It would seem more than coincidental that the father would invoke a concept (depravity)
that entered the arena of this novel only the night before, upon the son's once again
catching sight of his Creature, "a depraved wretch" (I:6:23 and note). Also, the tone
of class condescension, although it may accord generally with contemporary attitudes
toward servants, has resonance within the larger social attitudes revealed in the
ensuing chapter.