,,household ,,organization4 ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,caddy4 ,from my tutor ,i learnt endurance of labour1 and to want little1 and to work with my own hands4--,,emperor ,,marcus ,,aurelius4 ,,london3 ,,chapman ,,and ,,hall1 #aic1 ,,piccadilly4 #ahgg4 ,,preface4 ,one fine ,august bank-holiday many thoughts1 more or less connected with the day1 prompted me to write this essay1 so forcibly did it appear that people required help to make their lives easier and happier4 ,since then there have been several bank-holidays2 and though trade is depressed throughout the country1 though financial panic has ruined thousands1 yet the demand for beer1 spirits1 and tobacco is as great as ever2 the hollow gaieties of life are as noisy as ever--perhaps the more so for being more hollow2 still our most precious friends kill themselves with overwork--mental pulverization4 ,if they eased their minds by employing their hands they might yet live1 even though many could not1 last autumn1 afford to buy the breath of sea or mountain air which would have strengthened them for the burdens of the new year4 ,those who were wise and who had capital invested it in health1 that being likely to bring them in the best return4 ,we have had seven years of the highest national prosperity4 ,although fictitious1 it gave us pleasure while it lasted1 and we were able to enjoy all that life has to offer in its perfection4 ,we may be going to pass through seven years of dearth1 so we must husband our resources of health and wealth1 instead of drawing upon them in the reckless way we have lately accustomed ourselves to do4 ,some years of scarcity may be a blessing to us all1 if they lead us back from the habits of excess and idleness we have fallen into1 and particularly the craving for excitement1 whether in the form of literature1 or by means of stimulants and cordials 7absinthe74 ,a plain but short statement of our national losses will show the necessity of economizing the goods we still possess1 financial as well as physical4 ,independent of the stagnation of trade which paralyzes every branch of our commerce1 we have lately had losses through foreign loans more severe than any we have experienced during the present century4 ,since the announcement by ,turkey in ,october1 #ahge1 that the interest on the ,turkish debt would be reduced1 there has been a great fall in foreign stocks4 ,the debt of ,turkey--roughly speaking1 ,l#bjj1jjj1jjj--;has fallen1 say1 ,l#abe1jjj1jjj in value4 ,egyptian securities1 not including the floating debt1 approximately estimated at ,l#fj1jjj1jjj1 have fallen some ,l#bj1jjj1jjj in value4 ,in smaller stocks the fall has probably been some ,l#bj1jjj1jjj2 and since the breaking out of the ,eastern ,question1 ,russian stocks1 at an aggregate of about ,l#afe1jjj1jjj1 have fallen #ab per cent41 or a sum equal to more than ,l#bj1jjj1jjj sterling4 ,besides these calamities there have been in ,england1 as shown by a recent return1 #a1gig commercial failures1 representing liabilities of ,l#cj1jjj1jjj sterling1 and it has been calculated that of the firms and persons occupied in business1 #c per cent4 have been unable to meet their engagements4 ,these losses will account for less familiar faces being seen in the ,park in the season1 for the numerous houses unlet in fashionable quarters1 for grouse-moors going almost begging2 and1 among many other significant facts1 ,tattersall1 who generally has #aej applications for coachmen on his books1 has now #aej coachmen applying to him for situations4 ,in our present abundance of money1 through dearth of safe investments1 many persons have purchased art treasures2 which would be wise1 but for the pain it always causes to part with things that have once adorned our homes1 which makes this not a happy speculation4 ,it would be the part of a screech-owl to cry ,woe6 woe6 and hoot triumphantly over the distresses of our country2 but there seems so much of hope and promise in the fact of our meeting reverses of fortune with courage1 that we cannot feel that a real disaster has overtaken us4 ,we have in the case of ,france an example of how a great nation can rise renewed in strength out of overwhelming troubles1 and our trial is less severe than that of ,france4 ,it is not good for any people to sit down to eat and drink and rise up to play1 any more than it is good for children to feed upon delicacies in lieu of simple fare4 ,persons suddenly reduced from affluence to comparative poverty may be glad of a few hints to show them how happiness and refinement are by no means incompatible with a smaller condition of fortune1 with a shorter purse2 for1 after all1 the purse is not the pleasure1 it only helps us to procure it2 our own taste and feeling must teach us what true pleasure is4 ,it may be demurred that some of the household improvements suggested in this book would be expensive to carry out--such1 for instance1 as the arrangement of the kitchen2 and this is true3 but looked at as an investment1 they would yield large interest1 and it might be prudent to invest under one's own eye1 in one's own house1 some of the capital we cannot afford to sink4 ,if used in economizing wages1 it will give us a profitable return4 ,we do not hesitate to lay out money in improvements on our farms4 ,why1 then1 need we fear to arrange our dwellings in accordance with principles of true economy1 so that the ladies of our families may be able to co-operate with us in advancing the benefit of all8 ,every family might be its own ,economical ,housekeeping ,company 7,limited71 comprising in itself its shareholders and board of directors1 realizing cent4 per cent4 for its money1 because ,l#bjj a year would go as far as ,l#djj4 ,if we save the money we now spend upon keeping servants to do our work for us1 we shall have more to spend on our holidays1 and so shall feel all the more refreshed by our respite from work4 ,much is said in this book about superfluities1 but although some passages may seem to give colour to such an idea1 it is by no means wished to convey the recommendation that our homes and lives are to be bare of beauty4 ,on the contrary1 ,i hanker after profusion and love plenty1 but wish them to be placed where they will not give more labour than pleasure1 where they will not hamper our every movement at every moment1 making us ever wear a sort of moral tight kid-gloves1 be the weather hot or cold4 ,the rock which theories split upon is that they generally presuppose that we can make our lives1 and are in independent position and good circumstances1 whereas this is seldom the case4 ,the majority of us are neither in good circumstances nor independent3 often we have had no control over the purchase of our very furniture2 so we must make the best of what we have1 only1 when we have the opportunity of making a change1 let it be a reform as well as a change4 ,my main object in writing this essay has been to show how frequently1 and in how short a time1 the saving effected by a reform covers the cost of carrying it out4 ,in the case of young couples about to marry1 and beginning to plan their lives1 any work will be good which aids them to lay down their plans according to rules of economy and common sense4 ,january1 #ahgg4 ,,contents ,,page ,,the ,,difficulty4 ,impossibility of getting good servants--,over-civilization--,labour has been made hideous--,sleeping partnership--,wealth exempt from this difficulty--,refinement of the professional class--,credit--,phase of insecurity and scarcity--,sweet are the uses of adversity--,english people do not fear work--,servants too readily changed--,wilfulness of servants--,upper servants are easily obtained--,servants feel the pressure of the times--,ornamental servants costly luxuries--,two questions--,work must be efficiently done--,woman's work--,misuse of time--,we keep servants to wait upon each other--,idleness--,pleasure made a toil #a ,,the ,,remedy4 ,bad habits to be reformed--,late hours--,value of the long winter evenings--,simplicity of manners--,over-carefulness--,instruction to be gained from foreign nations--,our manners should be natural-- ,impedimenta in our households--,comparison of former times with our own--,children trained to habits of consideration--,young men and boys over-indulged--,reduction of establishments--,lady-helps--,what is menial work8--,picturesque occupation--,what is lady-like--,amateur millinery-- ,two subjects for an artist--,taste--,plan of the book--,eugenie de ,guerin #bj ,,the ,,entrance-,,hall4 ,the evil of side doors--,difficulties with cooks--,who is to answer the door8--,four classes of applicants--,arrangements for tradespeople-- ,visitors--,furniture of the hall--,warming the passages--,dirt and door-mats--,the door-step--,charwomen #dj ,,breakfast4 ,lighting gas-fire--,difficulty of rousing servants--,family breakfast-- ,cooking omelet--,hours of work and enjoyment--,duties of mothers and householders--,what is included in six hours' daily work--,clearing away the breakfast--,bowl for washing the vaisselle--,ornamented tea-cloths--,muslin cap worn while dusting--,use of feather-brush-- ,cleaning windows--,advantages of gas-fire #ed ,,the ,,kitchen4 ,parisian markets--,no refuse food brought into a house--,catering in ,london--,cooking-stoves--,pretty kitchen--,underground kitchens objectionable--,kitchen level with the street door--,larder and store-room--,the dresser--,kitchen in the ,swiss style--,herbs in the window--,hygienic value of aromatic plants--,polished sink--,earthenware scrap-dish--,nothing but ashes in dust-bin--,soap-dish--,plate-rack-- ,kitchen cloths--,few cleaning materials necessary--,hand work better than machine work--,washing at home--,knife-cleaning--,fuel-box--,no work in the kitchen unfit for a lady to do #fh ,,the ,,lady-,,help4 ,true position of a lady-help--,division of work in a family--,the mother the best teacher--,marketing--,young lady-helps--,luncheon--,early dinners for children--,recreation--,preparing the late dinner--,evening tea--,the lady-help a gentlewoman--,her assistance at breakfast--,her spare time-- ,tact #hh ,,the ,,dining-,,room4 ,carpets and curtains--,picture hanging and frames--,distemper colouring for cornices--,oval dining-table--,sideboard for breakfast service-- ,beauty of ,english porcelain--,a ,london dining-room--,giulio ,romano's banquet--,growing plants--,the large sideboard--,dinner-service--,styles of dinner--,food in due season--,gracefulness of flowers and fruits-- ,fresh fruit better than preserves--,communication between kitchen and dining-room--,remarks on plate--,table decorations #ajc ,,the ,,drawing-,,room4 ,social pressure--,agreeable evening parties--,troubles of party-giving-- ,musical parties--,flowers on a balcony--,window-gardening--,crowded drawing-rooms--,the library or study--,gas1 candles1 and candlesticks-- ,original outlay on furniture--,different styles of furniture--,raffaelesque decorations--,carpets1 curtains1 and chair coverings--,portieres--,window blinds--,rugs--,care required in buying furniture--,ornaments--,dusting-- ,chiffoniers useless--,portfolio stand--,mirrors #abg ,,bed ,,and ,,dressing ,,rooms4 ,ventilation--,window curtains and blinds--,bedsteads--,spring mattresses --,towels--,danger of fire at the toilet--,mantelpiece--,pictures and frames--,superfluous necessaries--,taine's criticisms--,aids to reading in bed--,service of the bath--,improvements in washstands--,arranging the rooms--,attics made beautiful--,sick-rooms--,neatness--,disi nfectants-- ,chlorine gas--,condy's solution--,filters--,invalid chairs--,generous efforts of the medical profession to improve the national health #aee ,,the ,,education ,,of ,,girls4 ,to what age should boys' and girls' education be alike8--,accomplishments fruitlessly taught--,nursery and school-room government--,helplessness --,introduction to society--,the convent system--,unhappy results-- ,scientific education--,geometrical illustration--,religion--,professional life for women--,home training--,varied knowledge--,companionship of a mother--,experience--,kindness--,truth #ahb ,,sunday4 ,children's ,sundays made wearisome--,sunday precious to workers--,moral workers--,moral vices--,our gifts--,misuse of them--,necessary work on ,sunday--,diminished by management--,sunday prevents us living too fast--,the rest must be earned--,sunday repairs the human machine #bjb ,,household ,,organization4 ,,the ,,difficulty4 ,impossibility of getting good servants--,over-civilization--,labour has been made hideous--,sleeping partnership--,wealth exempt from this difficulty--,refinement of the professional class--,credit--,phase of insecurity and scarcity--,sweet are the uses of adversity--,english people do not fear work--,servants too readily changed--,wilfulness of servants--,upper servants are easily obtained--,servants feel the pressure of the times--,ornamental servants costly luxuries--,two questions--,work must be efficiently done--,woman's work--,misuse of time--,we keep servants to wait upon each other--,idleness--,pleasure made a toil4 ,for a long time past we1 the middle-classes of ,england1 have felt a great household perplexity1 one which has been a daily burden to us all4 ,this is the difficulty1 almost impossibility1 of getting good servants4 ,machinery1 though it has lightened other branches of labour and cheapened production1 has not helped us much here4 ,social science has been deeply studied1 but nothing practical has yet been brought to bear upon this vexed question4 ,the theories are good1 the projected reforms better2 but so far there is nothing that people of average intellect1 and moderate income1 can take hold of and apply to their own case4 ,during the late plethora of wealth throughout the nation1 we have so multiplied our wants1 and so refined upon the ruder social ideas of the early part of the century1 that our servants have not been able to keep pace with our requirements2 and notwithstanding that the lower orders have much more careful education than they had formerly1 it seems to be of a sort which makes them discontented with their work1 rather than instructing them how to do it better4 ,in fact1 we have degraded labour by making it hideous1 by pushing it into holes and corners1 by shrinking from it ourselves1 and casting it entirely into the hands of the lower orders2 until we ,english are virtually divided into a contemplative and a working class4 ,this would be all very well if it were true that our class could afford to pay liberally for work done well2 but1 in effect1 the majority of those who wish to be relieved from work cannot pay liberally for hired labour1 neither can the bulk of the labouring class perform their part of the bargain in a manner deserving liberal payment4 ,we have tried to keep ourselves as sleeping partners in the domestic concern2 we have derived profit from our money invested in service1 and we find that this is no longer a profitable investment4 ,there is a large wealthy order exempt from these difficulties4 ,by having ample means of recompense1 it has the flower of service at its command1 and the domestic economy of the mansions of ,england is perfect4 ,under steward and housekeeper1 this may be compared to the beautiful system seen on board a large ship of war1 for discipline1 routine1 and celerity of service4 ,in both instances the reverse of the shield shows the injurious effects on the lower ranks of a large proportion of unoccupied time1 spent in merely waiting for their hours of duty4 ,the suggestions ,i have to offer are not required by this wealthy class--the upper ten thousand1 as they are popularly called1 whose incomes range among the four and five figures2 but help seems to be much needed by the upper twice ten hundred thousand who have incomes described by three figures1 and who yet1 by good birth1 breeding1 and education1 form the backbone of ,england2 whose boys1 though only home-boarders at ,eton1 ,harrow1 and ,rugby1 fill all the other large schools of ,great ,britain1 and whose daughters are the flowers of our land4 ,of late years ,england has been passing through a period of unexampled prosperity1 so much so as to make the customs of wealth a familiar habit with even those who only possess a competence4 ,to them the domestic difficulty is very great1 since they exact from inferior servants the quality of service that can only be obtained from the best trained of their order4 ,this occasions disappointment and irritation4 ,the people whose means are inadequate to the gratification of their tastes belong mainly to the professional classes1 whose brain-work most demands repose at home2 yet these are1 beyond all others1 perplexed by the increasing toils and troubles of home life4 ,they find that a struggle which should be peace1 and so the whole machinery of their lives is thrown out of gear4 ,this upper working-class is so occupied by endeavours to make the fortune1 or1 if not fortune1 at any rate to make both ends meet--which has been denied them by birth or accident--that they have no time nor energy left to think these things out for themselves4 ,so they go on bearing the yearly increasing load piled upon them by the tyranny of fashion1 of custom1 or by their wish to keep up their credit in the eyes of the world2 for their credit is in many cases their fortune1 and it must be upheld at any sacrifice4 ,a question occurs to many3 ,is this credit best maintained by outward appearances1 or is it more firmly secured by seeming strong enough to dispense with artificial support8 ,and1 again1 ,is our money credit the best we can have8 ,a man of known wealth may go about in a shabby coat1 a countess may wear a cheap bonnet1 a ,sidonia may dine off bread and cheese4 ,if ,gladstone fells trees1 he is still ,gladstone2 if ,ruskin grubs up a wood1 he is still a great poet4 ,without becoming mere dilettanti1 may we not enjoy a reputation for taste1 and so allow ourselves to be heedless of a few of the conventional proprieties of life2 as a tree rises above the level of the grass8 ,may we not strive1 by the culture of our manners and discourse1 to make our simpler social entertainments as highly prized as the feasts of our richer neighbours8 ,the years of prosperity have passed away1 and we seem to have entered upon a phase of