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that her work was a pleasure, and that she could not 

 possibly take her wages. No, we are on both sides just 

 as selfish as we dare be. And this self-interested bargain 

 between masters and servants can only be settled on 

 each individual case. The merits on each side must, 

 according to one of the oldest of symbols, be placed in the 

 scales ; and the noble, majestic, upright figure of Justice 

 must hold out her arm and adjust the balance. 



We never get beyond this, and it is the only escape 

 from the greatest of tyrannies the power, either by 

 gold or by force, of one human being over another. This 

 power it will ever be the business of civilisation to rule 

 and to diminish. This in our day is the business, first 

 of the master of a house ; or, when he has the chance, of 

 the County Court Judge. 



The temptation to give false or partially false charac- 

 ters is a very great one to young and kind-hearted people. 

 As in so many other cases, the public themselves are 

 responsible for this so many people like being deceived, 

 and look upon truth as naked and barbaric. If a mistress 

 gives an honest character, not all praise, in nine cases 

 out of ten the servant fails to get the place. This state 

 of things is unreasonable and ridiculous ; and if those 

 about to engage a servant would ask for the chief failing 

 of the person they are going to admit into their families, 

 they would be better able to judge if the servant were 

 likely to suit them or not. I remember many years ago 

 being asked if I knew of a young nurse who was to have 

 every good quality under the sun. She was to be strong, 

 she was to ask for no holidays, she was never to leave 

 the children to associate with the other servants, her 

 temper was to be perfect, and so on. I wrote back that 

 such a combination of good qualities as was expected for 

 twenty pounds a year I had never yet met with in any 

 young mother. A corresponding story is of a lady who 



