you ask, provided only you ask in a way which pleases him. The result is, that though servants are considered in France quite as much as they are in England, the consideration takes a different form. In England, no mistress would venture to disturb her servant at his dinner: in France, she would unceremoniously send him out, if necessary, on an errand of two hours between his soup and his meat, and the man would go cheerily and without a growl. He does this because he knows that, if he fell ill, that same mistress would tend him with her own hands; that her children would come and read to him: and that he would receive the signs of sympathy which indicate mutual regard. Of course none of these descriptions have any universal application; France contains plenty of bad masters and plenty of bad servants; but what is absolutely true i3, that, as a rule, the French servant is capable not only of rendering the highest class of service in all its details, and in the most varied forms, but also of rendering that service with a natural simplicity and matter-of-course interest which doubles its value. His conduct depends partly on his own temper, but still more on the attitude of his master towards him. The secret of the French servant lies in the way he is handled. He is susceptible of a good deal of education; he may be developed to a high standard of ability in his trade, and to sincere devotion to his master. If he becomes a scamp, it is ordinarily because he has been entirely neglected by the people he serves. It may, however, be said, to the honour of many French families, that their system of action at home is to try to make the best of the material at their disposal. They recognize that the science of living is worthy of study and close pursuit; that it is, like happiness, an object which needs tender nursing and constant watchfulness; that there is no error greater than to suppose that it will necessarily go on by itself like a clock that is just wound up; and that to maintain it in its best form it is essential to keep it incessantly in view, and to modify its treatment as its conditions change. This is the true philosophy of home-life; this is an act in which the French excel, and in which they are singularly aided by the supple plasticity of their servants. Beyond the general definitions which have already been expressed here, no résume of the subject can be safely attempted; indeed, it may be that, in seeking to approach precision, these definitions are too absolute. Still, though inapplicable as a law, they are certainly fairly exact, and they correctly express general tendencies even if they do not correctly express facts. Nothing more can be attempted; the matter is too vast, and its elements are too infinitely varied. And now that we have looked through the nature and the conduct of French servants- now that we have recognized their situation in society and their relations towards their masters - let us come back to our starting-point, and ask ourselves what lesson we can learn, what teaching we can apply, from the experience we have gained. If we are honest, we shall surely recognize that the moral position of servants is higher in France than it is in England, that no abandonment of diguity is required from them, that mutual respect is the general basis of the connection between them and their employers. We shall further acknowledge that the Frenchman, from his sobriety, his gay temper, his willingness, and his usually extensive capabilities, is, on the whole, a pleasanter and more useful servitor than the average of Englishmen. It can scarcely be said that all these differences spring solely from peculiarities of national temperament, and that the Frenchman is what he is solely because he is a Frenchman. That, of course, supplies a partial explanation of the question; but there are other far more potent causes at work. If it were possible to sum up those causes in one word, we should have no alternative but to say that the principal defects of English servants, and the grave difficulties which their exigencies have created during the last thirty years, are due to the vanity of their masters. Surrounded on all sides by the aspirations and the discontent of the lower classes, the English persist in regulating their servants by rules of vanity. They screw them down, they keep them at a haughty distance, they remind them many times a-day that they are absolute inferiors. The natural result is, that the English servant gives what he is bound to give, but no more; he offers nothing of his own accord, for he has engaged his body, not his heart. He lives in a state of permanent secret resentment. He does not rebel, because the moment has not come for that; but if ever he should.get a chance hereafter, he will fix his own conditions, which, apparently, will be very different from those under which he now exists. The master