avagance in fitting up
a cutler's shop, _Anglice_ a toyman, which are now come up to such a
ridiculous expense, as is hardly to be thought of without the utmost
contempt: let any one stop at the Temple, or at Paul's corner, or in
many other places.

As to the shops of the more considerable trades, they all bear a
proportion of the humour of the times, but do not call for so loud a
remark. Leaving, therefore, the just reflection which such things call
for, let me bring it home to the young tradesman, to whom I am directing
this discourse, and to whom I am desirous to give solid and useful hints
for his instruction, I would recommend it to him to avoid all such
needless expenses, and rather endeavour to furnish his shop with goods,
than to paint and gild it over, to make it fine and gay; let it invite
customers rather by the well-filled presses and shelves, and the great
choice of rich and fashionable goods, that one customer being
well-served may bring another; and let him study to bring his shop into
reputation for good choice of wares, and good attendance on his
customers; and this shall bring a throng to him much better, and of much
better people, than those that go in merely for a gay shop.

Let the shop be decent and handsome, spacious as the place will allow,
and let something like the face of a master be always to be seen in it;
and, if possible, be always busy, and doing something in it, that may
look like being employed: this takes as much with the wiser observers of
such things, as any other appearance can do.

I have heard of a young apothecary, who setting up in a part of the
town, where he had not much acquaintance, and fearing much whether he
should get into business, hired a man acquainted with such business, and
made him be every morning between five and six, and often late in the
evenings, working very hard at the great mortar; pounding and beating,
though he had nothing to do with it, but beating some very needless
thing, that all his neighbours might hear it, and find that he was in
full employ, being at work early and late, and that consequently he must
be a man of vast business, and have a great practice: and the thing was
well laid, and took accordingly; for the neighbours, believing he had
business, brought business to him; and the reputation of having a trade,
made a trade for him.

The observation is just: a show may bring some people to a shop, but it
is the fame of business that brings busi