s as if you are discontented
with the state in which you are placed, and depend upon it, you are in
the one that is fittest for you, or you would not have been put into it.
And as for being happier if you were a gentleman, I don't know what
to say to it. To be sure, to have a little more money in one's pocket,
nobody can deny that it would be very agreeable; and to be at liberty
to come in and go out when one pleased, to be sure would be very
comfortable. But still, Bob, still you may assure yourself, that no
state in this world is free from care, and if we were turned into lords,
we should find many causes for uneasiness. So here's your good health,'
said he, lifting the mug to his mouth, 'wishing, my lad, you may
be contented, cheerful, and good humoured; for without these three
requisites, content, cheerfulness, and good humour, no one person upon
earth, rich or poor, old or young, can ever feel comfortable or happy;
and so here's to you, I say.' 'And here's the same good wishes to you,'
said a clean decent cook-woman servant, who took up the mug upon John's
putting it down. 'Content, cheerfulness, and good humour, I think was
the toast.' Then wiping her mouth, as she began her speech, she added,
'and an excellent one it is: I wish all folks would mind it, and
endeavour to acquire three such good qualifications.' 'I am sure,'
rejoined another female servant, whose name I heard was Sally, 'I wish
so too: at least I wish Miss Mary would try to gain a little more of the
good humour; for I never came near such a cross crab in my life as it
is. I declare I hate the sight of the girl, she is such a proud little
minx she would not vouchsafe to speak to a poor servant for the world;
as if she thought because we are poorer, we were therefore not of the
same nature: her sisters, I think are worth ten of her, they always
reply so civilly if a body speaks to them, and say, "Yes, if you please,
Mrs. Sally, or No, thank you, Mr. Bob;" or "I should be obliged to you
if you would do so and so, Mrs. Nelly," and not plain yes or no, as she
does; and well too if you can get even that from her; for sometimes I
declare she will not deign to give one any answer at all.' 'Aye, that is
a sure thing she won't,' replied the maid servant who first drank, 'it
is a sad thing she should behave so; I can't think, for my part, where
she learns it; I am sure neither her papa nor mamma set her the example
of it, for they always speak as pretty and as k