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Prize essay on the evils which are produced by late hours of business
Prize essay on the evils which are produced by late hours of business Author:Thomas Davies Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: themselves share in nearly all the benefits which a change would bring to the assistants. Time was, when the shopkeeper, who had but a small establishment, co... more »mbined ease and relaxation with its management. That time has passed away. Nearly all tradesmen now, and especially drapers, find it necessary to be continually in their business, so that they themselves are scarcely better off than those whom they employ. They wear out their constitutions by incessant application ; they indulge in scarcely any amusement or elegant pursuit; and they deprive themselves of nearly all the happiness which is attainable in this life, excepting that which they find in getting money. If they live long enough, and are sufficiently successful to enable them to retire, they do so with minds so ill-furnished, and bodies so incapable of out-door exercise, as to make their retirement a burden harder to be borne than the toils of business. Surely then, it cannot be a slight recommendation of this change to the employer, that it would afford him the opportunity of enjoying more intercourse with his family, and of taking that recreation which both his body and mind require, without neglecting his business, or making any sacrifice of his pecuniary interests. Thus it appears that the proposed change is altogether desirable even for the employers. It seems proper here to notice two objections which aresometimes urged by employers; and which, though they have been in some measure anticipated, yet deserve special notice. " When I began the world myself, I must say I did labour most desperately hard to establish my credit in the world, and many a painful hour was spent out of my family to get the bread which I thought it my duty to get for them; but I found my physical powers giving way, and they did...« less