Letters to Persons Who Are Engaged in Domestic Service — Background and Themes

e the captain, the officers, and the sailors, and a company of soldiers. There was also a large number of gentlemen and ladies, and there were several families of children, returning from school to their parents, with the persons who had the care of them. There was also a number of servants to the gentlemen and ladies.

After they had been some time at sea, a dreadful storm came on, the ship sprung a leak, they all got into the ship’s boats, and then she sunk to the bottom with all their possessions. After a great deal of trouble, their boats succeeded in all reaching a neighbouring, unknown shore. Their misfortunes soon reached the ears of the king of that country, who was a very generous and kind man. His dominions had just been desolated by a pestilence, which in some cases had swept off whole families. The king had all these strangers conveyed to a large estate whose owner, with all his family, had perished in the pestilence. On this estate was a large and magnificent palace, with gardens, and orchards, and parks, and a great extent of fields for cultivation. Within the palace were fine furniture, and rich clothing, and a great quantity of food of all kinds. The out-houses, also, were supplied with fine horses and beautiful carriages. All this estate, with its palace and treasures, was given to these strangers, on two conditions; the first was, that they should never have any kind of intercourse with the people of the land, but take care of themselves and do all their own work. The second was, that all the company should consider and treat each other as “free and equal.” Children and servants, soldiers and sailors, were to have the same right to every thing in the palace, as any one else had, and no person was to be superior in rights to another, in any respect whatever. All were “free and equal;” all were equally entitled to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” in any way each thought best for himself. On these two conditions, this company took possession of this noble estate, and all its treasures.

Immediately on entering the palace, they commenced ransacking the whole establishment, and every one was trying to get the best of every thing. All wanted the pleasantest rooms, and the handsomest clothes, and the best articles of food. Each person claimed that he had as good a right to the best of every thing as any one else, and no one was willing to give up his rights. The children liked to use the nicest china and cut glass to play with, and the cakes and sweetmeats for their food; the servants liked the silks and satins for dress, and the sailors and soldiers liked the fine parlours with their light carpets and silk curtains and sofas, to smoke and eat in. And if any of the company tried to control them, insult and abuse were showered down, for thus taking away the rights and liberties of others. Very soon quarrels began, and these grew worse and worse, until they came to blows, and there was constant fighting for every thing. The result was this; the servants, the soldiers and the sailors were the strongest, and so they got possession of the best of every thing. The richest clothing, the finest rooms, and the best food were all taken by them. The captain, officers and gentlemen were the next strongest, and they got the next best. The women and children were the weakest, and so they were obliged to put up with the poorest of every thing.

But after they had thus divided their possessions, the question then was, who should do the work? All wanted to sit in the parlours, and walk in the gardens, and eat their meals, and ride in their carriages; but nobody wanted to cook, or wash, or sweep, or plough, or take care of horses. And yet all this work must be done, or they would be destitute of the necessaries and comforts of life. At first, the strongest tried to force the weakest to work for them, and for a while, it seemed as if the poor women and children, who had little strength to resist, would be made slaves to the strong.

But they declared that nobody had a right to make them work, and that they would go with their complaints to the king, if their rights were thus invaded.

Thus matters went on, till all the carpets were covered with filth, all the dishes were dirty, all the clothing was soiled and torn, and every thing about the estate was fast going to destruction.

Meantime the soldiers, sailors and servants, who had the most strength, were constantly domineering over the others, and quarrelling and fighting among themselves. The children were beaten and abused, the ladies insulted, and all kinds of oppression practised. There was universal contention, fear, distress and ill will. All the decent and well meaning persons declared, that they would gladly exchange this palace for a hovel, with nothing but potatoes to eat, and straw to sleep on, if they could thus gain quiet and peace. In this company was a venerable old clergyman, with white locks, a benevolent countenance, and kind and pleasant manners. Soon after the scenes of riot and abuse commenced, he retired to a hay loft for refuge; and here he was often visited for counsel and sympathy, by the suffering and sorrowful. One day a pale and sweet looking lady came to him, in great distress. Her little Ellen, her beautiful and only child, was sick. She told the minister she could not get a comfortable bed, nor a quiet room, that her servant whom she had hired to wait on her during the voyage would do nothing to help her, that she had watched by her child day and night till her strength was all gone, that when she tried to prepare suitable food for herself and her sick child, some rude sailor or soldier would come along and snatch it away, that she was sick, hopeless and exhausted, and that she and her child must perish for want of rest and food, unless she could get some pity and help.

