My Friends:
It is probable that, while reading the previous letter, you have thought to yourselves, but why, if domestics are so honourable in station and office, are they not regarded so? Why are they not treated with honour and respect? Why is their situation spoken of as one of the lowest and least honourable?
I will point out some of the reasons for this.
One reason is, the remains2 of aristocratic notions in our country, which lead people to feel that labour is degrading, and to honour persons, rather for the kind of work they are employed in, than for their character.
I will first explain what I mean by aristocratic notions. We are descended3 from the English nation, and their plan of government is exactly opposite to ours. I have shown you [63]that our plan of government is like that adopted by the shipwrecked company. Nobody is required to give up any thing, or to do any thing but what is for the good of the whole community. Though our lot in life is decided4 by the God of Heaven, yet we make our own rules and laws, choose our own rulers and overseers, and nobody is obliged to do any thing, which is not as necessary for his own good, as it is for the good of all the rest.
But in aristocratic lands, it is very much as it was in the story when the strongest, by fighting, got the best of every thing, while the weakest were obliged to take the poorest of every thing. In England all the power is in the hands of the queen, a few nobles, and a small portion of the richest and best educated people, and for age after age it has been so. In consequence of this, the laws and customs of that nation have been made to benefit this small portion of the nation, so that most of the wealth has been accumulated in their hands, while the great body of the people are miserably5 poor.
The wealth is so unequally divided, that while some receive incomes from their parents, [64]or from the king or queen, large enough to support whole villages, thousands around them, though ever so industrious6 and virtuous7, cannot earn more than a few cents a day by twelve or fourteen hours of hard labour.
This has been the state of things in England for hundreds of years. In consequence of this, those who have had the most wealth have lived in ease and indolence, and have considered labour as degrading. The rich and the noble have felt as if it was the business of poor and ignorant people to toil8, and that living in indolence was a privilege, and the mark to distinguish the gentleman and the lady, from the vulgar and low born.
As we are descended from that nation, we have inherited a good deal of this feeling, so that even now, when a woman lives in perfect idleness, it is very common to say, that she “is living like a lady, with nothing to do but enjoy herself.” So we often find that a lounging, ignorant coxcomb9, if he happens to have money to enable him to dress well, is called “a gentleman;” while a man of ten times the sense, education and usefulness is not so regarded, [65]because he works with his hands for his own support. But things are gradually altering in this country, in regard to this matter, and it is becoming more and more honourable to work, and more and more discreditable to be useless and idle.
Yet a great change is to be accomplished10 before all aristocratic notions are so shaken off, that a man or woman will be honoured for usefulness, good manners, good sense and good principles, without any regard to the kind of work by which a livelihood11 is earned. When this time comes, if a woman has a refined education, good manners, and good principles, she will be as much honoured and respected as a domestic, as she would be in any other sphere of life.
Another reason why the station of a domestic is not regarded as honourable is, because most persons have wrong ideas about doing good and being useful.
To understand this, you will observe that when ladies have a great deal of money and leisure, they spend the greater part of their time in dressing12, visiting, reading, and enjoying [66]themselves in various ways. And yet if they take one afternoon in a week to go around and visit the poor and sick—if they distribute tracts13, and give a very small portion of their income for benevolent14 purposes, they are spoken of as remarkably15 useful persons, and are honoured because they do so much good.
But if a woman goes around day after day to help mothers make up clothes for their children, or if a woman works from morning till night in the kitchen, to make a family comfortable, this is not called doing good. Though the sempstress and domestic spend the whole of their time in earning their own support, and at the same time, contribute more than almost any class of persons to the comfort and enjoyment16 of others, they are not spoken of as persons who are living to do good. But if a woman is supported by the labour of others, and spends the most of her time in occupations that merely gratify herself, and not one tenth part of her time or money, in a way that benefits others, still she is commended and admired as one who is eminent17 for “doing good.”
Now this is a mistaken mode of estimating [67]usefulness. Those who are constantly doing something to promote the comfort of others should feel that they are “doing good,” as their daily business; while those who give only odd intervals18 for the benefit of others, and seek their own pleasure the rest of the time, should feel that they are the least useful part of the community. According to this, when the young ladies of a family, who have wealth, education and leisure, spend most of their time in seeking their own amusement, then those domestics, who toil all day in the kitchen for the comfort of others, are the most useful persons; and if they perform their duties properly, deserve to be the most respected and esteemed19.
The last reason why the station of domestics is not regarded as honourable is, that the persons who have been in this station have, ordinarily, been persons destitute20 of education and good manners. This has been more their misfortune than their fault, and it is a difficulty not easily remedied. But it is very certain that a person who has a good education and good manners, is deserving of more respect, and always will receive more respect, than one [68]who is ignorant, rude, vulgar and ill-mannered. And if all the domestics in this land were suddenly changed into refined, well bred, well educated persons, you would find that there would be as sudden a change in public feeling, and then the station of a domestic would be regarded as genteel, honourable, and respectable, far more than it now is.
This is an advantage rather than an evil, for it tends to influence domestics to improve their minds and cultivate their manners, so that they may be worthy21 of the respect and honour which they would thus secure.
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1
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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2
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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coxcomb
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| n.花花公子 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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livelihood
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| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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13
tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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