s very important to him, for the
goods, which he is to sell in the town he removes to, are sometimes so
different from the sorts of goods which he sold in the place he removed
from, though in the same way of trade, that he is at a great loss both
in changing his hand, and in the judgment of buying. This made me
insist, in a former chapter, that a tradesman should take all occasions
to extend his knowledge in every kind of goods, that which way soever he
may turn his hand, he may have judgment in every thing.

In thus changing his circumstances of trade, he must learn, as well as
he can, how to furnish his shop suitable to the place he is to trade in,
and to sort his goods to the demand which he is like to have there;
otherwise he will not only lose the customers for want of proper goods,
but will very much lose by the goods which he lays in for sale, there
being no demand for them where he is going.

When merchants send adventures to our British colonies, it is usual with
them to make up to each factor what they call a _sortable cargo_; that
is to say, they want something of every thing that may furnish the
tradesmen there with parcels fit to fill their shops, and invite their
customers; and if they fail, and do not thus sort their cargoes, the
factors there not only complain, as being ill sorted, but the cargo lies
by unsold, because there is not a sufficient quantity of sorts to answer
the demand, and make them all marketable together.

It is the same thing here: if the tradesman's shop is not well sorted,
it is not suitably furnished, or fitted to supply his customers; and
nothing dishonours him more than to have people come to buy things usual
to be had in such shops, and go away without them. The next thing they
say to one another is, 'I went to that shop, but I could not be
furnished; they are not stocked there for a trade; one seldom finds any
thing there that is new or fashionable:' and so they go away to another
shop; and not only go away themselves, but carry others away with
them--for it is observable, that the buyers or retail customers,
especially the ladies, follow one another as sheep follow the flock; and
if one buys a beautiful silk, or a cheap piece of Holland, or a
new-fashioned thing of any kind, the next inquiry is, where it was
bought; and the shop is presently recommended for a shop well sorted,
and for a place where things are to be had not only cheap and good, but
of the newest fashion, and wh