voice be composed, but avoid a tone of familiarity or
sympathy with them. It is better in addressing them to use a
higher key of voice, and not to suffer it to fall at the end
of a sentence. The best bred man whom we ever had the
pleasure of meeting, always employed, in addressing servants,
such forms of speech as these--"I'll thank you for so and
so,"--" Such a thing, if you please,"--with a gentle tone,
but very elevated key. The perfection of manner, in this
particular, is, to indicate by your language, that the
performance is a favour, and by your tone that it is a matter
of course.

While, however, you practise the utmost mildness and
forbearance in your language, avoid the dangerous and common
error of exercising too great humanity in action. No servant,
from the time of the first Gibeonite downwards, has ever had
too much labour imposed upon him; while thousands have been
ruined by the mistaken kindness of their masters.

Servants should always be allowed, and indeed directed, to go
to church on Sunday afternoon. For this purpose, dinner is
served earlier on that day than usual. If it can be
accomplished, the servants should be induced to attend the
same church as the family with whom they live; because there
may be reason to fear that if they profess to go elsewhere,
they may not go to church at all; and the habit of wandering
about the streets with idlers, will speedily ruin the best
servant that ever stood behind a chair.

Servants should be directed to announce visitors. This is