get rid of a bad fervant without the uneasiness of a difpute: for which nothing can be pleaded, but the most ungenerous of all excufes, that the person whom we deceive is a stranger.

There is a conduct the reverse of this, but more injurious, because the injury falls where there is no remedy; I mean the obstructing of a fervant's advancement, because you are unwilling to fpare his fervice. To ftand in the way of your fervant's intereft, is a poor return for his fidelity; and affords flender encouragement for good behaviour, in this numerous and therefore important part of the community. It is a piece of injuftice, which, if practised to-wards an equal, the law of honour would lay hold of; as it is, it is neither uncommon nor difreputable.

A master of a family is culpable, if he permit any vices among his domeftics, which he might reftrain by due difcipline and a proper interference. This refults from the general obligation to prevent mifery when in our power; and the affurance which we have, that vice and mifery at the long run go together. Care to maintain in his family a fenfe of virtue and religion, received the divine approbation in the perfon of ABRAHAM, Gen. xviii. 19-" I know him, that

"he will command his children, and his houfe"bold after him; and they fhall keep the way "of the LORD, to do juftice and judgment. And indeed no authority feems fo well adapted to this purpose, as that of mafters of families ; because none operates upon the fubjects of it with an influence fo immediate and conítant.

What the Chriftian Scriptures have delivered concerning the relation and reciprocal duties of mafters and fervants, breathes a fpirit of liberality, very little known in ages when fervitude was flavery; and which flowed from a habit of contemplating mankind under the common relation in which they ftand to their Creator, and with refpect to their intereft in another exiftence*. "Servants, be obedient to them that are

your mafters, according to the flesh, with "fear and trembling; in fingleness of your "heart, as unto Chrift; not with eye-service, "as men-pleafers, but as the fervants of Chrift,

doing the will of God from the heart; with good will, doing fervice as to the Lord, and not "to men: knowing that whatfoever good thing 66 any man doth, the fame fhall he receive of the "LORD, whether he be bond or free. And, ye

* Eph. vi. 5-9

mafters,

"masters, do the fame thing unto them, forbearing threatening; knowing that your master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of per"fons with him." The idea of referring their service to God, of confidering him as having appointed them their task, that they were doing his will, and were to look to him for their reward, was new; and affords a greater fecurity to the master than any inferior principle, because it tends to produce a fteady and cordial obedience, in the place of that constrained service, which can never be trufted out of fight, and which is justly enough called eye-fervice. The exhortation to masters, to keep in view their own fubjection and accountablenefs, was no lefs feafonable.

CHAP. XII.

CONTRACTS OF LABOUR.

COMMISSIONS.

W

HOEVER undertakes another man's business, makes it his own, that is, promifes to employ upon it the fame care, attention, and diligence, that he would do if it were actually his own; for he knows that the bufinefs was committed to him with that expectation. And he promises nothing more than this. Therefore an agent is not obliged to wait, inquire, folicit, ride about the country, toil, or ftudy, whilft there remains a poffibility of benefiting his employer. If he exert so much of his activity, and use such caution, as the value of the bufinefs, in his judgment, deferves; that is, as he would have thought fufficient if the fame intereft of his own had been at ftake; he has discharged his duty, although it fhould afterwards

wards turn out, that by more activity, and longer perfeverance, he might have concluded the business with greater advantage.

This rule defines the duty of factors, ftewards, attornies, and advocates.

One of the chief difficulties of an agent's fituation is, to know how far he may depart from his inftructions, when, from fome change or discovery in the circumftances of his commif. fion, he fees reafon to believe that his employer, if he were prefent, would alter his intention. The latitude allowed to agents in this respect will be different, according as the commiffion was confidential or minifterial; and according as the general rule and nature of the fervice require a prompt and precife obedience to orders, or not. An attorney fent to treat for an estate, if he found out a flaw in the title, would defift from propofing the price he was directed to propofe; and very properly. On the other hand, if the commander in chief of an army detach an officer under him upon a particular fervice, which fervice turns out more difficult, or lefs expedient, than was fuppofed, in so much that the officer is convinced that his commander, if he were acquainted with the true state in which the affair is found, would recall his orders; yet