society when scarcity and insecurity overwhelm or threaten us all2 when the wealth of yesterday has crumbled into dust1 the paper money shrivelled as if it had been burnt4 ,we still have the same high culture1 the tastes and feelings of yesterday2 and unfortunately1 the same habits of ,idleness1 ,helplessness1 ,waste1 and ,luxury4 ,these are hard charges to bring against the cream of a nation which for centuries has held its own by its energy1 abundance of resource1 strength of character1 and scorn of effeminacy2 but it is impossible to deny that these characteristics of the ,british race have been much less strongly marked of late years4 ,still1 these things are in our nature1 and we must not weakly let ourselves decline from our former high standard4 ,let us1 at the outset of our adversity1 meet our altered circumstances with the strength of mind and wisdom befitting ,english people4 ,although wealth may be taken from us1 we have our education and energy left1 which1 if properly used1 will not allow us to sink into a lower condition than we have hitherto enjoyed2 and while we hold our ground we shall strengthen our health1 develop our ability1 and increase our happiness4 ,let us1 the women of ,england1 encourage and support the men in an endeavour to return to simplicity of life1 to a more manly condition2 call it ,spartan1 ,roman1 republican1 what you will1 it is1 in fact1 the training of soul and body4 ,we have had a long holiday2 let us return to school with renewed vigour4 ,we women have been much to blame for the degeneracy which has been felt of late4 ,if men trifle away their time and health upon tobacco1 women are foolishly helpless1 and they permit their dependents to be wantonly wasteful4 ,both men and women pass the best hours of daylight in their beds1 and make their meals the important event of their days4 ,englishmen abroad do not mind work--indeed1 they may be said to love it--and never since the days of ,drake have they felt it to be a degradation4 ,he said he would like to see the gentleman that would not set his hand to a rope and hale and draw with the mariners2 and herein the ,english differ from continental nations4 ,but in ,england they let their love of bodily exertion have its scope almost exclusively in their games4 ,nor do ,englishwomen in the ,colonies shrink from work1 and they are never in the least ashamed of it4 ,you hear them talk quite freely of how ,colonel ,so-and-so called in the morning while they were stuffing the veal1 to ask for the two first dances at the ball at ,government ,house in the evening4 ,it seems to be only in ,england that we dread to be seen doing anything useful4 ,and unless we soon cast off this fear we shall be condemned to the deadly-liveliness of ,hotel ,companies 7,limited71 with their uninteresting routine2 for the supply of servants not being forthcoming at our price1 we must of necessity be reduced to this levelling ,american system1 which will flatten all individuality out of us4 ,one cause of the ever-increasing difficulty of holding a staff of servants well in hand is that our connection with them is too easily changed or dissolved at pleasure4 ,we should bear ourselves very differently towards each other if we knew we were compelled to live together during even one year certain4 ,as the case now is1 we do not get to know each other1 and a small trial of temper on either side is the prelude to a change4 ,the old patriarchal feeling of considering the servants as members of the family has quite died out1 and so their relation to us has become confused4 ,at times we rate them with the tradespeople who come periodically to polish our bright stoves1 clean our chandeliers1 and wind our clocks1 and so we only care whether they do their specified work well or ill1 taking no further trouble about them2 sometimes we treat them as the horses which draw our carriage1 and see that they are well fed accordingly2 and sometimes we look upon them as machines merely4 ,we hear it said1 servants do not take the interest in their places that they used to do2 they are ready to leave you on the smallest provocation2 they will not be told how to do any particular thing2 they have their way1 and if you do not like it1 well1 they think your place will not suit them4 ,indeed1 one of the most docile and obliging among the servants ,i have known1 on differing with his employer about some work in which he was engaged1 said1 ,well1 ,i'll do it a little bit your way1 and a little bit my way2 and that will be fair1 won't it1 mum8 ,it is easy enough to get servants of the superior grades--ladies'-maids1 parlour-maids1 and even house-maids1 where two footmen are kept2 but is there such a being as a really good plain cook1 or has a servant-of-all-work been heard of lately8 ,although it is truly said that servants themselves are beginning to feel the pressure of the times1 this is not from their actual losses by money-market panics1 but from the fact that many domestics are out of place on account of those families who have met with losses dispensing with unnecessary assistance4 ,but that does not ease our case1 for we are none the less helpless and dependent4 ,although many upper servants are out of place1 this does not make them seek our situations2 and if they did so1 they would do us a positive injury by bringing into our houses the habits of wealthier families4 ,the reduction of wages1 and lack of suitable situations in ,england1 will cause these unemployed servants to seek in emigration the high wages they are still secure of in the ,colonies1 or in ,america4 ,there they will be a godsend1 and they may reasonably look forward to establishing themselves permanently and happily4 ,independently of the collapse of foreign securities and the general depression of trade1 the increased cost of all necessaries makes it impossible to many of us to allow ourselves luxuries1 of which the most costly are ornamental servants2 and the difficulty of obtaining any others makes it incumbent on us to put our own shoulders to the wheel1 and try by diligent self-help to solve some of the problems which so miserably defy us to find a practical answer4 ,in this consideration of the subject of domestic work in middle-class households1 ,i hope to show in what way the mistress may be rendered more self-reliant1 and how the master's purse may be spared the perpetual drain the present system entails upon it at both ends1 and from every mesh4 ,this is but a fraction of a vast subject1 yet it is in itself so large1 and stretches out into such a variety of kindred topics1 that it is difficult to compress it into a form small enough to be easily handled1 and still more difficult to make suggestions of reform generally palatable1 since many vanities must be hurt by a proposal to reduce establishments1 and sensitive feelings wounded by the bluntness of two direct practical questions-- #ast4 ,must the great majority of our young ladies be elegant superfluities8 #bnd4 ,must we keep many servants to wait upon each other8 ,these questions ,i hope to answer usefully in the following pages4 ,we must begin with the understanding that in every house there is work to be done1 and that somebody must do it4 ,our aim will be to reduce its compass1 and to do what remains in the cheapest and pleasantest way4 ,but it must be efficiently done1 which is seldom the case when young ladies play at housekeeping1 which too often means giving out the pepper1 and such like4 ,we have long shrunk from allowing our women to work at all4 ,husbands and fathers have taken a pride in keeping the ladies of their households in that state of ease that no call need be made on them to lift a finger in the way of useful work2 so that if reverses befal them1 their condition is deplorable indeed4 ,now we are turning round and insisting upon every woman being able to support herself by her own exertions4 ,though a great part of woman's natural work has been taken out of her hands by machinery1 this1 which is mainly the preparation of clothing1 was the occupation of her uncultivated leisure1 and did no more than fill up the time which we now devote to culture4 ,by retreating from our active household duties we now divide our time between culture and idleness1 or the union of both in novel-reading4 ,for many years conscientious teachers tried to drive us to household work by calling it our duty3 a dull name1 sternly forbidding us to find pleasure or interest therein4 ,it was a moral dose of physic1 salutary but disagreeable4 ,in the same way we were taught to make shirts and mend stockings1 but an evening dress was held to be frivolity4 ,taste was discouraged1 and beauty driven out of our work2 no wonder1 then1 that the young and careless shunned it altogether1 and threw as much of it as they could into the hands of hirelings4 ,is there no way of teaching duty without making it repulsive by its dreariness and ugliness8 ,now that we pride ourselves upon being no longer weak-minded and silly1 let us exert ourselves to act upon ,lord ,bacon's maxim1 ,choose the life that is most useful1 and habit will make it the most agreeable4 ,we need not fear that the routine of daily handiwork--which will become interesting to us as we try to make it agreeable--will interfere with our further intellectual culture4 ,and even should it do so1 are not our leaders of thought beginning to perceive that manual labour is more commercially valuable than mental labour2 that the demand for the former is greater as the supply becomes perceptibly less8 ,the deadness of machine work causes us to prize the spirited and varied touch that can only be imparted by the hand4 ,every woman1 among her acquaintance1 knows some one who is a skilful1 energetic manager of her house1 and yet whose reading and accomplishments are above the average4 ,indeed1 as ,i heard one of my friends of this stamp say1 when asked how she found time for so much sketching from nature1 ,one always finds time for what one likes to do4 ,we see what priceless possessions we lose by our misuse of time1 or waste of it in inanities1 when we look at the embroideries and other work of our ancestresses1 and compare these with the poor results of our months and years4 ,we see splendid embroideries of the time of ,titian1 with the needlework still strong enough to outlast all our nonsense in leviathan stitch and railroad stitch2 and old lace1 by the side of which our work of mingling woven braids and crochet in such a manner as to get most show for the least cost of taste1 labour1 and invention1 is worth nothing at all4 ,with regard to my second question--,must we keep many servants to wait upon each other8--,i will here make one observation4 ,the heaviest part of the work of a cook and kitchen-maid consists in preparing the kitchen meals4 ,six servants require as many potatoes peeled1 and as many plates1 knives1 forks1 etc41 cleaned1 as six ladies and gentlemen4 ,multiply their five meals a day by six1 and you will find that there are thirty plates1 knives1 forks spoons1 cups or glasses1 and many other things1 to be laid on the table1 used1 washed1 and put away again1 at a computation of only one plate to each meal4 ,think of the time alone consumed in this1 and the breakage2 and this merely in the meals4 ,i am not considering the houses which require a complement of ten servants to keep their machinery in motion1 as these do not form part of my subject2 but this slight calculation will enable us to form some estimate of the cost of maintaining a large retinue4 ,we may well ask why we have drifted into this enormous expenditure1 and for what purpose we have gradually let our houses be filled up by a greedy and destructive class1 who1 notwithstanding many bright exceptions1 seem to combine the vices of dirt1 disorder1 extravagance1 disobedience1 and insolence4 ,why1 indeed8 ,for this simple reason1 that we are idle4 ,gloss it over as we may1 by calling it a desire to secure time for higher ends1 the truth remains the same2 we have neglected our duty in order that we may live in idleness and devote ourselves to pleasure4 ,but if our lives are to be spent in pleasure1 we shall ourselves degenerate2 for pleasure wears out the body more than work1 and excitement more than both4 ,let us take our appointed burden of steady work1 and bear it onwards cheerfully and patiently4 ,by so doing we shall feel it grow gradually lighter4 ,it is not such slavery as the oar to which we chain ourselves4 ,the artificial strain on our lives must be kept up by stimulants1 and idleness must be roused by excitement4 ,but our routine of gaiety is no idleness2 and as for its name--gaiety--there never was a term more false4 ,the gaiety is a hollow mockery1 masking fatigue1 untruth1 and disappointment4 ,sidney ,smith says1 ,one of the greatest pleasures of our lives is conversation4 ,if we will simply allow ourselves to talk upon subjects of common interest1 we shall find social gatherings less wearisome than when we have to manufacture small-talk for civility's sake alone4 ,if we meet together for enjoyment instead of for display1 we shall replace dissipation--mere dissipation of time 7what an endeavour for mortals1 whose time is their life67--by gaiety of heart1 which is the best restorative to wearied spirits4 ,let us ,englishwomen make a strong effort to rescue ourselves from this bondage1 this constant drain on our resources2 and1 leaving to men the duty to the state1 let us seek our work in what is our duty--the rule and guidance of the house1 securing1 as ,ruskin says1 its order1 comfort1 and loveliness4 ,but especially must we insist upon its loveliness1 which is the point most neglected in all that portion of our lives which does not lie immediately upon the surface4 ,,the ,,remedy4 ,bad habits to be reformed--,late hours--,value of the long winter evenings--,simplicity of manners--,over-carefulness--,instruction to be gained from foreign nations--,our manners should be natural--,impedimenta in our households--,comparison of former times with our own--,children trained to habits of consideration--,young men and boys over-indulged --,reduction of establishments--,lady helps--,what is menial work8-- ,picturesque occupation--,what is lady-like--,amateur millinery--,two subjects for an artist--,taste--,plan of the book--,eugenie de ,guerin4 ,before speaking of work which has to be done in order to make our homes comfortable and beautiful1 it is necessary to point out what ought not to be done4 ,we have fallen into one form of self-indulgence which goes far towards unfitting us for work1 except under the stimulus of excitement4 ,this is our national habit of keeping late hours4 ,this is an important matter1 and one wherein every member of every family may1 if he pleases1 aid reform4 ,this1 unless we are printers1 bakers1 or policemen1 is entirely in our own hands4 ,later hours are kept in ,england than in any other part of the world1 and they grow later and later4 ,we read in the life of the ,prince ,consort how painfully he felt this difference between ,england and ,germany2 yet the latitude and climate of the two countries differ but little1 and we are of the same race4 ,it is merely a matter of custom4 ,many persons pride themselves on breakfasting at ten o'clock1 and nine is thought quite an early hour in comfortable houses4 ,it is deemed aristocratic to breakfast late1 as well as to dine late2 and as the day begun at ten o'clock would be too short for people to have a probable chance of sleep at ten at night1 they are obliged to sit up till after midnight4 ,thus the best hours of the day are wasted1 and the health of many injured by remaining an unnecessary length of time in a gas or paraffin laden atmosphere4 ,this shows an astonishing contrariety of disposition on the part of persons of refined sensations1 so completely does it reverse the order of nature1 which gives us the early sunshine for our enjoyment4 ,sunrise is the only beautiful natural spectacle that we modern ,english do not care about1 except once or twice in our lives1 when we get a shivering glimpse of it from an altitude of many thousand feet above the level of the sea4 ,from six to six is the natural day throughout by far the largest half of the globe1 and the nearer we bring our practice to this measure the better2 taking our day of sixteen hours 7two-thirds of the twenty-four7 from six o'clock in the morning instead of from nine4 ,old folks in the country ask their young people what is the good of sitting up burning out fire and candle4 ,we never ask ourselves this question in ,london4 ,many persons take a nap after their heavy dinner1 and only begin to feel lively as the clock strikes ten4 ,to these the midnight oil is invigorating4 ,we have a valuable provision of nature in our long winter evenings1 reckoning them at from five till ten4 ,this gives us time for study1 which we need more than do southern nations1 to learn to contend against our climate4 ,the northern peoples are famed for their mental culture3 ,scotland and ,iceland bear witness to this4 ,this is the season1 too1 for work in wool1 to provide warm garments which are not required in the south4 ,the wise woman does not fear the cold when her household is clothed in scarlet4 ,this is the time when we may gather round the lamp or the fireside1 and draw closer the family links under the influence of social warmth and progress4 ,simplicity in our meals and dress is another point in which we may unite economy of money1 time1 and trouble1 with comfort to ourselves and a regard for the beautiful4 ,we need not drift into the carelessness of the picnic style of living1 which is but the parody of simplicity4 ,the real picnic is only suited to a few exceptional days in the year1 and these our holidays4 ,we may have simple meals indoors which should have all the freedom of picnic without its inconveniences4 ,do we not all remember ,swiss breakfasts with pleasure3 the thyme-flavoured honey1 and the ,alpine strawberries8 ,or1 better still1 those at ,athens1 where the honey of ,hymettus is nectar1 and the freshly made butter ambrosia2 and our enjoyment of both was enhanced by the scent of the orange blossoms coming in at the open windows1 and the sight of sunrise glowing on the purple hills8 ,or luncheons in ,italy1 under a pergola of vines1 