SIR ROGER AT HOME
Joseph Addison
Monday,2nd July,1711
The present essay of spectator acquaints the readers with Sir Roger’s life in his country house of Worcestershire. The spectator informs that there was a long-standing invitation of Sir Roger to visit his country house in Worcestershire. Accepting this invitation of Sir Roger he is on his trip to country house of Sir Roger for one month. Though he is a guest, his care is taken by Sir Roger and his staff in such a way that he feels as if it were his own home. The spectator is free to get up whenever he likes and equally free to got to bed whenever he likes. He is free to take his meal in his room. He and Sir Roger go out for morning-walk everyday and Sir Roger has given a special instruction to the villagers not to watch the spectator. Sir Roger knows well that the spectator dose not like being starred and watched. In brief, Sir Roger takes maximum care to make the spectator comfortable in his house.
The spectator informs the readers about intimate relationship of genuine concern between Sir Roger and his staff in the country house. Sir Roger has a big staff of employees just like the butler, the cook, the coachman, the housekeeper, the clerk and the chaplain. The staff of the people is so well behaved and we’ll trained that there is no question of any complaint against these employees. All of them take proper care of Sir Roger and the spectator. When Sir Roger comes to his country house, his servants put themselves to the path of the master to see that some work is assigned to them, they can consider it a favour and if no work is assigned to them, they get displeased. This reflects the health relationship between Sir Roger as the master and his staff as servants. The arrival of Sir Roger brings the tears of happiness in the eyes of his servants. It is such a genuine relationship that even if Sir Roger coughs, it becomes a matter of concern for his servants. Sir Roger never changes his servants and they all have grow old working in the same house.
The way Sir Roger is careful about the wellbeing of his employees, equally he is careful about the animals kept by him in his country house. He was appointed a housekeeper to see that his horses are properly taken care of during his absence. The coachman and the housekeeper look after his coach and horses. There is one old dog, living in the premises of Sir Roger. It has not been driven out of the premises by Sir Roger because Sir Roger takes into consideration the past services of the dog. Sir Roger is a man with a deep sense of gratitude and he cannot forget the good services given by even the animal.
Whenever Sir Roger goes out for his work, to his farms and fields, the butler is instructed to take proper care of the spectator. This butler is an humble man who consult the spectator before preparing meals, so that he can prepare as per the choice of the spectator. The chaplain, who has been living in the house of Sir Roger for the last 30 years, is asked by Sir Roger to provide intellectual company to the spectator. This chaplain is a man of sound understanding and good learning. Generally, he accompanies the spectator whenever Sir Roger is out of some work. This chaplain is a man of scholarship and humour. So the spectator prefers to be in the company of chaplain in the absence of Sir Roger.
Once when the spectator and the chaplain were out for their morning walk, Sir Roger met them and asked who is to deliver the sermon the next Sunday. The chaplain showed the list of all those persons who are to give/ deliver their sermon every Sunday that year. This shows how punctual that chaplain is. The spectator records that after the arrival of the chaplain, even a single court – case or a dispute has not taken place in the village of Sir Roger. The spectator is of the opinion that Sir Roger can serve the purpose of an Idea model for all the masters who live in London.