is not more satisfied than the man, but he makes no attempt to change the odious double tyranny which each ex'ercises towards the other. Vanity, the If such an end as this were attained even in half-a-dozen houses, this glimpse at French servants will have served a useful object. From The Pall Mall Gazette. MADEMOISELLE SYLVIE. curse of modern England, prompts them better than we do that the work is betboth. Neither of them has yet conceived ter done, that housekeeping is less exthat he would be happier if he were nat-pensive, all because everybody has the ural if he ceased to indignantly stand same end in view — that end being muup for little rights and little privileges, tual satisfaction. Now, my friends, let us which, regarded either morally or philo- see if we can imitate the French. I shall sophically, are simply contemptible. In begin, for it is my duty to set the example, France, where all rights are equal, no one and to show you how to vanquish old has rights to defend; and though that so- habits and old prejudices." What do you lution of the difficulty is inapplicable pub- suppose your servants would say and do? licly in England-in our time at least- They might be a little puzzled at first; surely it would not be impossible to try it but if you acted with tact and sense, you privately in a few houses, with chosen ser- would soon guide them to the right road, vants, in order to see whether English weeding out the incorrigibles whom you natures cannot be raised to the French might discover to be unworthy of your level. It can scarcely be seriously urged guidance. that an English servant cannot be cured of his special vanity — that he cannot be raised, by example and with teaching, above the sham dignity he affects that he cannot be induced to regard service as a state of life implying a general obligation to aid whenever aid is wanted, and not as a duty strictly limited to laying the cloth and drawing corks in one case, or to pure house-maiding in another. An English "general servant," like the maid-ofI WAS then residing in Paris, and my all-work, is incapable of doing any one concierge, in showing me a set of rooms thing well; it will therefore naturally be more convenient than those which I had argued that if a butler or a lady's-maid were occupied before said: "Monsieur will not to sometimes discharge other functions have much of a view, but he will enjoy the than their own, they would cease to do benefit of Mademoiselle Sylvie's flowers their own work well. But really it would and her two canaries; and, pointing be degrading to England to admit such a across a courtyard, he glanced up at a thing as that. Why should not an Eng- small window very high on the sixth floor, lishman do anything as well as a French-embowered in a thick trellis-work of sweetman? The answer, in this special case, peas, scarlet-runners, and mignonette is, Because he won't. But if he were en-boxes, amid all of which hung a brave couraged to try, by kind words and clear little cage, smart with green and white reasons, and rewarded in the event of suc- paint and gilding. It was a costly-looking cess, is it certain that he would persist in trifle this cage, and one was rather surhis refusal? If English masters could at- prised to see it so high up as a sixth floor; tain sufficient wisdom-could sufficiently but the two birds inside hopped from shake off the bonds of conventional pride perch to perch, and piped their trilling in which they have been brought up-to notes, and shook the trim yellow wings call their servants together and discuss the they had just dipped in water with as pert whole thing with them calmly and with- and chirping an air as if the whole world out prejudice, who can pretend that the was theirs, and there was nothing on whole system might not be modified, with- earth too good for them. "She is a stayout a shock, to the infinite advantage of maker," continued the concierge, "and the all concerned? Try it. Say to your next window to hers is that of M. Polyhousehold, "My friends, in France masters dore, a railway clerk." I do not know and servants do not regard each other as why the concierge should have thought enemies, and do not each stand out for it necessary thus to intrude M. Polydore every inch of what we call 'rights.' They upon the scene. I was rather disappointed give and take. The servant looks upon that he had done so. I could have wished his master as a friend, and does all he can he had kept this gentleman in the backto be of use to him without haggling over ground, or brought him in some other the conditions of his place.' The mas- day incidentally to something else. But ter treats his servants kindly, and chats it is a way with Frenchmen quietly to and laughs with them; and it really ap- root up certain illusions, and to do it pears that they get on over there vastly quickly. I took the rooms, and during