pointed out to me the absolute necessity of becoming a master of my own
business, and learning how to do the work myself, before I attempted to
give directions to others. "This want of knowledge," said he, "causes more
than half of the quarrels and squabbles that arise between the master and
the servant. The moment a servant finds out that his master does not
understand the nature of his business, he immediately begins to dispute
his orders, and then there is an end of all authority; the master probably
perseveres in his error, and insists upon it that his servant has not done
his work properly, or that he has not done enough; and the moment a master
orders a servant to do what is unreasonable, that moment the servant
despises the master. And, unless the master knows how himself to shew the
servant with his own hands the way to do any thing, he had better hold his
tongue, and not find any fault whatever. I found my old neighbour Barnes,"
continued he, "the other day in this predicament. Although he has been for
many many years a farmer, and manages his farm as well as most men, yet,
as he was bred up a gardener, he does not know, nor did he ever learn, how
to perform many of the laborious parts of husbandry; and I shall, I am
sure, convince you, from what occurred to him, of the absolute necessity
of acquiring a knowledge of every minute operation belonging to the
affairs of husbandry, before you will be able to manage your business with
ease to yourself, and with satisfaction to your servants. As I was riding
past the risk yard of my worthy friend and neighbour Barnes's farm, I
heard him storming and blustering, quite in a rage with passion. "What is
the matter, friend Barnes? what is it that has ruffed your temper so?" He
was nearly choaked with passion; but at length he informed me, that one of
his labourers, of the name of RODNEY, (who, by-the-bye, I believe had
acquired this nick name from the circumstance of his having been a sailor,
and fought under Admiral Rodney) had behaved to him in the most insolent
manner.