Daniel Defoe

Everybody's Business Is Nobody's Business Daniel Defoe

This short book is a rant against female servants, footmen and shoe shiners. The maids come from the countryside and they immediately raise their wages, start wearing fancy silk dresses instead of wool. These even start affairs with the Master's apprentice, his son, or even the masters. This of course wrecks his marriage, family and even his estate at which point she dumps a bastard on him and leaves. The author also has a good rant shoe shine men and boys who he believes are all lazy scoundrels and thieves. This is an interesting view of the class beliefs values and practices of the early 1700's by an English gentleman.