where a melon1 macaroni1 a basket of grapes1 and a tricolour salad constituted the feast8#a #a ,the tricolour salad imitates the ,italian banner--red1 white1 and green4 ,green salad1 beetroot1 and cream1 or white of egg whipped to snow4 ,these things dwell longer in our memories than does the aldermanic banquet4 ,although every faculty need not be swamped in the gratification of the palate1 our meals ought to give us pleasure4 ,it is only when they are made of supreme importance that the satisfaction of a healthy appetite degenerates into mere greed1 and what we call housekeeping means merely thinking of dinner4 ,simplicity allows play 7not work7 to our higher faculties1 which cannot be refreshed while we are overwhelmed with domestic cares4 ,martha was cumbered about1 not with serving1 but with too much serving4 ,doubtless1 in the fulness of her hospitality1 she tried to do too much1 and so she showed irritability4 ,our ,lord's teaching is always that there are good things prepared for us1 which we cannot attain if we are over-careful and troubled about provision for the body4 ,there are roses in life for those who look for roses1 if they will but give themselves time to gather them4 ,we may study with instruction and profit to ourselves the daily habits of foreign nations1 and see where they fail1 and also wherein they excel us4 ,m4 ,taine has put into words an observation which must have occurred to all of us who have travelled1 how that from ,england to ,france1 and from ,france to ,italy1 wants and preparations go on diminishing4 ,life is more simple1 and1 if ,i may say so1 more naked1 more given up to chance1 less encumbered with incommodious commodities4 ,from ,italy we may go on to ,arabia1 and there see how little is used to keep the body in health4 ,a woollen garment1 warm enough to sleep in the open air 7we cannot say out of doors where there are no doors71 and thick enough to keep off the scorching rays of the sun by day1 and a thin shawl for the head1 is all their clothing2 and the simplest meal once a day seems to be enough to keep them strong and active4 ,arabs have walked or run by my horse during whole days in the heat of the sun1 and lived upon air until sundown1 when they seemed to eat nothing but a little parched corn before stretching themselves down to sleep4 ,it is not customary1 even among the upper classes in ,southern ,europe and in the ,east1 to eat more than two meals a day4 ,liebig tells us of the nutrition of plants from the atmosphere3 we may go further1 and proclaim the nutrition of man from the atmosphere4 ,on the moorland1 on the mountain side1 at sea1 and in the desert1 ,i have over and over again felt its feeding properties2 and we know that although we are1 in such circumstances1 hungry for our meals1 we are not at all exhausted1 nor do we want to feed frequently4 ,as the leaves of a plant absorb the carbon in the air and give back the oxygen1 so do we feed upon the oxygen and return the nitrogen4 ,but we must have the oxygen4 ,by our own present system of frequent heavy meals we throw all the hard work done by our bodies entirely upon the digestive organs1 and when these are exhausted with their efforts1 we feel faint1 and mistakenly ply them with stimulants and concentrated nourishment1 until at last they break down under their load4 ,but leaving the ,arabs1 who are types of a high race in a natural 7uneducated7 condition1 may we not learn much from more civilized nations8 ,besides taking example by the early hours of the ,germans1 we may imitate their industry1 and1 in our studies1 their thoroughness and diligence of research4 ,from the bright1 elastic ,french people we may 7we women especially7 copy their cheerfulness1 frugality1 and their keen1 clear-headed habits of business4 ,see how diligent they are at accounts1 how quick at estimates1 in ways and means2 how they sharpen their wit1 until it shines and makes their society sought as we in ,england seek a clever book4 ,the ,frenchwoman works the machinery of her own house1 goes into the market and fixes the market-price of what she decides upon as suitable to her purposes 7she always has a purpose1 this ,frenchwoman72 she dresses herself and her children with taste1 and she glitters in society4 ,from the ,spaniards we may learn1 by the warning of a proud race1 what it is to sink into the scorn of other countries through smoking and debt4 ,from the ,dutch we may learn cleanliness1 from the ,swiss simplicity1 and from the ,italians to foster our patriotism4 ,our ,american cousins are part of our own family2 they only differ from us in having carried our virtues and some of our follies into the superlative4 ,we should endeavour to be natural in all our doings3 to be ourselves1 and not always acting a part1 and that generally the part of a person of rank1 or a millionaire4 ,let whatever we do be openly done1 though not obtrusively nor boastfully2 and this whether it is ornamental or only useful4 ,to be truly ornamental it must combine utility4 ,is not the flower as useful as the leaf8 ,as an example of what ,i mean1 ,i will give two opposite instances4 ,a young lady was making the bodice of a dress when a visitor called2 she quickly pushed the work under a sofa pillow1 and caught up a gold-braided smoking-cap1 half worked at the shop1 which had lasted a long time as a piece of show-needlework4 ,the other case is that of a lady who set up for an example to her sex1 and always displayed1 as a manifestation of superiority1 a basket full of gentlemen's stockings1 which she seemed to be ever mending4 ,both of these ladies were acting a part4 ,good taste has no false shame2 so we need not add the vexations of concealment to the accumulation of cares we have heaped upon our houses1 till they are so encumbered with impedimenta of all kinds that our whole strength is taken to keep them in order1 and the household machine has to move through such a mass of difficulties that it is like a loaded carriage lumbering through a ,turkish road4 ,why should we add these things to life8 ,we are daily bringing mechanism to greater perfection1 and it is our own fault that we do not make it perform for our houses what ,manchester has made it do for our looms1 and render ourselves mistresses in reality1 instead of merely in name1 of our own households4 ,if we had to go back to the old flint-and-tinderbox days1 when it was an hour's hard work in the dark to strike a light1 when gas was unknown1 when water was not laid on1 when all bread must be made at home1 all stockings knitted2 when there was no such thing as a ready made shirt1 much less gowns and polonaises2 no perambulators1 nor washing machines2--we should not heap upon ourselves superfluous work in the thoughtless way we do at present1 and then leave all to the attention of the most careless and irresponsible members of the community4 ,in a small family there is less work to be done2 in a large one there are more hands to do the work1 and many hands make light labour4 ,we would have no mistress of a family a household drudge1 while her daughters lounge over fancy-work or a novel2 but we would ease her hands1 and uphold her in her true position of administratrix1 mainspring1 guiding star of the home4 ,modern educational pressure causes too many of us to indulge our children1 and release them from every personal duty4 ,they must have time and quiet for their studies1 and so they are allowed to become selfish1 and to think that everything must give way to their mental improvement4 ,whereas we should train them to give as little trouble as possible2 and by good management1 or by sacrifices1 such as getting up earlier1 to do at least the extra work appertaining to their individual enjoyment4 ,why should they1 for instance1 require hot water brought to their rooms several times a day8 ,their grandparents used cold1 and it was better for them4 ,why must girls have their hair brushed and braided for them8 ,why must their lost gloves be found for them1 and their wardrobes tidily arranged for them to throw into confusion in their hurry8 ,boys1 especially1 are so seldom trained to habits of consideration1 that a young man in a house gives at least twice the trouble that his father does4 ,boys ring bells with intense heedlessness of its being some one's journey--oftener four journeys--to answer them4 ,they make their boots unnecessarily dirty1 and their other clothes also2 while the extra baths on football days1 and the cleansing of the white garments1 make many mothers wish the noble game were not so popular2 and to sweep up the dirt the boys bring into a house often constitutes the chief work of a housemaid4 ,we do not expect boys to mend their clothes1 but they should be made to put them away1 and to keep their books1 papers1 and toys in their proper places1 and to take care of their own pets4 ,we excuse young men from doing these things1 instead of smoking or novel-reading through the whole of their spare time1 on the plea that they work at money-making1 forgetting that they do so for themselves1 and not1 like their father1 for the family benefit4 ,we might reform these things materially1 and remove much of the self-indulgence which causes what has been truly called the shame of mixed luxury and misery over our native land4 ,if we all habitually gave less trouble1 we should require fewer servants to wait upon us4 ,there is a scarcity of good working servants1 while the governess market is largely over-stocked4 ,how many thousand of the poorest subjects of our ,queen are now sinking1 sick with hope deferred1 into despondence1 hating the present1 dreading the future4 ,and yet on all hands we hear our lady friends say1 ,we must all wait upon ourselves now4 ,the impossibility of finding the average of three servants for every house in ,london being now recognized4 ,why need there be three servants to every house1 when servants are the greatest drain to the fortune of a family1 worse even than the dress and society of its lady members1 or than the tobacco of the men8 ,with study1 and application of modern inventions1 the three servants might be reduced to two2 the two-servant-power establishments might dispense with one2 and in many families where only one servant is kept1 a lady-help would be found more useful1 as well as more ornamental1 than the dolly-mop4 ,trade is bad1 and many young women1 such as lace-makers1 seek service4 ,but being of the lower orders does not necessarily make them efficient servants1 not more so than young ladies who have never learnt household work4 ,the existing puzzle is how to utilize the lady-help1 for we must always bear in mind that she is a lady4 ,she must not be merely ornamental1 nor may we expect her to do anything menial4 ,and here we must distinguish--this indeed is the great point for distinction--what is menial and what is not1 and then see if we can reduce the number of works considered menial4 ,when we read of ,marie ,antoinette's delightful playing at work at the ,trianon1 and think of her in her bewitching costume1 her work1 the work she supposed herself to be doing1 is placed in the region of picturesque poetry2 as ,tennyson's gardener's daughter1 training her wreaths over the porch1 is as poetical a personage as his pensive ,adeline or stately ,eleonoere4 ,we hear that the daughters of ,queen ,victoria take pride in1 and give personal attention to1 their dairies1 and love to work among their gardens and model farms4 ,and the ,prince ,consort designed model cottages for the poor in which it would be bliss to dwell1 only it is impracticable to make the poor endure novelties in domestic life4 ,why1 then1 should we alone think it improper1 unlady-like1 and what not1 to study these every-day utilities1 and plan improvements in sinks and boilers8 ,but things are not so bad as they were thirty and forty years ago1 as regards what is lady-like and what is not4 ,we are emancipated from the thraldom of its being considered genteel to be idle1 and interesting to be helpless1 unable to dress ourselves1 or tie our own bonnet-strings without the assistance of our maid4 ,in my young days we always had to wait for a maid to come and hook our dresses2 we should not endure this now4 ,the favourite story of the ,queen always putting away her own bonnet1 and folding up the strings767 helped much in sweeping away this fanciful gentility4 ,since the introduction of the sewing-machine1 made as a piece of furniture fit for a lady's sitting-room1 ladies have been less ashamed to be seen making their own dresses2 and every girl now1 of any pretension to taste1 twists up her silk1 tulle1 and ribbons1 mingling them in hats and bonnets with flowers or feathers1 the most graceful objects in creation1 until her skill produces a thing of beauty which is a joy throughout the summer4 ,what artist would desire a more charming subject for his picture than a pretty girl before her glass1 trying in which position these delicate gauds best become the face they will adorn4 ,it is holding nature up to the mirror4 ,yet some years ago girls were ashamed of a home-made bonnet1 because their careful elders taught them it was more virtuous to make shirts than to cultivate their taste4 ,the consequence was they were obliged to pay some guineas for a bonnet1 as amateur millinery was a tissue of horrors4 ,the cooking-schools are helping us in another useful branch of housewifery4 ,here again woman's work is being raised out of the dulness of the ,berlin repository into an atmosphere in which all the senses may revel4 ,smell and taste are here perfectly satisfied1 and here we offer another picture for our imaginary artist--or perhaps the beholder may be a lover4 ,what more captivating sight than the girl of his heart deftly moving about among bright pots and kettles1 and delicious bits of blue and other ware1 gleaming among the copper stewpans8 ,dutch tiles all round the stove1 and everything as picturesque as in a ,friesland kitchen 7which we admire enough to go a long way to see71 and the young housewife in a fresh and prettily worked dress of ,holland or cambric1 made short1 showing her red morocco shoes1 her sleeves short to the elbow1 with a dainty bib and apron to keep her dress from soil3 she rolling out pastry at a marble table1 having by her side a graceful ewer of water1 or fanciful milk-pot1 and1 in neat arrangement1 quaint jars for jams1 and pails and tubs of the carved wood which is so artistically made by the ,norwegian peasants4 ,but ,i must fill up my outlines further on1 as ,i enter into detail of each department of the house1 and show how the first steps may be made easy in the direction of pleasant employment which shall be both useful and economical4 ,do not look upon the taste and beauty of details as unimportant4 ,they make up the harmony of our lives4 ,taste exercises a larger influence than we give it credit for4 ,what makes ,paris flourish8 ,why do we all enjoy it8 ,not for its ,louvre galleries1 nor for its intellectual life and culture most1 but for its tasty shops6 ,we will speak of the house in the following order4 ,first1 the hall by which we enter it from the street2 then we will bring our housewife into the kitchen1 not necessarily1 nor even advisably1 downstairs1 but near the entrance-door1 so that the goods brought into the house need not have far to travel and be lifted 7which would entail fatigue7 before they reach the scene of their transmutation2 the dining-room will come naturally next to the kitchen1 as it should be nearest in a topographical sense4 ,then we can adjourn to the withdrawing-room1 and refresh ourselves with jardiniere or conservatory before undertaking the arrangement of the bed-rooms and nurseries1 where we pass so large a portion of our lives2 and lastly1 we will speak of the inhabitants1 more particularly of the children4 ,in considering the latter1 we shall find the greatest benefit of anything ,i have recommended in this book1 namely1 that in place of the low-minded words and sentiments and vulgar habits of those who come nearest to ourselves in the society of our children1 we may have a higher and purer association1 so that the good of their future education will not have already been neutralized by corrupted early principles4 ,by interesting occupation our young ladies will have less time for sentimental troubles and fancied ill-health1 which is nervousness4 ,eugenie de ,guerin hit the mark when she wrote1 ,yes2 work1 work6 ,keep busy the body1 which does mischief to the soul6 ,i have been so little occupied to-day1 and that is bad for one1 and it gives a certain ennui which ,i have in me time to ferment4 ,on another occasion she speaks of having been writing and thinking1 and then going back to her spinning-wheel or a book1 or taking a saucepan1 or playing with her dogs2 and then she adds1 ,such a life as this ,i call heaven upon earth4 ,,the ,,entrance-,,hall4 ,the evil of side doors--,difficulties with cooks--,who is to answer the door8--,four classes of applicants--,arrangements for trades-people --,visitors--,furniture of the hall--,warming the passages--,dirt and door-mats--,the door-step--,charwomen4 ,many of the most respectable old houses in ,london and other large cities have only one street door and no area gate2 and this is a great advantage1 for of all inventions for the demoralization of households1 the side or servant's door is the one which does its work most surely4 ,there is no oversight of it2 and neither master nor mistress can tell what is going on below-stairs1 or at the back of the house1 when the shutters are closed and the family are at dinner1 or in the drawing-room in the evening4 ,the side door had its origin in a pride1 or false shame1 which could not bear to see a vestige of the working of the machinery of the house1 and in that tendency to separate the ornamental from the necessary part of the household economy which has worked so disastrously for us all1 making us1 first1 unwilling to take a practical share in the management of our houses1 so widening the class division between mistress and servant2 and secondly1 has thrown us into such a state of dependence upon our subordinates that the boldest of us dare not venture into the kitchen except at stated hours2 and then1 having received the programme of the proposed arrangements for the day