Thisprocessofprogressiveexemptionfromthecommonrunofindustrialemploymentwillcommonlybeginwiththeexemptionofthewife，orthechiefwife。Afterthecommunityhasadvancedtosettledhabitsoflife，wife-capturefromhostiletribesbecomesimpracticableasacustomarysourceofsupply。Wherethisculturaladvancehasbeenachieved，thechiefwifeisordinarilyofgentleblood，andthefactofherbeingsowillhastenherexemptionfromvulgaremployment。Themannerinwhichtheconceptofgentlebloodoriginates，aswellastheplacewhichitoccupiesinthedevelopmentofmarriage，cannotbediscussedinthisplace。Forthepurposeinhanditwillbesufficienttosaythatgentlebloodisbloodwhichhasbeenennobledbyprotractedcontactwithaccumulatedwealthorunbrokenprerogative。Thewomenwiththeseantecedentsispreferredinmarriage，bothforthesakeofaresultingalliancewithherpowerfulrelativesandbecauseasuperiorworthisfelttoinhereinbloodwhichhasbeenassociatedwithmanygoodsandgreatpower。Shewillstillbeherhusband’schattel，asshewasherfather’schattelbeforeherpurchase，butsheisatthesametimeofherfather’sgentleblood；andhencethereisamoralincongruityinheroccupyingherselfwiththedebasingemploymentsofherfellow-servants。
Howevercompletelyshemaybesubjecttohermaster，andhoweverinferiortothemalemembersofthesocialstratuminwhichherbirthhasplacedher，theprinciplethatgentilityistransmissiblewillacttoplaceherabovethecommonslave；andsosoonasthisprinciplehasacquiredaprescriptiveauthorityitwillacttoinvestherinsomemeasurewiththatprerogativeofleisurewhichisthechiefmarkofgentility。Furtheredbythisprincipleoftransmissiblegentilitythewife’sexemptiongainsinscope，ifthewealthofherownerpermitsit，untilitincludesexemptionfromdebasingmenialserviceaswellasfromhandicraft。Astheindustrialdevelopmentgoesonandpropertybecomesmassedinrelativelyfewerhands，theconventionalstandardofwealthoftheupperclassrises。Thesametendencytoexemptionfromhandicraft，andinthecourseoftimefrommenialdomesticemployments，willthenassertitselfasregardstheotherwives，ifsuchthereare，andalsoasregardsotherservantsinimmediateattendanceuponthepersonoftheirmaster。
Theexemptioncomesmoretardilytheremotertherelationinwhichtheservantstandstothepersonofthemaster。
Ifthepecuniarysituationofthemasterpermitsit，thedevelopmentofaspecialclassofpersonalorbodyservantsisalsofurtheredbytheverygraveimportancewhichcomestoattachtothispersonalservice。Themaster’sperson，beingtheembodimentofworthandhonour，isofthemostseriousconsequence。Bothforhisreputablestandinginthecommunityandforhisself-respect，itisamatterofmomentthatheshouldhaveathiscallefficientspecialisedservants，whoseattendanceuponhispersonisnotdivertedfromthistheirchiefofficebyanyby-occupation。Thesespecialisedservantsareusefulmoreforshowthanforserviceactuallyperformed。Insofarastheyarenotkeptforexhibitionsimply，theyaffordgratificationtotheirmasterchieflyinallowingscopetohispropensityfordominance。Itistrue，thecareofthecontinuallyincreasinghouseholdapparatusmayrequireaddedlabour；butsincetheapparatusiscommonlyincreasedinordertoserveasameansofgoodreputeratherthanasameansofcomfort，thisqualificationisnotofgreatweight。Alltheselinesofutilityarebetterservedbyalargernumberofmorehighlyspecialisedservants。
Thereresults，therefore，aconstantlyincreasingdifferentiationandmultiplicationofdomesticandbodyservants，alongwithaconcomitantprogressiveexemptionofsuchservantsfromproductivelabour。Byvirtueoftheirservingasevidenceofabilitytopay，theofficeofsuchdomesticsregularlytendstoincludecontinuallyfewerduties，andtheirservicetendsintheendtobecomenominalonly。Thisisespeciallytrueofthoseservantswhoareinmostimmediateandobviousattendanceupontheirmaster。Sothattheutilityofthesecomestoconsist，ingreatpart，intheirconspicuousexemptionfromproductivelabourandintheevidencewhichthisexemptionaffordsoftheirmaster’swealthandpower。
Aftersomeconsiderableadvancehasbeenmadeinthepracticeofemployingaspecialcorpsofservantsfortheperformanceofaconspicuousleisureinthismanner，menbegintobepreferredabovewomenforservicesthatbringthemobtrusivelyintoview。Men，especiallylusty，personablefellows，suchasfootmenandothermenialsshouldbe，areobviouslymorepowerfulandmoreexpensivethanwomen。Theyarebetterfittedforthiswork，asshowingalargerwasteoftimeandofhumanenergy。