This good minister had long been hoping that a time would arrive, when the whole company would be brought, by their own wants and the sufferings of all around them, to feel that they must adopt another course, and he now thought the time had probably come.

By the aid of several of his friends, he succeeded in getting the whole company together. He then recounted to them all the blessings and comforts that had been bestowed on them by the benevolent king. He pointed out the waste, destruction, and misery that had followed, and painted in tender and plaintive tones, the suffering and sorrow that had come upon the weak and helpless. He described the angry and revengeful passions that had distracted those, who had by fighting gained the best of every thing, and showed them that all they had gained had never given them any peace or happiness. He then pointed out the evils that were threatening them for the future.

Their granary was fast running low, and yet nothing was done towards raising another crop. Their furniture and clothing were fast going to destruction, and yet nothing was done to repair the waste, or to provide a new supply. He told them that famine and want of all kinds were now at hand, and they must make up their minds what was to be done.

They were all greatly moved by his wisdom and eloquence, and with one consent agreed to do whatever he would recommend. He then took a Bible out of his pocket, and told them that the God who made them, wished all his creatures to be happy, that he alone knew what was best for them, and that in that blessed book he had revealed the rules to guide them in all circumstances. He then proposed that for the six months to come, until a harvest could be gathered in, they should agree to take the rules which God had given them for their guide. To this all consented, and they then appointed the minister to study the Bible for them, and to point out in all emergencies what were its rules. The minister consented to do this.

He then advised them, first to cleanse the palace, its furniture and their clothing, and to put all things, as nearly as possible, in the order in which they first found them. They followed this advice, and, when all was accomplished, came together again for farther directions.

Then the minister told them, that God required all his creatures, when living together, to act, not to gain all the good things that each one wanted, but to do that which was _for the greatest good of the whole_. He then read from the Bible all the passages he had collected, in which this grand principle was taught. He then asked them, if they would agree to take the following rule for their guide in deciding all questions of property, of labour, and of rights and privileges, viz. that _every one shall do that which will secure the most comfort, convenience and enjoyment to the whole company_. This they all consented should be the rule to guide them in every thing. The minister then told them that the first thing they must do was to provide the food and comforts necessary to life and health. For this purpose, some must plough and sow and work, day after day, in the fields. Now it was best for all the company that the strongest and healthiest should do this, for if the delicate and weak undertook it, instead of providing food by their labour, they would all become sick, and have to be nursed and waited upon by the rest. For this reason it was decided, that the men should do the out-door work, and that the women and children should do the lighter work in the house. The minister then pointed out the fact, that the king had given them a noble palace with every variety of furniture and clothing. But in the palace were some very beautiful rooms and some very plain ones; some of the furniture was costly and elegant, and some was very common; some of the clothing was of the most delicate light silks and muslins, and some was strong, dark, and fitted for hard service.

Now it was manifest that those who did the hardest and dirtiest work, needed the stoutest and darkest clothes, and that if any body wore the delicate muslins and silks, it should be those whose employments would least injure them. In regard to a choice of rooms too, it was best and most convenient, that those who did the dirty work should inhabit the rooms most convenient to their work, and those furnished so that they would be least injured by the use of persons whose feet and clothing were often soiled by their work. The most elegantly furnished rooms were those most easily soiled and injured, and therefore the general good required, that they should be occupied by those whose work and dress would least injure them. He showed them, that, if instead of this arrangement, the persons who did the hardest and most soiling work, should use the finest clothing and nicest rooms, very soon their clothing and furniture would be gone, and the company would be obliged to work to make more. As a matter of convenience and economy, therefore, he inquired whether it was not for the general good, that those who did the hardest work should take the plainest apartments and the strongest clothing. This all decided would be best, and yet, some said that it seemed hard, that those who had to do the least agreeable work, should have the least agreeable rooms and the plainest clothing too. But they all concluded that it never would do to wash dishes and cook and plough and dig, in muslin and satin dresses; and so they concluded that the arrangement which would make their clothes and furniture last the longest should be adopted.

But then the question came up, How shall we decide _who_ shall do the harvest work, and wear the plainest clothing, and take the least agreeable rooms?

