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Table of Contents vii
4.8 Interpreting Financial Ratios 114 6.6 Corporate Bonds and the Risk of Default 198
Variations in Corporate Bonds 200
4.9 The Role of Financial Ratios—And a Final
Note on Transparency 117 6.7 International Bond Market Variations—Sukuk 203
Besides Financial Ratios . . . 119
6.8 Summary 206
Transparency 119
Appendix 6A: A More Detailed Look at the Yield
4.10 Summary 120
Curve 212
PART 2 CHAPTER 7
VALUE 128 Valuing Stocks 215
7.1 Stocks and Stock Markets 216
CHAPTER 5
Reading Stock Market Listings 218
The Time Value of Money 128
7.2 Market Values, Book Values, and Liquidation
5.1 Future Values and Compound Interest 129
Values 221
5.2 Present Values 133
7.3 Valuing Common Stocks 224
Finding the Interest Rate 137
Valuation by Comparables 224
Finding the Investment Period 138
Price and Intrinsic Value 225
5.3 Multiple Cash Flows 140 The Dividend Discount Model 227
Future Value of Multiple Cash Flows 140
7.4 Simplifying the Dividend Discount Model 230
Present Value of Multiple Cash Flows 142
The Dividend Discount Model with No
5.4 Level Cash Flows: Perpetuities and Annuities 144 Growth 230
How to Value Perpetuities 144 The Constant-Growth Dividend Discount
How to Value Annuities 146 Model 231
Annuities Due 150 Estimating Expected Rates of Return 232
Future Value of an Annuity 152 Non-constant Growth 233
Cash Flows Growing at a Constant Rate—Variations
7.5 Growth Stocks and Income Stocks 235
on Perpetuities and Annuities 155
7.6 There Are No Free Lunches on Bay Street 238
5.5 Inflation and the Time Value of Money 157
Method 1: Technical Analysis 239
Real Versus Nominal Cash Flows 157
Method 2: Fundamental Analysis 242
Inflation and Interest Rates 159
A Theory to Fit the Facts 243
Valuing Real Cash Payments 161
Real or Nominal? 162 7.7 Market Anomalies and Behavioural Finance 244
5.6 Effective Annual Interest Rates 162 Market Anomalies 244
Behavioural Finance 245
5.7 Summary 165
7.8 Summary 246
CHAPTER 6
Valuing Bonds 178 CHAPTER 8
Net Present Value and Other
6.1 Bonds and the Bond Market 180
Investment Criteria 256
Bond Market Data 180
8.1 Net Present Value 258
6.2 Interest Rates and Bond Prices 182
A Comment on Risk and Present Value 259
How Bond Prices Vary with Interest Rates 184
Valuing Long-Lived Projects 259
6.3 Current Yield and Yield to Maturity 186 Using the NPV Rule to Choose Among Projects 263
6.4 Bond Rates of Return 187 8.2 Other Investment Criteria 264
Taxes and Rates of Return 191 Payback 264
Multiperiod Rates of Return 192 Discounted Payback 266
Internal Rate of Return 267
6.5 The Yield Curve 193
A Closer Look at the Rate of Return Rule 268
Nominal and Real Rates of Interest 194
Calculating the Rate of Return for Long-Lived
The Determinants of the Yield Curve 196 Projects 269
Expectations Theory 196 A Word of Caution 271
Interest Rate Risk and the Liquidity Premium 197 Some Pitfalls of the IRR Rule 271
viii Table of Contents
8.3 More Examples of Mutually Exclusive Projects 275 10.2 Some “What If” Questions 329
The Investment Timing Problem 276 Sensitivity Analysis 330
The Choice Between Long- and Short-Lived Scenario Analysis 332
Equipment 277
10.3 Break-Even Analysis 333
Replacing an Old Machine 278
Accounting Break-Even Analysis 333
8.4 Capital Rationing 280 NPV Break-Even Analysis 335
Soft Rationing 280 Operating Leverage 338
Hard Rationing 280
10.4 Real Options and the Value of Flexibility 340
Pitfalls of the Profitability Index 281
The Option to Expand 340
8.5 A Last Look 282 A Second Real Option: The Option to Abandon 342
A Third Real Option: The Timing Option 343
8.6 Summary 283
A Fourth Real Option: Flexible Production
CHAPTER 9 Facilities 344
Using Discounted Cash Flow Analysis to Make 10.5 Summary 344
Investment Decisions 292
9.1 Identifying Cash Flows 293
PART 3
Discount Cash Flows, Not Profits 293
Discount Incremental Cash Flows 295 RISK 352
Include All Indirect Effects 296
Forget Sunk Costs 296 CHAPTER 11
Include Opportunity Costs 296 Introduction to Risk, Return, and the
Recognize the Investment in Working Capital 297 Opportunity Cost of Capital 352
Remember Shutdown Cash Flows 298
11.1 Rates of Return: A Review 353
Beware of Allocated Overhead Costs 298
Discount Nominal Cash Flows by the Nominal 11.2 Ninety Years of Capital Market History 355
Cost of Capital 298 Market Indexes 355
Separate Investment and Financing Decisions 300 The Historical Record 356
Using Historical Evidence to Estimate Today’s
9.2 Calculating Cash Flows 300
Cost of Capital 359
Capital Investment 300
Investment in Working Capital 300 11.3 Measuring Risk 360
Operating Cash Flow 301 Variance and Standard Deviation 362
A Note on Calculating Variance 363
9.3 Business Taxes in Canada and the Capital
Measuring the Variation in Stock Returns 364
Budgeting Decision 304
Depreciation and Capital Cost Allowance 304 11.4 Risk and Diversification 366
The Asset Class System 304 Diversification 366
Sale of Assets 306 Asset Versus Portfolio Risk 367
Termination of Asset Pool 307 Covariance and Correlation 369
Present Values of CCA Tax Shields 308 Correlation and Portfolio Diversification 370
Market Risk Versus Unique Risk 375
9.4 Example: Blooper Industries 310
Calculating Blooper’s Project Cash Flows 311 11.5 Thinking About Risk 377
Calculating the NPV of Blooper’s Project 313 Message 1: Some Risks Look Big and Dangerous
Further Notes and Wrinkles Arising from but Really Are Diversifiable 377
Blooper’s Project 314 Message 2: Market Risks Are Macro Risks 378
Message 3: Risk Can Be Measured 379
9.5 Summary 317
11.6 Summary 379
CHAPTER 10
Project Analysis 325 CHAPTER 12
10.1 How Firms Organize the Investment Process 326
Risk, Return, and Capital Budgeting 385
Stage 1: The Capital Budget 326 12.1 Measuring Market Risk 386
Stage 2: Project Authorizations 327 Measuring Beta 387
Problems and Some Solutions 327 Betas for Cameco and Royal Bank 390
Table of Contents ix
CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 18
Debt Policy 514 Payout Policy 571
16.1 How Borrowing Affects Value in a Tax-Free 18.1 How Dividends Are Paid 572
Economy 515 Cash Dividends 572
MM’s Argument 516 Some Legal Limitations on Dividends 573
How Borrowing Affects Earnings per Share 517 Stock Dividends, Stock Splits, and Reverse
How Borrowing Affects Risk and Return 519 Splits 574
Debt and the Cost of Equity 521 Dividend Reinvestment Plans and Share
Purchase Plans 575
16.2 Capital Structure and Corporate Taxes 523
Debt and Taxes at River Cruises 523 18.2 Share Repurchase 575
How Interest Tax Shields Contribute to the Value of Why Repurchases Are Like Dividends 576
Shareholders’ Equity 525 Repurchases and Share Valuation 577
Corporate Taxes and the Weighted-Average Cost of 18.3 How Do Companies Decide on How Much to Pay
Capital 526 Out? 577
The Implications of Corporate Taxes for Capital The Role of Share Repurchase Decisions 578
Structure 527 The Information Content of Dividends and
16.3 Costs of Financial Distress 527 Repurchases 579
Bankruptcy Costs 528 18.4 Why Payout Policy Should Not Matter 581
Evidence on Bankruptcy Costs 529 Payout Policy Is Irrelevant in Efficient Financial
Direct Versus Indirect Costs of Bankruptcy 530 Markets 581
Financial Distress Without Bankruptcy 530 The Assumptions Behind Dividend-
Costs of Distress Vary with Type of Asset 532 Irrelevance 582
16.4 Explaining Financing Choices 533 18.5 Why Dividends May Increase Firm Value 584
The Trade-Off Theory 533 Market Imperfections 584
A Pecking-Order Theory 534
18.6 Why Dividends May Reduce Firm Value 585
The Two Faces of Financial Slack 535
Why Pay Any Dividends at All? 586
16.5 Bankruptcy Procedures 537 Dividends Versus Capital Gains 586
The Choice Between Liquidation and Dividend Clientele Effects 587
Reorganization 540
18.7 Summary 587
16.6 Summary 541
PART 6
CHAPTER 17
Leasing 549 FINANCIAL PLANNING 595
17.1 What Is a Lease? 550
CHAPTER 19
Leasing Industry 551
Long-Term Financial Planning 595
17.2 Why Lease? 552
19.1 What Is Financial Planning? 596
Sensible Reasons for Leasing 552
Financial Planning Focuses on the Big Picture 596
Some Dubious Reasons for Leasing 553
Why Build Financial Plans? 597
17.3 Valuing Leases 555
19.2 Financial Planning Models 598
Operating Leases 555
Components of a Financial Planning Model 598
Financial Leases 556
Percentage-of-Sales Models 599
Cash Flows of a Financial Lease 557
An Improved Financial Planning Model 601
Who Really Owns the Leased Asset? 558
Leasing and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) 559 19.3 Tips for Planners 607
First Pass at Valuing a Financial Lease Contract 559 Pitfalls in Model Design 607
Financial Lease Evaluation 562 The Assumption in Percentage-of-Sales
Using Formulas to Evaluate Financial Leases 562 Models 607
Table of Contents xi
19.5 Summary 614 21.4 Investing Idle Cash: The Money Market 674
Yields on Money Market Investments 677
CHAPTER 20 21.5 The International Money Market 677
Short-Term Financial Planning 622
21.6 Summary 678
20.1 Links Between Long-Term and Short-Term
Financing 624 CHAPTER 22
20.2 Working Capital 626 Credit Management and Collection 682
The Components of Working Capital 627 22.1 Terms of Sale 683
Net Working Capital, Operating Cycle, and the Cash
Conversion Cycle 629 22.2 Credit Agreements 686
The Working Capital Trade-Off 632 22.3 Credit Analysis 686
20.3 Tracing Changes in Cash and Working Capital 633 Financial Ratio Analysis 687
Numerical Credit Scoring 687
20.4 Cash Budgeting 635 When to Stop Looking for Clues 690
Forecast Sources of Cash 635
Forecast Uses of Cash 637 22.4 The Credit Decision and Revisiting the Terms
The Cash Balance 637 of Sale 691
Credit Decisions with Repeat Orders 692
20.5 A Short-Term Financing Plan 640 Evaluating a Credit Policy Switch 694
Dynamic Mattress’s Financing Plan 640
Some General Principles for the Credit
Evaluating the Plan 641
Decision and Credit Terms 694
20.6 Sources of Short-Term Financing 642 22.5 Collection Policy 696
Bank Loans 642
Secured Loans 642 22.6 Summary 697
Factoring 644
Commercial Paper 645 PART 8
Banker’s Acceptance 646
SPECIAL TOPICS 704
20.7 The Cost of Bank Loans 646
Simple Interest 646
CHAPTER 23
Discount Interest 646
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate
Interest with Compensating Balances 647
Control 704
20.8 Summary 648
23.1 Sensible Motives for Mergers 706
Increased Revenues 708
PART 7 Economies of Scale 709
SHORT-TERM FINANCIAL Economies of Vertical Integration 709
DECISIONS 657 Combining Complementary Resources 709
Merging to Reduce Taxes 710