from the cook1 we are expected to go away and be no further hindrance to the eleven o'clock luncheon1 which is one of the five solid meals daily required to sustain life in the hardships of service4 ,most ladies know what it is to wince under the sharp tongues of their cooks1 who don't like to have missuses come messing about in their kitchens1 and their sarcasms upon ladies who are not ladies1 etc41 etc41 until many weak-minded victims retire before the enemy1 and1 giving up the vain pretence of ordering the dinner and examining the kitchen daily1 send for the cook after breakfast1 and get the interview over as soon as may be4 ,it requires a very strong sense of duty to make one go where one is so palpably unwelcome1 where one's most innocent looks are construed into a mean peeping and prying1 and the least remonstrance is met by insolence4 ,i have1 as a rule1 been fortunate with my servants1 and of late years ,i have successfully employed foreigners1 who are generally more tractable than ,english servants4 ,i carried my point1 when living in a villa near ,london1 and locked the side door1 retaining the key4 ,i found great advantage in so doing on comparing notes with my neighbours1 who told me their servants had threatened to leave directly there was a question of closing the side doors4 ,but this is only a recommendation where servants are kept4 ,a responsible supervision of young servants is quite consistent with allowing them due liberty4 ,this should always be granted them1 as a dull imprisonment is misery to the young1 and then they would not endeavour to take it in a clandestine manner1 and surreptitious dealings with dishonest characters outside would be avoided4 ,to our present argument it matters little whether there be a side door or not1 except that it affords greater facility to burglars2 so we will treat of the principal door as the only one1 because this is most frequently the case in town-houses where there is no area gate1 and the use of that does not enter into our plan of proceeding at all4 ,one of the first difficulties that presents itself to the lady wishing to maintain a small household staff is the opening of the front door4 ,the question meets us on the threshold1 who is to answer the door8 ,who will be the slave of the ring8 ,a lady-help does not like to undertake this office1 and to the mistress it appears still more unsuitable4 ,but let us analyze the subject4 ,there are four classes of people who knock at our door3 the family1 tradespeople1 visitors1 and casuals4 ,the first division of the difficulty may be easily disposed of4 ,the master and mistress1 for these titles must be strictly maintained1 have each a latch key2 the rest of the family may habitually use a particular knock agreed upon between them1 and then the person who happens to be nearest to the door will open it4 ,schoolboys and girls return at stated hours1 and one is prepared for their appeal4 ,for several years past my family has used four single knocks1 which is a sign sufficiently unlike other knocks to be recognized immediately4 ,the postman's knock is well known1 and in families where there is no great eagerness to get the letters1 they fall naturally into the letter-box1 which should be made deep1 and the slit large enough to admit the ,times newspaper easily4 ,in ,italy it is usual to write the word fuori on a card1 and stick it in the door when one is not at home2 and in this case visiting-cards would also be left in the letter-box4 ,we might adopt this method1 or even the ,temple fashion of saying when we are likely to be home again4 ,the tradesmen are the most difficult to arrange for1 and here invention must be called into play4 ,tradespeople first call for orders1 and then with supplies4 ,suppose we had our doors fitted with a kind of turnstile door1 something like the birdcage gates which used to be at the ,zoological ,gardens1 only with the outside made of wood1 closely fitting1 so as to admit no draught4 ,this1 by a push1 would allow the goods to be deposited within the door1 on the table upon which the cage turns round4 ,the opening should be of a size to admit a leg of mutton easily4 ,the goods1 once deposited1 could not be removed from the outside1 as the door only works one way4 ,through this opening the lady-housekeeper might give her own orders without their interpretation by an underling1 and without being exposed to the public gaze1 as she would be if the front door were fully opened1 while the leg-of-mutton aperture would be sufficient for both parties to see to whom they were speaking4 ,in the case of a single door1 instead of the very general folding doors1 it would be necessary to have the cage made to fold back1 and the table to let down with hinges1 to allow of the door being opened back against the wall2 the table might be lowered after midday4 ,this arrangement would also dispose of most of the casuals--the beggars1 pedlars1 and others who haunt our door-steps--to the entire prevention of hall robberies4 ,and now we come to the last and most considerable division of the subject--our visitors2 comprising relatives1 friends1 and strangers4 ,if we lived in ,arcadia1 or in the ,colonies1 we should most likely be so glad to see our friends that we should joyfully run to welcome them4 ,or if we were very great people indeed1 we should not mind doing as ,queen ,victoria does1 going to receive them at the moment of their arrival4 ,but as we are middling people1 and neither shepherdesses nor queens1 we dread being natural for fear of being thought poor4 ,for people are very much more afraid of being thought poor than of being poor1 seeing how often they let themselves be dragged into poverty by idleness and extravagance4 ,the best remedy ,i know for the fancied difficulty of opening our door to our visitors1 is to have no friends but those whom we are glad to see1 and to begin every new acquaintance by putting it at once on a footing of actual fact1 letting people understand that we try to make the best of our means1 and live within them4 ,then1 if they will not take us upon our own terms1 we need not regret that they do not wish for our friendship4 ,we shall find1 in actual practice1 that it makes very little difference to their opinion of us1 if when we are at home we have the courage to tell them so ourselves2 or if a dirty maid-servant1 after an interval of waiting1 receives their cards in the corner of her apron because her hands are black1 and says she will go and see if missis is at home1 or even if a neat parlour-maid fulfils the same office1 and ushers visitors into a brown holland-encased room1 leaving them to remark the time the lady of the house takes arranging her dress and her smiles previous to appearing4 ,in whatsoever way the ceremonial may be performed is of importance to none but ourselves4 ,the visitor forgets it immediately1 only retaining a general impression1 cheery or dismal1 as the case may seem2 and if we are nice people and our visitors nice people1 according to our respective ideas on that subject1 we shall cultivate each other's acquaintance all the same4 ,it is immensely hard work to make five hundred a year look like a thousand4 ,the effort to do so is seen through in an instant by a keen-sighted observer1 and then it is ten chances to one if you get credit for what you really possess4 ,it is never worth while to pinch and pare our everyday life for the sake of a few occasions of display4 ,let us now go on to consider the best fittings and furniture for the entrance-hall4 ,encaustic tiles make very good flooring for a hall1 and are very easily cleansed with a mop or a damp cloth wrapped round a broom4 ,a good thick door-mat is a great temptation to people to rub their boots well4 ,this is really better than one of those delightful indoor scrapers all set round with brushes1 which are seldom used after the first few weeks of their introduction4 ,mine is as good as new1 and as highly polished1 and ,i have had it for years4 ,a couple of good door-mats are much more useful4 ,it is necessary to have a stand with a large drip-dish in a corner of the hall1 to hang up cloaks and mackintoshes1 and hat-pegs of course1 but particularly a good-sized cupboard for boots1 shoes1 and goloshes1 so that the family may change them in the hall on entrance4 ,a carved bahut1 or ,italian linen coffer1 is very useful in a hall for children to keep their school and garden hats and bonnets in1 the lid serving for a bench2 but many halls1 which are often merely narrow passages1 would be inconveniently crowded by one of these rather ponderous pieces of furniture2 besides which1 they are costly4 ,a deep bowl of ,oriental china is as nice as anything for a card-dish1 and the hall is a more appropriate place for it than the drawing-room4 ,where it is thought necessary to warm the house1 hot-water pipes laid from the kitchen are as cheap as anything4 ,if the pipes are heated by a separate gas-stove in the hall1 they will supply hot water to the bed-rooms also2 but it is not a healthy practice to heat the passages of a house3 it causes the cold to be so much more felt on going out4 ,where the influence of the stove is felt in the bed-rooms it often prevents sleep4 ,in many houses which are kept too close and warm the families are subject to constant headache1 and in others to a perpetual succession of colds2 according to their temperament requiring more oxygen1 or their susceptibility to the sudden change from the heated to the outdoor air4 ,unpolished oak is the most usual and the best material for hall furniture2 it is cleaned by rubbing with a little oil1 which shows the grain and enriches its colour4 ,one rule which in practice saves more dirt in the house than any other1 is that no member of the family be allowed to go upstairs in walking-boots4 ,i have carried out this law for some years1 after having long been troubled by my schoolboys rushing up and down stairs with their dirty boots on2 and the saving to my stair carpet is very considerable4 ,boys and girls do not run up and down so often1 if compelled to exercise a little attention beforehand4 ,but little boot blacking or brushing need be done in the house4 ,gentlemen can easily have their boots cleaned out of doors1 and ladies1 by the use of goloshes1 may reduce this work for themselves to a minimum1 many kinds of boots being much better cleaned when sponged over lightly than when they are brushed or blacked4 ,every member of the family may not unreasonably be expected to take care of his or her own boots4 ,the door-step1 or flight of steps1 which is such an affliction to householders and such a joy to servants1 may be kept sufficiently clean by being washed by the charwoman who comes one morning a week to do the scrubbing and scouring2 which would be too menial--in other words1 too public and too laborious--for any lady-help to endure4 ,hearthstoning the step seems a very useless practice2 the grey stone itself is a nicer colour1 and only requires a mop or a broom to keep it free from dirt1 according to the weather4 ,much white dust is brought into the house by the daily use of hearthstone1 and precious time is wasted in the operation4 ,it may be well to understand1 at the outset of our description of the work of a house1 what parts of it cannot usefully or practicably be undertaken by women who have been gently nurtured1 before discussing the portions which their knowledge and skill are best calculated to perform4 ,for although we may by forethought reduce within a small compass the toilsome part of the duties1 there will always remain some functions which it would uselessly tax a lady's valuable time and strength to perform4 ,for1 after all1 the office of the mistress is to raise housekeeping to the level of the fine arts1 where the head1 the hand1 and the heart work together4 ,incidental mention has already been made of the charwoman2 she may be employed for the harder work in the following manner3-- ,the charwoman should not have her meals in the house1 but she should be paid by the piece for certain work done2 say1 door-step1 #a;d4 or #b;d41 according to size and number of steps2 kitchen floor1 #d;d42 passages1 according to size and requirements4 ,many charwomen would gladly undertake work on this plan1 and many poor women or strong girls would rejoice to do a morning's work and get home early to their family with what would pay for their dinner4 ,it is impossible to lay down fixed prices for piece-work1 as this must necessarily vary with the size of houses and the habits of the owners4 ,the charwoman can shake the heavy door-mats1 and sweep out the kitchen flue1 if the species of stove used require sweeping--and most of them do4 ,she may also break the large lumps of coal into knobs of the size necessary for the patent ranges needing fuel of a certain size1 and she might place the week's supply of coal in the fuel-box4 ,it would be better in many cases to employ for this hard work a strong boy with a ,saturday half-holiday4 ,he could do it all quite as well as a woman1 and much more easily2 but as we find we shall be taxed for a man-servant if we employ any arms but a woman's1 we must make the best use we can of the worse means1 consoling ourselves with the idea that the woman will use the money paid better than the boy might do4 ,,breakfast4 ,lighting gas-fire--,difficulty of rousing servants--,family breakfast --,cooking omelet--,hours of work and enjoyment--,duties of mothers and householders--,what is included in six hours' daily work--,clearing away the breakfast--,bowl for washing the vaisselles--,ornamented tea-cloths --,muslin cap worn while dusting--,use of feather-brush--,cleaning windows--,advantages of gas-fire4 ,the gas-fire is the key-note of my system of domestic economy4 ,the thing most impossible for a lady to contemplate doing1 unless compelled thereto by duty1 is to get up early1 and before the shutters are open or the household stirring1 to lay and light a fire1 or light one already laid4 ,the thought of going to a coal-cellar1 shovel in hand1 to bring in a scuttle of coals on a winter's morning is enough to make the bravest shudder4 ,it is work only suited to those who have strength and hard nurture4 ,but can the most delicate woman think it a hardship to light the gas-stove1 or tripod1 in the dining-room1 whereon stands an enamel-lined kettle ready filled overnight1 or else a coffee-pot already full1 and only waiting for the match to be struck to make it hot8 ,this is less trouble than to rouse one's self at seven o'clock to ring the bed-room bell1 which often fails to summon a sleepy maid3 and few ,english servants are early risers4 ,those who keep foreign servants have greatly the advantage in this respect4 ,very many of us require our servants to rise and be downstairs before seven1 as most gentlemen have to be in the city1 or at their offices or chambers1 by nine1 and all schoolboys and girls at school4 ,in the great majority of families breakfast must be ready punctually at eight4 ,while the family is assembling and prayers are being read1 the kettle is boiling1 and the tripod is soon ready for eggs to be boiled upon it1 and bacon or kidneys fried4 ,my experience of another plan for a very comfortable every-day breakfast is1 where a spirit lamp 7methylated spirit1 not petroleum7 stands on the breakfast-table at the mistress's right hand1 and from a plate containing eggs1 butter1 and some rashers of bacon1 she cooks a savoury omelet1 and fries the rashers in a small china fryingpan over the lamp1 passing to each person the hot slices as they are done1 and serving the omelet fizzling from the pan to all4 ,this process of cooking only takes five minutes1 and the food is ready to be eaten as soon as the tea is made or the coffee poured out2 and it is a pretty and cheerful occupation while letters are being read and talked of1 or the ,saturday ,review cut4 ,a few savoury herbs1 such as parsley or chives1 are a great addition to the omelet2 and it is easy to chop overnight the teaspoonful that is sufficient for the purpose1 and put it on the plate with the other preparations4 ,a few slices of cold potato are easily fried when the bacon is taken out of the pan2 the bacon fat fries them deliciously4 ,the china frying pans may be bought at many shops1 particularly at ,no4 #i1 ,oxford ,street1 ,london4 ,toast is not easily managed2 but with hot rolls from the baker's1 marmalade1 honey1 and potted meat or ham1 on the table1 a very substantial breakfast may be had with little trouble1 and no delay in its preparation4 ,we will suppose the gentlemen of the family have left the house for the business of the day1 and the boys gone to school1 and we will now1 before continuing our description of the house and its furniture1 give an outline sketch of the proceedings of the ladies during their absence4 ,for ,england expects every woman to do her duty1 as well as every man1 and to prove herself a help-meet for man before pretending to rivalry4 ,the division of our time given in the old lines seems to be a very rational one-- ,six hours to work1 ,to soothing slumber seven1 ,ten to the world allot1 ,and all to heaven4 ,this allows ample time for rest and enjoyment1 and sets apart an hour for daily service in the church for all who wish to attend it4 ,in ,utopia1 ,sir ,thomas ,more allots six hours a day for work to all men and women1 and no longer2 as he holds it to be important that we should have more time available for enjoying the living we work for1 than for working to sustain it4 ,we give ourselves so little enjoyment in our play1 that a great man once said1 ,life would be very tolerable if it were not for its pleasures4 ,we have come to treat our play as if it were our work--and no wonder1 since we have made it so very troublesome--and having thrown our appointed work upon the shoulders of other people1 we now complain how badly they do it4 ,we mothers have a certain work given us to do1 not by man1 but by our ,maker1 whose servants we are4 ,this is to take care of our children4 ,instead of doing this1 we leave them almost entirely in the hands of strangers1 and during great part of the day we know nothing of their doings1 nor of what they are learning or thinking4 ,what should we say to a nurse or a governess who neglected them as we do1 and