He heartily loves Sir ROGER, and knows that he is very much in the old Knight's Efteem, fo that he lives in the Family rather as a Relation than a Dependent. I have obferved in feveral of my Papers, that my Friend Sir ROGER, amidst all his good Qualities, is fomething of an Humourift; and that his Virtues as well as Imperfections, are as it were tinged by a certain Extravagance, which makes them particularly his, and diftinguishes them from thofe of other Men. This Caft of Mind, as it is generally very innocent in it felf, fo it renders his Converfation highly agreeable, and more delightful than the fame Degree of Senfe and Virtue would appear in their common and ordinary Colours. As I was walking with him laft Night, he asked me how I liked the good Man whom I have juft now mentioned? and without ftaying for my Anfwer told me, That he was afraid of being infulted with Latin and Greek at his own Table; for which Rea-. fon he defired a particular Friend of his at the University to find him out a Clergyman rather of plain Senfe than much Learning, of a good Afpect, a clear Voice, a fociable Temper, and, if poffible, a Man that understood a little of Back-Gammon. My Friend, fays Sir ROGER, found me out this Gentleman, who, befides the Endowments required of him, is, they tell me, a good Scholar, tho' he does not fhew it, I have given him the Parfonage of the Parish; and because I know his Value have fettled upon him a good Annuity for Life. If he outlives me, he thall find that he was higher in my Efteem than haps he thinks he is. He has now been with me thirty Years; and tho' he does not know I have taken notice of it, has never in all that time asked any thing of me for himself, tho' he is every Day foliciting me for fomething in Behalf of one or other of my Tenants his Parishioners. There has not been a Law-fuit in the Parifh fince he has liv'd among them: If any Difpute arifes they apply themfelves to him for the Decifion; if they do not acquiefce in his Judgment, which I think never happened above once or twice at moft, they appeal to me. At his first fettling with me, I made him a Prefent of all · the good Sermons which have been printed in English, and only begg'd of him that every Sunday he would proAcunce one of them in the Pulpit. Accordingly, he has per digefted digested them into fuch a Series, that they follow one another naturally, and make a continu'd Syftem of prac tical Divinity. AS Sir ROGER was going on in his Story, the Gentleman we were talking of came up to us; and upon the Knight's asking him who preached to-morrow (for it was Saturday Night) told us the Bishop of St. Asaph in the Morning, and Dr. South in the Afternoon. He then fhewed us his Lift of Preachers for the whole Year, where I faw with a great deal of Pleasure Archbishop Tillotson, Bishop Saunderfon, Dr. Barrow, Dr. Calamy, with feveral living Authors who have publifhed Difcourfes of Practical Divinity. I no fooner faw this venerable Man in the Pulpit, but I very much approved of my Friend's infifting upon the Qualifications of a good Afpect and a clear Voice; for I was so charmed with the Gracefulness of his Figure and Delivery, as well as with the Discourses he pronounced, that I think I never paffed any Time more to my Satisfaction. A Sermon repeated after this Manner, is like the Compofition of a Poet in the Mouth of a graceful Actor. I could heartily with that more of our Country-Clergy would follow this Example; and inftead of wafting their Spirits in laborious Compofitions of their own, would en deavour after a handfom Elocution, and all those other Talents that are proper to enforce what has been penned by greater Mafters. This would not only be more eafy to themselves, but more edifying to the People. N° 107. Tuesday, July 3. T Efopo ingentem ftatuam pofuere Attici, Phæd. L HE Reception, manner of Attendance, undisturbed Freedom and Quiet, which I meet with here in the Country, has confirm'd me in the Opinion I always had, that the general_Corruption of Manners in VOL. II. E Servants way; Servants is owing to the Conduct of Mafters. The Afpect of every one in the Family carries so much Satisfaction, that it appears he knows the happy Lot which has befallen him in being a Member of it. There is one Particular which I have feldom feen but at Sir ROGER's; it is ufual in all other Places, that Servants fly from the Parts of the House through which their Master is paffing; on the contrary, here they induftriously place themselves in his and it is on both Sides, as it were, understood as a Vifit, when the Servants appear without calling. This proceeds from the humane and equal Temper of the Man of the House, who also perfectly well knows how to enjoy a great Eftate, with fuch Oeconomy as ever to be much beforehand. This makes his own Mind untroubled, and confequently unapt to vent peevish Expreffions, or give paffionate or inconfiftent Orders to thofe about him. Thus Refpect and Love go together; and a certain Chearfulness in Performance of their Duty is the particular Diftinction of the lower Part of this Family. When a Servant is called before his Mafter, he does not come with an Expectation to hear himself rated for fome trivial Fault, threaten'd to