MAYHEW ON SERVANTS. 15 



therefore, is for owners to escape from the thraldom 

 in which their servants, at present, hold them. Their 

 fetters are self-imposed, and they carry about with 

 them, at all hours, the key to enable them to cast 

 them off; apathy, only, prevents them from doing 

 so. Any man, with determination, could walk into 

 his stable free of them for ever, whenever he chose, 

 and at a moment's notice. It is humiliating for an 

 educated owner to admit tacitly that such a low 

 class should be his superior, which he is really doing 

 when he asks, or acts upon, their advice ; or, which 

 comes to the same thing, when he leaves them to 

 do as they like. 



At this point, nine out of every ten readers will 

 throw down the paper, remarking that all this may 

 be true as regards their neighbours ; but, as to their 

 own 'man,' he does understand horses, and keeps 

 them going without any bother. This is the great 

 mistake. Is it rational to suppose or infer that 

 sweeping dung out of a stable is conducive to the 

 acquirement of even a rudimentary knowledge 

 of anatomy and physiology ? Mayhew passed a 

 long career as a veterinary surgeon in continually 

 passing from the stables of one proprietor to those 

 of others ; and yet he is unable to cite a redeeming 

 instance of a servant. He appears to have felt this, 

 as he says that he ' deeply regrets those comments 

 which a regard for correctness has compelled him 

 to offer upon the present race of grooms. He can, 

 however, with sincerity deny that the indulgence of 

 dislike, or the gratification of malice, has induced 