Henceitcomesaboutthatintheeconomyoftheleisureclassthebusyhousewifeoftheearlypatriarchaldays，withherretinueofhard-workinghandmaidens，presentlygivesplacetotheladyandthelackey。
Inallgradesandwalksoflife，andatanystageoftheeconomicdevelopment，theleisureoftheladyandofthelackeydiffersfromtheleisureofthegentlemaninhisownrightinthatitisanoccupationofanostensiblylaboriouskind。Ittakestheform，inlargemeasure，ofapainstakingattentiontotheserviceofthemaster，ortothemaintenanceandelaborationofthehouseholdparaphernalia；sothatitisleisureonlyinthesensethatlittleornoproductiveworkisperformedbythisclass，notinthesensethatallappearanceoflabourisavoidedbythem。Thedutiesperformedbythelady，orbythehouseholdordomesticservants，arefrequentlyarduousenough，andtheyarealsofrequentlydirectedtoendswhichareconsideredextremelynecessarytothecomfortoftheentirehousehold。Sofarastheseservicesconducetothephysicalefficiencyorcomfortofthemasterortherestofthehousehold，theyaretobeaccountedproductivework。Onlytheresidueofemploymentleftafterdeductionofthiseffectiveworkistobeclassedasaperformanceofleisure。
Butmuchoftheservicesclassedashouseholdcaresinmoderneverydaylife，andmanyofthe“utilities“requiredforacomfortableexistencebycivilisedman，areofaceremonialcharacter。Theyare，therefore，properlytobeclassedasaperformanceofleisureinthesenseinwhichthetermishereused。Theymaybenonethelessimperativelynecessaryfromthepointofviewofdecentexistence:theymaybenonethelessrequisiteforpersonalcomforteven，althoughtheymaybechieflyorwhollyofaceremonialcharacter。Butinsofarastheypartakeofthischaractertheyareimperativeandrequisitebecausewehavebeentaughttorequirethemunderpainofceremonialuncleannessorunworthiness。Wefeeldiscomfortintheirabsence，butnotbecausetheirabsenceresultsdirectlyinphysicaldiscomfort；norwouldatastenottrainedtodiscriminatebetweentheconventionallygoodandtheconventionallybadtakeoffenceattheiromission。Insofarasthisistruethelabourspentintheseservicesistobeclassedasleisure；andwhenperformedbyothersthantheeconomicallyfreeandself-directedheadoftheestablishment，theyaretobeclassedasvicariousleisure。
Thevicariousleisureperformedbyhousewivesandmenials，undertheheadofhouseholdcares，mayfrequentlydevelopintodrudgery，especiallywherethecompetitionforreputabilityiscloseandstrenuous。Thisisfrequentlythecaseinmodernlife。
Wherethishappens，thedomesticservicewhichcomprisesthedutiesofthisservantclassmightaptlybedesignatedaswastedeffort，ratherthanasvicariousleisure。Butthelattertermhastheadvantageofindicatingthelineofderivationofthesedomesticoffices，aswellasofneatlysuggestingthesubstantialeconomicgroundoftheirutility；fortheseoccupationsarechieflyusefulasamethodofimputingpecuniaryreputabilitytothemasterortothehouseholdonthegroundthatagivenamountoftimeandeffortisconspicuouslywastedinthatbehalf。
Inthisway，then，therearisesasubsidiaryorderivativeleisureclass，whoseofficeistheperformanceofavicariousleisureforthebehoofofthereputabilityoftheprimaryorlegitimateleisureclass。Thisvicariousleisureclassisdistinguishedfromtheleisureclassproperbyacharacteristicfeatureofitshabitualmodeoflife。Theleisureofthemasterclassis，atleastostensibly，anindulgenceofaproclivityfortheavoidanceoflabourandispresumedtoenhancethemaster’sownwell-beingandfulnessoflife；buttheleisureoftheservantclassexemptfromproductivelabourisinsomesortaperformanceexactedfromthem，andisnotnormallyorprimarilydirectedtotheirowncomfort。Theleisureoftheservantisnothisownleisure。Sofarasheisaservantinthefullsense，andnotatthesametimeamemberofalowerorderoftheleisureclassproper，hisleisurenormallypassesundertheguiseofspecialisedservicedirectedtothefurtheranceofhismaster’sfulnessoflife。Evidenceofthisrelationofsubservienceisobviouslypresentintheservant’scarriageandmanneroflife。
Thelikeisoftentrueofthewifethroughouttheprotractedeconomicstageduringwhichsheisstillprimarilyaservant——
