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Read Ebook: Journal des Goncourt (Deuxième série troisième volume) Mémoires de la vie littéraire by Goncourt Edmond De
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Ebook has 310 lines and 42799 words, and 7 pages
Authors: Samuel Adams Sarah Adams
Transcriber's Note
The word "receipt" appears frequently in this book and is an archaic form of the word "recipe".
See the end of this document for details of corrections and other changes.
THE COMPLETE SERVANT;
BEING A
PRACTICAL GUIDE
TO THE
PECULIAR DUTIES AND BUSINESS
OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF
Servants,
FROM THE HOUSEKEEPER TO THE SERVANT OF ALL-WORK, AND FROM THE LAND STEWARD TO THE FOOT-BOY;
WITH
USEFUL RECEIPTS AND TABLES,
BY SAMUEL AND SARAH ADAMS,
LONDON: PUBLISHED BY KNIGHT AND LACEY, PUBLISHERS OF BOOKS CONNECTED WITH THE USEFUL ARTS,
At the James Watt, in Paternoster-Row.
D. SIDNEY & CO. Printers, Northumberland-street, Strand.
PREFACE.
As no relations in society are so numerous and universal as those of Masters and Servants--as those of Household Duties and the performers of them--so it is proportionally important that they should be well defined and understood. It is a species of knowledge as important to the head of a family as necessary to the servant; and, if thoroughly studied, would relieve life of half its anxieties and vexations.
Yet, till the present book, no special attempt to define these relations, and illustrate these duties has ever been made. We have had Sermons on the moral obligations of masters and servants, and many books of religious advice, addressed to the latter, all good in their way; but we have had no work, which, like the present, addresses itself to the actual personal practice of their duties; which defines them as they actually belong to the various classes; and instructs servants in the way and mode of performing them with skill, advantage, and success.
The want of such a manual of duty and practice having often been noticed in servants' halls, in families in which the authors of this book have resided, it occurred to them, many years since, to make notes, with a view to a work like the present. They hoped long ago to have been able to submit them to the public; but the constant avocations of servitude rendering it impossible to digest their materials, the task has been deferred till they have been enabled to retire on a moderate competency; the publication may therefore be regarded as the legacy of their old age to servants of the present and future generations, and as the last duty which in this world they are likely to perform.
The author, educated in a foundation school, entered service as a footboy, in 1770, and during fifty years he served successively as groom, footman, valet, butler, and house-steward. His Wife began the world as maid of all work, then served as house-maid, laundry-maid, under-cook, housekeeper and lady's maid, and, finally, for above twenty years, as housekeeper in a very large establishment. Their experience is, therefore, such as has fallen to the lot of few, and they have freely and fully displayed it in the following pages.
They profess no skill in authorship, their sole object having been to set down every thing likely to be useful, in language that may be understood by all.
At the same time, important and necessary as the book will be to all SERVANTS who desire to perform their duty with ability, and to rise in their career to higher and more profitable situations, yet it will prove equally useful in the parlour, by assisting MASTERS and MISTRESSES of families in arranging their establishments, advising them of their own duties, and enabling them to estimate the merits of valuable servants. It may, indeed, be a question, whether the volume will not be as desirable to those who are served as to those who serve.
Conviction of its probable use to all classes, led A LADY OF HIGH RANK, in whose family Mrs. Adams resided, to honour her with advice and assistance in some articles, particularly in that of Governess, and it is to be regretted that a delicate reserve prevents the acknowledgement being made by name.
At the time the work was prepared there existed no general collection of Receipts like that published two years since by Mr. MACKENZIE, consequently, a variety of practical receipts, which the Authors had taken much pains to assemble, were rendered less necessary. Nevertheless, as many of these receipts were identified with the duties of the several servants, they have retained the most important of them, and it is believed that they will be considered as adding much to the value of the work.
Being desirous of rendering the volume as perfect as possible, they will thankfully receive, and incorporate in new editions, any suggestions with which intelligent servants may favour them, if addressed to them at their publishers.
DEDICATION;
OF THE
UNITED KINGDOM.
Viz. 33 per Cent. or One-third, for Household Expenses, including Provisions and all other Articles of Household Consumption.
Hence may be deduced the following general Table of Expenses according to Income, viz.--
Smaller Incomes must be appropriated in a different manner; and according to the number of Children in the family: thus the Expense of a family with Children will be from 1-4th to 1-3rd for each of the Principals, and about 1-10th or 1-12th for each Child.
Income per Annum.
