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SERVANTS quotes
Be not served with kinsmen, or friends, or men entreated to stay; for they expect much, and do little; nor with such as are amorous, for their heads are intoxicated; and keep rather too few, than one too many.
If you treat with courtesy your equal who is privileged to resent an impertinence, how much more cautious should you be to your dependants, from whom you demand a respectful demeanor.
Expect not more from servants than is just; reward them well if they observe their trust; nor with them pride or cruelty invade, since God and nature them our brothers made.
If the master takes no account of his servants, they will make small account of him, and care not what they spend, as they are never brought to an audit.
Be not too familiar with thy servants; at first it may beget love, but in the end 'twill breed contempt.
Command thy servant advisably with few plain words, fully, freely, and positively, with a grave countenance, and settled carriage: These will procure obedience, gain respect, and maintain authority.
If thou employest plain men, and canst find such as are commonly honest, they will work faithfully, and report fairly. Cunning men will, for their own credit, adventure without command; and from thy business derive credit to themselves.
'Tis better that thou be rather something sparing, than very liberal, to even a good servant; for as he grows full, he inclines either to be idle, or to leave thee: and if he should at any time murmur, thou mayest govern him by a seasonable reward.
If thou hast a loitering servant, send him of thy errand just before his dinner.
Reward a good servant well, and rather get quit of a bad one than disquiet thyself with him.
Let thy servants be such as thou mayest command, and entertain none about thee but those to whom thou givest wages; for those that will serve thee without thy hire will cost thee treble as much as they that know thy fare.
I have been formerly so silly as to hope that every servant I had might be made a friend; but I am now convinced that the nature of servitude generally bears a contrary tendency.—People's characters are to be chiefly collected from their education and place in life; birth itself does but little.
We become willing servants to the good by the bonds their virtues lay upon us.
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