she made of them, carefully fulfilling every duty she there found
recommended as necessary for a Christian to practice. She used
often to say she was perfectly contented in her station, and only
wished for more money that she might have it in her power to do
more good. And sometimes, when she was dressing and attending the
young ladies of the family, she would advise them to behave
prettier than they did; telling them, "That by kindness and
civility they would be so far from losing respect, that, on the
contrary, they would much gain it. For we cannot (she would very
truly say) have any respect for those people who seem to forget
their human nature, and behave as if they thought themselves
superior to the rest of their fellow-creatures. Young ladies and
gentlemen have no occasion to make themselves very intimate or
familiar with their servants; but everybody ought to speak civilly
and good-humouredly, let it be to whom it may: and if I was a
lady I should make it a point never to look cross or speak gruffly
to the poor, for fear they should think I forgot I was of the same
human nature as they were." By these kind of hints, which every
now and then she would give to the misses, they were prodigiously
offended, and complained of her insolence, as they called it, to
their mamma, who very wrongly, instead of teaching them to behave
better, joined with them in blaming Molly for her freedom, and, to
show her displeasure at her conduct, put on a still haughtier air,
whenever she spoke to her, than she did to any other of the
servants. Molly, however, continued to behave extremely well, and
often very seriously lamented in the kitchen the wrong behaviour
of the family. "I don't mind it," she would say, "for my own
part; I know that I do my duty, and their cross looks and proud
behaviour can do me no real harm: but I cannot help grieving for
their sakes; it distresses me to think that people who ought to