We have been favoured with the following as the present Household Establishment of a respectable Country Gentleman, with a young family, whose Net Income is from 16,000l. to 18,000l. a Year, and whose expenses do not exceed 7000l.; viz.--
The Board Wages of Servants in general, when the family is absent, is 10s. per Week, for the females, and 12s. per Week for males.--Perhaps all the servants on a large establishment may be reckoned at an average of 10s. per head, per Week, expense, for Board. The Men are allowed a Pot of Ale per day, and the Women a Pint, besides table-beer.
Besides the ordinary Establishment of Servants, Noblemen and Gentlemen of superior fortune employ Land-Stewards, Bailiffs, Wood-Wards, Game-Keepers, Park-Keepers, Hunts-Men, Whippers-in, Racing-Grooms, Jockies, and others of inferior capacities: also Men-Cooks, Groom of the Chambers, Page, Lady's-Coachman, Postillion and Footman, Seamstress, Second Lady's-Maid, Chamber-Maids, Boy for the Steward's Room, another for the Hall, and various other Servants.
Having premised thus much as to income, and its proportionate appropriation, we next proceed to offer a few hints on such parts of interior management, as in most families are considered as belonging to the lady, or mistress of the house.
"Oh, speak the joy, ye, whom the tender tear Surprizes often, when ye look around, And nothing strikes your eyes but sights of bliss."
The attention of an amiable woman, will next be directed to the care of her offspring,--to raise them up in the ways of virtue and usefulness,--
"When we thus observe the mistress of a family exercising her activity and best abilities in appropriate cares and increasing excellence, are we not ready to say she is the agent for good, of that benevolent being who placed her on earth to fulfil such sacred obligations, and not to waste the talents committed to her charge."
"Next to the care and attention due to your husband and children," says another female writer, "your servants claim, as your nearest dependents; and to promote their good, both spiritual and temporal, is your indispensable duty.--Let them join your family devotions, and endeavour to make them spend their Sabbath properly." She further adds, "It was the remark of an old domestic, that the worst mistresses a servant can live with are young married women--They are unreasonable," said she, "in their commands; they expect too much; nor do they rightly know when to commend, or when to blame."
Let your commands to your servants be consistent and reasonable; and then mildly, but firmly, insist on obedience to them.--"My servants never remember what I tell them to do," is a complaint but too common, but that might, in some degree, be obviated. Let them see that you will not pass over any neglect of orders; and when they find that this decisive measure is accompanied with kindness and consideration, and that you are not to be disobeyed with impunity, they will soon learn to remember what you command them to do. A little effort very easily overcomes a bad memory.
It is very disheartening to a poor servant to be continually found fault with. Praise and reward them when you can;--human nature will not bear constant chiding.
Never keep servants, however excellent they may be in their stations, whom you know to be guilty of immorality.
It is an excellent plan to have a set of rules for regulating the ordinary expenses of a family, in order to check any innovation or excess, which otherwise might, unawares, have occurred to derange the proposed distribution of the annual income.
Though habits of domestic management are now generally precluded in the education of young ladies of the superior class, yet, happily, attention to family concerns is not unfrequently found in those of less exalted rank, whose minds, amidst the blandishments of modern accomplishments, have been taught to relish, as in days of yore, the more rational, solid, and lasting pleasures, of a social and comfortable home. And were young ladies early instructed in the delights of domestic occupation, before they enter the delusive scenes, presented by modern modes of dissipation, we should probably find the number of votaries to private happiness greatly increased, and a life of domestic employment would become the source of numberless gratifications. In short, were they on all occasions, when at home, under the immediate eye of their mother, to be taught the science of practical economy--the business of examining and keeping accounts,--and a few other of the leading points in the management of a family, they would imperceptibly become competent, and the happiest results, as to their future conduct in life, might be most pleasingly anticipated. Many families have owed much of their advancement in life to the propriety of female management.
An esteemed writer of the present day, has introduced to public view, a pleasing picture of a small and well-regulated family, of which the following is a slight sketch:--
"The mistress of the family is a good manager, without any ostentatious display of it.--Elegantly nice, without being a slave to dress or furniture--Easy and affable with her servants, but firm in her commands,--every one appearing to be contented and happy.--The household business going on regularly, like a good clock;--and every thing being kept in its proper place. No scolding in the kitchen or servants'-hall.--The table plentifully covered, but not with incitements to luxury; the food plain and in season, and sent up well dressed;--with a few well chosen luxuries introduced, when company is asked."
Ladies, whose minds are framed for the practical enjoyment of domestic comforts, will admire and copy this beautiful picture!
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