248 THE MANSE GARDEN. 



(lured merely as useless, but have gone somewhere 

 to be endured as blackguards ; whilst it may not be 

 so certain that, of all that number, one convert has 

 been made in all that time. 



The author claims the privilege of one old in ex- 

 perience ; and begs leave to offer to his younger 

 brethren some hints as to the methods of making 

 the boy good, and of turning his service to good 

 account. 



Let the chance be favourable. Never hire a boy 

 at the market, as farmers may, who can do better 

 with a bad one. Treat with the parents in presence 

 of the boy that you may know whether they would 

 encourage him to run home whether they abhor 

 lying and swearing and whether they have been at 

 pains to bestow some moral training on their chil- 

 dren. The remembrance of such a conference, to 

 which an appeal may be made, is never lost in the 

 giving of subsequent admonitions. Have nothing 

 to do with one that has been at no sort of work be- 

 fore; for, except the worst of idlers, all have been 

 doing something, such as herding cows or hoeing 

 turnips, before they have grown fit for taking care of 

 a horse. Unless well recommended, rather have one 

 from a country place than from a town or village, 

 especially the neighbourhood of an inn-stable. Lose 

 no good chance for a slight difference of wages ; for 

 what are a few shillings in the year in comparison of 

 killing a horse, or any sort of annoyance which is 

 repeated every day? 



Make great use of the law of kindness : a boy 

 should not feel on his first outset, that on leaving 

 home he is without a friend. Fail not to instruct 