Mergers as a Use for Surplus Funds 710
CHAPTER 21
Cash and Inventory Management 657 23.2 Dubious Reasons for Mergers 710
Diversification 710
21.1 Managing Cash Balances 658
The Bootstrap Game 711
Cheque Handling and Float 659
Other Payment Systems 662 23.3 The Mechanics of a Merger 712
Electronic Funds Transfer 663 The Form of Acquisition 712
International Cash Management 664 Mergers, Antitrust Law, and Popular
Opposition 714
21.2 Managing Inventories 665
Inventory Management Models 665 23.4 Evaluating Mergers 715
Just-in-Time Inventory Management 668 Mergers Financed by Cash 715
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) 668 Mergers Financed by Stock 717
xii Table of Contents
23.7 Method 2: Takeover Bids 721 25.2 What Determines Option Values? 771
Takeover Bid Tactics 721 Upper and Lower Limits on Option Values 771
The Determinants of Option Value 772
23.8 Method 3: Leveraged Buyouts 723 Option-Valuation Models 773
Barbarians at the Gate? 724
Recent LBO Activity 726 25.3 Spotting the Option 776
Options on Real Assets 776
23.9 Method 4: Divestitures, Spin-Offs, and Equity Options on Financial Assets 777
Carve-Outs 727
25.4 Summary 781
23.10 The Benefits and Costs of Mergers 729
23.11 Summary 731
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 24 Risk Management 787
International Financial Management 736 26.1 Why Hedge? 788
24.1 Foreign Exchange Markets 737 The Evidence on Risk Management 790
Spot Exchange Rates 737 26.2 Reducing Risk with Options 790
Forward Exchange Rates 740
26.3 Futures Contracts 791
24.2 Some Basic Relationships 741 The Mechanics of Futures Trading 794
Exchange Rates and Inflation 742 Commodity and Financial Futures 795
Inflation and Interest Rates 743
Interest Rates and Exchange Rates 745 26.4 Forward Contracts 796
The Forward Rate and the Expected Spot Rate 746 26.5 Swaps 797
Some Implications 747
26.6 Innovation in the Derivatives Market 800
24.3 Hedging Exchange Rate Risk 748
26.7 Is “Derivative” a Four-Letter Word? 800
Transaction Risk 748
Economic Risk 748 26.8 Summary 801
24.4 International Capital Budgeting 749 Appendix A: Present Value Tables A-1
Net Present Value Analysis 749
Glossary GL-1
The Cost of Capital for Foreign Investment 751
Political Risk 751 Index IN-1
Avoiding Fudge Factors 754
24.5 Summary 756
PREFACE
This book is about corporate finance. It focuses on how com- and numerical examples. The ideas provide the “why”
panies invest in real assets and how they raise the money to behind the tools that good financial managers use to make
pay for these investments. It also provides a broad introduc- investment and financing decisions.
tion to the financial landscape, discussing, for example, the
major players in financial markets, the role of financial insti- WHY USE OUR BOOK
tutions in the economy, and how securities are traded and We wrote this book to make financial management clear,
valued by investors. It offers a framework for systematically useful, interesting, and fun for the beginning student. We
thinking about most of the important financial problems set out to show that modern finance and good financial
that both firms and individuals are likely to confront. practice go together—even for the financial novice. The key
Financial management is important, interesting, and to this is a thorough understanding of the principles and
challenging. It is important because today’s capital invest- mechanics of the time value of money. This material under-
ment decisions may determine the businesses that the firm lies almost all of this text, and we spend a lengthy Chapter 5
is in 10, 20, or more years ahead. Also, a firm’s success or providing extensive practice with this key concept.
failure depends in large part on its ability to find the capital The second component of our approach is the extensive
that it needs. use of numerical examples. Each chapter presents detailed
Finance is interesting for several reasons. Financial deci- numerical examples to help the reader become familiar and
sions often involve huge sums of money. Large investment comfortable with the material. We have peppered the book
projects or acquisitions may involve billions of dollars. Also, with real-life illustrations of the chapters’ topics. Some of
the financial community is international and fast-moving, these are excerpts from the financial press found in Finance
with colourful heroes and a sprinkling of unpleasant villains. in Action boxes; others are built into the text as examples.
Finance is challenging. Financial decisions are rarely cut By connecting concepts with practice, we strive to give
and dried, and the financial markets in which companies students a working ability to make financial decisions.
operate are changing rapidly. Good managers can cope with We have streamlined the treatment of most topics to
routine problems, but only the best managers can respond avoid getting bogged down in unnecessary detail that can
to change. To handle new problems, you need more than overwhelm a beginner. We don’t assume users will have a
rules of thumb; you need to understand why companies lot of background knowledge.
and financial markets behave as they do and when common We have written the book in a relaxed and informal
practice may not be best practice. Once you have a con- writing style. We use mathematical notation only where
sistent framework for making financial decisions, complex necessary. Even when we present an equation, we usu-
problems become more manageable. ally write it in words before using symbols. This approach
This book provides that framework. It is not an ency- has two advantages: it is less intimidating and it focuses
clopedia of finance. It focuses instead on setting out the attention on the underlying concept rather than just the
basic principles of financial management and applying them formula.
to the main decisions faced by the financial manager. It
explains why the firm’s owners would like the manager
to increase firm value and shows how managers choose WAYS TO USE OUR BOOK
between investments that may pay off at different points of Because there are about as many effective ways to orga-
time or have different degrees of risk. It also describes the nize a course in corporate finance as there are teachers,
main features of financial markets and discusses why com- we have ensured that many topics can be introduced in
panies may prefer a particular source of finance. different orders. For example, (1) we have made sure that
We organize the book around the key concepts of mod- Part Six (Financial Planning) can easily follow Part One
ern finance. These concepts, properly explained, make the (Introduction); (2) although we discuss working capital
subject simpler, not more difficult. They are also more after the basic principles of valuation and financing, we
practical. The tools of financial management are easier have made it possible for instructors to reverse that order
to grasp and use effectively when presented in a consis- (as many prefer to do); and (3) although the opportunity
tent conceptual framework. Modern finance provides that cost of capital depends on project risk, the chapters on
framework. project valuation and those on risk and return are written
Modern financial management is not “rocket science.” It in such a way that the two groups can be presented in
is a set of ideas that can be made clear by words, graphs, any order.
xiv Preface
CHANGES IN THE SIXTH CANADIAN EDITION Chapter 7 (Valuing Stocks). Updated marked-based
This sixth Canadian edition of Fundamentals includes many data. New material on the value of future investment. New
updates. We have enhanced the analytical tools used with Finance in Action box, “Facebook IPOs.”
the book: more spreadsheet boxes are integrated into the Chapter 8 (Net Present Value and Other Investment
chapters; end-of-chapter problems include exercises that Criteria) has been streamlined and reorganized. The chapter
ask students to use a variety of Internet resources to solve includes new discussion on calculating NPV using an exam-
financial problems and integrative mini cases. The location ple for the Cape Wind Project including spreadsheet appli-
of some chapters in the book has been altered to improve cations and problems. The chapter also has an enhanced
the logical flow of topics. In addition, we have rewritten, explanation of why mutually exclusive investments are
rearranged, and added material to improve readability and central to almost all real-life investment decisions and how
update coverage across chapters. The following are some that affects the capital budgeting decision.
examples of the changes that we have made. Chapter 9 (Using Discounted Cash Flow Analysis to
Chapter 1 (Goals and Governance of the Firm) has Make Investment Decisions) has been updated to include
been largely rewritten to improve readability and inter- new information on capital cost allowance (CCA). The
est. This chapter includes the real-life case of Tim Hortons chapter works through a realistic comprehensive example
and its founders Ron Joyce and Tim Horton, illustrating of capital budgeting analysis. An appendix showing how
how financial markets help infant enterprises grow into the CCA tax shield is derived is available to the reader on
healthy adults. The section on business organizations has Connect.
new material on private corporations and the pros and cons Chapter 10 (Project Analysis). The updated chapter
of being a public corporation. Examples of investment and includes revised coverage of real options and explains how
financial decisions of well-known companies are used to those options are integrated into a firm’s longer-term stra-
illustrate the main activities of financial managers, the role tegic considerations. Updated Finance in Action material
of financial markets, and the goals of a corporation. Keep- includes an article on FedEx’s use of options.
ing in mind the currency of certain themes, the chapter Chapter 11 (Introduction to Risk, Return, and the
includes expanded discussion of agency issues, including Opportunity Cost of Capital) starts with an updated his-
additions on corporate raiders, creative accounting and tax torical survey of returns on bonds and stocks and goes on
avoidance. There is also new content on the ethical issues to distinguish between the unique risk and market risk of
that confront managers and new discussion on the global individual stocks using updated market-based data from
financial crisis. Yahoo Finance.
