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 BOO K-KEEPING. 593 all may be prefumed right. There is not, indeed, an in balancing their Ledger, do not all go the fame tvay abfolute certainty in the cafe: for, if you imagine two to work. For fome, inftead of proceeding according to midakes committed, either both in the articles of Profit the above dire&ions, dole their Ledger-accompts, and and Lofs, or both in the articles of Balance, or one in poll the doling entries to the Accompts of Profit and the former, and the other in the latter, both excefles, Lofs, and Balance, all at the fame time. And it mull or both defeats, equal, and on oppofite fides, it is plain be owned, that this way, pradifed with care, will well this would not impede the equality of the Dr and Cr enough anfwer the purpofe; but to poll the clofing enfides of the Balance-accompt. But then this is fo great tries in the firlt place, and then to clofe the accompts, a chance, that it is more than probable fuch a thing can feems to be the furer and better method. The Ledger being now clofed, the next thing to be never happen, and pafs too, without being difcovered. Having brought the two ijdes of the Balance-accompt done is, to begin a new fet of books ; in order to which, to an equality, which is the teft of every thing being a new inventory mull be fetched from your old books, right, proceed to clofe the Ledger-accompts, thus. Firft, as the foundation of your future trade in the new. Now, to the Profit and Lofs c^compt, transfer the articles on it is plain, at firll view, that the feveral articles on the the Profit and Lofs meet. Next, at the end of the Dr fide of the Balance-acconapt, being the particular Ledger, ereft an Accompt of Balance, into which tran- items of your effeds, and debts due to you, makeup the fcribe the Balance iheet. After which, return to the firll part of the Inventory; and the feveral articles on the beginning of the Ledger, and giving the Cafh-ac«ompt Cr fide, except the lall, being the debts due by you to credit by Balance,, for your ready mtfney, draw a line others, make up the fecond part of it: and accordingly crofs the money-columns on- each fide, at the foot of the in your new Journal, the feveral particulars on the Dr accompt ; below which fet down the total fums, which fide mull all of them be made Drs to Stock, and Stock will be now equal. Proheed in like manner with all the Dr to the feveral particulars on the Cr fide; and Stockfollowing accompts, transferring to each the refpe&ive accompt in your New Ledger will Hand thus : articles that belong to them, from the two (beets of loofe paper, inferting the referring figures in the folio.-column, Stock Dr, Contra Cr, To Jacob Ruff'd, and writing the total fums on the foot of the accompt; By Cajh, by which means all the accompts in. the Ledger will come To H. V. Bcek, By Indian chints. &c. to be balanced and doled; that is, evened and finifhed. See But here it will be proper to obferve, that merchants,

Vol. T. No. 25.

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