ch, as well as safety and success in
business, than method and regularity. Let a person set down in his
memorandum book, every morning, the several articles of business that
ought to be done during the day; and beginning with the first person he
is to call upon, or the first place he is to go to, finish that affair,
if possible, before he begins another; and so on with the rest.

A man of business, who observes this method, will hardly ever find
himself hurried or disconcerted by forgetfulness. And he who sets down
all his transactions in writing, and keeps his accounts, and the whole
state of his affairs, in a distinct and accurate order, so that at any
time, by looking into his books, he can see in what condition his
concerns are, and whether he is in a thriving or declining way;--such a
one, I say, deserves properly the character of a man of business; and
has a pretty fair prospect of success in his plans.[6] But such
exactness seldom suits the man of pleasure. He has other things in his
head.

The way to transact a great deal of business in a little time, and to
do it well, is to observe three rules. 1. Speak to the point. 2. Use no
more words than are necessary, fully to express your meaning. 3. Study
beforehand, and set down in writing afterwards, a sketch of the
transaction.

To enable a person to _speak_ to the point, he must have acquired, as
one essential pre-requisite, the art of _thinking_ to the point. To
effect these objects, or rather _this_ object, as they constitute in
reality but _one_, is the legitimate end of the study of grammar; of
the importance of which I am to speak elsewhere. This branch is almost
equally indispensable in following the other two rules; but here, a
thorough knowledge of numbers, as well as of language, will be demanded.

[6] A gentleman of my acquaintance assures me that he always
leaves his books, accounts, &c., in so complete a state, on going
to bed, that if he should die during the night, every thing could
be perfectly understood. This rule he adheres to, as a matter of
duty; not only to his fellow men, but to God.

SECTION IV. _Application to Business._

There is one piece of prudence, above all others, absolutely necessary
to those who expect to raise themselves in the world by an employment
of any kind; I mean a constant, unwearied application to the main
pursuit. By means of persevering diligence, joined to frugality, we see
many pe