Chapter 2 (Financial Markets and Institutions) opens Chapter 12 (Risk, Return, and Capital Budgeting) shows
with the history of Apple Computer. The chapter has addi- how to measure market risk and discusses the relationship
tional coverage on prediction markets and also includes between risk and expected return, now uses updated mar-
additional discussion of the financial crisis and its spillover ket data from Yahoo Finance.
to the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone. Chapter 13 (The Weighted-Average Cost of Capital and
Chapter 3 (Accounting and Finance) includes an Company Valuation). Market data has been updated. There
updated discussion of new Canadian accounting standards is a discussion of the choice of the risk-free security, Trea-
for public companies, which are the International Financial sury bill, or long-term government bond when implement-
Reporting Standards (IFRS). IFRS financial statements of a ing CAPM.
Canadian company have been included. The discussion of Chapter 14 (Introduction to Corporate Financing and
profits versus cash flow includes examples of how accrual Governance) has been extensively updated, and features an
accounting impacts cash flow. The tax rates have also been extended treatment of corporate governance. A new Finance
updated. in Action box discusses the role of corporate governance
Chapter 4 (Measuring Corporate Performance). This in the context of enhancing shareholder value. The chap-
chapter explains various formulas for measuring corporate ter includes new discussion pertaining to innovations in the
performance and provides clear definitions of various con- bond market, and a new Finance in Action box discusses
cepts. NOPAT, ROA, and ROE are discussed. IFRS finan- new regulatory proposals for Canadian commercial paper.
cial statements of another Canadian company in the same Chapter 15 (Venture Capital, IPOs, and Seasoned Offer-
industry have been included for comparison. ings). The chapter introduces alternative fundraising meth-
Chapter 5 (The Time Value of Money) has been ods for startups such as crowdsourcing. The chapter also
updated and rearranged to improve logical flow. The chap- has updated material on the IPO market and on underwrit-
ter includes new spreadsheet applications. ers. An appendix to the chapter discussing the financing
Chapter 6 (Valuing Bonds). Updated market-based bond of new and small enterprises has been rewritten to reflect
data and institutional information. New material on interna- changes in the venture capital industry and other sources
tional bond market variations. of small business financing in Canada.
Preface xv
Chapter 16 (Debt Policy) has been updated with Cana- Chapter 22 (Credit Management and Collection). New
dian examples and statistics in the discussions on costs of material on numerical credit scoring. The general principles
financial distress and explaining financing choices. for the credit decision updated with a discussion of the five
Chapter 17 (Leasing) now has updated information on Cs that determine credit terms.
the leasing industry. Chapter 23 (Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Con-
Chapter 18 (Payout Policy) has been updated with a trol). Updated to include three recent large merger deals
revamped treatment of the trade-offs governing the use of in Canada. Added an example of a private firm in mergers
dividends versus share repurchases and includes additional and acquisitions, The Bagg Group. Added Montreal-based
discussion on the role of share repurchase decisions. Two Osisko Mining Corp. example. Added a proposal of new
new Finance in Action boxes have been added: one describ- rules on hostile takeover bids in Canada. Added examples
ing the special dividend of Bakery Canada Bread Co. and of leveraged buyouts, Gates Global and Informatica. Added
the other discussing the effect on share prices of significant new analysis of global mergers and acquisitions market from
dividend cuts by J.P. Morgan. Boston Consulting Group. Added that the performance of
Chapter 19 (Long-Term Financial Planning). The finan- the Guggenheim Spin-Off exchange-traded fund has outper-
cial planning model has been updated. A crucial aspect of formed the S&P 500. More details about the success of the
long-term planning is the use of Excel spreadsheets which equity carve-out of Tim Hortons.
is an important part of this chapter. Chapter 24 (International Financial Management) has
Chapter 20 (Short-Term Financial Planning) has been extensive updates and new discussion on the global financial
significantly updated with new examples of short-term crisis, including two Finance in Action articles on the effects
financing. A discussion of bank lending practices and the of the crisis on Greece and Italy. Another new Finance in
importance of bank loans for small and mid-sized operations Action box discusses the outlook for the Canadian dollar.
is included. Chapter 25 (Options). Market option prices updated.
Chapter 21 (Cash and Inventory Management). The New Finance in Action box, “The Fear Index,” and new
section on managing cash balances has been updated. New Excel spreadsheet.
section on radio frequency identification (RFID). More Chapter 26 (Risk Management) includes a new Finance
information on yields on money market investments and in Action box that illustrates the risks of excessive specula-
the international money market. tion and how fortunes can be lost.
xvi Preface FINANCE IN ACTION
Fourth Pass Fourth Pass
WALK-THROUGH
To provide guidance and insights
throughout the text, we include a
CHAPTER
15 Founder of Microcredit Movemen in 2004 at a price of $85 a share, putting a value on the
enterprise of $23 billion.
Mike Lazardis quit his studies in electrical engineering
at the University of Waterloo at 23.1 In 1984 he started
Research In Motion (RIM) with two friends. RIM went
public in 1997, offering 13.8 million common shares at $7.25
number of proven pedagogical aids: each on the Toronto Stock Exchange. RIM’s product, the
BlackBerry e-mail pager-cum-computer, was such a success
that by early 2000 its shares were trading at $260. Mike
Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus and the bank he founded, Gr Academy Award for technical achievement with a co-
AND SEASONED OFFERINGS worker for designing a device that quickened the pace of
film editing. The name of the company was recently
Bank, which created a new category of banking by granting m
Tobi Lütke, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Shopify Inc., joined by
members of Shopify’s leadership team and Lou Eccleston, Chief Executive
Officer, TMX Group, opens the market at Toronto Stock Exchange on May
changed from RIM to BlackBerry.
Such stories illustrate that the most important asset of
CHAPTER OPENING
immediately zoomed to $35. The largest shareholder was may rely on their own savings and personal bank loans.
LO1 Explain how venture capital firms design successful deals.
LO2 Explain how firms make initial public offerings and the costs of such
offerings.
Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said on it
Bill Gates, whose shares in Microsoft then were worth
US$350 million.
But this is unlikely to be sufficient to build a successful
enterprise. Venture capital firms specialize in providing
In 1976 two college dropouts, Steve Jobs and Steve new equity capital to help firms over the awkward-adolescent
LO4
State what is involved when established firms make a general cash offer
or a private placement of securities.
Explain the role of the underwriter in an issue of securities.
site that it awarded the prize to Yunus and the Bank “for their eff
Wozniak, sold their most valuable possessions, a van and
a couple of calculators, and used the cash to start man-
period before they are large enough to “go public.” In
the first part of this chapter, we will explain how venture
ufacturing computers in a garage. In 1980 when Apple capital firms do this.
LO5 Discuss some of the significant questions that arise when established
create economic and social benefit from below.”
Computer went public, the shares were offered to inves- If the firm continues to be successful, there will likely
learning objectives (LOs) providing firms make a rights issue, a general cash offer, or a private placement of
securities.
tors at $22 and jumped to $36. At that point, the shares
owned by the company’s two founders were worth
come a time when it needs to tap a wider source of
capital. At this point it will make its first public issue of com-
a quick introduction to the mate- In 1996 two Stanford computer science students, Larry In the second section of the chapter we will describe what is
rial students will learn and should mercial product, the friends succeeded in raising almost
understand fully before moving to ture capital firms that specialized in helping young startup
the next chapter. This is followed by 7 days a week making finely woven bamboo furniture. Becau
a narrative to set the stage for what had no working capital, she was forced to buy her materials on
follows.
1 While it is true that some of these highly successful entrepreneurs dropped out of college or university, we do not want to give the impression that quitting
480
NUMBERED EXAMPLES
Numbered and titled examples are extensively integrated into the chapters to provide detailed its financing is not ver
applications and illustrations of the text material. to financing was vital.
operate in a country w
requires
Third Pass a well-function
FINANCE IN ACTION BOXES A modern financial
company’s age, its grow
Almost every chapter includes at least one Finance FINANCE IN ACTION venture capital financi
in Action box. The boxes present excerpts, usu-
Implications of IFRS for the Retail Industry markets. Still later, as t
ally from the financial press, providing real-life
the examples given in T
illustrations of the chapter’s topics.