several dore runs down at seven every morning weeks was enlivened by the sight of the for his own provisions, and brings up his flowers and by the chirruping of the two neighbour's at the same time-two sous' canaries. Of an afternoon, when the house worth of milk, two rolls at one sou, and a was in the shade, and the bustle which sou's worth of chickweed for the birds, attends the arranging of rooms, the open- and that's all. It's never more than five ing of windows, and the shaking of carpets sous she has to drop into the basket, and in the morning was over; when the yard I'll be bound M. Polydore would pay it all was silent and cool, the warbling sounded for her himself, ay, and double that, if she so clear and melodious, so gay and unre- would only let him." But here the constrained, that I sometimes laid down my cierge interrupted himself, for a second pen merely to listen to it. But I never and more novel scene was being enacted. saw Mdlle. Sylvie, and I was beginning to The shaggy head, after vanishing for a regard her as a sort of myth to be perpet- moment with the tongs, had reissued in ually associated with song of birds and their company, and was now passing a impenetrable groves of creepers. One new basket, the conical shape of which morning, however, having chanced to rise revealed its contents; it was presumably earlier than usual, and being seated writ- full of strawberries. Mdlle. Sylvie lifted ing at my desk, I raised my eyes towards up her hands as if uttering an amused the familiar window, and observed a young exclamation, took out a strawberry, which and bright but rather pale face protrude she thrust through the bars of her cage, through the foliage, and a pair of small then nibbled one herself, making a little hands suspend the smart cage on its sign to say that it was good; but, having accustomed hook. The birds had been done this, shook her head and was apparunder cover for the night, and on being ently for sending the rest back. Whereput into the air instantly saluted the rising upon a discussion arose, which, of course, sun with their music. Then the small we could not hear, but the pantomimic hands disappeared and came back again, eloquence of which, especially in so far as and nimble fingers, armed with scissors, M. Polydore's gestures went, was easy to set to work trimming the plants, here comprehend. It lasted two good minutes, lopping off one tendril, there tying up and then the matter was settled by Mdile. another, after which a new eclipse and Sylvie shaking one or two more strawthen the small hands brought the tiniest berries into her left hand, and waving her of waterpots and gravely watered their right laughingly before her face, as though ten-thousandth part of an acre of garden to convey, This is positively all I shall land. At this moment, while I was studi- take, M. Polydore, so you needn't tempt ously surveying the scene, the adjoining me." M. Polydore protested, but finding casement was opened, and a second head, it was of no use, gave a shrug, and the much less bright and interesting than the pottle moved slowly back on its way along other, and ornamented by a shaggy crop with the tongs. Mdlle. Sylvie then took of uncombed hair and a black moustache, up her tiny waterpot anew, and finished became visible, and there commenced an her watering. "Yes," said the concierge interchange of greetings between the win- approvingly, "that's just it. M. Polydore dows. The water-pot paused on the edge is a good-hearted young man of the free of the mignonette box, the face smiled and easy sort, and he and Malle. Sylvie amicably, and the shaggy head, putting get on very well together. He goes on out a large hand with a pair of tongs in it, errands for her; she mends his things for and a basket fastened to the end of the him; but, except when they meet on the pair of tongs, leaned forward and passed stair-case, all their talking -every bit of the basket until it dangled right among it is done through those windows. M. the flowers. Then the nimble hands lifted Polydore, I suspect, would like affairs to something out, fumbled half a minute in a take another turn; but Mdlle. Sylvie knows pocket and dropped something in, and the how to put enterprising gentlemen back basket travelled back followed by another into their places. You understand, she is amicable smile and a nod. "Yes, it's like engaged to a sergeant who will marry her that every morning." exclaimed the con- when he has finished his seven years, that cierge, who had come up with my letters, is the year after next, I believe; and he and was standing by me, holding a sheaf being an honest man the match would be of other lodgers' boots, letters, and hot- broken snap off if anything went wrong. water cans between his hands. "That is So she bides as still as a small mouse, and M. Polydore, the railway clerk, passing stores by every centime she