In this dilemma, the minister recommended that they should appeal to God, who was the wisest Being, and a Just and Holy Judge. He told them the way to appeal to God was, by _casting lots_. To this all agreed, and so when the lots were prepared, the company all stood up and uncovered their heads, while the minister then called upon God.

“Oh Thou, who art our Father, our Judge and our King, decide for us by these lots, what our portions shall be, and when thou hast thus decided, incline our hearts to submit to thy will, and with patience and cheerfulness, to perform the duties of the station in which we are placed.”

After this prayer they all drew their lots to decide their employments, and then took the clothing, rooms and conveniences, as they had before decided, would be for the good of all.

The minister then pointed out the necessity of having overseers to each kind of work, who should direct and superintend others. He described the waste, confusion and trouble that would follow, if every one went to work on the farm where he pleased, and did his work in any way he pleased. And so in the housekeeping, he showed what discomfort and confusion would follow, if each one did her work at any time, or in any manner she liked, with no system or order, and with no one to plan or direct.

It was then concluded, that it was for the general good, that each kind of work should have an overseer, and that the overseers should spend their whole time in planning and directing others about their work, while the rest should obey their directions. Some seemed to think that it was rather hard, that some should have nothing to do but go about and see that other people kept at work, but after some talk, they all concluded that the work never would be done properly any other way, and so they consented that this arrangement should be made. Then came up the question, who should be the workers and who the overseers. On talking this over it was agreed, that _those who knew the most_, should be appointed to direct the rest. Accordingly the best cook was made overseer of the cooking, the best gardener overseer of the garden, and thus in every kind of work, the one who understood the most about it, was appointed to direct the rest.

It was then proposed, that as there would be sickness among the people, there should be some men selected to read and study about the diseases of the country, who should attend upon the sick, to see that they were properly nursed.

It was also decided, that those who were best qualified to teach and govern the children, should take charge of them, and spend their time in teaching them.

The minister then told them, that though now, after so much suffering for want of order, industry, and harmony, they were all willing to do as they had agreed, yet when they came to go to work, many would become discontented, and would not submit to these regulations. They would then declare that the king gave them this estate, on condition that all should be free and equal, that this rule was not obeyed, for that some lived without doing any hard work, and had the best rooms and the best clothes and ruled over others. They would then declare, that they would not submit to it, and would take the rooms and clothes given to others, and neglect their work. Then others would follow their example, and soon every thing would go back to the confusion and misery they had been experiencing. He told them also, that there were many cases which would arise, when they would need more particular rules than any yet agreed on.

After talking over this matter, they finally agreed to this plan. They chose out from among the company some of the best and wisest men, whose business it should be to make all the rules necessary in any emergency, and all these rules were to be written down, so that all could read them. These men also were to decide what punishment should be inflicted on any who violated these rules. They then appointed another set of men who were to be judges, when any one was accused of breaking these rules, to decide whether they deserved punishment. Another set of men were appointed as officers of justice, to see that these penalties were inflicted. After this, the whole company requested the good minister to spend his time in going around to all parts of the estate, to talk with every body, and to use all his persuasion and influence to lead all to be contented, industrious and obedient to the rules. When these arrangements were made, all went to work harmoniously and cheerfully. The fields were tilled and reaped, the food was cooked, the clothes were washed, ironed and mended, the rooms and furniture were kept clean and in order, and every thing went on pleasantly. Those who had the best rooms and clothes and the easiest work, tried to make it pleasant and comfortable to those who did the work. They felt that they had the best of every thing, not because they were better than the others, but because it was for the general good of all. And those who did the work, and had the least agreeable accommodations, felt that it was God who appointed their lot, and that it was as proper for them to be there as for any of the rest. And they all felt so pleased and thankful for having escaped from such scenes of misrule and misery, that every one was content with his lot. They felt that by submitting to rules that were made for the good of all, each one had his own situation made more comfortable than it could be by any other method. And so they went on, day after day, in comfort and peace.

A conversation between the clergyman and a domestic.

In my former letter I told you how the good minister succeeded in persuading the shipwrecked company to adopt the rules given in the Bible, and the comfort and prosperity that followed this course. I also told you that the minister was requested by the company to spend all his time in visiting every part of the estate, to converse with all who were disposed to be discontented, or indolent, or unsubmissive to the rules.