As their lenders, suppliers, customers and competitors switch to inter- pertaining to lease accounting. This will include reviewing thechannels
account- open to mode
national financial reporting standards, even privately-owned retailers ing treatment of pre-opening costs, rent-free periods, step rent, other
will be affected. David Bromley, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, lease incentives, contingent rental payments, as well as asset book,
retire- and new channe
discusses some of the special considerations for retailers, such as ment obligations. Under IFRS, the classification of leases is determined
leases and loyalty programs. using guidelines that are more qualitative in nature and requirea morerecent innovation kn
Q Who does IFRS apply to in the retail sector? professional judgment. In addition, a new IFRS standard on leases is
expected to be issued in the coming years, which may require of the world.
all leases
A IFRS is relevant to all publicly listed retail companies. But a Canadian
to be capitalized on the balance sheet. This could have a significant
retailer that is private could also be interested in IFRS. For fiscal years
impact on the financial statements of retail companies.
beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2011, retailers in the private sector will have
to choose either to adopt IFRS or Canadian GAAP for Private Enter- Q I’ve heard IFRS referred to as standing for, “I feel really stressed.”
prises. IFRS may be the best alternative if you are considering going Do you have a sense of how well prepared retailers are for this?
THE FLOW O
public in the future, have an exit strategy that could involve acquisition A PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP conducted a survey with the Canadian
by an IFRS reporter or private-equity interest, or have banking institu-
tions that require IFRS-compliant financial statements. LO1, 2 2.2
Financial Executives Research Foundation during April 2009 to gauge
the progress of Canadian companies in their conversion to IFRS. Of
the 147 public companies that were surveyed, 80% indicated they
Q Are there any aspects of IFRS that impact retailers differently from other
businesses or issues unique to retail that affect the transition in any way? remained short of the halfway mark in their overall conversion process.
A distinctive icon (shown here) appears where the authors discuss The road can pass thro
global issues.
Leasing Affects Book Income Leasing can make the firm’s balance sheet and income
statement look better by increasing book income or decreasing book asset value, or both.
Let’s start with the s
In Motion (RIM) in its
A lease that qualifies as off-balance-sheet financing affects book income in only one way:
the lease payments are an expense. If the firm buys the asset instead and borrows to finance
investment
alternative. Consequently, leasing increases book income in the early years of an asset’s life.
in this sim
A distinctive icon (shown here) appears where the authors discussThe book rate of return can increase even more dramatically, because the book value
assets (the denominator in the book-rate-of-return calculation) is understated if the leased
of
OPERATING LEASES
behalf of the firm’s In this case investors’ s
These marginal boxes, identified with the icon shown at Leases can be attractive for a variety of reasons. However, the decision to lease requires
Now consider a lar
right, summarize the adjoining material, at the same time shareholders.
careful calculation of the cash inflows and outflows from the lease. If you are considering
an operating lease, decide whether it is cheaper to lease the asset for the time that you need
it or to buy it. Figure out the equivalent annual cost of buying the asset and compare What’s
it to different? Scale, 6
36 555
KEY TERMS
Key terms, when introduced, appear in colour and bold in the main text and
are defined in the margin. A glossary made up of all these definitions is also
available at the back of the book and on Connect. bre24962_ch19_595-621.indd 601 12/22/15
Fourth Pass
• n is the number of periods. (We have been using t to denote the Year: 0 1
length of time, or number of periods. Most calculators use n for
the same concept.)
FV $112
• i is the interest rate per period, expressed as a percentage (not
a decimal). For example, if the interest rate is 8%, you would If, instead of borrowing, you were to invest $100 today to reap a
enter 8, not .08. On some calculators this key is written I/Y future benefit, you would enter PV as a negative number (first press
or I/YR. (We have been using r to denote the interest rate or 100, then press the +/− key to make the value negative, and finally
discount rate.) press PV to enter the value into the PV register). In this case, FV would
• PV is the present value. appear as a positive number, indicating that you will reap a cash inflow
• FV is the future value. when your investment comes to fruition.
• PMT is the amount of any recurring payment (called an annuity).
In single cash-flow problems such as those we have considered so Present Values
far, PMT is zero. Suppose your savings goal is to accumulate $10,000 by the end of
Thirdto Pass
30 years. If the interest rate is 8%, how much would you need invest
Given any four of these inputs, the calculator will solve the fifth. We will
today to achieve your goal? Again, there is no recurring payment
EXHIBITS
Recall Example 5.1, where we calculated the future value of Peter
Minuit’s $24 investment. Enter 24 into the PV register. (You enter because you need to make a cash outflow (an investment) of $993.77
EXCEL
the value SPREADSHEET
by typing 24 and then pushing the PV key.) We assumed an now in order to enjoy a cash inflow of $10,000 in 30 years.
interest rate of 8%, so enter 8 into the i register. Because the $24 had
Excel Spreadsheet boxes are integrated into 380 years to compound, enter 380 into the n register. Enter 0 into
Finding the Interest Rate
The 47-year IOU from Puerto Rico in Example 5.3 sold at $94.40 and
many chapters and provide the student with Internal Rate of Return
the PMT register because there is no recurring payment involved in
the calculation. Now ask the calculator to compute FV. On some calcu-
promised a final payment of $1,000. We may obtain the market inter-
est rate by entering n = 47, FV = 1,000, PV = −94.40, and PMT = 0.
lators you simply press the FV key. On others you need to first press
Compute i and you will find that the interest rate is 5.15%. This is the
detailed examples of how to use spreadsheets in the “compute” key (which may be labelled COMP or CPT), and then
press FV. The exact sequence of keystrokes for three popular financial
value we computed directly (but with more work) in the “Finding
the Interest Rate” section of this chapter.
applying financial concepts. They give students calculators is as follows:* A B C D E
How Long an Investment?
F
139
are set as Excel Spreadsheets. Calculating internal rate of return in Excel is as easy as listing the proj- (left), and then calculate IRR as we do in cell E4. As always, the interest
ect cash flows. For example, to calculate the IRR of the office-block rate is returned as a decimal.
project, you could simply type in its cash flows as in the spreadsheet
Check Point 8.3 Suppose the cash flow in year 3 is only $416,000. Redraw Figure 8.3. How would the IRR change?
Check Point 8.4 Suppose that a company invests $60,000 in a project. The project generates a cash inflow of
$30,000 a year for each of 3 years and nothing thereafter. For simplicity, we assume there are no
taxes.
Calculate the project’s internal rate of return. (If you do not have a financial calculator or spread-
sheet program, this will require a little trial and error.)
Key Terms
annual percentage rates (APR) future value (FV) present value interest factor
annuity future value factor real interest rate
annuity due future value interest factor real value of $1
annuity factor growing annuity simple interest
compound interest growing perpetuity
xviii Preface discount factor
discount rate
inflation
nominal interest rate
effective annual interest perpetuity
rate (EAR) present value (PV)
2. Future Values. Compute the future value of a $100 6. Present Values. Would you rather receive $1,000
are included in both the Summary and theQuestions
Ques- and Problems cash flow for the same combinations of rates and
times
per year for 10 years or $800 per year for 15 years if
56 as in problem 1. (LO1) Part 1 Introduction a. the interest rate is 5%? (LO3)
tions and Problems. The Questions andQuestionsProb-with online Excel templates
3. Future Values. You deposit $1,000 into your bank
or datasets are marked
account. If the bank pays 4% simple interest, how
b. the interest rate is 20%? (LO3)
c. Why do your answers to parts (a) and (b) differ?
with and can be found on Connect. 21. Internet. Barclays Canada provides many of the CHALLENGE
lems incorporate questions requiring Internet much will you accumulate in your account after
exchange-traded funds listed on the TSX. Go to
10 years? If the bank pays compound interest, how
7. Present Values. What is the present value of
24. Internet. www.globefund.com,
Go tostream if the interest rate find
is “Fund
BASIC www.ishares.ca and explore 3 different ETFs. The the following cash flow
access, questions with guided steps, integrative much of your earnings will be interest on interest?
(LO1)
1. Trade Credit Rates. Company each X sells onouta the
1/20,
Filter” under “Inside Funds” in the middle of the
list is found on the home page under “Products.” For 5%? (LO3)page. Select an asset class that interests you. For
ETF, find name of the 5. Trade
market Credit Rates.
index that example,A firm
under currently
Years Cash Flow offers terms
the “Aggressive Growth” category,
questions, qualitative/conceptual questions, and Present the
net 60, basis. Customer 4.Y buys Values.
goods
If you earn
past5%
ETF isYou
with anwill
interest
returns, andon
require
replicating.
invoiceNote$700
your
fund funds,
fees.
in 5 top
the EFT’s years.
(LO2)how much
of5 sale
holdings,
of 3/20, net pick40.“Science
Whatand effect will theandfollow-
Technology,” click on “Get 1 $200
of $1,000. (LO2) ing actions have onResults.” Click on interest
the implicit each of the tabscharged
rate across the page 2 $400
questions requiring the use of Excel or an equiva-
a. How much can Y deduct
will you need to invest today in order to reach your
22. Internet. Go to www.theglobeandmail.com/
from
savings goal? the
(LO2)bill if it pays
globe-investor/funds-and-etfs/fund-lookup, to customers thatfunds.
and see what information is provided for the mutual
pass(LO3)
up the cash discount? State
3 $300
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Preface xix
and topical performance results together with a time metric that is easily visible for aggregate or individual results, Connect
Insight gives instructors the ability to take a just-in-time approach to teaching and learning, which was never before avail-
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INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL
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xx Preface
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We take this opportunity to thank all those who helped us prepare this edition. We want to express our appreciation to the
instructors whose insightful comments and suggestions were invaluable to us during this revision.
