Of wisdom three books / written originally in French by the Sieur de Charron ; with an account of the author, made English by George Stanhope ...

CHAP. XIII. Good Management.

THis is a very becoming and necessary Care. An Em∣ployment, not hard to be attained to; every Man of common Discretion is capable of it. But, though the Art be easily learned, the constant Exercise of it is Intricate and Laborious; by Reason of that Great Variety of Bu∣siness, in which it engages us; and, though many Matters about which it is managed, be small and inconsiderable in themselves; yet the constant Succession of them is ve∣ry troublesome. Domestick Cares give great Uneasiness, because they allow of no Intermission; but, if the Diffi∣culties are occasion'd by the principal Persons in the Family, they fret, and gall, and wrankle inward, and scarce admit of any Rest or Remedy.

The Best Method of rendring this Care easie and ef∣fectual, is, To procure some faithful Servants, in whose Honesty we can have entire Confidence, and Security. To buy in Provisions in their proper Seasons, and wait for the best Markets; To prevent all unnecessary Waste, which is the Province, proper to the Mistress of the House. To make Necessity, and Cleanliness, and Order, our first Care; and when These are served, if our Circumstances will ex∣tend farther, then to provide for Plenty, and Shew, and Niceness; a gentile Appearance, and every Thing fashio∣nable in it's Kind. To regulate our Expences, by cutting off our Superfluous Charge; yet so, as to have a Regard to Decency and Convenience, and grudge Nothing, which either Necessity or Duty call for from us. One Shilling saved, with these Limitations, will do us more Credit, than Ten idly squandered away. But to the avoiding Profuse∣ness, we should also add the other commendable Quality, of good Contrivance; for it is a Mark of great Address, when we can make our Peny go a great Way, and appear Handsomely with little Charge: But above all things, a Man must be sure to keep within Compass, and sute his way of Living to his present Circumstances: For the most pro∣bable Prospects, are still but Futurities; and, as such, they must needs be uncertain; so that there cannot be a more

ridiculous Folly, than to spend high in Confidence of Rever∣sions, and distant Expectations.

A Master's Eye must be every where; and if either He or the Mistress be ignorant and unexperienced in Bu∣siness, they must take Care to conceal this Infirmity, and pretend at least to understand all that belongs to them. But especially, they must never appear Negligent or Re∣miss, but put on an Air of Diligence and Concern how∣ever. For, if once the Servants get a Notion of their be∣ing Careless, how their Affairs are managed, they will not fail to take their Advantage, and in a short Time, leave them little or nothing to take Care of.