can, and seems her breakfast to Mdlle. Sylvie. M. Poly- to live on air; and she stitches and stitches 66 - enough to wear her little fingers away, for sew for less," was her tranquil answer, as she's a deft needle woman, as monsieur will she smoothed a crease out of the neat find if ever he wants anything sewn for white apron that covered her merino him and doesn't mind giving her the job." gown. "We are so many women, and so The concierge retired-worthy chatter- few trades open to us! Monsieur has box, whose chief delight was to communi- never been in the poorer quarters? There cate to one lodger the adventures or mis- are women to be seen there who make adventures of the other-but I suppose workmen's blouses at three sous the some of his words lingered after him, for blouse; they stitch fifteen hours a day and that day, being out, I bought a dozen earn thirty sous. Nobody can have an pocket-handkerchiefs, and sent them with idea of what deep wretchedness is until my compliments to Mdlle. Sylvie, request- he has seen these women. Imagine such ing that she would kindly hem and mark of them as have children, and sometimes a them. drunken husband, and nothing but this She was less than a week about the money! There are some who say that all work, and brought it one afternoon when this is the fault of the employers; but the sun had been so lustrous and her cana- then the employers pretend that they ries in such spirits that the very sparrows can't pay us any more; and women have of Paris, who are the most unconcerned not the power to raise wages by striking birds in existence, must have wondered at work as the men can. Nobody ever heard and envied them. A slight knock, and she of a women's strike. To begin with, woentered, reserved in manner, but unem-men are not free, and so couldn't strike if barrassed, and with that perfect grace of they would, for their husbands and fathers demeanour which seems to be the appanage wouldn't always let them. But even if of Frenchwomen. She had not much of they were free, I do not believe any numwhat artists call beauty, but her teeth and ber of us women could agree together for hair were admirable, and her eyes shone long. We are so fond of quarrelling with with an expression of innocent vivacity, one another!" Here she smiled again, very confident, true, and captivating. On and, seeing me listening with silent interthe other hand, she was evidently over-est to her speech, said quietly, "As for me, worked. Her figure was slight and thin, monsieur, I have no right to complain, I and her face much paler than I had been am one of the lucky ones." "Lucky, able to judge, seeing her from a distance Mdlle. Sylvie?" "Yes," she replied, "I of four stories. "These are monsieur's earn my three francs a day. It's not much, handkerchiefs?" she asked, and saying but it's enough, and I manage to put by a this handed me the little card-board box little for rainy weather. Sometimes I in which the order had been sent her. I wish it were spring all the year round bemechanically examined the work, and was cause of the cold in winter, which numbs struck with its conscientious character- one's fingers and makes it difficult to sew; every stitch so honest and straight, and but when the winter's over and the sky the design of the cypher she had wrought gets blue and warm again in April, then I in fancy letters so delicate, painstaking, feel glad for what we have gone through, and able. Then, having admired, I in- for it makes the spring seem better. But quired how much I was indebted to her, even in the winter there are amusements, and she named a sum so modest that, re- and I used to go to the theatre occasionflecting on the prices charged for these ally; but not now, because my lover things by people who are called fashion- doesn't like it." And here she drew the able hosiers, I wondered with some indig- faintest breath of a sigh. "You see, it nation how anybody could have the cour- was M. Polydore. M. Polydore is my to grind unfortunate needle-girls neighbour age she explained simply down in this way. "But you must find it "who knew some actors of the Ambigu very hard," I observed, "to live on such and Gaîté; they gave him tickets, and he small gains as this, Mdlle. Sylvie?" Oh, gave them me, and I used to go with one monsieur," she answered, with a little of my girl friends, and we used sometimes shrug and a smile, "it's woman's work, to cry all the evening. Ah! it does one and that's never much paid." She said this so quietly that I was unable to divine whether there was any irony in the remark, or whether she really thought that her sex earned as much as could be expected; so I repeated: "I consider it very little." "Yet there are women who would 66 good, those pieces that make you cry! But my lover is jealous, and won't let me accept presents from anybody, and I know if I were to take anything again from