others, and their subsequent downfall and ruin. Not only are such narratives adapted to intellectually impress-to captivate, to excite, to confound, to arouse to wonderment, to amuse-but they may be made subservient to positive profit; in business parlance, they may "be made to pay!" An aquaintance with the ways and means which have characterized the career of successful business men -their apt sayings, or more apt silence; their penetration of human character, and art of imperceptibly influencing its sensibilities and moods to their own ends; their genial sallies and happy repartees; their shrewd plans, skilful combinations, ingenious finesse, and general modus operandi of "turning a trade;" such an acquaintance cannot but be a capital desideratum to all who move in a kindred path. The plan which has been adopted of dividing the contents of this work into different sections, each devoted to a particular specialty, is one which will enable the reader to strike easily at every salient point in the anecdotical field of commerce and commercial character thus spread before him. Of the bearings of the first department, we have already spoken; the others admit, severally, of similar explanatory detail with respect to their prescribed object and the illustrations afforded by their contents. But, not to attempt to specifically portray or analyze the features of each department by itself, into which this volume is divided-the fascinating data which open up in the memorials of world-renowned merchants, bankers, and millionnaires—the arts and humors of money dealing-the captivating examples of success based on the practice of the more rigid qualities-the low craft and bold criminalities both of ancient and modern traffic--the whims and ingenuities of business phraseology-the unique thoughts and things pertaining to commercial transit-the curious phenomena of trade and merchandise in their legal bearings-the exhibition of the private or domestic side of mercantile characters-the novelties and erratic expedients characteristic of bargain makers in different countries-the vagaries and hazards of insurance-the incidents of clerk life, shop experience, &c., together with the variegated jottings of trade and its votaries, as related to "the rest of mankind;”—without attempting to depict the results, or point out the peculiar entertainment presented by each one of these, separately, it may be remarked, in conclusion, that perhaps the portion of this volume which exhibits the phenomena of commercial dealings in their most extraordinary developments, is comprised in the recital of the manias, bubbles, panics, and delusions, which have from time to time swept the business world like a tornado, carrying before it the verdant like chaff, and ultimately the most sagacious and wary. Now that those delusions are past, it is difficult to conceive how mercantile men could be led to entertain such visionary expectations, and to pay immense premiums in distant and hazardous undertakings, of which they knew little or nothing. A blind ardor seemed to take possession of men's minds; every rumor of a new project was taken at once as the presage of sudden and inexhaustible wealth. People supposed they were forthwith to lay their hands on treasure that waited simply their bidding. The rise, in many cases, exceeded cent. per cent. Many who were most eager in pursuit of shares, intended only to hold them for a few hours, days, or weeks, and then profit from the advance which they anticipated would take place, by selling them to others more credulous or bold than themselves. The confidence of one set of speculators confirmed that of others. Meanwhile, the indiscriminating rapacity of the public was fed by every conceivable art. Madness ruled the hour. The poor and the rich rushed wildly to invest their all; and even mendicants rolled proudly, for a while, in fictitious wealth! But, as in all such cases since the world was, the shadows of doubt began, in time, ominously to cast themselves athwart this bright picture, and soon deepened into the dark and lurid clouds of stern reality. People turned ashy pale. Consternation took the place of confidence, and Panic spread out her spectral wings. Thus, one by one these airy bubbles exploded, leaving the wail of desolation, of gaunt despair, and of ghastly suicide, in their fatal train. The pen of the romancer, in its most unrestrained flights, would fail to equal, in startling wonders, the chronicles of commercial tragedy which have their appropriate department in this volume. CONTENTS. ASTOR, ROTHSCHILD, OUVRARD, BATES, BARKER, TOURO, MCDONOGH, HOWQUA, GOLD- SCHMID, HOPE, HOTTINGUER, COUTTS, MORRISON, DE MEDICIS, GIRARD, BIDDLE, LABOUCHERE, LAFITTE, APPLETON, COOPER, GRESHAM, PEABODY, NOLTE, GRAY, 21 Fugger, Johannes, and the great commer- 15 Barings (The), bankers, of London..... Barker, Jacob, merchant, of New Orleans 43 Fish, Preserved, merchant, of New York Forbes, William, Scotch banker....... Bates, Joshua, of the house of Barings, Beatty, James, merchant, of Baltimore... 23 Garrison, C. K., merchant, of San Fran- Gracie, Archibald, merchant, of New York 52 "Gray, Old Billy," merchant, of Boston.. |