We also want to extend much gratitude to you, the student using this textbook. Your criticisms and comments have
made each subsequent edition so much better. William Lim was a third-year B.Com. student at the University of Alberta
in 1985–86 and used the first-ever Canadian edition of a Brealey/Myers textbook in his introductory finance course taught
by Professor Gordon Sick, the Brealey/Myers/Sick/Whaley text Principles of Corporate Finance. It is our hope that, one day
in the not-too-distant future, one or several of you will likewise be inspired to adapt a Brealey/Myers text for Canadian
students.
We owe much to our colleagues at the University of New Brunswick and the School of Administrative Studies, York
University.
Thanks go to Professors Gopalan Srinivasan, Eben Otuteye, and Muhammad Rashid, University of New Brunswick, for
useful suggestions, and also to the Faculty of Business Administration, University of New Brunswick, for some research sup-
port on this project.
Additional thanks to Professors Razvan Boconcios and Rui Wang Miller, York University, for sharing their expertise and
assistance regarding IFRS, financial ratios, bond and stock valuation, and mergers and acquisitions.
We would like to express our appreciation to Navid Kheradmand and Alexandre Deslongchamps, University of New
Brunswick, for adept research and computational assistance. Additional thanks go out to Alexandre Deslongchamps for
work on some end-of-chapter problem solutions.
Furthermore, we are grateful to the following recent York University BAS graduates for their research assistance
and work on the end-of-chapter problems: Mashal Alassaf, Michael Baggetta, Jie Dang, Sanah Hasan, and Shengyuan
Stanley Zhu.
Thanks to Mariana Ionescu for the technical review of the text. In addition, we would like to thank our supplement
authors David Roberts and Tanya Willis, whose efforts will help students and instructors alike.
We are also grateful to the talented staff at McGraw-Hill Ryerson, especially Alwynn Pinard, Product Manager; Daphne
Scriabin, Product Developer; and Joanne Limebeer, Supervising Editor. We want to thank copy editor Rodney Rawlings for
his energetic attention to the details.
Devashis Mitra would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Elizabeth Maynes, his co-author on the previous four Canadian
editions, for her dedication, strong commitment, and hard work. Elizabeth was instrumental in putting together the chapter
on leasing, which is one of the unique and distinguishing features of the Canadian adaptation.
William Lim would like to express his gratitude to Elizabeth Maynes for initiating the comprehensive revision plan for
this Canadian edition.
Finally, we cannot overstate our indebtedness to Koumari Mitra, to Anusha Mitra, Devashis’ daughter, and to Brenda
Siok Hoon Tay-Lim and Nicolas Lim, William’s son. They supported us and forgave us when we were very absorbed in the
project.
Preface xxi
Keith C.K. Cheung, Odette School of Business, Barb Bloemhof, McMaster University
University of Windsor Raad Jassim, McGill University
Bob Chow, Kwantlen Polytechnic University Keith Cheung, University of Windsor
Bill Dawson, University of Western Ontario Nancy Bower Martin, University of Guelph
Larbi Hammami, McGill University W. Fraser Wilson, MacEwan University
Dave Jailal, Seneca College
Audrey Lowrie, MacEwan University
H. Semih Yildirim, York University
Don Smith, Georgian College
PART 1
Introduction
CHAPTER
1
1 Goals and Governance
of the Firm GOALS AND GOVERNANCE
2 Financial Markets and
Institutions OF THE FIRM
3 Accounting and Finance
4 Measuring Corporate
Performance
Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
LO1 Give examples of the investment and financing decisions that financial
managers make.
LO2 Distinguish between real and financial assets.
LO3 Cite some of the advantages and disadvantages of organizing a busi-
ness as a corporation.
LO4 Describe the responsibilities of the CFO, the treasurer, and the
controller.
LO5 Explain why maximizing market value is the logical financial goal of the
corporation.
LO6 Explain why value maximization is usually consistent with ethical
behaviour.
LO7 Explain how corporations mitigate conflicts and encourage cooperative
behaviour.
LO8 Give examples of career paths in finance.
the corporation make? Second, how should it pay for those
investments? The investment decision involves spending
money; the financing decision involves raising it.
We start this chapter with examples of recent investment
and financing decisions by major U.S. and foreign corpora-
tions. We review what a corporation is and describe the roles
of its top financial managers. We then turn to the financial
goal of the corporation, which is usually expressed as maxi-
mizing value, or at least adding value. Financial managers
add value whenever the corporation can invest to earn a
For an organization to grow from small beginnings to a major corporation,
higher return than its shareholders can earn for themselves.
good investment and financing decisions need to be made. But is maximizing value really a sound and realistic goal?
Frank Kovalcheck via Alaskan Dude/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 If a corporation maximizes value for its shareholders, can
it also be a good corporate citizen? If we ask managers to
To carry on business, a corporation needs an almost endless increase firm value, won’t they be tempted to cut corners
variety of assets. Some are tangible assets such as plant and and try dishonest tricks? Will the managers really focus
machinery, office buildings, and vehicles; others are intan- on increasing value, or will they pursue their own narrow,
gible assets such as brand names and patents. Corporations selfish interests? We consider the conflicts of interest that
finance these assets by borrowing, by reinvesting profits arise in large corporations and the mechanisms that help to
back into the firm, and by selling additional shares to the align the interests of managers and stockholders.
firm’s shareholders. Therefore, the firm’s financial managers Finally, we look ahead to the rest of this book and look
face two broad questions: First, what investments should back to some entertaining snippets of financial history.
2
Another random document with
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years of age, in the most approved method of saying “Turn Out.” So far
indeed has our zeal in this laudable undertaking carried us, that we have
actually communicated our ideas upon the subject to a lady, who, to quote
from her own advertisement, “enjoys the advantages of an excellent
education, an unblemished character, and an amiable disposition.” We are
happy to inform our friends and the public in general that Mrs. Simkins has
promised to devote her attention to this branch of female education. By the
end of next month she hopes to be quite competent to the instruction of
pupils in every mode of expressing “Turn Out”—the Distant Hint, the Silent
Bow, the Positive Cut, the Courteous Repulse, and the Absolute Rejection.
We trust that due encouragement will be given to a scheme of such general
utility.
In the meantime, until such academy, or seminary, or establishment shall
be opened, we invite our fair readers to the study of an excellent model in
the person of Caroline Mowbray. Caroline has now seven-and-twenty
lovers, all of whom have successively been in favour, and have been
successively turned out. Yet so skilfully has she modified her severity, that
in most cases she has destroyed hope without extinguishing love: the
victims of her caprice continue her slaves, and are proud of her hand in the
dance, although they despair of obtaining it at the altar. The twenty-seventh
name was added to the list of her admirers last week, and was (with the
most heartfelt regret we state it) no less a personage than the Hon. Gerard
Montgomery. Alas! unfortunate Gerard!
He had entertained us for some time with accounts of the preference with
which he was honoured by this miracle of obduracy, and at last, by dint of
long and earnest entreaty, prevailed upon us to be ourselves witness to the
power he had obtained over her affections. We set out therefore, not without
a considerable suspicion of the manner in which our expedition would
terminate, and inwardly anticipated the jests which “The King of Clubs”
would infallibly broach upon the subject of Gerard’s “Turn Out.”
Nothing occurred of any importance during our ride. Gerard talked much
of Cupids, and Hymen; but, inasmuch as we were not partakers of his
passion, we could not reasonably be expected to partake of his inspiration.
Upon our arrival at Mowbray Lodge we were shown into a room so
crowded with company that we almost fancied we had been ushered into
the Earl’s levee instead of his daughter’s drawing-room. The eye of a lover,
however, was more keen. Gerard soon perceived the Goddess of the Shrine
receiving the incense of adulation from a crowd of votaries. Amongst these
he immediately enrolled himself, while we, apprehensive that our company
might be troublesome to him, hung back, and became imperceptibly
engaged in conversation with some gentlemen of our acquaintance. To
speak the truth, on our way to the Lodge these “Thoughts on Turn Out” had
been the subject of our reveries, and whatever expressions or opinions we
heard around us appeared to coincide with the cogitations with which we
were occupied. We first became much interested in the laments of an old
gentleman who was bewailing the “Turn Out” of a friend at the last election
for the county of——. Next we listened to an episode from a dandy, who
was discussing the extraordinary coat “turned out” by Mr. Michael Oakley
at the last county ball. Finally, we were engaged in a desperate argument
with a Wykehamist, upon the comparative degree of talent “turned out”
from each of the public schools during the last ten years. Of course we
proceeded to advocate the cause of our foster-mother against the
pretensions of our numerous and illustrious rivals. Alas! we felt our
unworthiness to stand forward as Etona’s panegyrist, but we made up in
enthusiasm what we wanted in ability. We ran over with volubility the
names of those thrice-honoured models, whose deserved success is
constantly the theme of applause and the life-spring of emulation among
their successors. We had just brought our catalogue down to the names of
our more immediate forerunners, and were dwelling with much
complacency on the abilities which have during the last few years so nobly
supported the fair fame of Eton at the Universities, when our eye was
caught by the countenance of our hon. friend, which at this moment wore an
appearance of such unusual despondence, that we hastened immediately to
investigate the cause. Upon inquiry, we learned that Montgomery was most
romantically displeased, because Caroline had refused to sing an air of
which he was passionately fond. We found we had just arrived in time for
the finale of the dispute. “And so you can’t sing this to oblige me?” said
Gerard. Caroline looked refusal. “I shall know better than to expect such a
condescension again,” said Gerard, with a low sigh. “Tant mieux!” said
Caroline, with a low curtsey. The audience were unanimous in an unfeeling
laugh, in the midst of which Gerard made a precipitate retreat, or, as
O’Connor expresses it, “ran away like mad,” and we followed him as well
as we could, though certainly not passibus æquis. As we moved to the door
we could hear sundry criticisms on the scene. “Articles of ejectment!” said
a limb of the law. “The favourite distanced!” cried a Newmarket squire. “I
did not think the breach practicable!” observed a gentleman in regimentals.
