Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/228

212 house, or warehouse, the door of which is always fastened. When you enter it, a certain degree of consternation sits upon the countenance of the person placed there to take in messages. The master is never in the way; most frequently at a neighbouring tavern or public house; or the attendant directs you to Change, where you may perhaps find him outside the door of Tom's or Batsou's,—unless he has a bill overdue, and then he is at a porter house, in a corner, taking a sneaking chop by himself. And yet, after you have come at all those particulars, and drawn your conclusions; having made up your mind, and told him your reasons for discredit, he will fly at the imputation put upon his character, (for it is tender) talk of his bills in the market, and other overcharged stuff; and ultimately succeeds in hermetically sealing your mouth with the threat of an action. And the more certainly would he have recourse to law, as he was more sure of the imputation being just. This is the case even with houses of honour and probity, when under difficulties, but not otherwise. Fear exists in proportion to the degree of danger apprehended: if there be no danger impressed upon the mind, no fear can exist in the heart.

We will adduce two cases in point, of