shall lay down no certain rules, humbly submitting in all things to the
wisdom of our legislature. What I offer shall be under correction; and
upon conjecture, my utmost ambition being but to give some hints to
remedy this growing evil, and leave the prosecution to abler hands.

And first it would be necessary to settle and limit their wages, from
forty and fifty shillings to four and five pounds per annum, that is to
say, according to their merits and capacities; for example, a young
unexperienced servant should have forty shillings per annum, till she
qualifies herself for a larger sum; a servant who can do all household
work, or, as the good women term it, can take her work and leave her
work, should have four pounds per annum; and those who have lived seven
years in one service, should ever after demand five pounds per annum, for
I would very fain have some particular encouragements and privileges
given to such servants who should continue long in a place; it would
incite a desire to please, and cause an emulation very beneficial to the
public.

I have heard of an ancient charity in the parish of St. Clement's Danes,
where a sum of money, or estate, is left, out of the interest or income
of which such maid-servants, who have lived in that parish seven years in
one service, receive a reward of ten pounds apiece, if they please to
demand it.

This is a noble benefaction, and shows the public spirit of the donor;
but everybody's business is nobody's; nor have I heard that such reward
has been paid to any servant of late years. A thousand pities a gift of
that nature should sink into oblivion, and not be kept up as an example
to incite all parishes to do the like.