We overtook the unfortunate object of all these comments about a hundred
yards from the house. His wobegone countenance might well have stopped
our malicious disposition to jocularity; nevertheless we could not refrain
from whispering in his ear, “Gerard! a decided turn out!” “I beg your
pardon,” said the poor fellow, mingling a smile’ for his pun with a tear for
his disappointment, “I beg your pardon; I consider it a decided take in.”
SOLITUDE IN A CROWD.
Reader! Were you ever alone in a crowd? If not, thank your stars, and
bestow a grain of pity upon those who must return a different response to
the question. A crowded solitude, if we may use such a strange expression,
is, in sober sadness, as melancholy a sensation as human nature is capable
of enduring.
A crowded solitude! If you are young, thoughtless, and talkative, you
will be astonished at the idea; and there will be nothing extraordinary in
your surprise. The ancient poets—poor ignorant souls!—have given us a
very different description of being alone. They have defined various kinds
of solitude, suited to various descriptions of men; but all of them are alike
founded on mistaken notions and groundless prejudice. Were we to follow
their opinions, we should place the solitude of the lover in whispering
groves, purling rills, and moonlight; that of the sage in a library or an
observatory; that of the poet in a dish of vegetables and a Sabine farm; and
à fortiori, that of the Etonian in an uncarpeted domicile, with a fractured
window on the one side and a smoking fire on the other. Is this solitude?
Far from it! We must most strenuously contend that true solitude is to be
found in a multitude.
We are aware that the solitude we are now discussing is not that which is
generally understood by the term. Many persons have probably never heard
of any but a corporeal solitude; that which we are describing is mental. The
one is to be found in caves and Caucasus; the other in theatres and
Almack’s. The former delights in moonshine—the latter in candelabras; the
first sets a great value upon the silence and pure air of the country—the
second gives the preference to the noise and squeeze of the fashionable
world; and which of these is real solitude—the corporeal, which is removed
from the sight and hearing of all objects; or the mental, which both hears
and sees a variety of things, and is utterly unconscious that it does either?
We are distrustful of our powers of description, and will therefore
endeavour to illustrate our meaning by examples. We are provided with
plenty, for we have still in our recollection Lady Mordaunt’s last “At
Home.” All the world was there. Whist, music, dancing, and last, not least,
eating, were all going on in the usual style at the same time; the squeeze in
the rooms was beyond parallel in the annals of ton; and of course we found
more solitude in that evening than we had done throughout the whole
season. We made our entrée when her ladyship was in her highest glory: she
was bowing to one, smiling to another, and curtseying to a third, and
straining every nerve and feature to do the proper to all her guests: this,
however, was as impossible as the number of her satellites was
innumerable; the tumult was tremendous; and there was so much bowing,
and begging pardon, and getting out of the way, that it was quite
impracticable to advance or recede a step. Good breeding and bare elbows
were thrust in our faces alternately; we with difficulty preserved our toes
from the frequent attacks made on them by kid slippers, and with still
greater difficulty preserved our hearts from the sweet smiles that said “I beg
ten thousand pardons.” It was a vortex of delight, and we were hurried so
rapidly in its eddies, that much time elapsed ere we were able to collect our
editorial serenity, in order to make a few observations on the scene before
us.
The multitude at length began very slowly to diminish; and, having
lodged ourselves in an unperceived corner of the music-room, we
proceeded, according to our ancient custom, to speculate upon character.
Our attention was first attracted by a tall gentleman of a very noble
appearance, who was leaning against a pillar, in an attitude of profound
meditation. His dress was after the English fashion, but the cast of his
features, and his short curling hair, sufficiently denoted him to be a
foreigner. His eyes were fixed directly upon us, but we satisfied our
curiosity by an attentive survey, without fear of detection, as his mind was
evidently some furlongs distant. Upon inquiry we heard that he was an
Indian chieftain, by name Teioninhokarawn (we have doubts as to the
correctness of our orthography). He had done considerable services to the
British arms in the American war, and had now been invited by her ladyship
as the lion of the evening. He had been surrounded without intermission by
a tribe of quizzers, loungers, and laughers, but one glance was sufficient to
convince us that Teioninhokarawn was—alone.
We observed Lady Georgiana Wilmot standing at the other side of the
room, the very picture of fatigue. She had been singing much, and was
evidently quite exhausted. Λ young star of fashion was moving towards her
with a languishing step; and, as we had a strong curiosity to hear his
address, we changed our station for that purpose. “‘Pon my soul,” the
gentleman began with a bow, “you are divine to-night.” “Am I?” said the
lady, with a vacant gaze. “Never heard you in better voice,” returned her
assailant. Her ladyship knew it was the tone of flattery, so she smiled, but
she had neither spirits nor sense sufficient to attempt an answer. We
immediately decided that Lady Georgiana was—alone.
We next proceeded to the card-room. At first the din, and the disputing,
and the quarrelling was so loud, that we doubted whether we should find
any solitude there; but another look convinced us of our mistake. Lord
Mowbray was evidently—alone. He was walking up and down, deliberating
whether he should sacrifice his conscience or his place at to-morrow’s
division. Not less apparent was the solitude of the Duchess of Codille;
although her Grace was busily engaged at cassino with a select party of
right honourables. She had been for a long time alone in the contemplation
of her new brocade, and was recalled into company by the vociferation of
her partner, “Rat me if I ever saw your Grace play so ill!”
We were about to retire to the ball-room, when we remarked our noble
hostess reclining on an ottoman, seemingly quite exhausted with
fashionable fatigue. She was still, however, exerting herself to do the
agréable, and was talking with appalling rapidity to every one who
approached her, although utterly unconscious of what she heard or said. We
advanced to pay our respects, and were saluted with “Ah, my lord! what has
kept you away so long? And there’s Ellen, poor thing, dying to see you!
Ellen, love!” With some difficulty we explained to her ladyship that she was
mistaken as to our rank. “Eh! Mon Dieu! Sir Charles,” she exclaimed.
“Pardonnez—but I’m really dead with ennui.” We allowed ourselves to be
knighted without further explanation, and made a precipitate retreat, for we
perceived that her ladyship, after the labour of the evening, would be very
glad to be—alone.
The first survey we took of the ball-room presented us with nothing but
cheerful faces and laughing eyes; at the second, we discovered even here
much and melancholy loneliness. There were moralists without sense, and
country squires without acquaintance; beaux without a thought, and belles
without a partner. We hastened to make a closer study of the various
characters which presented themselves.
We first addressed ourselves to Mr. Morris, a respectable Member of
Parliament, with whom we had become acquainted the year before in
Norfolk. “What! you’re not a dancer, Mr. Morris?” we began. “By the Lord,
sir,” he returned, “if this Bill passes——” We passed on, much vexed that
we had intruded on our worthy friend’s solitude.
We were hastening to accost Maria Kelly, a very interesting girl, whose
lover had lately left this country for Minorca, when we were attracted by a
conversation between an exquisite and our old acquaintance, General Brose.
“Ah! General,” said the dandy, “how long have you ceased to foot it?”
“Foot!” interrupted the General, “by Jupiter! their cavalry was ten thousand
strong.” The old man was decidedly—alone.
Before we could reach the recess in which Maria was sitting, she had
been assailed by an impertinent. “May I have the honour and felicity——”
he began. The poor girl started from her reverie with a sort of vacant gaze,
and replied, “He sailed last Tuesday, sir!” “Sola in siccâ,” said the
impertinent, and lounged on. We had not the barbarity to speak to her.
Old Tom Morley, the misanthrope, had been admiring a wax taper in an
unthinking sort of way ever since we entered the room. We went up,
prepared to be witty upon him; but we had hardly opened our mouth when
he cut us short with “For God’s sake leave me alone!” and we left him—
alone. We were proceeding in our observations, when we saw Ellen
Mordaunt, the beautiful daughter of our hostess, surrounded by a set of
dashing young officers, at the other end of the room. We had just began to
examine the features of one of them, who was somewhat smitten, and
appeared prodigiously alone, when the idol herself turned upon us that
bright and fascinating eye,
We have headed our article with two words which are very often, and
certainly very improperly, confounded together. Nobody needs to be told
that the one is from the English, the other from the French vocabulary; but
there may perhaps be some who will be surprised to hear that the one
expresses an English, the other a French quality.
Frown if you will, Monsieur Duclos, we must maintain that the English
are the only people who have a true idea of politeness. If we are wrong, our
error may be excused for the feeling which prompts it; but we believe we
are right, and we will try to make our readers believe so.
The English are kind in their politeness—the French are officious in
their politesse; the politeness of the English is shown in actions—the
politesse of the French evaporates in sound; English politeness is always
disinterested—French politesse is too often prompted by selfishness.
When we consider the various forms of these qualities, we appear to be
discriminating between the rival merits of two contending beauties, who
reign with equal dominion, and divide the admiration of an adoring world.
There are many who prefer the ingenious delicacy of politeness, and we
congratulate them on their truly English feeling; there are perhaps more
who are attracted by the coquettish vivacity of politesse, and we do not
envy them their French taste.
A variety of instances of both these traits must have occurred to
everybody, but as everybody does not behold the shades of character
through the exact medium of an editorial microscope, we will endeavour to
bring out more distinctly those examples which seem to us to bear
immediately on the subject.