be stripped or used with any other unbecoming Language, which mean Masters often give to worthy Servants; but it is often to know, what Road he took that he came fo readily back according to Order; whether he paffed by fuch a Ground, if the old Man who rents it is in good Health; or whether he Sir ROGER'S Love to him, or the like. gave A Man who preferves a Respect, founded on his Benevolence to his Dependents, lives rather like a Prince than a Master in his Family; his Orders are received as Favours, rather than Duties; and the Distinction of approaching him is Part of the Reward for executing what is commanded by him. THERE is another Circumftance in which my Friend excels in his Management, which is the Manner of rewarding his Servants: He has ever been of Opinion, that giving his caft Clothes to be worn by Valets has a very ill Effect upon little Minds, and creates a filly Senfe of Equality between the Parties, in Perfons affected only with outward things. I have heard him often pleasant on this Occafion, and describe a young Gentleman abufing his Man in that Coat, which a Month or two before was the moft pleafing Distinction he was confcious of in himfelf. He would turn his Difcourfe ftill more pleasantly upon the Ladies Bounties of this kind; and I have heard him fay he knew a fine Woman, who diftributed Rewards and Punishments in giving becoming or unbecoming Dreffes to her Maids. BUT my good Friend is above these little Inftances of Good-will, in bestowing only Trifles on his Servants; a good Servant to him is fure of having it in his Choice very foon of being no Servant at all. As I before obferved, he is fo good an Husband, and knows fo thoroughly that the Skill of the Purfe is the Cardinal Virtue of this Life; I fay, he knows fo well that Frugality is the Support of Generofity, that he can often spare a large Fine when a Tenement falls, and give that Settlement to a good Servant who has a mind to go into the World, or make a Stranger pay the Fine to that Servant, for his more comfortable Maintenance, if he ftays in his Service. A Man of Honour and Generofity confiders, it would be miferable to himself to have no Will but that of another, tho' it were of the beft Perfon breathing, and for that reafon goes on as fast as he is able to put his Servants into independent Livelihoods. The greatest Part of Sir ROGER'S Eftate, is tenanted by Perfons who have served himself or his Ancestors. It was to me extremely pleafant to obferve the Vifitants from feveral Parts to welcome his Arrival into the Country; and all the Difference that I could take notice of, between the late Servants who came to fee him, and those who staid in the Family, was that thefe latter were looked upon as finer Gentle.nen and better Courtiers. THIS Manumiffion and placing them in a way of Livelihood, I look upon as only what is due to a good Servant, which Encouragement will make his Succeffor be as diligent, as humble, and as ready as he was. There is fomething wonderful in the Narrowrefs of thofe Minds, which can be pleased, and be buren of Bounty to those who please them. ONE might, on this Occafion, recount the Senfe that Great Perfons in all Ages have had of the Merit of their Dependents, and the Heroick Services which Men have E 2 done done their Masters in the Extremity of their Fortunes; and fhewn to their undone Patrons, that Fortune was all the Difference between them; but as I defign this my Speculation only as a gentle Admonition to thanklefs Mafters, I fhall not go out of the Occurrences of common Life, but affert it as a general Observation, that I never faw, but in Sir ROGER's Family, and one or two more, good Servants treated as they ought to be. Sir ROGER'S Kindness extends to their Children's Children, and this very Morning he fent his Coachman's Grandfon to Prentice. I fhall conclude this Paper with an Account of a Picture in his Gallery, where there are many which will deserve my future Observation. AT the very upper End of this handfom Structure I faw the Portraiture of two young Men standing in a River, the one naked, the other in a Livery. The Perfon fupported feem'd half dead, but still so much alive as to fhew in his Face exquifite Joy and Love towards the other. I thought the fainting Figure refembled my Friend: Sir ROGER; and looking at the Butler, who ftood by me, for an Account of it, he informed me that the Perfon in the Livery was a Servant of Sir ROGER'S, who stood on the Shore while his Mafter was swimming, and obferving him taken with fome fudden Illness, and fink under Water, jumped in and faved him. He told me Sir ROGER took off the Dress he was in as foon as he came home, and by a great Bounty at that time followed by his Favour ever fince, had made him Master of that pretty Seat which we faw at a distance as we came to this Houfe. I remember'd indeed Sir ROGER faid there lived a very worthy Gentleman, to whom he was highly obliged, without mentioning any thing further. Upon my looking a little diffatisfy'd at fome Part of the Picture, my Attendant informed me that it was against Sir ROGER's Will, and at the earnest Requeft of the Gentleman himself, that he was drawn in the Habit in which he had faved his Mafter. R Wednesday, |