very honest man; and yet sometimes -looked at by such an observer as Mr Wilberforce-seem rather placed in an anomalous situation.

In the next chapter, lady's-maids are admonished; and modern Abigails may perpend the Abbé's words with advantage.

"En particulier, elles ne doivent lire ni comédies, ni romans, ni aucun livre qu'elles ne connoissent auparavant par le temoignage d'une personne sage, (ODoherty's for instance,) pour etre assurées qu'il ne contient rien de dangereux.-Prenez garde aussi aux chansons amoureuses, et aux airs passionés."*

Valets de chambre are recommended, generally, " to exercise themselves, frequently in shaving,"-" to avoid familiarity with females," -" and to say nothing which they do not under stand;" and Mr Fleury concludes with an expose of the duties belonging to masters and mistresses, not much less candid than that which he has supplied to their dependents.

In the "Moyens de former un bon domestique,” a book printed only with the initials of the author's name in the title-page, but which has gone through some editions in France, and been copied a good deal in England, this last division of Monsieur Fleury's performance is objected to, as well as a similar section in the treatise of "M. Gregoire, Ancien Eveque de Blois." The writer of the "Moyens" refuses, in a work calculated for the eyes of servants, to "regenter les maitres." Apprehending however, perhaps, that such refusal may render his work proscribed in the pantry, he farther complains of his predecessors, that they have estimated the havings, and the responsibilities, of a gentleman in livery too low:-how they should have spoken as they have done "des qualités necessaires dans l'homme qui sert à table c'est un oubli non moins affligeant qu' inconcevable!"

"By the talents of this invaluable agent," (the servant who waits at ta

ble;) "where he is equal to his situ. ation," [we translate at once, as the book which we are quoting is accessi ble. "No hiatus intervenes between the desires of the man who has a palate, and their gratification! While the master is occupied in swallowing a morsel, the valet attentively observes him! He catches the most casual direction of his patron's eye, and marks the dish that it indicates. Scarcely is the plate empty, than another-fullpresents itself to his indefatigable fork. The wines which-from among all those of the very highest order-he prefers, are incessantly soliciting his attention. In this manner, his mouth-his glass-his plate-all are kept, at once, in a state of the most brilliant activity! -Is it to be believed that the talents of the artist who accomplishes these things can be the work of an hour, or that it is the gift of chance?-No." And yet all this talent, if we may so express ourselves, forms but an undivisible division, in the quantity of faculty necessary to constitute a really sufficient footman; with whose character and duties Mons. N. opens his next chapter, under the head of "The servant in posse; his moral and religious education."

"Toutes les idées, d'un enfant destiné à être domestique doivent être fixées sur quatre points.

Dieu.

Le Prince.

Ses pêre et mêre. Ses maitres.

Voilà, pour lui, le monde entier !"+ The question, how far such an "enfant" should be taught to read and write, stands, of course, among the first preliminaries of his " education;" and it is one upon which Mons. N., for a time, is divided. "It is unpleasant," he says, " to have a person near you, who can copy papers,' or 'take notes of what he hears.'" (It is whimsical to observe how completely the scheme of espionage forms part of a Frenchman's account and reckoning in

:

all he does: he provides against the danger of a visit from the police, as regularly as an Englishman keeps an umbrella in his house against the chance of a rainy day.) "On the other hand, what are you to do with a fellow who runs you to the bottom of a 'cul de sac' when he drives your coach -a mile long, and no room to turn! because he can't read the 'no thoroughfare,' which is written at the upper end? Or who will deny his own 'mark' to your receipts for ten years back of his wages, when you discharge him; making you pay the whole amount twice over, because you can get no evidence to prove his hand-writing; even if he omits to charge you at once with forgery, or cause you to be tried, at least, for the fraud and misdemeanour-for which escape you are entirely indebted to his special grace and mercy?" At length, however, the author recollects, that "if a rogue is bent to hang his master for high treason, he may compass the deed without either reading or writing." And perhaps it also slightly occurs to him, that-if footmen cannot read, where is the sale of books to come from, written for their instruction? In virtue of which considerations, he eventually concludes, that a valet may learn his letters-seeing, however, that he does so at his own risk; because, if once, just as he knows that two and two make four, he fancies himself a clever fellow, and takes a desire to be a "clerk in an office,"-" S'il est une fois pris de cette maladie!-rarement il reste bon à quelque chose."