thatistosay，solongasthehouseholdwithamaleheadremainsinforce。Inordertosatisfytherequirementsoftheleisureclassschemeoflife，theservantshouldshownotonlyanattitudeofsubservience，butalsotheeffectsofspecialtrainingandpracticeinsubservience。Theservantorwifeshouldnotonlyperformcertainofficesandshowaserviledisposition，butitisquiteasimperativethattheyshouldshowanacquiredfacilityinthetacticsofsubservience——atrainedconformitytothecanonsofeffectualandconspicuoussubservience。Eventodayitisthisaptitudeandacquiredskillintheformalmanifestationoftheservilerelationthatconstitutesthechiefelementofutilityinourhighlypaidservants，aswellasoneofthechiefornamentsofthewell-bredhousewife。
Thefirstrequisiteofagoodservantisthatheshouldconspicuouslyknowhisplace。Itisnotenoughthatheknowshowtoeffectcertaindesiredmechanicalresults；hemustaboveall，knowhowtoeffecttheseresultsindueform。Domesticservicemightbesaidtobeaspiritualratherthanamechanicalfunction。Graduallytheregrowsupanelaboratesystemofgoodform，specificallyregulatingthemannerinwhichthisvicariousleisureoftheservantclassistobeperformed。Anydeparturefromthesecanonsofformistobedepreciated，notsomuchbecauseitevincesashortcominginmechanicalefficiency，oreventhatitshowsanabsenceoftheservileattitudeandtemperament，butbecause，inthelastanalysis，itshowstheabsenceofspecialtraining。Specialtraininginpersonalservicecoststimeandeffort，andwhereitisobviouslypresentinahighdegree，itarguesthattheservantwhopossessesit，neitherisnorhasbeenhabituallyengagedinanyproductiveoccupation。
Itisprimafacieevidenceofavicariousleisureextendingfarbackinthepast。Sothattrainedservicehasutility，notonlyasgratifyingthemaster’sinstinctivelikingforgoodandskilfulworkmanshipandhispropensityforconspicuousdominanceoverthosewhoselivesaresubservienttohisown，butithasutilityalsoasputtinginevidenceamuchlargerconsumptionofhumanservicethanwouldbeshownbythemerepresentconspicuousleisureperformedbyanuntrainedperson。Itisaseriousgrievanceifagentleman’sbutlerorfootmanperformshisdutiesabouthismaster’stableorcarriageinsuchunformedstyleastosuggestthathishabitualoccupationmaybeploughingorsheepherding。Suchbunglingworkwouldimplyinabilityonthemaster’sparttoprocuretheserviceofspeciallytrainedservants；thatistosay，itwouldimplyinabilitytopayfortheconsumptionoftime，effort，andinstructionrequiredtofitatrainedservantforspecialserviceundertheexactingcodeofforms。Iftheperformanceoftheservantargueslackofmeansonthepartofhismaster，itdefeatsitschiefsubstantialend；forthechiefuseofservantsistheevidencetheyaffordofthemaster’sabilitytopay。
Whathasjustbeensaidmightbetakentoimplythattheoffenceofanunder-trainedservantliesinadirectsuggestionofinexpensivenessorofusefulness。Such，ofcourse，isnotthecase。Theconnectionismuchlessimmediate。Whathappenshereiswhathappensgenerally。Whateverapprovesitselftousonanygroundattheoutset，presentlycomestoappealtousasagratifyingthinginitself；itcomestorestinourhabitsofthoughassubstantiallyright。Butinorderthatanyspecificcanonofdeportmentshallmaintainitselfinfavour，itmustcontinuetohavethesupportof，oratleastnotbeincompatiblewith，thehabitoraptitudewhichconstitutesthenormofitsdevelopment。Theneedofvicariousleisure，orconspicuousconsumptionofservice，isadominantincentivetothekeepingofservants。Solongasthisremainstrueitmaybesetdownwithoutmuchdiscussionthatanysuchdeparturefromacceptedusageaswouldsuggestanabridgedapprenticeshipinservicewouldpresentlybefoundinsufferable。Therequirementofanexpensivevicariousleisureactsindirectly，selectively，byguidingtheformationofourtaste，——ofoursenseofwhatisrightinthesematters，——andsoweedsoutunconformabledeparturesbywithholdingapprovalofthem。
Asthestandardofwealthrecognizedbycommonconsentadvances，thepossessionandexploitationofservantsasameansofshowingsuperfluityundergoesarefinement。Thepossessionandmaintenanceofslavesemployedintheproductionofgoodsargueswealthandprowess，butthemaintenanceofservantswhoproducenothingarguesstillhigherwealthandposition。Underthisprincipletherearisesaclassofservants，themorenumerousthebetter，whosesoleofficeisfatuouslytowaituponthepersonoftheirowner，andsotoputinevidencehisabilityunproductivelytoconsumealargeamountofservice。Theresupervenesadivisionoflabouramongtheservantsordependentswhoselifeisspentinmaintainingthehonourofthegentlemanofleisure。Sothat，whileonegroupproducesgoodsforhim，anothergroup，usuallyheadedbythewife，orchief，consumesforhiminconspicuousleisure；therebyputtinginevidencehisabilitytosustainlargepecuniarydamagewithoutimpairinghissuperioropulence。
