The Young Man's GuideAlcott, William A. (William Andrus)
General
The Young Man's Guide
Alcott, William A. (William Andrus)
Conduct of life; Young men
I have only adverted to some of the more common kinds of fraud; such as
the young are daily, and often hourly exposed to, and against which it
is especially important, not only to their own reputation, but to their
success in business, that they should be on their guard. I will just
_enumerate_ a few others, for my limits preclude the possibility of any
thing more than a bare enumeration.
1. Suffering borrowed articles to be injured by our negligence. 2.
Detaining them in our possession longer than the lender had reason to
expect. 3. Employing them for purposes not contemplated by the lender.
4. The returning of an article of inferior value, although in
_appearance_ like that which was borrowed. 5. Passing suspected bank
bills, or depreciated counterfeit or clipped coin. Some persons are so
conscientious on this point, that they will sell a clipped piece for
_old metal_, rather than pass it. But such rigid honesty is rather
rare. 6. The use of pocket money, by the young, in a manner different
from that which was known to be contemplated by the parent, or master
who furnished it. 7. The employment of time in a different manner from
what was intended; the mutilating, by hacking, breaking, soiling, or in
any other manner wantonly injuring buildings, fences, and other
property, public or private;--and especially crops and fruit trees. 8.
Contracting debts, though ever so small, without the almost certain
prospect of being able to pay them. 9. Neglecting to pay them at the
time expected. 10. Paying in something of less value than we ought. 11.
Breaches of trust. 12. Breaking of promises. 13. Overtrading by means
of borrowed capital.
SECTION III. _Method in Business._
There is one class of men who are of inestimable value to society--and
the more so from their scarcity;--I mean _men of business_. It is true
you could hardly offer a greater insult to most persons than to say
they are not of this class; but you cannot have been very observing not
to have learned, that they who most deserve the charge will think
themselves the most insulted by it.
Nothing contributes more to despatch, 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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