comply with; and this, by
degrees, sinks his credit.

Now, could the poor unhappy tradesman take good advice, now would be his
time to prevent his utter ruin, and let his case be better or worse, his
way is clear.

If it be only that he has overshot himself in trade, taken too much
credit, and is loaded with goods; or given too much credit, and cannot
get his debts in; but that, upon casting up his books, he finds his
circumstances good at bottom, though his credit has suffered by his
effects being out of his hands; let him endeavour to retrench, let him
check his career in trade--immediately take some extraordinary measures
to get in his debts, or some extraordinary measures, if he can, to raise
money in the meantime, till those debts come in, that he may stop the
crowd of present demands. If this will not do, let him treat with some
of his principal creditors, showing them a true and faithful state of
his affairs, and giving them the best assurances he can of payment, that
they may be easy with him till he can get in his debts; and then, with
the utmost care, draw in his trade within the due compass of his stock,
and be sure never to run out again farther than he is able to answer,
let the prospect of advantage be what it will; and by this method he may
perhaps recover his credit again, at least he may prevent his ruin. But
this is always supposing the man has a firm bottom, that he is sound in
the main, and that his stock is at least sufficient to pay all his
debts.

But the difficulty which I am proposing to speak of, is when the poor