how shall we answer for our lack of care8 ,we householders have laid upon us the care of our houses4 ,yet it has come to be a recognized thing that we are to touch nothing in them with our own hands--at the utmost1 we are to give our orders2 and the wealthy among us do not even do that1 but are waited upon with every luxury1 and then sent ready-dressed into society4 ,we are not our own1 and we have little to do with the making of our position in life4 ,we must accept the status quo and make the best of it2 so we may as well acquiesce cheerfully in our circumstances1 doing as much as we can1 and see if regular occupation will not make our hearts lighter1 and help to bring back the days of ,merry ,england again4 ,but we have no time for preaching now1 and ,i would not willingly give a sermon in any case4 ,i only threw out that suggestion of six hours' work for fear you might think ,i meant you to be busily employed all day1 and then you would drop the book in disgust4 ,but go on a little longer1 and you will find that ,i am less hard than the ,ladies' ,art-,needlework ,society1 which insists upon eight hours of close application1 and far less hard than the ,cambridge ,board of ,examiners1 which drives you on night and day1 leaving no time for household duties2 much less for dancing1 or picking flowers in country lanes4 ,no2 my six hours' work will include your music-practising1 and your attentive reading for purposes of study4 ,for unless yours be the only pair of feminine hands in the family1 you will not find more than three hours occupied with household work1 and part of that time will comprise a daily walk1 a constitutional with an object1 and the remaining part will not be disagreeable2 at least1 ,i hope not1 but it will be work and not play4 ,after this explanation let us return to our subject4 ,we will take it for granted that there are at least two ladies at home4 ,one1 the lady-help or eldest daughter1 for example1 will dust and set in order the drawing-room1 whilst the mistress of the house proceeds to clear away the breakfast somewhat after the following manner4 ,when the coffee-pot was taken from the gas tripod to be placed on the breakfast-table1 the kettle was refilled from a tap fixed on one side of the dining-room fire-place1 and the water will be by this time hot enough to wash the cups and plates in4 ,immediately under the tap stands a large bowl of ,delft1 or other ware sufficiently strong for daily use1 and yet ornamental or picturesque enough to remain always in the dining-room4 ,terra-cotta is a good material for this purpose1 as the colour is always decorative to a room4 ,one might have a bowl of very elegant design made at the ,watcombe terra-cotta works4 ,better still1 in the case of its being required to be movable1 would be a wooden bowl of the ,norwegian carved work manufactured by peasant artists of ,thelemarken1 under the direction of ,m4 de ,coninck1 of ,christiania4 ,some one of ,minton's vases or jardinieres would answer the purpose very well2 but unless it had a plug and a pipe for letting off the water1 like many washstands have1 it would be heavy to lift with water in it4 ,but a bowl with these fittings1 placed on a fixed stand near the fire-place1 would be well worth while taking some trouble to procure for the dining-room4 ,it would be quite as ornamental1 and no more expensive1 than the china flower-pots on unsteady pedestals which are so universally popular2 indeed1 it might balance one of these on the window-side of the fire-place1 if it were thought proper4 ,a piece of oilcloth might be spread under the pedestal1 if it does not stand on the varnished floor4 ,from the sideboard-drawer will be taken a neatly folded tea-cloth1 ornamented most probably with open work at each end1 or adorned with colour in the style of the ,russian household linen in the collection of the ,duchess of ,edinburgh1 and the lady will proceed to rinse and wipe the breakfast cups and saucers1 together with the teaspoons1 milk-jug1 and the cleaner plates1 and will then lay the plates that have grease upon them to soak in the hot water1 to which some additional hot water has been added4 ,before taking out the plates1 the china which has been used at breakfast should be neatly arranged on1 or in1 the sideboard4 ,this saves the trouble of carrying about trays of crockery1 and the consequent breakage4 ,i will describe the china cabinet as ,i go more particularly into the details of the dining-room4 ,the remaining plates may now be wiped1 and the etceteras replaced1 the cloth brushed1 neatly folded1 and laid in a drawer with the table napkins1 and the fryingpan cleansed by relighting the spirit-lamp for a minute while some hot water bubbles in it to clean it2 the towel itself taken away to dry1 and the tea-leaves1 and a small basin of eggshells and scraps carried into the kitchen2 the raw eggshells to be used to wash decanters and glass1 and the tea-leaves reserved for dusting purposes4 ,the windows are opened and the gas fire turned out1 and this important ceremonial of the day is at an end4 ,by this time the drawing-room will have been dusted by the second lady1 the week's duster being kept in a convenient drawer4 ,the feather-brush is wielded as a wand by the graceful mistress of the instrument1 whom ,i should recommend to wear a muslin cap to keep the dust from falling on her hair4 ,these caps1 when made of ,swiss muslin and trimmed with a frill border edged with ,valenciennes lace1 are most becoming4 ,they are best and prettiest when made in the shape of a large hair-net4 ,a pretty bride used to come down to breakfast at ,interlaken wearing this kind of cap1 and other ladies at once adopted the style for wearing at their morning work or sketching4 ,this was some years ago1 but a good shape is always good4 ,to any one unused to the mysteries of dusting1 it is surprising to find how easily the ornaments of a drawing-room may be kept in order1 and how well the gilt frames of pictures preserved1 by a light play of the feather-brush every morning4 ,the ,french use the plumeau in nearly all cases where we rub with a hard duster1 and with great advantage1 especially in the case of gilding4 ,a man or woman hired once a month will keep the windows bright2 they are all the brighter if cleaned with newspaper dipped in cold water--some mordant in the printer's ink has the property of rendering them so--and they are the more easily wiped1 having less fluff about them than if cloths are used4 ,a light rub with a leather makes bright stove bars more brilliant1 and in summer the fire-place will give very little trouble2 though for ladies managing their own work1 andirons and a wood fire will be found easier to keep in order1 as well as being more picturesque4 ,a gas fire1 built with pumice and asbestos1 lasts without needing a touch for three years1 and though less delightful than wood or coal1 is infinitely cleaner1 and gives no trouble at all4 ,a gas apparatus with four jets can be laid in any ordinary fire-place1 and fitted with pumice and asbestos complete for seven and twenty shillings1 perhaps for less2 but that is what ,i have paid4 ,and when one considers the saving of labour in carrying upstairs heavy scuttles of coal1 besides the original cost of the scuttles1 with the ludicrous inappropriateness of the ornamental varieties1 the total abolition of fire-irons1 including that absurdity seen in many houses1 the supplementary or deputy poker1 besides requiring no chimneysweep in the drawing-room at all1 it may be thought well worth while to have a gas fire laid at first4 ,the superior cleanliness and security against smoke are great arguments for its general use1 besides the ease with which it can be lighted1 or turned out when not wanted for use4 ,being in the fire-place1 the gas finds vent in the chimney1 so there is no feeling of closeness in the room4 ,the disadvantage of a gas fire1 in some people's opinion1 is that it may not be poked or touched2 but this is soon forgotten4 ,its appearance is like a clear fire of cinders1 except when the sun is shining1 and then it burns with a greenish tint not at all pretty4 ,breakfast cleared away1 and the drawing-room neatly arranged1 the beds have next to be made4 ,this is done with little exertion1 as modern beds have spring mattresses1 and ,french wool mattresses above these which require no shaking2 so that bed-making gives only a little exercise with a minimum of fatigue4 ,two people can make a bed with great ease1 but as a rule ,i should advocate every person making his or her own bed4 ,i must not here go into the detail of setting the bed-rooms in order1 as this will come more properly into the description of the upper part of the house4 ,so ,i will only suggest that if one room be cleaned each day1 and the staircase on one day1 the housework is not so heavy a task as it appears4 ,,the ,,kitchen4 ,parisian markets--,no refuse food brought into a house--,catering in ,london--,cooking-stoves--,pretty kitchen--,underground kitchens objectionable--,kitchen level with the street door--,larder and store-room--,the dresser--,kitchen in the ,swiss style--,herbs in the window--,hygienic value of aromatic plants--,polished sink--,earthenware scrap-dish--,nothing but ashes in dust-bin--,soap-dish--,plate-rack-- ,kitchen cloths--,few cleaning materials necessary--,hand work better than machine work--,washing at home--,knife-cleaning--,fuel-box--,no work in the kitchen unfit for a lady to do4 ,time works many changes2 but will it ever bring into our ,english markets the various and neatly arranged vegetables1 the bouquets of salad1 pleasant to the eye as to the taste1 the neat little joints and divisions of meat1 the temptingly prepared poultry and game1 and the many kinds of appetizing comestibles1 which are to be found in the markets of ,paris8 ,there a housekeeper may amuse herself by varying her dinners for every day1 having an embarrassment of choice between countless delicacies4 ,there the fillet of beef 7the undercut of the sirloin7 is already larded for the roast2 the pigeons are boned and prepared for the compote2 the veal is cut in shape and beaten for the cutlets2 the pigs'-feet are boned1 stuffed1 and truffled2 slices of galantine are ready to be laid on a dish for luncheon2 crayfish woo the mayonnaise2 parsley and butter are waiting to be poured over potatoes a la maitre-d'hotel4 ,there the spinach may be bought ready boiled and finely chopped1 only needing to be warmed with its poached eggs2 the sorrel is already picked over and cooked2 the carrots are cleanly grown1 and evenly selected1 and sold with just the quantity of feathered green tops useful for a garnish4 ,in fact1 all is so contrived that the least possible refuse matter shall be brought into any house1 so saving the labour that this entails4 ,nor does this trimming and spoke-shaving add to the price of the articles1 as the surplus vegetable remains go into the ground at once1 but little of what is uneatable being taken to the market at all2 thus saving the cost of carriage1 and paying for the little time expended in its removal2 while in the case of meat1 the purchaser finds it more profitable to cook only such parts as are entirely eatable1 without letting time and fire be consumed in preparing what is always wasted4 ,this is not a cookery-book1 though when ,i think of how much we have to learn before we can make good use of our fine provisions1 ,i feel tempted to branch off on this line2 but the lady amateur will learn more by giving careful attention at the cooking-school than by reading many books4 ,in ,london we can buy peas ready shelled1 fowls ready trussed1 fish prepared for the pot or pan1 and sometimes our beans ready slit2 but carrots must be scraped1 greens washed1 and turnips peeled1 and apples also1 though potatoes need not2 tongues and hams may be bought boiled1 and cakes ready baked4 ,still1 with us much more food has to be prepared at home than in ,france1 though we have this convenience--that the provisions are brought by the tradesmen to our doors1 which is seldom the practice there4 ,for general cooking1 the gas tripod like that used at breakfast will not serve our turn1 except on cold-collation days in the heat of summer1 when cold lamb or salmon1 salads and fruit1 are more grateful than anything else4 ,many people dislike to have their cooking done by gas1 and it is objectionable for roasting or broiling2 still1 there are such numerous inventions in cooking-stoves1 each simpler1 cleaner1 and more perfect than the rest1 that only the embarrassment of selection can cause hesitation in making a choice4 ,near a nice bright stove1 placed in a recess glittering with ,dutch tiles or ,minton's artistic plaques1 surrounded by burnished pans and pots of well-lined copper or brass and neat enamelled saucepans1 the genius of the hearth presides over the mysteries of ,hestia4 ,the window1 made with diamond panes mingled with a few lozenges of bright colour1 is mostly open in summer1 and wreathed with climbing plants--as vines1 and ornamental gourds1 with their curious black or scarlet fruit1 the rich foliage intercepting the sunshine--or closed if it be winter1 and draped in pleasant muslin4 ,i would take great pains to make my kitchen the most picturesque and cheerful room in the house1 as it is one of the most important4 ,on no account would ,i use the great black beetle-trap cellar downstairs and underground1 which strikes with dismay the greater number of young girls who have rushed from school into marriage1 and who instantly become the prey of the tyrant imprisoned in that dungeon1 which is too often also a den of iniquity4 ,no2 if obliged to have a house with one of these dismal caverns1 ,i would invent some useful purpose for it2 but ,i would not willingly select such a dwelling4 ,these underground kitchens must eventually die out1 and our children will wonder why we used such airless1 lightless places4 ,in a house arranged on my plan we aim upwards1 not downwards4 ,we might1 perhaps1 on wet days1 let the children go to these basement rooms to skip or romp1 as there they could not shake down the ceiling beneath them1 as sometimes happens in upstairs play-rooms2 only the rooms must be kept carefully whitewashed1 and1 as far as possible1 well aired4 ,or the old kitchen might be fitted up with racks for guns and fishing-rods1 and used as a smoking-room1 when cosily papered1 and carpeted with matting2 and the back kitchen converted into a carpenter's shop with lathe and tool-chest4 ,but our kitchen1 the pride of our house1 will be level with the dining-room and front door4 ,it is a foolish practice to have all vegetables1 meat1 coal1 etc41 taken downstairs for the purpose of bringing them all up again4 ,when it is impossible to spare two rooms on the ground floor for household use1 let both kitchen and dining-room be upstairs1 while the drawing-room might be on the ground floor4 ,this would give no more work than does our present custom4 ,but where it is possible1 it is better1 for obvious reasons1 that the kitchen should be on a level with the street door4 ,when the room used as kitchen is large and has two windows1 one side of it may be partitioned off for a larder1 or store closet2 or if there is a small third room near1 it may be used for these purposes4 ,but much depends upon the aspect of the room and its means of ventilation4 ,a town larder need not be large1 as the butcher1 fishmonger1 etc41 can keep the provisions far better than we can do in the best of larders4 ,a pantry and scullery will be quite unnecessary in a house arranged in this way4 ,wine will be kept in the usual wine-cellar1 but beer1 in bottles or in a small cask1 may be kept in the cupboard under the stairs which is so universal in town houses4 ,the kitchen floor should not be carpeted2 but one or two undyed sheepskins make comfortable mats1 and are easily cleaned4 ,the kitchen dresser may be made of the usual shape1 though the cornice seems superfluous1 as it is too high for anything but dust to rest upon it4 ,where it is thought better to do so1 the old kitchen dresser may be brought bodily upstairs4 ,if it is varnished and its back painted red1 and the edges of its shelves very dark brown1 with bright brass hooks in them1 it may have bright brass handles put on its drawers1 and it will do very well2 and white or blue-and-white ware will look extremely well upon it4 ,a kitchen may be very prettily fitted up in the ,swiss style1 with unpainted deal employed decoratively whenever there is a fit occasion for it4 ,the back of the dresser may be made of narrow boards1 each lath cut out uniformly in a pattern at the top1 forming a band of ornament4 ,the shelves will look very nice with a border of fretwork1 in sycamore1 placed either above or below their edges4 ,they are more easily cleaned if the ornamental border is fastened on like barge-boarding1 but this plan is not so well adapted for hooks4 ,mottoes in old ,english character1 which is similar to the ,german ,gothic type used in ,switzerland1 form an appropriate decoration to the cornice of the room4 ,the tables and chairs must be of unpainted wood1 plain1 but of good form4 ,all hooks and bars1 or whatever cannot conveniently be made of wood1 should be of wrought iron4 ,this gives a good opportunity for having window-bars and fastenings1 or even a balcony1 made in ornamental iron work4 ,the window-curtains will be of ,swiss muslin4 ,oval wooden pails1 with a board on one side left tall and cut out for a handle1 made in various sizes for water1 milk1 etc41 are as useful as they are suitable to the style adopted2 and baskets may be made like those carried by the ,swiss mountaineers at their backs4 ,a cuckoo clock and a few hooks of chamois horn carry out the effect4 ,characteristic ornaments1 such as paintings of ,swiss scenery1 and flowers in wooden frames1 wood carvings on brackets1 wooden bears as matchboxes1 wooden screw nutcrackers1 should be collected during visits to ,switzerland2 and a ,swiss costume will be found as practically useful as any dress the young cook can wear1 and will add a great charm and liveliness to the scene4 ,but be the style adopted what it may1 and it is well to exercise individual tastes1 it need not be made expensive1 or not more so than an ugly kitchen4 ,thought and care should combine to make it cheerful and attractive1 in order that the real work to be done in it may not have a depressing influence3 that the lady1 or her assistant1 may not pine for the greater excitement of the ,row or the rink4 ,the kitchen window should be well furnished with scented plants2 and in case of having no garden1 pots of parsley1 mint1 and thyme may be grown successfully on a balcony4 ,every house might possess its sweet basil plant1 and every ,isabella might rear it in as elegant a pot as that in ,holman ,hunt's picture4 ,plentiful use should be made of it in cookery2 it is one of the best of herbs4 ,indeed1 we too much neglect all these aromatic plants1 the hygienic value of their fragrance alone being very great4 ,some girls might save the small fortune they now spend in opopanax and patchouly1 by cultivating lavender and thyme for their wardrobes2 while balm and bergamot are sweet enough to make the kitchen smell like ,araby the ,blest4 ,china ginger-jars will be found good for preserving dried herbs for winter use4 ,the sink is a very important part of the kitchen furniture4 ,this1 in our model kitchen1 should be a shallow bath of ,marezzo marble1 which is a strong1 durable composition1 finely coloured4 ,we should select it of a colour harmonizing with the general style of the kitchen4 ,the sink must rest upon two columns1 or short shafts1 of the ,marezzo marble1 hollowed down the centre1 to allow of the water running freely away at both ends of the sink1 each tube being stopped by a bell-trap4 ,it must stand on one side of the kitchen fire-place1 so that a pipe and tap may readily communicate with the self-supplying boiler4 ,there must also be the usual pipe to conduct cold water from the cistern4 ,the best possible sink would be of real marble1 highly polished2 but the cost of this would preclude its use in our economical household4 ,enamelled slate would be cheaper and very good1 and it would retain its polish better than the ,marezzo marble1 or japanned metal might answer the purpose pretty well4 ,but doubtless a demand for such articles would cause ,messrs4 ,minton's factory to produce a sink in strong glazed earthenware which should be finely coloured as well as elegant in form1 making1 indeed1 an object as beautiful as a ,roman porphyry bath4 ,many of the public washing fountains in ,italy1 or the south of ,france1 would serve as models for this purpose4 ,one of the most important points to be attended to is that it should be highly polished1 as grease would be more easily removed from it1 and it would be cleaner4 ,beneath the sink is the pot for scraps and refuse1 of which a small quantity is inevitable1 unless there is a garden1 or poultry are kept2 in which cases all rubbish may be turned to account1 the only exception being fish-bones and scraps1 which1 under all circumstances1 must be burned4 ,the refuse dish should be of earthenware to match the sink1 or of terra-cotta1 glazed inside4 ,it must be made in two compartments1 one for usable scraps and one for waste4 ,each division should have a cover with a small air-hole in it1 both covers made sufficiently heavy not to be upset or opened by the cat2 and there must be a handle to lift it out once a week1 or oftener1 when its contents are disposed of1 either as gift1 or to some person calling for it regularly4 ,in all economical families the dripping is consumed either for frying1 or else clarified for cakes1 etc4 ,cinders1 of course1 are to be sifted in the covered cinder-sieve1 and the ashes only allowed in the dust-bin4 ,by care on this point1 seven-tenths of all fevers might be prevented4 ,by the side of the sink should stand a neat towel-horse for drying the damp cloths2 and a pretty dish made in two divisions1 with a strainer for soap and soda1 should be hung in a convenient place4 ,this dish would be best made in earthenware1 but it might be of carved wood in a kitchen fitted up in the ,swiss style4 ,a plate-rack must be above the sink1 and here is great scope for tasteful decoration without interfering with its lightness or strength4 ,a rack like those in general use would1 however1 be perfectly inoffensive1 and so would our ordinary buckets and dish-tubs2 but souvenirs of travel1 such as the quaint wooden pails seen at ,antwerp1 or the brass fryingpan-shaped candlesticks at ,ghent1 should be eagerly sought1 as they add much to the picturesqueness and piquant liveliness which are so desirable4 ,a round towel1 on a roller with nicely carved brackets1 is indispensable4 ,this should be of finer holland than it is generally made of1 being for ladies' use2 or it might preferably be of soft ,turkish towelling1 with coloured stripes and a fringed end1 and so be pleasanter to the eye and touch than the ordinary jack-towel4 ,the dresser-drawers must have their piles of kitchen cloths neatly folded1 and separated for their different services4 ,these should be the pride of the young housewife's heart1 all of them having their ends tastefully ornamented1 either ravelled out or knotted into fringe for the commonest1 or open worked1 or edged with ,greek lace and guipure-d'art1 according to their quality2 the dusters only being plain1 and these of two sorts1 one stout for furniture1 and the other kind of soft muslin for ornaments4 ,housemaid's gloves1 wash-leather1 and any favourite cleaning materials1 should be kept in a drawer by themselves2 but in my experience ,i have found very few of these things necessary4 ,as is the case with all the arts1 the more complete the paraphernalia1 the less is the work done4 ,it takes so long to set in order one's apparatus1 and to play with it a little1 that as soon as something is begun to be done1 it is time to put all away again4 ,how often we see this with amateur painters2 they set out too heavily equipped4 ,the black-lead and brush1 and broken saucer full of something pulpy1 the powder that is always falling out of its packet or bit of newspaper1 and the other odds and ends which crowd our house-maids' dirty buckets1 and the scrubbing brushes and hearthstone which encumber our sinks1 are only barbarisms trying to conceal the slovenliness they pretend to correct4 ,a house regularly and neatly attended to needs few or none of these things1 while sandpaper1 rotten-stone1 and whiting may be almost entirely dispensed with4 ,the homely old proverb should be remembered1 when tempted by advertisements of these things1 ,elbow-grease is the best furniture polish4 ,mincing-machines1 apple-paring-machines1 and toys of this kind1 are all very well when ladies use them themselves2 but they represent so much idleness1 waste1 and destruction in the hands of careless cooks1 who like to sit over their letter writing1 or their weekly paper1 while the kitchen-maid does the work4 ,and when a fragile machine breaks or gets out of order under her heavy hand1 she only drats the nasty thing and throws away the broken part1 pushing the rest aside to become a portion of the dreadful accumulation of lumber to be seen in every house4 ,my own practice as a wood-carver teaches me to prefer using that perfect tool1 the hand1 in its ever adaptable way1 to using it servilely to grind out sausages4 ,by the time one has prepared the meat to feed the machine1 set it in working order1 and taken it to pieces again to clean it1 one might as soon have used a sharp knife1 and the meat would have tasted better than it does when its juice is squeezed out and its fibre torn to rags1 so that the insipid rissoles made from it need half a bottle of ,harvey's sauce to make them eatable4 ,it may be a matter of taste1 but the difference seems to me as great as between music played on a piano and noise ground out of a barrel-organ4 ,washing-machines1 ,i have found to my cost1 are a failure also1 at least in hired hands4 ,i bought one of the best1 but as ,i had also a washing-tray1 the machine1 warranted to do everything1 was neglected1 and its lid employed as a table2 as we too often see with our pianos1 telling thereby a tale of forgetfulness4 ,the mangling part of the machine1 which was sometimes used by semi-compulsion1 always had its screw left turned on at full pressure1 so that the spring would have been powerless in a week1 had ,i not loosened it myself4 ,washing at home had better not be attempted in the case of ladies doing their own work4 ,we want to lighten the labour of the house2 since1 if we endeavour to do too much1 we shall either become household drudges1 or else decline the work altogether4 ,but supposing a family has time and opportunity to do the laundry work at home1 a tablespoonful of liquid ammonia and a dessertspoonful of turpentine used in the washing water1 where a quarter of a pound of soap has been finely sliced1 will be found to remove dirt from the clothes without rubbing1 saving labour1 much soap1 and the wear and tear of the things4 ,in the case of large families1 besides the greater economy of washing at home1 which is1 however1 doubtful when extra labour is hired1 the immunity from infectious diseases being brought home in the linen is a powerful motive for undertaking the work1 and doubly so where there is a garden1 as it is so much better for our health to wear linen dried in the fresh air1 rather than in the small courts of the neighbourhood where our laundresses usually dwell1 or in the close passages of their houses4 ,kent's patent knife-cleaner is as much used1 and as useful1 as any of these domestic machines1 though ,i prefer the leather-covered board4 ,pyro-silver knives seem to save labour1 as they are cleaned like any spoon2 wiped first1 as all greasy knives should be1 with paper1 then washed in warm water and wiped with a cloth4 ,my own pyro-silver knives keep very well and remain bright1 but as they have valuable handles of elaborate ,burmese ivory-carving they are carefully used4 ,i have heard people say that the pyro-silver does not wear well1 being easily scratched and otherwise injured4 ,balancing the sink on one side of the stove is the fuel-box1 containing a quarter of ton of coal4 ,this1 in most of the new stoves1 will last several weeks1 and it may be bought in this small quantity at a time1 or replenished from the usual coal-cellar4 ,this consideration would be determined by the season1 by whether the other stoves in the house burn gas or coal1 and by the number of rooms requiring daily fires4 ,the fuel-box should have a lid1 forming a table for any temporary uses1 or any of the less cleanly sorts of work--,i will not say dirtier work1 because in this system there should be no dirty work1 nothing but what a lady may do without loss of dignity1 and without injury to hands which in the afternoon will handle delicate needlework1 and in the evening recreate themselves over the piano4 ,and this leads us to speak of the systematic employment of lady-helps1 in such cases as they may be a real comfort and assistance in a family1 and not where they are expected to be perfect servants1 who for small wages will relieve idle ladies from the difficulty of first obtaining and then enduring a few ignorant domestics4 ,,the ,,lady-,,help4 ,true position of a lady-help--,division of work in a family--,the mother the best teacher--,marketing--,young lady-helps--,luncheon--,early dinners for children--,recreation--,preparing the late dinner--,evening tea--,the lady-help a gentlewoman--,her assistance at breakfast--,her spare time --,tact4 ,i use this title1 not because ,i think it is the best1 but because it is already in general use2 though1 as yet1 very few people have any clear idea of what the true position of a lady-help should be4 ,some persons suppose they must treat her as a visitor1 in which case she would be worse than useless1 and such a situation could not possibly be permanent4 ,others think she must be employed precisely like an upper servant1 and only look upon her as a means of escape from the penalties of their own position4 ,in houses where there are grown-up daughters it is not necessary1 nor even advisable1 to employ any labour outside of the family beyond that of the charwoman1 as previously described4 ,the work may be so divided as to press too heavily on none1 always bearing in mind1 however1 that1 as ,life is real1 life is earnest1 there is real work to be done in every household1 the aim being to lighten it by contrivance1 and by utilizing modern inventions2 in fact1 making of science and social economy two valuable servants1 instead of exalting them to be our masters1 as we have all been doing lately4 ,for1 notwithstanding all our brilliant inventions1 we have so multiplied our wants that life is neither easier nor cheaper than it was in the days when we knitted our own stockings1 spun our own flax1 and used strong handloom sheetings1 and woollen cloths which were not made of shoddy4 ,let us take as a typical family a mother and three daughters1 two of them grown up and one still a child--a by no means uncommon instance4 ,the men and boys may be many or few1 it makes little difference to our example4 ,probably the mother is not so strong as the grown-up daughters4 ,she might make choice of the needlework department1 or the teaching1 supposing her own education to have been good2 in which case she would add the benefit of her experience to every lesson given1 rendering it far more valuable than instruction from a young teacher2 as in all branches of study she would distinguish what is good and lasting from what is merely ephemeral1 and we should have fewer flimsy pieces of music learnt to the exclusion of great masters1 and fewer meretricious drawings on tinted paper1 as we grow out of our admiration for these things at an early period1 and home education would have a more solid groundwork4 ,young teachers are too apt to think they know everything1 and only aim at their own standard of education1 finished as they believe it to be4 ,perhaps the mother might prefer to reserve a general oversight1 with only such lighter work as the breakfast-table as already described4 ,the daughters could share the remaining work in the following manner4 ,while the breakfast is being cleared away1 one daughter1 accompanied by her youngest sister1 will arrange the bed-rooms1 and dust the drawing-room and such parts of the dining-room as have not been included in the work of setting in order after breakfast4 ,the little girl would rejoice in helping in this way--all children do2 and when they have no real work of this kind1 they imitate it with dolls' houses4 ,housekeeping is one of a girl's natural instincts2 it is only quenched by accomplishments being put in its stead4 ,while the manager of the needlework sees what requires her attention in that department1 and plans it for unoccupied hours--keeping1 perhaps1 some fancy portion of it for pleasant work in the evening1 while music or reading is going on--the daughter who is housekeeper for the week attends to the culinary arrangements1 and considers what marketing will be required4 ,she will1 either alone or accompanied by one of her sisters1 proceed to give her orders at the various shops1 or go to the market and make her own selection4 ,she will bring home some of the purchases herself--any parcel1 for instance1 that is no heavier than a little dog--but mostly the things will be sent to the house4 ,co-operative stores may or may not be an advantage to their customers--it is a disputed point2 but two good things they have done for us3 first1 making us pay ready money for what we buy2 secondly1 doing away with the ridiculous fear we formerly had of being seen carrying a parcel4 ,this expedition will have given our young heroine the necessary morning air and exercise1 and it need not be so long as to prevent her enjoyment of a more ornamental walk in the afternoon--visits1 or a cruise in the rink4 ,in the case of there being only one grown-up daughter1 a young lady-help may be thought an agreeable addition to the family4 ,she would be a pleasant companion to the daughter1 and they might share the work in the same manner as two sisters would do4 ,if she were more accomplished1 or better read1 than the daughter of the house1 this would be a source of improvement to the latter2 or if the superiority were on the other side1 the benefit resulting to the companion would be such as to make her endeavour1 by increased usefulness1 to show her sense of the advantages whereby she would be enabled to add to her acquirements4 ,much ease in daily life is obtained by dining early2 but as this is seldom possible where fathers and husbands are out all day at their employments1 the necessarily late dinner involves a sacrifice of our time and pleasure1 which we must try to render as small a hardship as may be1 and take as a duty what is such in reality4 ,luncheon for ladies is easily provided where there are no ravenous schoolboys and girls to cater for1 because1 as they will dine late1 the luncheon need not be a hot spread meal4 ,a tray with slices of cold meat1 bread1 butter1 cheese1 or perhaps some cold potatoes fried1 or any easily warmed little dish remaining from yesterday's dinner1 will make an ample luncheon1 with a glass of beer or some claret4 ,but if there are schoolboys and girls who come home to an early dinner1 it is indispensable that it should be a real dinner1 and no make-believe4 ,the experience of schools and large families shows us that the cheapest and most wholesome fare for children is a joint of meat1 with potatoes and another vegetable1 a daily pudding1 varied according to circumstances1 bread1 and beer4 ,no adjuncts2 neither pickles nor condiments1 cheese nor dessert4 ,all these etceteras are superfluous and unwholesome1 and entail extra plates and additional trouble to everybody4 ,the joints of meat1 with potatoes and ,yorkshire pudding1 are as well cooked at the baker's as at home1 and with much saving of heavy work4 ,the following is a good working-plan for a large family3 a joint of meat roasted the first day1 the next day cold1 which is better for the children than having the joint cut in two and both parts eaten hot--cold meat is very good for them4 ,the remainder may be stewed1 or otherwise warmed up on the third day2 and so forth1 varied with boiled meat occasionally and fish once a week--on ,friday in preference1 as there is a better choice of it on