The Sir Roger de Coverley PapersSteele, Richard, Sir
General
The Sir Roger de Coverley Papers
Steele, Richard, Sir
English essays
A man of honour and generosity considers it would be
miserable to himself to have no will but that of another,
though it were of the best person breathing, and for that
reason goes on as fast as he is able to put his servants
into independent livelihoods. The greatest part of Sir (83: 5)
Roger's estate is tenanted by persons who have served
himself or his ancestors. It was to me extremely pleasant
to observe the visitants from several parts to welcome
his arrival into the country; and all the difference that I
could take notice of between the late[45] servants who came (10)
to see him and those who stayed in the family, was that
these latter were looked upon as finer gentlemen and
better courtiers.
[45] Recent, former.
This manumission and placing them in a way of livelihood
I look upon as only what is due to a good servant, (15)
which encouragement will make his successor be as diligent,
as humble, and as ready as he was. There is something
wonderful in the narrowness of those minds which
can be pleased, and be barren of bounty to those who
please them. (20)
One might, on this occasion, recount the sense that
great persons in all ages have had of the merit of their
dependants, and the heroic services which men have done
their masters in the extremity of their fortunes, and shown
to their undone patrons that fortune was all the difference (25)
between them; but as I design this my speculation only
as a gentle admonition to thankless masters, I shall not
go out of the occurrences of common life, but assert it, as
a general observation, that I never saw, 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 sent his
coachman's grandson to prentice. I shall conclude (84: 5)
this paper with an account of a picture in his gallery,
where there are many which will deserve my future observation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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