The-Conquest-of-Happiness-by-Bertrand-Russell

beneficent activities appear to be the least aware
of any occasion for gratitude.
One used to find the same kind of attitude on the
part of mistresses towards domestic servants
whose morals they safeguarded. But is these days
the servant problem has become so acute that this
form of kindness to maids has become less
common.
In the higher walks of politics the same sort of
thing occurs. The statesman who has gradually
concentrated all power within himself in order that
he may be able to carry out the high and noble aims
which have led him to eschew comfort and enter
the arena of public life, is amazed at the ingratitude
of the people when they turn against him. It never
occurs to him that his work may have had anything
but a public motive, or that the pleasure of
controlling affairs may have in any degree inspired
his activities. The phrases which are customary on
the platform and in the Party Press have gradually
come to him to seem to express truths, and he