When you dine with old Tom Hardy, he gives you little more than a joint
of meat, a bottle of excellent port, and a hearty welcome; when Lord Urban
“requests the honour” of your company, you are greeted with every delicacy
the season can afford; you are pampered with every wine, “from humble
port to imperial tokay,” and you are put to the blush by every form of
adulation that a wish to be civil can devise. Yet we had rather dine once
with Tom Hardy than a hundred times with Lord Urban; for the mutton of
the one is cooked by politeness, and the turtle of the other is dressed by
politesse.
About a month ago, as we were shooting in the north of England with
the son of a celebrated Tory baronet, we were encountered by Mr. Ayscott, a
landed proprietor notorious for his Whig principles. We were somewhat
surprised to see the latter divest himself of all prejudices in a moment; he
came up to our companion with the greatest appearance of cordiality, shook
him by the hand, reminded him that politics ought not to interfere among
friends, knew he was fond of dancing, and hoped to see him frequently at
Ayscott. Now this really looked like politeness; for politeness is that feeling
which prompts us to make others happy and pleased with themselves, and
which for this purpose puts off all dislike, all party spirit, all affectation of
superiority. But when we were informed the next day that Mr. Ayscott had
seven marriageable daughters, we decided that his behaviour was not
politeness, but politesse.
We remember, shortly after Mrs. C. Nugent eloped with an officer in the
dragoons, we were riding in Hyde Park with poor Charles, who
endeavoured to bear his loss unconcernedly, and betrayed not, except to a
close observer, the canker that preyed upon his heart. We were met in the
Park by Sir Harry Soulis, an intimate acquaintance of our friend. He was
riding at a brisk pace, but the moment he observed us he pulled up, and his
flexible features immediately assumed the appearance of unfeigned
sympathy. He came up to us, and began, “Ah Charles! How are you? How
is this unfortunate business to end? I feel for you, Charles! Upon my soul, I
feel for you! You know you may command me in anything”—and he rode
on with the same air of nonchalance that he had first worn. Immediately
afterwards we met Colonel Stanhope, who also halted, and entered into
conversation. He inquired after our friend’s health, addressed a few
indifferent remarks to us on the weather, bowed, and passed on. We are sure
Nugent felt, as we should have felt under such circumstances: Soulis had
wounded his feelings—Stanhope had spared them. The officiousness of the
former was politesse—the silence of the latter was politeness.
But their distinct shades were never so fully impressed upon our minds
as upon a visit which we lately paid to two gentlemen, during a short tour.
The first specimen of their dissimilarity is to be found in the letters by
which we were invited to partake of their hospitality. They were as follows:
—
“As Mr. P. Courtenay will in the course of his tour be within a few miles
of Melville Lodge, Mr. Melville hopes that he will not turn southward
without allowing him, for one day at least, the gratification of his company.
“Melville Lodge, August 1820.”
“Dear Peregrine,—You’ll pass within eyeshot of my windows on your
way to Eastbourne. I am sure you’ll stop a moment to ask your old friend
how he does, and we will try to detain you for the night.
“Yours, as sincerely as ever,
“Marmaduke Warren.
“P.S. The girls would send love if I’d let ’em.
“Hastings, August 1820.”
Our first visit was paid at Melville Lodge. We have known Mr. Melville
long, and we know him to be one who is generally actuated by good
motives; and when he is swayed by interested ones is himself unconscious
of the fact. On the whole, his character is such that when he is absent we
feel the strongest inclination to like him, and when we are in his company
we feel an equally strong inclination to say, “Mr. Melville, you are a fool.”
We arrived at the Lodge in good time to prepare for dinner, with its usual
accompaniments of bows from our host, compliments from our hostess, and
smiles from their daughters. A small party was invited to meet us, which
somewhat diminished the frequency of the compliments we were doomed
to undergo, while it rendered those which were actually forced upon us
infinitely more distressing. We pass over the civilities we received at dinner,
the care taken to force upon us the choicest morsels of fish, flesh, and fowl;
the attention with which Mr. Melville assured us that we were drinking his
very best champagne. We hasten to take notice of the far more perplexing
instances of politesse which rendered miserable the evening. When tea and
coffee had been disposed of, the Misses Melville sat down to the piano;
and, as we are passionately fond of music, and the ladies excel in it, we
should have been perfectly happy if we had been allowed to enjoy that
happiness unmolested. Diis aliter visum est. Our sisters were known to be
tolerable singers; à fortiori, we must be downright nightingales ourselves.
Upon the word of an editor, we never committed any further outrage upon
harmony than what takes place when we join in the chorus of our witty
associate Mr. Golightly or our well-meaning friend Mr. O’Connor, and we
were now required to assist the Misses Melville in “La mia Dorabella.”
Horrible idea! Peregrine Courtenay warbling Italian! His Majesty of Clubs
sinking into an opera-singer! Politesse was sure he could sing—politesse
knew he had a sweet voice—politesse knew we only refused from modesty.
Politesse was disappointed, however, for we were immovably determined
not to be made a fool. Nevertheless we felt somewhat uncomfortable at
being the subject of general observation, and this feeling was not
diminished by what followed. Politesse, in the shape of Mrs. Melville,
whispered it about that the fat silent young gentleman in the black coat was
a great writer, who had published an extraordinary quantity of learning, and
was likely to publish an extraordinary quantity more. This was all intended
to flatter our vanity, and the consequence was that we were bored
throughout the remainder of the evening by hearing whispers around us, “Is
that the gentleman Mrs. Melville was speaking of?” “I guessed who he was
by the family likeness!” “I knew he was an author directly!” “How odd that
he should be so reserved!” At the suggestion of politesse Mrs. Melville next
discovered that we were precisely a year older than Kitty, and Mr. Melville
hinted in a loud whisper that the girl would have ten thousand pounds.
Finally, politesse prepared for us the great state bedroom; and, when we
retired, insisted upon it that we had spent a most miserable evening. Alas!
Politeness had hardly the grace to contradict politesse upon this point.
How different was the reception we received on the following day! Our
old friend Mr. Warren rose from his armchair as we entered, with a look that
set formality at defiance; Mrs. Warren put by her work to observe how
much we were grown; and their two daughters greeted with a smile,
beautiful because it was unaffected, the scarce-remembered playmate of
their childhood. The flowers which Elizabeth was painting, the landscape
which Susan was designing, were not hastily concealed at the approach of
their guest; nor was our old acquaintance Shock, who was our favourite
puppy ten years ago, driven in his old age from the parlour rug at the
appearance of an idler dog than himself. The few friends who met us at
dinner were not prepared to annoy us by accounts of our abilities and
attainments. The conversation was general and entertaining; and on
reconsideration we perceived that Mr. Warren took pains to draw out what
talent we possessed, although we could not at the same time perceive that
such was the object of his attention. In the evening Elizabeth entertained us
with Handel and Mozart, and Susan sang us some simple airs, in a voice
perhaps the more engaging because it was uncultivated. We were allowed to
enjoy the “melody of sweet sounds” unmolested and unobserved. The
quadrille which followed was not danced with the less spirit because the
Brussels carpet supplied the place of a chalked floor, and a single pianoforte
was substituted for the formality of a band. We were happy—because we
were permitted to enjoy our happiness in our own way; we were amused—
because we did not perceive the efforts which were made for our
amusement. “This,” we exclaimed, as we buttoned our coat, and proceeded
on our journey the next morning—“this is real politeness.”
In spite of the endeavours of those who would dress our native manners
in a Parisian costume, politesse will never be the motive by which England
as a nation will be characterized. As long as France shall be the mother of
light heads, and Britain of warm hearts, the Frenchman will show his
politesse by the profundity of his bow, and the Englishman will prove his
politeness by the cordiality of his welcome. Who is not content that it
should be so?
A WINDSOR BALL.
We have often thought that the endeavours of a dancing master go but a
very little way to prepare a lady for a ball. Were it possible to procure such
an acquisition, we should recommend to our sisters not only a maître à
danser, but a maître à parler, inasmuch as it is usually much easier to dance
than to talk. One does not immediately see why it should be so; dancing and
talking are in a ball-room equally mechanical qualifications; they differ
indeed in this, that the former requires a “light fantastic toe,” and the other a
light fantastic tongue. But for mind—seriously speaking, there is no more
mind developed in small-talk than there is in chassez à droit.
We do not admire the taste of Etonians who dislike dancing; we are not
of the number of those who go to a ball for the purpose of eating ice. On the
contrary, we adore waltzing, and feel our English aversion for the French
much diminished when we recollect that we derive from them Vestris and
quadrilles. Nevertheless, if anything could diminish the attachment we feel
for this our favourite amusement, it would be that we must occasionally
submit to dangle at the heels of an icy partner, as beautiful, and, alas! as
cold as the Venus de’ Medicis; whose look is torpor, whose speech is
monosyllables; who repulses all efforts at conversation, until the austerity,
or the backwardness of her demeanour, awes her would-be adorer into a
silence as deep as her own. Now all this gravity of demeanour, in the
opinion of some people, is a proof of wisdom: we know not how this may
be, but for our own part we think with the old song, “’Tis good to be merry
and wise,” and if we cannot have both—why, then the merry without the
wise.
These are the ideas which occur to us upon looking back to the last time
that we heard “Voulez vous danser?” played at the Town Hall. Start not, fair
reader! do not throw us into the fire; we will not be very libellous; and if
you shall erroneously suppose that your own defects have afforded matter
for our malicious pen, we are sure your indignation will forthwith subside
when you recollect that you may possibly have listened to the colloquial
raptures of Gerard Montgomery, or been honoured with an editorial tête-à-
tête by the condescension of Peregrine Courtenay. Think over your
favourite partners. Did any one ask your opinion of the Bill of Pains and
Penalties? It could be no one but Sir Francis Wentworth. Did any one hold
forth upon the beauties of a Scotch reel? Of a surety it was Mr. Alexander
M‘Farlane. Did any one observe to you that a quadrille was a “strange
cross-road, and very hilly?” Doubt not but it was the all-accomplished
Robert Musgrave. Did any one remark upon the immorality of waltzing?
