The Very Eeverend Archdeacon Paley, in one of his familiar
table discourses, touching upon the expenses brought by original
sin upon husbands and fathers in the way of cambrics and
satins, says : — " I never let my women (be it understood he
spoke of Mrs. Archdeacon Paley and the Misses Paley) — I
never let my women, when they shop, take credit ; I always
make them pay ready money, sir : ready money is such a check
upon the imagination ! "

There is fine philosophy in this,— a fine orthodox view of
human nature. However, as some readers may dissent from the
implied wisdom of the position, we can supply such disagreeing
parties with an antagonistic axiom from the self-same reverend
author : for it is also to Archdeacon Paley we owe the following
advice : — " Never pay money until you can't help it : something
may happe^i,^'* The reader may say, " Here are two principles,
opposite as white and black ;" to which we make answer, that
we show the said principles as the linen-draper shows his goods
of many hues : our customers may select the colour that suits
them best.)

It is the prime duty of the linen-draper's shopman to make
wants for his gentle customers ; his one question succeeding
inevitably the sale of an article — " Nothing else 1 "

"Nothing else f " This sinister interrogative, this mischievous
Puck, waylays men in their private walks ; comes to them day-
dreaming a-bed ; infests the hearth ; nay, goes with them to the
Exchange ; and has been known to possess very respectable
people, supposed at the time, to be giving all their hearts and
ears in their family pew, to a touching sermon, on " The Vanity
of Human "Wishes."



• A living Jew had doubtless heard this maxim; for having, not many
months since, been cast in an action for damages, he said confidentially to his
attorney, when speaking of payment to the histrionic plaintiff, at the time
very ill,/* For God's sake, put him off, he may die ! '*



THE LINEN-DRAPER'S ASSISTANT.
