700 Retrospective Criticism. 



present one dissatisfied with his place, as he cannot do a worse thing 

 with his garden than place it under the care of a variety of gardeners. 

 Generally speaking, however, I believe gentlemen are as glad to keep a good 

 servant, as a servant is to keep a good place ; and be it remembered, that no 

 gentleman will excel his neighbour in the productions of his garden by 

 frequently changing its manager : for, of all servants, there is not one in 

 any establishment who requires so long a time to become acquainted with 

 the wants of the family, and the nature of the soil, and other things from 

 which those wants are to be supplied. I think it was very wrong in the 

 writer so far to enlighten us, as to tell us that " care and assiduity scarcely 

 secure a permanent situation," as that is the only way we can expect to 

 secure it ; and having understood that this will not do it, it is very likely 

 to make us careless ; as in most cases people act according to the reward 

 they expect to receive, especially among a set of men so ignorant as 

 practical gardeners, who have no idea of returning good for evil. If the 

 number of applicants enables a gentleman to pick and choose at his own 

 price, yet it is not so bad with all of us, that we are obliged to take a place 

 under a person who does not intend to keep us whether we deserve it or 

 not. I know, from dear-bought experience, that there are those who care 

 no more for the comfort of their servants than for the dust beneath their 

 feet: but what is the consequence? Why, the gentleman's property is 

 usually treated in the same way. If, from necessity, a wise man is driven 

 to take a place of this kind, (yet knowing, as he usually does, the character 

 of his employer, before he engages with him,) and has good sense enough 

 to keep him from wilfully injuring the property, he only does as much for 

 his master's interest as will enable him to retain his situation till he can 

 meet with a better ; whereas, if a deserving gardener meets with the treat- 

 ment he has a just right to expect, I ask, in the words of one of your 

 correspondents, " What will not such a servant do for his master ? " To 

 enumerate the advantages that would result from the gentleman's stooping 

 so low as to consider the happiness of those about him, would occupy 

 too much of your valuable space : I shall therefore only give this one. A 

 gardener having engaged to serve a gentleman (of whose character he has 

 already enquired, and been satisfied therewith), he will immediately set 

 about such things as require the longest time to accomplish ; and which 

 it will perhaps be several years before he reaps any benefit from : whereas, 

 on the other hand, if he has no prospect of staying to reap the benefit of 

 his labours (there is something so selfish in man), he will either neglect it 

 altogether, or perform it only in such a way as will serve his own turn ; 

 sooner than another shall succeed him, to have the praise of that which 

 he has not laboured for, I would therefore recommend that gentlemen 

 should in some measure consider the comfort of their servants (if it be 

 only for their own interest) ; for sei'vants are not so blind in these " march 

 of intellect " days as not to know when they are ill or well treated. You 

 are accused of reviewing masters, not gardens. In that I can see no cause 

 for complaint, as no one has occasion to mind his actions being brought to 

 light, if they will bear inspection ; and if a gentleman provides a comfort- 

 able place for his servants, and pays them liberally, he must be proud to 

 see it in a publication like yours, where his liberality will become immor- 

 talised, and his name be known and respected at home and abroad. If it 

 be true that there are some whose character is the reverse of this ; the 

 sooner they are exposed the better, as they may be the sooner altered. 

 You are also accused of making gardeners discontented : but, if we have 

 not cause to be so beforehand, I hope we have good sense enough not to 

 be made so by reading your Magazine ; and if we are so without cause, 

 the sooner we leave the better, to make room for those who are more 

 deserving, or to give our employers an opportunity to buy their " luxuries 

 50 per cent cheaper than they can grow them ; " though I believe, where 



