THE TAILOR.

The Tailor makes clothes for men and boys, and riding-habits for ladies.

The skins, with which mankind in the earliest ages of the world were clothed, were not in themselves very proper to dress the body, either exactly or conveniently. An art was, therefore, necessary to adjust them, and to unite many of them together. For this
purpose thread was necessary, and the making pf thread was for a long time unknown. We may judge of the means which the present civilized nations once used by those which many barbarous nations now employ. The dresses of the people of Greenland are sewn with thongs made from the gut of the sea-dog, or other fish, which they have the address to cut very fine, affer having dried them in the air. The savages of America and of Africa, employ for the same use the sinews of animals. Indeed, we ourselves used such in the earlier ages, and even now, for particular purposes of sewing, thongs are still in use.

With respect to the instruments proper for sewing well, pointed bones, fish-bones, and thorns, were doubtless the first articles used. Afterwards awls, needles, and pins, the same as those now in use. The ancient inhabitants Peru which we may regard in many respect as a nation of considerable intelligence, knew neither pins nor needles. They used long thorns to sew and fix their clothes. Mankind having acquired the art of pre paring wool, and, after many attempts, to make cloth of it, the art of cutting it out, and forming it into garments, became gradually known and perfected.

The Companies of Merchant-Tailors, a singular name, are well known to be very ancient; not only in France, but in some of the
principal cities of England; and the tailors, as a body, have now, in this country, some rules and regulations in their numerous houses
of call, as they are termed, particularly in London, which, to the historian, who is desirous of marking the gradation of a people's
character, are deserving of some attention; but our limits forbid us from enlarging here.

In a tailor's shop, where much business is carried on, there are always two divisions of workmen : first, the foreman, who takes the
measure of the person for whom the clothes are to be made, cuts out the cloth.

The tailor in London purchases his broadcloths of the woollen-draper,, who buys his goods from the Blackwell-hall factory or from
the clothiers settled in the west, or other parts of England. At Bristol fair, which is held in September for fourteen days, and also in
March, for the- same period, an immense quantity of broad-cloths are sold by the clothiers, who assemble there, and hire shops
as well as booths for the purpose.

The tailor deals also with the mercer for fancy waistcoats and other articles of dress; with the haberdasher for all his small wares;
but when he makes clothes for officers, he must go to the gold and silver lace-maker for the necessary ornaments.

The wages of a journeyman tailor are regulated by act of parliament, and he now has four shillings and sixpence a day : the trade is overstocked with with hands, although men that are sober, indurstrious, and skilful in their business, are seldom out of employment. In times of general mourning for any branch of the royal family, the wages of the men are doubte; but they work more hours in the
day.

A Writer on this subject says, that a master, tailor ought to have a quick eye to steal the cut of a sleeve, the pattern of a flap, or the
shape of a good trimming, at a glance : any bungler may cut out a shape when he has a pattern before him ; but a good workman
takes it by his eye in the passing of a chariot or in the space between the door and a coach he nust.be able not only to cut for the hand-isome and well-shaped, but bestow a good ishape where nature has not granted it : he most make the clothes so easy in spite of a stiff gait or awkward air : his hand and head must go together : he must be a nice cutter, und finish his work with elegance.

The woollens in which the tailor principally deals, is a vast branch of English manufacture. And so jealous are we of this trade, that, besides the precaution taken to- use our own Wools ourselves, we insist upon selling them ourselves, and of carrying them to the places where there is a demand for them.

A master-tailor in London, where a great number of hands are employed, requires considerable capital, as the weekly payments of
wages are large; and as he is obliged to give long credit, he cannot afford to do so without considerable profit ; which is generally laid on to countervail the risk and time, with a handsome pee centage for his indulgence.