Manners and customs of ye Englyshe/Trycks of Ye London Trade.
Manners and Customs of ye Englyshe in 1849. No. 29.
Trycks of ye London Trade.
MR. PIPS HIS DIARY.
Trycks of Ye London Trade.
[Tuesday, September 4, 1849.]
WITH my Wife this day to Weſtminſter, and walking thereabouts in Regent-Street and Oxford-Street, and the principal Streets, though contrary to my Reſolution to walk with her only in the Fields, but did it to pleaſe her, and keep her in good Humour, but in mighty Fear of what it might coſt me, trembling to obſerve her continually looking aſkance at the Shop-Windows. But I cannot wonder that they did catch her Eye; particularly the Haberdaſhers, and Drapers, and Mercers, whereof many were full of Bills, ſtuck in all Manner of Ways acroſs the Panes, and printed in Letters of from two Inches to a Span long, and Daſhes of Admiration two and three together, as ſtaring as a Notice of Hue and Cry. Mighty mocking to read in one Window, of a "Tremendous Sacrifice!" in another of an "Alarming Failure!!", in a third of a "Ruinous Bankruptcy!!!", by Reaſon whereof, the Goods within were a-ſelling off at 50, 60, or 70 per Cent under prime Coſt, but that at any Rate the Owners muſt raiſe Money. Good Lack! to think of the deſperate and dreadful Pals the Drapery Trade muſt have come to; ſo many Maſter-Mercers and Habcrdaſhers on the Threshold of the Priſon or the Workhouſe, and their Wives and Families becoming Paupers on the Pariſh, or Beggars, and their People out of Employ, ſtarving; if their Notices do tell true: which made my Heart ake, I mean, through laughing at their Roguery. But my Wife did ſay, very ſerious, that we were not to judge, or to know of their Tricks and Cozenage, and, that it was no Matter to us if they did cheat their Creditors, provided we could buy their Wares at a Bargain, and beſides, if we did not, others would. So going by Ragge, Rip, & Co., their Eſtabliſhment, as they do call their Shop, ſhe would needs flop in Front of it to look in, and, I knew, confider what among the Things there, ſhe could find to want: which did trouble me. I to read the Porters in the Window, which were the worſt and moſt pitiful of any, and by their mowing Mr. Ragge, and Mr. Rip, and their Co. were going all together to the Dogs. My Wife did preſently, as I expected, find ſomewhat ſhe had a Mind to: a Muſlin ſhe did ſay was Dirt-cheap, and I knew was Dirt-worth. I plainly refuſed to let her buy it, or anything elſe at Ragge and Rip's, who have been, to my Knowledge, making a Tremendous Sacrifice any Time the laſt two Years; but the Simpletons their Cuſtomers the only Victims. But I do not pity ſuch Gudgeons a Whit as are caught by theſe Tricks of the Drapery Trade; and methinks they are rigidy ſerved by being cheated in ſeeking to profit, as they think, by Fraud and diſhoneft Bankruptcy. I told my Wife that Ragge and Rip do fell off at a Loss to none but thoſe that deal with them, and were like at that Moment, inſtead of being Bankrupts, to be making merry at the Expenſe of their Dupes. But ſhe being ſullen at my Denial of her Muſlin, I did quiet her by the Promiſe of a better Piece at Faircloth and Pryce's, who do carry on Buſineſs without roguiſh Puffery, and after the old Faſhion of Engliſh Traders, according to the Maxim, that "Good Wine needs no Buſh," which my Wife, poor ſilly Wretch, not underſtanding, I explained to her did mean, that Stuffs worth the buying, to find a Sale, do ſtand in no Need of Haberdaſhers' trickiſh Advertiſements.