ways esteemed a dishonourable
thing to draw upon any man that has not effects in his hands to answer
the bill; or to draw without order, or to draw and not give advice of
it; because it looks like a forwardness to take the remitter's money
without giving him a sufficient demand for it, where he expects and
ought to have it.

A tradesman comes to me in London, and desires me to give him a bill
payable at Bristol, for he is going to the fair there, and being to buy
goods there, he wants money at Bristol to pay for them. If I give him a
bill, he pays me down the money upon receipt of it, depending upon my
credit for the acceptance of the bill. If I draw this bill where I have
no reason to draw it, where I have no demand, or no effects to answer
it, or if I give my correspondent no advice of it, I abuse the remitter,
that is, the man whose money I take, and this reflects upon my credit
that am the drawer, and the next time this tradesman wants money at
Bristol fair, he will not come to me. 'No,' says he, 'his last bills
were not accepted.' Or, if he does come to me, then he demands that he
should not pay his money till he has advice that my bills are accepted.

But, on the other hand, if bills are right drawn, and advice duly given,
and the person has effects in his hands, then, if he refuses the bill,
he says to the notary he does not accept the bill, but gives no reason
for it, only that he says absolutely, 'I will not accept it--you may
take that for an answer;' or he adds, 'I refuse to accept it, for
reasons best known to myself.' This is sometimes done, but this does not
leave the person's credit who refuses, so clear as the other, though
perhaps it may not so directly reflect upon him; but it leaves the case
a little dubious and uncertain, and men will be apt to write back to the
person who sent the bill to inquire what the drawer says to it, and what
account he gives, or what character he has upon his tongue for the
person drawn upon.

As the punctual paying of bills when accepted, is a main article in the
credit of the acceptor, so a tradesman should be very cautious in
permitting men to draw upon him where he has not effects, or does not
give order; for though, as I said, it ought not to affect his reputation
not to accept a bill where it ought not to be drawn, yet a tradesman
that is nice of his own character does not love to be always or often
refusing to accept bills, or to have bills drawn upon him where he h