and opinion in those by whom they knew they were beloved, and who watched with incessant care over their interest and comfort.  Affectionate and faithful as these home-bred servants were in general, there were some instances (but very few) of those who, through levity of mind, or a love of liquor or finery, betrayed their trust, or habitually neglected their duty.  In these cases, after every means had been used to reform them, no severe punishments were inflicted at home.  But the terrible sentence, which they dreaded worse than death, was past—­they were sold to Jamaica.  The necessity of doing this was bewailed by the whole family as a most dreadful calamity, and the culprit was carefully watched on his way to New-York, lest he should evade the sentence by self-destruction.

One must have lived among those placid and humane people to be sensible that servitude, hopeless, endless servitude, could exist with so little servility and fear on the one side, and so little harshness or even sternness of authority on the other.  In Europe, the footing on which service is placed in consequence of the corruptions of society, hardens the heart, destroys confidence, and embitters life.  The deceit and venality of servants not absolutely dishonest, puts it out of one’s power to love or trust them.  And if, in hopes of having people attached to us, who will neither betray our confidence, nor corrupt our children, we are at pains to rear them from childhood, and give them a religious and moral education; after all our labour, others of their own class seduce them away to those who can afford to pay higher for their services.  This is not the case in a few remote districts.  Where surrounding mountains seem to exclude the contagion of the world, some traces of fidelity and affection among domestics still remain.  But it must be remarked, that, in those very districts, it is usual to treat inferiors with courtesy and kindness, and to consider those domestics who marry out of the family as holding a kind of relation to it, and still claiming protection.  In short, the corruption of that class of people is, doubtless, to be attributed to the example of their superiors.  But how severely are those superiors punished?  Why this general indifference about home; why are the household gods, why is the sacred hearth so wantonly abandoned?  Alas! the charm of home is destroyed, since our children, educated in distant seminaries, are strangers in the paternal mansion; and our servants, like mere machines, move on their mercenary track without feeling or exciting one kind or generous sentiment.  Home, thus despoiled of all its charms, is no longer the scene of any enjoyments but such as wealth can purchase.  At the same time we feel there a nameless cold privation, and conscious that money can coin the same enjoyments with more variety elsewhere, we substitute these futile and evanescent pleasures for that perennial spring of calm satisfaction, “without o’erflowing full,” which is fed by the exercise of the kindly affections, and soon indeed must those stagnate where there are not proper objects to excite them.  I have been forced into this painful digression by unavoidable comparisons.  To return:—­