Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-02-18
CHAPTER II
DIVERS EMPLoYMENTs Or JOHN
Law.

ments to your lordship?' asked the
haberdasher, with whom Law was hav-
Ing speech on the morning following
the first night in London.
1.-TWO weeks from to-day" said Law,
Sin the afternoon, and not later than
four o'clock I shall have need for
Them
Sir said he, Z should be glad to
please not only a friend of Sir Arthur
Pembroke, Sut also gentleman OF
such parts as yourself I hesitate to
promise"
But you must promise, said John
Law.
We'll, then, do promise! l will
have this apparel at your place on the
day which you name. 'Tis most extra
ordinary, but the order shall be exc
cuted"
Law but half heard him, for he was
already turning toward the door, where
he beckoned again for his waiting
chair
ITO the Offices of the Bank of En-
gland, he directed. And forthwith he
was again jogging through the crowded
streets of London.
The Offices of the Bank of England,
to which this young adventurer now
so nonchalantly directed his course,
were then not housed in any such state
ly edifice as that which now covers
the heart of the financial world, nor
did the location of the young and
oryJ;r,tr ;v,c+;+,Y4;ry, ~, b.rcf,ont ~
the great city, tend to give dignity to
concern which still lacked inpor-
lance and assuredness. Thither, then,
might have gone almost any young
traveller who needed letter of credit
cashed, or bill changed after the
fashion of the passing goldsmiths.
Yet it was not as mere transient
customer of money-changer that
young Law now sought the Bank of
England, nor was it as commercial
house that the bank then commanded
attention That bank, young as it was,
had already become pillar of the
throne of England. William, distract
ed by wars abroad and factions at
home, found his demands for funds
ever in excess of the supply. More
than that, the people of England dis
covered themselves in possession Of a
currency fuctuating, mutilated and
unstable, so that no man knew what
was his actual fortune, The shrewd
young financier, Montague. chancellor
of the exchequer, who either by Wis
dom or good fortune had sanctioned
the founding Of the Bank of England,
was at this very time addressing him
self to the question of a recoinage of
He needed help, he demanded ideas;
nor was he too particular whence he
obtained either the one or the other.
John Law was in London on no such
blind quest as he had himself declared
He was here by the invitation, secret
yet none the less obligatory, of Monta-
que, controller of the financial policy
of England. And he wcs to meet, here
upon this fair morning, none less than
my Lord Somers, keeper of the seals;
none less than Sir Isaac Newton, the
| greatest mathematician of his time;
none less than John Locke, the most
learned philosopher of TIC day. Strong
company this, for young and un Town
man, yet in the belief Of Nor egue,
himself a young man and a g@@-abler
by instinct. not too strong for this
young Scotchman who had startled the
parliament of his own land by some
| of the most remarkable theories Of
finance which had ever been proposed
In any country or to any government.
AS Law had himself arrogantly an
nounced, he was indeed philosopher
and mathematician, young as he was;
and these things Montague was him
self keen enough to know
1t promised, then, to be a strange
and interesting council, this which was
to meet to-day at the Bank of England
4 50 adjust the value of England's coin
age; two philosophers, one pompous
trimmer and two gamblers; the young
CT and more daring of whom was now
calmly threading the streets of Lon
1 don on his way to a meeting which
might mean much to him.
All those at the board looked with
4 SJ111C 11lNC1tnCSS at LIZ u50A VI tALV
young man from the North, who came
as the guest of Montague With small
formality. the latter rose and advanced
to meet Law with an eager grasp Of
the hand. He made him known to the
others present promptly, but with o
half apology.
Gentlemen, said he, Il have made
bold to ask the presence with US Of a
young man who has much concerned
himself with problems such as those
which we have now in hand. Sir Isaac
Newton, this is Mr.. Law of Edinboro'
Mr. Law. the fame of John Locke !
need not lay before you, and Of my
Lord Somers you need no advice. Mr..
Law, shall pray you to be seated.
Il shall but serve as your mouth
piece to the court, gentlemen" re-
sumed Montague, seating himself and
turning at once to the business of the