Thrice-honoured fair one! You have danced with Martin Sterling.
Alas! we intended, as Mr. Musgrave would say, to drive straight to the
Town Hall, and we have got out of our road a full page. It is indeed a cruel
delay in us, for we know, reader, say what you will, you have been all the
time turning over the leaf to meet with a spice of scandal. Well, then,
suppose all preliminaries adjusted; suppose us fairly lodged in the ball-
room, with no other damage than a ruined Cavendish and a dirtied pump;
and suppose us immediately struck dumb by the intelligence that the
beautiful, the fascinating Louisa had left the room the moment before we
entered it. It was easy to perceive that something of the kind had occurred,
for the ladies were all looking happy. We bore our disappointment as well
as we could, and were introduced to Theodosia—— No! we will refrain
from surnames—— Theodosia is a woman of sense (we are told so, and we
are willing to believe it), but she is very unwilling that any one should find
it out. As in duty bound, we commenced, or endeavoured to commerce, a
conversation by general observations upon the room and the music. By-the-
by, we strongly recommend these generalities to our friends in all
conversations with strangers; they are quite safe, and can give no offence.
In our case, however, they were unavailing—no reply was elicited. A long
pause. We inquired whether the lady was fond of “The Lancers?” To our
utter astonishment we were answered with a blush and a frown which
would have put to silence a much more pertinacious querist than the
Etonian—we ventured not another word. Upon after-consideration, we are
sure that the lady was thinking of a set of dashing young officers instead of
a set of quadrilles.
We were next honoured by the hand of Emily. When we have said that
she is backward, beautiful, and seventeen, we have said all we know of the
enchanting Emily. Far be it from us to attack with unwarrantable severity
the unfortunate victim of mauvaise honte; we merely wish to suggest to one
for whose welfare we have a real regard, that modesty does not necessarily
imply taciturnity, and that the actual inconvenience of a silent tongue is not
altogether compensated by the poetical loquacity of a speaking eye.
Being again left to ourselves, we sunk by degrees into a profound fit of
authorship, and were in imminent danger of becoming misanthropic, when
we were roused from our reverie by a tap on the shoulder from George
Hardy, and an inquiry, “what were our dreams?” We explained to him our
calamities, and assured him that, had it not been for his timely intervention,
we should certainly have died of silence. “Died of silence!” reiterated our
friend; “God forbid! when Corinna is in the room!” And so saying, he half-
led, half-dragged us to the other end of the room, and compelled us to make
our bow to a girl of lively manners, whom he described to us in a whisper
as “a perfect antidote for the sullens.” Our first impression was, “she is a
fool;” our second, “she is a wit;” our third, “she is something between
both!” Oh! that it were possible for us to commit to paper one-half of what
was uttered by Corinna! Our recollection of our tête-à-tête is like the
recollection of a dream. In dreams we remember that we were at one
moment in a mud-built cottage, and were the next transported to a Gothic
chapel, but by what means the transmutation of place was effected our
waking thoughts are unable to conceive. Thus it was when we listened to
Corinna. We were hurried from one topic to another with an unaccountable
velocity, but by what chain one idea was connected with its predecessor we
cannot imagine. The conversation (if conversation it may be called, where
the duty of talking devolves upon one person) set out with some mention of
fresco; from hence it turned off to Herculaneum, and then passed with
inconceivable rapidity through the following stages:—Rome—the
Parthenon—National Monument at Edinburgh—Edinburgh Review—
Blackwood—Ebony bracelets—Fashion of short sleeves—Fashion in
general dress in Queen Elizabeth’s time—“The Abbot”—Walter Scott—
Highland scenery. In the Highlands we lost our route for some minutes, and
soon afterwards found ourselves (we know not how) at Joannina, in
company with Ali Pasha. By this time we were thoroughly wearied, and
were unable to keep up regularly with our unfeeling conductress, so that we
have but a very faint idea of the places we visited. We remember being
dragged to the Giant at the Windsor Fair, from whence we paid a flying
visit to the Colossus of Rhodes; we attended Cato, the lady’s favourite pug,
during a severe illness, and were shortly after present at the Cato Street
conspiracy. We have some idea that after making the tour of the Lakes, we
set out to discover the source of the Nile. In our way thither we took a brief
survey of the Lake of Como, and were finally for some time immersed in
the Red Sea. This put the finishing stroke to our already fatigued senses. We
resigned ourselves, without another struggle, to the will and disposal of our
sovereign mistress, and for the next half-hour knew not to what quarter of
the globe we were conveyed. At the close of that period we awoke from our
trance, and found that Corinna had brought us into the Club-room, and was
discussing the characters of the members with a most unwarrantable
freedom of speech. Before we had time to remonstrate against this manifest
breach of privilege, we found ourselves in the gallery of the House of
Lords, and began to think we never should make our escape from this
amusing torture. Fortunately, at this moment a freeholder of—— entered
the room. One of the candidates was a friend of Corinna’s, and she hurried
from us, after a thousand apologies, to learn the state of the poll.
We were engaged the other day in making some purchases at Flint’s, when
Lady Honoria Saville entered, attended by the Hon. George Comyn. As the
lady is a professed coquette, and the gentleman a professed dangler, we
conceived it by no means improper to play the listener; for the conversation
of these characters is seldom such as to require much secrecy. We therefore
placed ourselves in a convenient situation for hearing whatever was said by
the beau, the belle, and the milliner, which last I consider the most rational
person of the three. The questions which were put to her by her ladyship
escaped us; they seemed to be conveyed, not in the language of common
mortals, but in signs which were to us incomprehensible. Without exposing
ourselves to the notice of either party, we were beyond measure amused at
the timely aid which the milliner’s descriptions of her wares afforded to the
lover’s description of his passion; for whenever the latter was at a loss for
words, the former stepped in to finish his sentence, and occasionally gave a
point to it, in which lovers’ vows are generally deficient.
When they first made their appearance, the gentleman was deposing
upon oath to the truth of something of which his companion seemed to
entertain doubts. He had run through some of the usual forms of adjuration,
such as Sun, Moon, Stars, Venus, and Blue Eyes, when he was stopped by
“Lovers’ vows, Comyn! lovers’ vows! Where do they come from?”
“Where?” repeated the gentleman, in a theatrical attitude; “they come from
a sincere affection, from a passionate heart, from a devoted adoration, from
——” “From Paris, I assure you, madam,” said the milliner, who was
turning over some silks. “But I wonder, Comyn!” resumed her ladyship, “I
wonder you can continue to bore me with this nonsense! Lovers’ vows have
given me the vapours these last five years, and, after all, what are they
worth?” “Worth!” reiterated the fop; “they are worth the mines of Peru, the
diamonds of Golconda, the sands of Pactolus!” “They are worth five
shillings a pair, madam,” said the milliner, “and it’s really throwing them
away.” She was talking of some kid gloves.
“You gentlemen,” said her ladyship, “must think us very weak creatures,
if you fancy that we are to be imposed upon by any folly you choose to
utter. Lovers’ vows have been proverbial since the days of Queen Bess, and
it would be strange if, in 1820, we should not have found out what they are
made of.” “In my case,” said the exquisite, “your ladyship is cruel in
supposing them to be made of anything but the purest sincerity.” “They are
made of the finest materials,” said the milliner, “and your ladyship can see
through them like glass.” She was holding up to the window some stuff
with a hard name, which we know nothing about. “Say what you will,
Comyn,” said her ladyship,
“Lovers’ vows are never intended to last beyond a day!” “Your ladyship is
unjust!” replied the dandy; “they will last when all other ties shall be
broken; they will last when the bond of relationship shall be cancelled, and
the link of friendship riven; they will last——” “They will last for ever,
madam, and wash afterwards!” said the milliner. She was speaking of some
scarfs.
“Really, George,” observed her ladyship, “you would think me an
egregious fool if I were to believe one quarter of what you say to me. Speak
the truth, George, for once, if it is in your nature—should I not be folle—
folle beyond measure?” “You love to trifle with my passion,” sighed the
Honourable; “but this is what we must all expect! Fascinating as you are,
you feel not for the woes of your victims; you are more insensible than
flints—nothing is dear to you.” “Flint’s will make nothing dear to your
ladyship,” said the milliner, wrapping up the parcel.
“In this age of invention,” said Lady Honoria, “it is surprising to me that
no one has invented a thermometer to try the temperature of lovers’ vows.
What a price would a boarding-school miss give for such an invention! I
certainly will make the suggestion to young Montgomery, that writes the
sonnets!” “Good God!” cried the worshipper, “where shall I send for such a
test of sincerity? I would send to the suns of India, to the snows of Tobolsk;
I would send to the little-toed ladies of China, and the great-hatted
chieftains of Loo-Choo; I would send——” “Shall I send it to your
ladyship’s house?” said the milliner, holding up the parcel.
“Well,” said her ladyship, rising to leave the shop, “I shall contend no
more with so subtle a disputant; my opinion of lovers’ vows remains
unchanged, and I desire you won’t pester me with them at the Opera this
evening, or I shall positively die of ennui.” We saw that this was meant as
an assignation, and the Honourable George Comyn saw things in the same
light. “How,” he cried, “how shall I thank your ladyship for this
condescension? How shall I express the feelings of the heart you have
rescued from despair? Language is too poor, utterance is too weak, for the
emotion which I feel; what can I say?” “Much obliged to your ladyship,”
said the milliner.