_Humble Servant_,Thomas Smoaky._To the_ SPECTATOR,The humble Petition of _John Steward_, _Robert Butler_, _Harry Cook_,
and _Abigail Chambers_, in Behalf of themselves and their Relations,
belonging to and dispersed in the several Services of most of the
great Families within the Cities of _London and Westminster_;Sheweth,That in many of the Families in which your Petitioners live and are
employed, the several Heads of them are wholly unacquainted with what
is Business, and are very little Judges when they are well or ill used
by us your said Petitioners.That for want of such Skill in their own Affairs, and by Indulgence
of their own Laziness and Pride, they continually keep about them
certain mischievous Animals called Spies.That whenever a Spy is entertained, the Peace of that House is from
that Moment banished.That Spies never give an Account of good Services, but represent our
Mirth and Freedom by the Words Wantonness and Disorder.That in all Families where there are Spies, there is a general
Jealousy and Misunderstanding.That the Masters and Mistresses of such Houses live in continual
Suspicion of their ingenuous and true Servants, and are given up to
the Management of those who are false and perfidious.That such Masters and Mistresses who entertain Spies, are no longer
more than Cyphers in their own Families; and that we your Petitioners
are with great Disdain obliged to pay all our Respect, and expect all
our Maintenance from such Spies.Your Petitioners therefore most humbly pray, that you would represent
the Premises to all Persons of Condition; and your Petitioners, as in
Duty bound, shall for ever Pray, &c.

T.

[Footnote 1: Perriwig]

[Footnote 2: "know", and in first reprint.]

The Spectator, Volume 1 Eighteenth-Century Periodical Essays by Addison, Joseph, 1672-1719, Steele, Richard, Sir, 1672-1729

T.

END OF VOLUME I.