The case is plain: it is his business to get money, to sell and please; and if some do give him trouble and do not buy, others make him amends, and do buy; and as for the trouble, it is the business of his shop.
I have heard that some ladies, and those, too, persons of good note, have taken their coaches and spent a whole afternoon in Ludgate Street or Covent Garden, only to divert themselves in going from one mercer's shop to another, to look upon their fine silks, and to rattle and banter the journeymen and shopkeepers, and have not so much as the least occasion, much less intention, to buy any thing; nay, not so much as carrying any money out with them to buy anything if they fancied it: yet this the mercers who understand themselves know their business too well to resent; nor if they really knew it, would they take the least notice of it, but perhaps tell the ladies they were welcome to look upon their goods; that it was their business to show them; and that if they did not come to buy now, they might perhaps see they were furnished to please them when they might have occasion.
On the other hand, I have been told that sometimes those sorts of ladies have been caught in their own snare; that is to say, have been so engaged by the good usage of the shopkeeper, and so unexpectedly surprised with some fine thing or other that has been shown them, that they have been drawn in by their fancy against their design, to lay out money, whether they had it or no; that is to say, to buy, and send home for money to pay for it.
But let it be how and which way it will, whether mercer or draper, or what trade you please, the man that stands behind the counter must be all courtesy, civility, and good manners; he must not be affronted, or any way moved, by any manner of usage, whether owing to casualty or design; if he sees himself ill used, he must wink, and not see it--he must at least not appear to see it, nor any way show dislike or distaste; if he does, he reproaches not only himself but his shop, and puts an ill name upon the general usuage of customers in it; and it is not to be imagined how, in this gossiping, tea-drinking age, the scandal will run, even among people who have had no knowledge of the person first complaining.

'Such a shop!' says a certain lady to a citizen's wife in conversation, as they were going to buy clothes; 'I am resolved I won't go to it; the fellow that keeps it is saucy and rude: if I lay out my money, I expect to be well used; if I don't lay it out, I expect to be well treated.' 'Why, Madam,' says the citizen, 'did the man of the shop use your ladyship ill ?' _Lady_ .-- No, I can't say he used me ill, for I never was in his shop.
_Cit._--How does your ladyship know he does so then?
_Lady_ .-- Why, I know he used another lady saucily, because she gave him a great deal of trouble, as he called it, and did not buy.
_Cit._--Was it the lady that told you so herself, Madam?
_Lady_ .-- I don't know, really, I have forgot who it was; but I have such a notion in my head, and I don't care to try, for I hate the sauciness of shopkeepers when they don't understand themselves.
_Cit._--Well; but, Madam, perhaps it may be a mistake--and the lady that told you was not the person neither?
_Lady_ .-- Oh, Madam, I remember now who told me; it was my Lady Tattle, when I was at Mrs Whymsy's on a visiting day; it was the talk of the whole circle, and all the ladies took notice of it, and said they would take care to shun that shop.
_Cit._--Sure, Madam, the lady was strangely used; did she tell any of the particulars?
_Lady_ .-- No; I did not understand that she told the particulars, for it seems it was not to her, but to some other lady, a friend of hers; but it was all one; the company took as much notice of it as if it had been to her, and resented it as much, I assure you.
_Cit._--Yet, and without examining the truth of the fact.
_Lady_ .-- We did not doubt the story.
_Cit._--But had no other proof of it, Madam, than her relation?
_Lady_ .-- Why, that's true; nobody asked for a proof; it was enough to tell the story.
_Cit._--What! though perhaps the lady did not know the person, or whether it was true or no, and perhaps had it from a third or fourth hand--your ladyship knows any body's credit may be blasted at that rate.
_Lady_ .-- We don't inquire so nicely, you know, into the truth of stories at a tea-table.
_Cit._--No, Madam, that's true; but when reputation is at stake, we should be a little careful too.
_Lady_ .-- Why, that's true too.

But why are you so concerned about it, Madam?
do you know the man that keeps the shop?
_Cit._--No otherwise, Madam, than that I have often bought there, and I always found them the most civil, obliging people in the world.
_Lady_ .-- It may be they know you, Madam.
_Cit._--I am persuaded they don't, for I seldom went but I saw new faces, for they have a great many servants and journeymen in the shop.
_Lady_ .-- It may be you are easy to be pleased; you are good-humoured yourself, and cannot put their patience to any trial.
_Cit._--Indeed, Madam, just the contrary; I believe I made them tumble two or three hundred pounds' worth of goods one day, and bought nothing; and yet it was all one; they used me as well as if I had laid out twenty pounds.
_Lady_ .-- Why, so they ought.
_Cit._--Yes, Madam, but then it is a token they do as they ought, and understand themselves.
_Lady_ .-- Well, I don't know much of it indeed, but thus I was told.
_Cit._--Well, but if your ladyship would know the truth of it, you would do a piece of justice to go and try them.
_Lady_ .-- Not I; besides, I have a mercer of my acquaintance.
_Cit._--Well, Madam, I'll wait on your ladyship to your own mercer, and if you can't find any thing to your liking, will you go and try the other shop?
_Lady_ .-- Oh! I am sure I shall deal if I go to my mercer.
_Cit._--Well, but if you should, let us go for a frolic, and give the other as much trouble as we can for nothing, and see how he'll behave, for I want to be satisfied; if I find them as your ladyship has been told, I'll never go there any more.
_Lady_ .-- Upon that condition I agree--I will go with you; but I will go and lay out my money at my own mercer's first, because I wont be tempted.
_Cit._--Well, Madam, I'll wait on your ladyship till you have laid out your money.
After this discourse they drove away to the mercer's shop where the lady used to buy; and when they came there, the lady was surprised--the shop was shut up, and nobody to be seen.

The next door was a laceman's, and the journeyman being at the door, the lady sent her servant to desire him to speak a word or two to her; and when he came, says the lady to him, Pray, how long has Mr--'s shop been shut up?
_Laceman_ .-- About a month, madam.
_Lady_ .-- What! is Mr--dead?
_Laceman_ .-- No, madam, he is not dead.
_Lady_ .-- What then, pray?
_Laceman_ .-- Something worse, madam; he has had some misfortunes.
_Lady_ .-- I am very sorry to hear it, indeed.

So her ladyship made her bow, and her coachman drove away.
The short of the story was, her mercer was broke; upon which the city lady prevailed upon her ladyship to go to the other shop, which she did, but declared beforehand she would buy nothing, but give the mercer all the trouble she could; and so said the other.