378

DOMESTIC MANNEliS OF THE l'KUSSIANS.

their own sentiments and feelings had they been born amongthe needy classes; where tlie prosperous lack the sense tosee that their own worldly ädvantages are, in the generalityof cases, the result of birth or " good luck," or some peculiarphysieal or mental gift, rather than being prizes won solelyby their own exertions — and that the sufferings and defects ofthe less lucky classes, on the other band, either spring in theasffreffate from the eeneral frailties of human nature, or are thenecessary evils ofthe prevailing social arrangements, rather thanarising from any special vices of the people themselves; where,indeed, the gentlefolks caimot perceive that the vulgär wouldhave been the same as they themselves, had Providence beenbut equally kind to the poor—and the most refined, the sameas the unwashed, had Fate only treated the rieh as harshlyas the rest.

In Germany, no such sentimentality can be said to exist;for though there are no poor-houses in the land, and the greatmass of the people almost as ill-conditioned as the peasantryin Irela'nd, and though even black bread is becoming a luxury,that is, being daily displaced from the tables of the poor bythe still cheaper potato—nevertheless beggary in Prussia is acrime " bei Strafe verboten" (on pain of punishment forbidden).

Again, the treatment of the poorer class of domestics isbut little less harsh than our mediaeval villeinage.

" But will you teil her what will be her duties in thehouse ?" said an English lady to a German, who was engagingher first Deutsch servant for her, the lady naturally thinkingthat it was necessary to see whether the girl objeeted to theSituation.

" Oh! no, we never such foolish tings do," responded thegentleman; " she is born to obey; and if she will not, you haveonly to the ' Polizei'' to go, and they will soon make her."

" The ' Polizei! '" was the simple exclamation.

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