Transcriber’s Note In what follows, italic text is denoted by _underscores_ while bold text is denoted by =equal signs=. Small capitals in the original text have been transcribed as ALL CAPITALS. Superscripted characters are prefixed by the '^' symbol. ———— The word “receipt” appears frequently in this book and is an archaic form of the word “recipe”. ———— See the end of this document for details of corrections and other changes. —————————————————— Start of Book —————————————————— THE COMPLETE SERVANT; BEING A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE PECULIAR DUTIES AND BUSINESS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF Servants, FROM THE HOUSEKEEPER TO THE SERVANT OF ALL-WORK, AND FROM THE LAND STEWARD TO THE FOOT-BOY; WITH USEFUL RECEIPTS AND TABLES, BY SAMUEL AND SARAH ADAMS, _Fifty years Servants in different Families_. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY KNIGHT AND LACEY, PUBLISHERS OF BOOKS CONNECTED WITH THE USEFUL ARTS, At the James Watt, in Paternoster-Row. MDCCCXXV. _Price Seven Shillings and Sixpence._ D. SIDNEY & CO. Printers, Northumberland-street, Strand. PREFACE. ———— As no relations in society are so numerous and universal as those of Masters and Servants—as those of Household Duties and the performers of them—so it is proportionally important that they should be well defined and understood. It is a species of knowledge as important to the head of a family as necessary to the servant; and, if thoroughly studied, would relieve life of half its anxieties and vexations. Yet, till the present book, no special attempt to define these relations, and illustrate these duties has ever been made. We have had Sermons on the moral obligations of masters and servants, and many books of religious advice, addressed to the latter, all good in their way; but we have had no work, which, like the present, addresses itself to the actual personal practice of their duties; which defines them as they actually belong to the various classes; and instructs servants in the way and mode of performing them with skill, advantage, and success.