that day1 it being purveyed for the ,roman ,catholics and others who eat it on principle4 ,monday is the worst day for fish4 ,the daily pudding should be simple1 without sauce1 and with very little spice4 ,spices become valuable medicines when not habitually taken with the food4 ,it is a mistake to feed children entirely on meat and potatoes2 this diet does not afford sufficient variety4 ,fruit and milk puddings are very wholesome and nourishing for children1 and so is simple pastry1 when made without baking powder1 the frequent use of which is very lowering1 as is the case with all alkalies4 ,luncheon over1 the hours from two till half-past four are free for everybody4 ,now is the time for music-practice1 walks1 visits1 and general recreation4 ,visitors drop in about this time1 and may be encouraged to stay by the sight of the afternoon tea-table standing ready arranged in a corner of the drawing-room4 ,the descent for five minutes of one of the ladies will be sufficient time to make the tea and produce a plate of biscuits1 or the cake-basket4 ,the gas may be lighted under the kettle at the time the door is opened to visitors4 ,at half-past four the fire must be made up in the kitchen1 and all things put in readiness to prepare the late dinner4 ,this1 in the interest of the health of all1 and especially of those who return home tired and hungry1 should not be later than six o'clock1 where it is possible4 ,the dinner and dessert occupy little more than an hour1 and half an hour is sufficient to clear all away1 and set the things ready for the next morning's breakfast4 ,the cloth may be left spread on the table1 only brushed and neatly laid4 ,we have then a pleasant social evening left us2 two hours and a half before ten o'clock1 which may or may not be broken by an evening cup of tea1 according to taste4 ,luxurious people1 whose days hang heavily on their hands1 are the fortune of the doctors4 ,among them we may include servants in large houses1 who are1 perhaps1 more self-indulgent than any4 ,and it is the habitual five meals a day required to fill up time in an opulent house1 that contribute most to fill the pockets of the physician4 ,it is pleasant1 certainly1 for an occasional change1 to stay in a house where at nine o'clock the butler and two footmen stalk in with the tea-tray and its appurtenances2 but the main1 though unacknowledged1 cause of the ceremonial is1 that it may be seen that the men-servants are at home in the evening1 and not at the public-house4 ,as a daily habit1 however1 the continual breaking up of time caused by the ever-recurring meals is very tiresome to those whose occupations are so unnecessarily hindered4 ,it has been shown that the daily housework for a small family is not too arduous to be undertaken by the members of that family1 in any case where the grown-up ladies in the house are two or more4 ,but in the circumstance of a young wife and mother1 it were better that she should not attempt to cope with the greater part of the household work1 especially if she be alone in the house all day1 or with young children only4 ,the sense of solitude is too depressing1 and all unshared labour is much heavier4 ,in case of her having no sister1 or female friend or relation1 to whom she might be glad to offer a home1 she should seek a cheerful lady-help1 who would be pleased to feel she is putting her time to profit4 ,and if strong1 healthy1 and a skilful manager1 the lady-help will find how far more interesting this varied work may be made1 than the drudgery of sitting in a dreary school-room as governess to a tribe of tiresome children1 where her only recreation is the monotonous daily walk2 or the more independent1 but far more laborious1 occupation of a fine-art needleworker1 to whom eight hours' continuous daily toil are obligatory4 ,as far as ,i can see and judge by letters written to the ,queen and other papers1 and the jokes in ,punch1 the difficulty1 almost impossibility1 of getting gentlewomen as helps is the drawback to their being put forward as a solution of the domestic difficulty4 ,the engagement of half-educated or pretentious daughters of small tradespeople is by no means desirable1 either for themselves or for us4 ,we do not wish them to be our companions1 yet they must be treated with a greater degree of familiarity than ordinary servants2 and if they are allowed to be on a nominal footing of equality1 it can only tend to lower the tone of the whole household4 ,but the lady-help1 in an establishment suited to the feelings of such an one1 may easily be a gentlewoman by birth and education1 and not a lady in name merely4 ,as regards the invasion of domestic privacy1 which has ever been found such a disadvantage where a companion1 or a governess1 is always the sharer of our meals and conversation1 it is by no means necessary1 hardly even possible1 that this should be the case with a lady-help2 except at breakfast1 when it is surely no hardship1 but the contrary--indeed1 it must be a pleasure--to have at our children's most important meal the assistance of a lady whose care of their wants prevents our own breakfast being uncomfortably hurried4 ,for breakfast is unlike dinner-time in this1 that as husband and wives have already had plenty of time for all they wish to say to each other1 the presence of a third person is not inconvenient1 while at their reunion about dinner-time1 when each has the day's adventures to relate and comment upon1 a stranger is sometimes in the way4 ,indeed1 it is one of the greatest difficulties in the lady-help system1 that of necessity she cannot sit at table while serving the dinner4 ,the greater number of ladies will be as well pleased to have their spare time for their own pursuits1 as to be obliged to sit in the drawing-room all the evening1 trying to seem amused with doing nothing4 ,a lady offering herself for work of this kind will generally be of an energetic temperament1 and able to employ her leisure profitably in reading1 drawing1 or needlework1 or perhaps she may have her own piano in her room4 ,it would frequently conduce to the comfort of all parties if she had an invitation1 which she might accept or refuse1 to join the drawing-room circle2 and this should be given on occasions when it is likely to be agreeable to her1 at such times as her necessary duties will cause no awkwardness to herself1 the mistress1 or the guests4 ,exercise of tact will be frequently called for1 no doubt1 in this avowedly the weak part of the scheme2 but with wit1 invention1 and a hearty endeavour to make a subordinate position as little painful as possible1 many difficulties will be tided over1 and when once the novelty of the method is worn off1 many little complications1 by being less thought of1 will be less felt4 ,where a governess is kept as well as a lady-help1 the two ladies could enjoy life together quite independently of the general company2 and it might be found perfectly compatible with their avocations to give them permission to invite their personal friends to spend their evenings occasionally with them4 ,in the case of the daughters of the house taking its duties upon themselves 7and no one can consider it an ungraceful service to wait upon a father71 the way would be smoothed by common endeavour of all the members of the family1 and much kindly courtesy would be aroused1 and earnest effort to give the least possible trouble2 all of which should be done in the case of the lady-help4 ,when we go more deeply into the detail of the dinner1 which is the piece de resistance of the day's programme1 we will endeavour to show how1 by careful fitting and steady guidance1 the wheels of the domestic machine may run smoothly and noiselessly in their grooves1 especially if the oil of good humour be plentifully supplied4 ,and several suggestions will be offered1 which1 however1 must be looked on merely as suggestions1 and not as essential parts of the system2 for in every household there will be modifications1 according to the infinite variety of tempers1 tastes1 and habits of the family4 ,,the ,,dining-,,room4 ,carpets and curtains--,picture hanging and frames--,distemper colouring for cornices--,oval dining-table--,sideboard for breakfast service-- ,beauty of ,english porcelain--,a ,london dining-room--,giulio ,romano's banquet--,growing plants--,the large sideboard--,dinner-service--,styles of dinner--,food in due season--,gracefulness of flowers and fruits--,fresh fruit better than preserves--,communication between kitchen and dining-room --,remarks on plate--,table decorations4 ,having given a sketch of the kitchen1 ,i must now fill up that of the dining-room1 which we left after the breakfast was cleared away4 ,as the gas-tripod1 the spirit-lamp1 and the large bowl for washing the china and other crockery have been already described1 we may proceed to consider what more immediately relates to the dinner-table2 since the rest of the furniture need not materially differ from what is at present in use4 ,in selecting a carpet for the dining-room1 let us remember that a ,brussels carpet is more easily brushed and kept clean1 than are ,turkey or ,indian carpets4 ,if it be made with a border1 and the floor stained and varnished all round at a width of from one to two feet from the wainscot1 beside being cheaper to begin with than a fitted carpet1 it is more artistic in appearance1 and more readily taken up periodically to be beaten2 while a long brush easily dusts the varnished margin1 and a damp cloth tied over a harder broom will wash it in case of necessity4 ,bordered square carpets are the more durable1 as they are able to be turned round as one part becomes unduly worn4 ,the best kind of curtains for a dining-room are of some rich-looking woollen stuff1 thick enough not to require lining4 ,rep is very serviceable1 but there are many more curious foreign fabrics which may sometimes be met with at no very great cost4 ,curtains ought to run easily on a pole1 either of wood or metal4 ,if of metal1 it should not be very large1 as the size of a hollow rod does not add to its strength4 ,curtain rings can be sewn on at home1 and so can any cord that may be thought desirable at the edge1 though this does not often improve curtains from an artistic point of view4 ,there is no need of the upholsterer's intervention1 which mostly doubles the price of the curtains4 ,the height from the floor to the top of the window should be measured1 and the requisite number of yards of material bought1 allowing a margin for curves in the folds of the drapery4 ,the rods should be sufficiently long to allow the curtains to hang entirely upon the wall1 not overhanging the window in the least4 ,this preserves the drapery1 and keeps it from fading1 while it does not exclude the light4 ,the curtains should be ample enough to cover the window completely when the shutters are shut1 without leaving a streak of opening4 ,they should likewise extend to the ends of the pole1 so as comfortably to keep out the draught4 ,if muslin curtains are used1 they may conveniently be tacked inside the woollen ones about half-way2 this will keep the latter from some dust4 ,a few additional rings can be slipped on the pole1 to which the remaining central parts of the muslin will be gathered4 ,curtains should touch the floor1 or nearly so1 but they need never be allowed to lie in heaps on the ground1 as was formerly the fashion2 and the voluminous folds sustained by brackets have been advantageously exchanged for a simple band to hold back the curtain4 ,our mothers and grandmothers were certainly victims to their upholstery2 we have improved in this respect4 ,it does not take many minutes to unhook our curtains1 shake them free from dust1 and hang them up again2 we have no complicated pulleys to get out of order perpetually1 nor ponderous cornices with heavy valances1 and wonderful gimp and fringe4 ,those were fine times for the upholsterers6 ,do not hang your dining-room pictures very high2 few of us tower above six feet1 and it is easier for those who do so to stoop1 than for the rest of us to stand on tip-toe2 we must consider the convenience of the majority4 ,money is well expended on picture-frames1 as when they are handsome and chosen with taste1 they enhance our enjoyment of the pictures4 ,but a costly frame is not always a good one1 and when gilt composition runs riot in ferns and fantastic flames1 as we frequently see it do around mirrors1 its effect is barbaric1 rather than elegant4 ,broad flats in gilt plaster are less excellent than gold laid on the wood itself4 ,for prints1 where economy has to be much considered1 few frames are better than those of flat oak with a bevelled edge1 and on the flat a slight design of graceful lines made with the parting-tool1 and only the lines gilt4 ,pictures1 if small and numerous1 should not be dotted about the walls1 but grouped4 ,one sometimes see walls as spotted as a currant-dumpling4 ,a band of wood1 called a grazing line1 behind the chair-backs protects the wall1 and is an aid to picture hanging1 by giving a line from which we may measure their bases4 ,if there are many large pictures1 they should be hung from a rod placed near the ceiling1 or a foot lower1 if an ornamental band of paper is carried round the top of the room below the cornice4 ,if the cornice is not already picked out1 as the decorators term it1 in colour--that is1 delicately tinted in distemper--it should be done1 as it is a great improvement4 ,it is not difficult to do this for one's self4 ,the necessary materials are a pennyworth of whitening1 a pennyworth of size1 and of the required tints a pennyworth4 ,break up some whitening into saucers1 mix it with water until it is of the consistence of thick cream1 add a tablespoonful of melted size to each saucer1 shake in about a teaspoonful of powdered colour to each1 and apply with a badger or hog-hair paintbrush4 ,strong colours become pale tints when mixed with the whitening1 and the mixture dries paler than it is applied4 ,to paint the ground on which the plaster design is embossed gives a cameo effect and is elegant1 but sometimes it is better to colour the raised ornaments4 ,taste must be the guide here4 ,this quantity of material is sufficient to tint every cornice in the house4 ,splashes of the colour are easily wiped off while the mixture is wet4 ,where the family is small1 an oval table1 like we generally see in ,france1 is the most convenient form2 as the master and mistress sit facing each other at the narrowest part of the oval1 where they can communicate freely with each other1 and more easily dispense the general hospitality4 ,a table of this shape is lengthened by leaves inserted in the central division2 when quite closed it is a round table4 ,a dumb-waiter placed at the right hand of the mistress enables much personal waiting to be dispensed with4 ,if the dining-room be large1 it is desirable to have two sideboards1 one larger than the other4 ,the breakfast things should adorn 7for that is what they really ought to do7 the smaller sideboard4 ,with all the beauty and comparative cheapness of our ,worcester and other pottery1 we ought1 in every family1 to possess such a collection of beautiful objects for daily use as should for ever prevent our sighing after the palmy days of ,greek art4 ,i was at ,sevres not long ago1 and while going over the porcelain factory there1 ,i mentioned that ,i had been over that at ,worcester4 ,ah1 then1 madame1 said the official1 we can show you no more2 you have indeed seen all4 ,and had we no careless and ever-changing servants to shatter our elegant treasures1 we might have in daily use objects which would enrich a museum1 and train our eyes to a higher perception of beauty2 and we should learn to value our porcelain1 not for its rarity1 but for its intrinsic merit4 ,look at our picturesque coffee and tea pots1 our elegant cups1 and well-painted bowls4 ,why should they always be concealed in china closets1 or consigned to kitchen-dressers1 while our dining-room walls are too often bare and cheerless8--a few dismal prints1 hung too high to be seen or easily dusted1 being frequently the only adornments of a darkened room1 like a waiting-room at a railway station for emptiness of anything to occupy the mind1 yet which ought to be one of the pleasantest and brightest in the house4 ,instead of which cheerful appearance1 here is a sketch of a regulation dining-room in one of ,london's broadest brown streets3 a room always dark in winter1 but in summer exposed to glaring sun and a plague of flies4 ,as soon as a window is opened to cool the stifling air1 a simoom of dust rushes in from the road1 and from the dust carts heavily moving to the slow music of the ,trovatore's ,miserere1 adding a bass to the noise of cabs whirling by to the waltz tunes of ,daughter ,angot and ,la belle ,helene4 ,tables1 chairs1 and sideboard are remarkable for nothing but representing so many tons of mahogany embellished with the grinning heads of griffins4 ,curtains powerfully scented with dust1 a large chimney-glass made over to the flies1 a heavy bronze machine with ponderous weights and pulleys1 all smelling very strongly of gas1 chiefly useful for casting deep shadows upon the dining-table4 ,the bean-green carpet1 monotonizing with the pea-green walls1 whereon hang divers prints of subjects undiscoverable1 because they are skied as high as the ceiling will allow1 and two old masters1 as two oil paintings are called2 one a bitumen-brown ,wouvermans1 or somebody else1 with the hind leg of a gray horse in the foreground1 and in the sky a patch of cloud caught in a tree4 ,the other gem had been bought at a sale under the impression that its subject was ,angels adoring the ,infant ,saviour1 but which on closer investigation turned out to be two wicked old drunkards playing at cards1 purporting to be by a ,dutch master4 ,could even ,giulio ,romano's artistic festival have been enjoyed in such a room as this1 which is only a fair specimen of the modern ,british banquet hall8 ,hear a short extract from ,benvenuto ,cellini's description of it4 ,after speaking of the rich dress of all the guests and the beauty of the ladies1 he continues3 ,when they had taken their seats1 every man produced a sonnet on some subject or other--for they were a company of poets