M. Polydore he'd beat me - Oh, monsieur, ne craignez rien, c'est le meilleur garçon du monde" - she exclaimed naïvely, as she - perceived that this glimpse of her lover's | began to chafe her fingers between his as disposition had not impressed me very if they must still be cold after such an infavourably. "I do with him what I please; fliction. As for her she coloured, and tried but then he's a sergeant who has always to stop him. But he would not be stopped. been well noted in his regiment, and he and talked of her industry and her privasays, 'I'm not going to marry a girl tions with feelings of pain and pride that against whom people have got anything to were obvious enough. Well, monsieur," say, Sylvie' and he's quite right. If I she said at last, with perhaps just the were a man I know I should be like that." faintest quaver in her voice, "it was a lit"Then you work and wait, Mdlle. Syl- tle hard at times, I know mais il vaut vie?" I work and wait, monsieur," she mieux payer le bonheur avant qu'après;" answered. My lover lays by what he and she glanced fondly and happily at the can, and when his term of service is over little family of which she was the queen. he will marry me, and we shall try and I thought the sergeant a lucky fellow. keep a shop. That will be in two years' time yes, in two years all but a month;" and here again came a short sigh, as though to say: "It's a little long, but one must be patient." She glanced at the clock, and I took this as a hint to pay her and to thank her, endeavouring to prevail on her as I did.so to accept more than the insignificant sum she had mentioned. But this was in vain. She counted me my change with painful exactness, dropped a modest, unaffected little courtesy, and withdrew. From The Cornhill Magazine. PEOPLE I HAVE HATED. I CONFESS I do not now hold the lofty sentiments about Hatred which I once held, or at least subscribed. To the best of my recollection, the first time I had occasion to bring my mind to bear on the subject, I uncompromisingly pronounced Hatred to be "the vilest passion which It was several years after this that, pass- can agitate the human breast," and exing through one of the gabled towns of pressed a very decided opinion (fortified Picardy, I was attracted by the fresh, taut by examples from ancient and modern look of a tobacconist's shop standing at history), that it was invariably injurious the corner of the main street, and stepped to society, and degrading to the individual in to buy a cigar, A vigorous, laughing character. I would not, perhaps, have man, in shirt-sleeves, was seated near the gone to the stake for these views, but I door giving a chubby urchin of four a ride never dreamed of questioning their soundon his knee, while another, with the roundness, or contemplated the possibility of clipped head of French youngsters, was holding others, for I had them (in rough sprawling on the floor crowing. Behind draft) from the highest possible source, the counter a young woman, dressed with the Addison of our school, its most emithe wonted spruceness and dignity of nent hand at moral essay and themeFrench buralistes, was manipulating screws writing: that gifted being who had the of caporal, and looking on complacently at miraculous faculty of producing, besides the scene. She recognized me at once, his own masterpiece, any number of comand I recognized her. It was the former positions for his less prolific comrades, no Malle. Sylvie. Of course we fell to talk-two exactly alike, though all on the same ing of old times "those happy old times, when we were so unhappy, as Sophie Arnould used to say - and I reminded Mdlle. Sylvie of her birds, her flowers, and her garret-room on the sixth floor. "Ah, but she never told you all, sir!" said her husband, rising and laying a hand upon her shoulder. "She used to put by half her small gains every day so as to have a dower to give me when I married her. On the day when I got my discharge I came to her suddenly and found her stitching in her little room without a fire. It was January, and the snow was falling outside, so that my uniform was quite covered with it! Can you imagine that, monsieur? no fire in January!" and he subject, and whose reflections, as just and profound as his grammar and spelling were unimpeachable, no master had ever been hardy enough to criticize. But that fine outfit of dogmatic morality with which we are furnished, as we start on the pilgrimage of this world, does not long stand the wear and tear of the journey, any more than its concomitant, the marvellous school-boy digestion, which makes light of viands the mind shudders at in after years. Dear! dear! what beautiful virtuous lives we should all of us lead, if we were only to act up to the headings of our old copybooks. Alas! those noble round-hand resolutions and rules of conduct seem to have no more effect upon the formation of |