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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

to do their corresponding duties, remembering that there is norespect of persons with God. They are not only to forbearthreatening, but to give their servants a just and equitable shareof the conveniences and comforts of life, according to the pro-ceeds of their labor, always keeping in mind, that they also havea Master in heaven, to whom they are responsible for their beha-viour in this relation, which is so liable to be abused, and theduties of which are so liable to be neglected.

A division of servants into three, instead of five classes, issufficiently accurate for my present purpose. 1. Apprentices.2. Servants who become such by their own contract. 3. “ Ser-vants bom in the house, or bought with the money,” of theirmaster.*

1. Apprentices are persons bound to a master, to learn someart or trade. They may be bound to learn the trade of husband-ry as well as any other. Apprentices are usually bound to theirmasters by their parents or guardians ; and they are bound, thatthe apprentice perform that which they contract he shall do.Whatever wages an apprentice earns, belong to the master ;and, if an apprentice should leave his master, and earn wages andreceive them, and purchase any thing with them, it would be-long to the master. The right, which the master acquires to theservice of his apprentice, cannot be rightfully assigned to anotherperson. It is incompatible with the nature of the contract, whichimplies special confidence reposed in the master. The masteris one in whom the parent of the apprentice has such confidence,as induces him to place his child under his care. It is a person-al trust , which cannot in any case be assigned to another. Andas it is a personal trust, if the master dies, the executor cannotretain the apprentice. The trust dies with the master, for thereis no probability that the executor will be able to instruct theapprentice in his trade.f Apprentices, too, are to be employedentirely in the profession or trade which it is intended they shalllearn. Instruction is their wages ; and to deprive them of theopportunities of instruction, by taking up their time with occu-

* Genesis xiv. 14; xvii. 12.t Reeve’s Domestic Relations, pp. 341 -345.