On the question, "Ce qu'est un domestique, par rapport à son maitre,”"What a servant is, with reference to his master," a great deal of information, and admirable counsel, is communicated. In page 33, he is especially guarded against the use of those offensive conjunctions disjunctive,"if," " for," and "but," in the presence of his patron. There is not the least of them but constitutes, in the mind of the author of these "Moyens," incipient disobedience.* His movements should combine the activity with the

noiselessness and habitual precaution of the matou; and the unfailing suavity which distinguishes the same sagacious agent, may also afford an admirable pattern for his general demeanour. If he crosses a room, let him glide as though he marched upon eggs-his grandmother's last brood, and the payment of her rent dependant upon their hatching. If he moves a table, like the wooden-horse in the Fairy Tale, the machine should take its passage through the air! seeming to disdain the ground; or, at farthest, touch it only, like a flea, at the two extreme points of its rise, and its descension. And, when he shuts a door before the family has risen, he should do it with as much delicacy, and temperance, and caution, as if his own finger, just to try the specific power of the lever, were experimentally inserted in the hinge.

Vigilance is quoted as a virtue indispensable to a domestic and very properly - because, though a dog's time of going to bed will depend upon his master, yet his time of rising may always depend upon himself. So, afterwards, in the "Complete Servant," it is stated, that

"He who would thrive
Should rise at five;"

which may be very true; but, in our own opinion,

They may do more Who rise at four.

Return then to the question-" Ce qu'est un domestique, par rapport," &c., to which more illustration has yet to be applied.

"C'est

"Le domestique ne doit point entrer à l'improviste dans la chambre de ses maitres;" and, moreover, là, particulierement, qu'il ne doit rien voir, rien entendre, sans des ordres exprés. Il commencera (this is his work in the morning,) par ranger les habits de la veille, meme les robes de Madame; mais il faut qu'il soit bien assuré de les toucher, et les poser de la manière qui lui convient; car, sur cet article là, les dames ne plaisantent point." +

your back in such an attempt. Between the knees is the orthodox practice; and mind you make a sufficiently horrible face-especially if you draw before company. The concluding suggestion, however, upon decanting"When you open wine, take care not to pour it too close"-this is a good maxim, and should never be lost sight of.

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Still farther-upon the niceties of waiting at table. "When you take hold of a plate," (see page 96) "do not put your thumb half way into it." A valuable instruction this; but it does not go quite far enough. "There is a rim to plates." So there is; - but we don't want impressions of the thumb upon it. White cambric gloves, or a napkin twisted round the hand; the last device, perhaps, is best ;-but one of them is indispensable. "Mark the rummers" as you take them from the table; so that no two persons in a large party may ever drink out of the same glass."-To mark is impossible. The only safe way is never to fill the same glass twice. Shutting the cats," and "the children," and especially " the maids" out of the parlour after you have laid your cloth, (p. 91) are prudent hints. So again, the advice (p. 92) against bringing ginger beer into a warm room. We ourselves remember once seeing a whole party flung into confusion, by the unlookedfor explosion of a basketfull of this material; and a lap-dog who was present was so alarmed, that he bit the butler's leg to the bone. "Never laugh at the jokes of the company, as if they were addressed to you.' Monsieur N. has this; and he adds, that, if you do laugh, it certainly should not be " à gorge deployée." "Do not watch a gentleman too curiously while he is eating." It is very dreadful to have a bumpkin opposite to you, who pursues, as it were, every mouthful of plum-pudding down your throat. "Wear no buttons at your sleeves, lest you now and then pull off a lady's 'wig with them." "When you remove a dish, be careful that you knock down nobody but the carver;" and "Don't fall over the covers," are all excellent

maxims-though, in this last case, perhaps it would be better not to fall at all. To these warnings we should add (as especial) -" Never have more than sixpennyworth of halfpence at once, jingling in your pocket." "Keep your eyes open," this may be done, although "their sense is shut." And "do not dress, if you are out of livery, so that country gentlemen mistake you for your master."

In the "Service des Soirées," announcing guests as they arrive, care must be taken not to call out as if you were a sentry, challenging upon your post. People's names too are not to be crippled, recollect, (estropier) in the delivery. "Monsieur Tout-tout," arriving in his proper person at the street door, is not to become " Monsieur Pooh-pooh" at the top of the staircase; nor "Mrs True-blue," when he enters the drawing-room. So the illeducated footmen of our London theatres-The " Mr Bakers," and "Mr Perkinses," for " Sir Benjamin Backbite, and Mrs Crabtree," in The School for Scandal, announce" Sir Benjamin Crab-bite, and Mr Back-tree.'

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Sneezing, as an " infirmity," has already been mentioned; but the author of the " Moyens," puts it very strongly again. We must extract, in page 119. "A-t-on imaginé rien de plus indecent, qu'un domestique qui fait le cor de chasse avec son nez, et attire ainsé sur lui l'attention de la compagnie!"*

Page 111 contains various sound directions to be observed in bottling wine; of which-ab uno disce omnesthe first is, " never to drink it." As we like to provide for the worst-If any fellow should make a rascal of himself in this way, we would advise him not to go as such villains commonly do-straight into the presence of his master: because it may be too much for one gentleman's patience, (anywhere but in Scotland,) finding he has a thief, and a drunkard, in his service at the same time.

Married footmen, whose wives reside in the house, are cautioned not to beat them too hastily, lest " their