set down only the total amount of all the articles of each day, collected into one sum; having purposely omitted the amount or value of each single line or article, every one of which the learner is to compute by way of exercise, and as it were in real trade, and enter in their proper columns in the day-book as he copies it out. Then the printed sum totals will shew him if he has computed the particulars rightly. I have entered in the day-book what is received as well as what is delivered, which is absolutely necessary in teaching; for the learner ought to make out all his own ledger from his day-book. f There are several other books kept by most merchants, as the cash book, the book of house expences, the invoice-book, &c. Directions for the Learner. Having ruled your books in the proper form, copy into the day-book one month's accounts; then calculate them upon your slate or waste paper, to find if they be rightly cast up, and to exercise you in calculations. Next rule your slate or waste paper, in the form of the ledger, and upon it post the accounts that were copied in the day-book, with their dates prefixed; observing to set on the Dr. side of each person's account, those accounts to which he is Dr. in the day-book, and on the Cr. side, those by which he is Cr. And if any account consist but of one article, you are to express it particularly, with its money, in the columns; but if of several, write To or By sundries, placing the sum of the amounts of all the articles in the columns. After the accounts are, by correcting, if necessary, placed according to the teacher's mind, transcribe them into your ledger, leav ing a proper space under each person's name to receive more accounts. Then, under the proper letters in the alphabet, enter those names with the pages where they stand in the ledger; and lastly, write the ledger pages to the several accounts in the day-book. Do the same with the next month's accounts; and so on, till the whole be finished.But observe that you must not enter any person's name down again which has been entered before, till the space first assigned to it shall be filled with articles; and then the account must be transfered to a new place, as you may observe is done with Jane Strawberry's account, When When the first ledger, titled A, is filled with accounts, you must, as is done with the following ledgers, transfer the unbalanced accounts to the second ledger, titled B, and so on, according to the order of the letters of the alphabet; and at the end of the old ledger draw out a balance account, placing your debts on one side, and your credits on the other. THE DAY BOOK. 1 1st month 1, 1810. James Elford, of Lancaster, Dr. To 15 yards of fine broad cloth 1 1 24% superfine ditto D.c. D. c. at 4,25 6,75 225 75 at 2,75 69 10 |