and artists--and ,michelagnolo read them aloud in a manner which infinitely increased the effect of their excellence4 ,the company fell into discourse1 and many fine things were said1 and dinner was served up4 ,behind our backs there were rows of flower-pots1 filled with beautiful jessamines1 which seemed to heighten the charms of the young ladies beyond expression4 ,thus we all1 with great cheerfulness1 began to regale ourselves at that elegant dinner4 ,after our repast was over we were entertained with a concert of music1 both vocal and instrumental1 and an improvisatore recited some admirable verses in praise of the ladies4 ,we could only on very rare occasions have rows of pots of jasmine placed behind our chairs1 but we might easily grow an elder plant to keep off the flies4 ,the ,swiss scarlet-berried elder 7,sambucus rufus7 is graceful in growth1 and will endure some hard usage4 ,flower-pots may also be allowed to remain on the table1 unless the plants are cherished pets1 and then they will be placed where they can receive the sun and air4 ,plants growing outside the windows1 especially climbers wreathing the window-frames1 give an appearance of size to rooms by bringing air into the perspective4 ,the picturesque effect of the forms of foliage relieved against the paler sky is very pleasing1 and it breaks the stiff straight lines of the window better than any drapery4 ,the glory of the dining-room is its large sideboard4 ,this1 where there is a second sideboard1 may be either in the same style or in complete contrast to it4 ,here the larger pieces of earthenware and porcelain should be displayed to advantage4 ,these are such things as salad bowls and outside pie-dishes1 which may always remain in the dining-room1 and the whole of the dessert-service1 with the ornaments and table decorations4 ,the glasses and decanters should always be elegant1 and although in my opinion the ,venetian glass is by far the most beautiful kind1 still our own crystal and engraved glass is often exquisitely lovely1 and the sunshine playing through the prismatic decanter knobs1 and other cut glass ornaments1 gives an unrivalled lustre to the summer dinner-table4 ,breakages under careful1 delicate handling would be less frequent than they are now1 so that the expense of procuring glass and porcelain the best of their kind would not be felt to be the extravagance it is now4 ,it will be said that for all this display of glass and china an enormous sideboard will be required1 at as enormous a cost4 ,and the first objection ,i concede1 without1 however1 admitting it to be a fault4 ,why should not the sideboard be1 if necessary1 as large as the side of the room8 ,but the cost may be less than that of an ordinary dinner-waggon4 ,it might be constructed as a series of shelves1 ranged as high as can be conveniently reached1 broken by cellarettes and other cupboards or cabinets1 hung with worked curtains1 the shelves merely backed by paper made like embossed leather4 ,there is an infinite variety of styles and forms in which the sideboard may be made2 from the gorgeous mass of carved oak and velvet1 set with golden shields1 and cups1 and services of gold plate1 such as ,i have admired on the dining-room walls of a palace built on the ruins of an abbey1 down to the stained deal dresser-shaped sideboard of a house of fifty pounds a year1 where it would only be decked with graceful1 yet unpretending1 china and terra-cotta1 where its curtains would be of brown holland worked in crewels1 and its intrinsic ornaments the burnished brass locks1 hinges1 and handles4 ,yet as fine taste might be visible in one as in the other4 ,the table-cloth1 table-napkins1 and spoons and forks should be laid in drawers1 as such seems their befitting place2 and salt-cellars1 and other diminutive articles containing condiments1 may be put away behind small curtains1 or veils1 of decorative needlework1 to shelter them from the dust1 as well as to give an opportunity for the display of rich and elegant furniture embroidery1 adapted in style to the carvings1 plaques1 inlaid work1 or other adornments of the sideboard4 ,the piles of plates--as many of them must almost of necessity be in piles--will be also concealed and protected by curtains1 or behind doors turning on pivots1 which1 where they are available1 are far better than hinges4 ,the quantity of plates wanted for the daily use of the family must be kept in the kitchen1 as they will be washed there1 and need to be warmed in readiness for dinner2 but dinner and dessert plates that are not used for greasy comestibles will be rinsed in the dining-room1 and rearranged at once4 ,i know some old ,bristol china butter boats of such simple but elegant form1 that the curves of the nautilus shell are hardly more graceful4 ,yet these things had been banished to a kitchen dresser until ,i implored their release2 and now1 in the present ,bristol china mania1 they are promoted to a drawing-room table1 a place quite as unsuitable as was the kitchen dresser4 ,among useful decorations for the sideboard1 some of the prettiest ,i have seen are the ,venetian curved bottles for holding oil and vinegar4 ,they are fixed in a glass stand1 and as the curved necks of the flask-shaped bottles bend over across each other1 by taking up the stand either oil or vinegar may be poured out without spilling the other condiment1 and the flasks require no stoppers1 as their curve is sufficient to keep out the dust1 though occasionally a glass dolphin is stuck in the mouth of each bottle4 ,this simple yet ingenious contrivance is far prettier than our somewhat vulgar cruet-stand4 ,moorish brass salvers add colour and brightness to the sideboard1 in families where silver salvers and presentation plate are not matters of course4 ,a simple style of dinner is more elegant1 as well as more healthful1 than one more elaborate4 ,let it vary with each day rather than with every course3 the dinner will thus preserve a character of its own1 better than where this is frittered away among so many dishes that you cannot remember off what you have dined4 ,there is a medium between this fidgety menu and the monster joints we sometimes burden ourselves with4 ,it requires judgment to take the right line4 ,we need not attempt1 in our everyday dinner1 to realize ,disraeli's ideal of dining3 eating ortolans to the sound of soft music4 ,but we may try to make our dinner an enjoyment as well as a refreshment2 and although our set banquets may be rare1 taste and attention will impart to every meal something of the character of a feast4 ,stress must be laid on the importance of having every article of food in its due season4 ,independently of the hygienic value of the change of diet so supplied1 which is in itself a substitute for many tonic and alternative medicines1 attention to this point will give us luxuries when we may reasonably afford them4 ,salmon is as nice when it is a shilling a pound as when it is four times that price1 and venison is by no means an expensive viand if the market be watched4 ,if we only think of ribs of beef and legs of mutton1 we shall only get beef and mutton4 ,but if we take ,nature for our guide1 we need not deny ourselves the most gratifying and healthful variety4 ,it is essential that we should eat the fresh fruits as they are ripe1 and this rule is equally necessary as regards vegetables4 ,indeed1 in summer we should accustom ourselves to think more of the vegetable food than of meat2 to arrange our dinner in this department primarily1 considering what dainty dishes we may concoct of flour and vegetables fried1 boiled1 and baked1 dressed with oil or milk1 herbs or spices1 incidentally adding the meat--in fact1 reversing our usual order of proceedings1 where we construct our dinner plan of solid meat1 only throwing in vegetables or fruit by way of garnish4 ,but what ,i wish to dwell on now is not so much the quantity of vegetable produce we ought to consume1 as the necessity of its seasonableness4 ,when our cooks1 be they noble1 gentle1 or simple1 have come to study the medicinal properties of plants--how they act upon the different organs of the body1 and so on--they will see how beautifully they are adapted by the great ,provider to our bodily requirements1 according to the weather and other circumstances1 and how often what grows best in any situation or soil is the aliment best suited to our own growth in that situation4 ,if we attended more to this point1 our digestions would have sufficiently varied exercise to keep them in healthy working order1 and we should hear less about what does or does not agree with people4 ,it is of more consequence that our digestions should be permitted to work at regular hours1 than that they should have an over-easy diet4 ,this1 indeed1 is absolutely injurious to them4 ,persons sometimes feel ill1 and whatever they may happen to have fed upon is loaded with the responsibility1 and that article of diet is cut off for ever from their list1 and its hygienic benefit lost to the constitution4 ,the blame is never laid on irregularity1 want of air1 exercise1 or occupation1 excitement or perhaps temper1 or upon circumstances generally4 ,either the weather or the food1 irrespective of the quantity taken1 is charged with every ill4 ,if we took care to make pictures of our dishes of fruit1 they would afford us two delightful sensations instead of one4 ,to do this it is not needful to have heaps of fruits1 or pyramids of pines4 ,a plum on a leaf1 an orange on a china tile1 with a branch of flowers laid across it1 make exquisite pictures4 ,see how we appreciate the form and grace of a single flower in a specimen glass1 so that we cannot now endure to see the mass of crushed flowers we used to call a nosegay2 the very word1 so descriptive of the bundle1 being done away with the thing itself4 ,the old nosegay gave us the scent and gay colours of the flowers1 but their tender grace had fled4 ,now they are delightful to their very stems4 ,provident housekeepers have so impressed upon our minds the necessity of caring for the future1 that we have been taught to make jam of our most delicious fruits1 denying ourselves their fresh beauty and fragrance at our tables1 while we roast ourselves over preserving pans in the hottest days of ,july4 ,this1 besides being martyrdom1 is a work of supererogation1 as the fruit is nicer fresh1 and to buy it for the sake of keeping it is absurd1 as it can but be eaten once4 ,it is a very reasonable practice in the case of persons possessing large fruit-gardens1 as much might otherwise be spoiled2 but in our town households it is trouble taken in vain4 ,we all know the difference it makes to our dinners whether they are served up hot1 or only lukewarm2 and this alone gives a sufficient reason why we should insist upon the kitchen being close to the dining-room4 ,where there is no possibility of making a door of immediate communication1 we should try our utmost to get a slide-window between the two rooms1 so that the dishes1 and indeed the whole paraphernalia that necessarily moves from kitchen to dining-room1 may be placed on a slab at the said window on one side1 and taken in at the other side4 ,if two persons are engaged in performing this work1 one dishing up and placing on the window slab1 and the other putting the things on the dining-table1 it will be very expeditious1 but it may be quite easily managed by one person4 ,the slide-window1 either a sash or a sliding-door1 saves much running to and fro4 ,i will conclude my remarks upon dining-room furniture with a few words about plate4 ,the bulk of the plate in daily use in the houses of the upper middle-class is electro-silver1 and it is very admissible1 being strong1 durable1 and agreeable to use2 and when made in the ordinary fiddle or threaded patterns is useful without being pretentious4 ,but when it expands into ,albert patterns1 king's patterns1 and the like--when1 in short1 it claims intrinsic value1 and pretends to be silver--it becomes vulgar immediately1 because it represents a snobbish feeling which is bent on making a show with a sham4 ,we cannot all afford silver plate1 though doubtless we should all like it1 but all of us wish to have the most agreeable medium with which to eat our food1 and for this purpose electro is as good as silver4 ,it is better1 in purchasing1 to buy the best quality1 as it is so much more durable1 and it always looks better4 ,for dessert knives and forks1 those with mother-of-pearl handles are the best2 the colour is so pleasant1 and they are very easily cleaned4 ,should you happen to be the fortunate possessor of old plate1 let nothing induce you to do as many weak persons are talked into doing3 exchange it for modern patterns4 ,modern plate is seldom of even moderately good design4 ,the object of the manufacturer seems to be to crowd upon it as lumpy an embossed ornament as possible1 to make it massive1 and remind us of so much per ounce4 ,this was not the motive of the old silversmiths1 who more frequently engraved than embossed their ornaments4 ,most of the old engraved silver is delightful1 and it is very light4 ,the ,queen-,anne plate1 now so keenly sought1 is of admirable workmanship and good design1 though the edges are rather thin and sharp for comfort in use4 ,it is worth while having nice electro dish-covers1 as the ugly tin ones sometimes seem to have such a very miserable appearance4 ,it will not be necessary to possess many1 and they will come to no harm in our elegant kitchen4 ,they may be either hung up or stood on the dresser2 the former way is preferable1 and rings to suspend them by are easily attached4 ,dish-covers should be warmed before they are put on1 as a cold metal cavern chills a leg of mutton almost to the marrow4 ,real silver ornaments for the dinner-table are very precious1 but failing these1 we may make our tables very elegant with ,parian1 glass1 or even wicker ornaments2 and the most interesting of any adornments are vases and dishes painted on porcelain by members of the family4 ,i am sorry to see so many small vulgarities introduced in the shops in the way of menu holders1 and other so-called ornaments4 ,grotesque is all very well1 but it should show a light1 delicate play of fancy2 and things comic are very amusing when they are not vulgar4 ,but the degenerate caricatures we see about now1 mark a tendency to flatter the lowest order of taste1 which1 if followed1 will inevitably drag our conversation down with it4 ,these silly table-decorations began with caricatures of the men who carry the sandwich placards up and down the streets1 and daily ,i see them acquiring all the bad style of common burlesques1 or of the cheap valentines4 ,,the ,,drawing-,,room4 ,social pressure--,agreeable evening parties--,troubles of party-giving --,musical parties--,flowers on a balcony--,window-gardening--,crowded drawing-rooms--,the library or study--,gas1 candles1 and candlesticks --,original outlay on furniture--,different styles of furniture-- ,raffaelesque decorations--,carpets1 curtains1 and chair coverings-- ,portieres--,window blinds--,rugs--,care required in buying furniture-- ,ornaments--,dusting--,chiffoniers useless--,portfolio stand--,mirrors4 ,this section of our subject involves our relations with society2 and here not even our vanity can make us believe that modern customs are really improvements4 ,what chance has any lady of our time of emulating the graceful manner in which ,madame ,recamier held her salon1 although she may have as much learning as ,madame de ,stael8 ,we are too heavily weighted1 our social intercourse is too complicated1 too much clogged with ceremony1 to move easily2 and where our highest faculties should be allowed full play1 we find so much hard work and consequent fatigue1 that we look upon every dinner and evening party in the light of an uphill road with a difficult team to drive4 ,we all know and applaud the ,french manner of visiting4 ,receiving friends on a stated day of the week1 simply enjoying their society1 and exerting the intellectual faculties instead of merely opening the purse for their entertainment4 ,why have we so seldom the courage to follow this example8 ,it is because we fear to show less well to the eyes of our acquaintance if our own habits seem less expensive than theirs4 ,a low purse-pride is at the bottom of it all4 ,our dress must be costly and perpetually changing1 our servants and establishment must be displayed1 if we are ourselves smothered beneath their weight4 ,so we give up our precious daylight to morning calls1 as we ridiculously call those visits of ceremony which are paid in the afternoon4 ,these afford us no pleasure1 while they are an infliction to the people called upon4 ,do not most of us know the feeling of relief that we have after paying a round of visits1 when1 on finding1 as the day was fine1 the greater number of our friends from home1 we return with an empty card-case1 and say1 with the complacency of self-satisfied persons who have done their duty1 ,there1 that is done and need not be done again for a month4 ,whereas we are sorry when even our slight acquaintances regret they cannot accept our invitations to an evening party1 when we might enjoy their company1 and they the society of each other1 at the same time1 and at a reasonable hour for enjoyment4 ,our at homes are on a radically wrong principle4 ,we crowd our rooms1 we insist on late hours and fullest dress1 and our pleasure in consequence becomes a toil4 ,but how agreeable is the easy evening gathering in a cheerful and early lighted drawing-room1 where few or many welcome guests drop in1 knowing it to be our at home day4 ,where we talk and sip tea1 play and sing1 or amuse ourselves1 if clever1 with paper games--capital promoters of laughter and whetstones to the wits--and go away as early as we please4 ,all to be over by half-past ten1 at any rate1 in order not to interfere with early rising next morning4 ,i have found nothing1 not even guinea lessons from eminent masters1 more conducive to family improvement in music than this way of enjoying society1 since one is obliged to have a few new things always at one's fingers' ends ready to perform2 and in homely little parties like these1 young girls not yet out may pass many pleasant evenings under their mother's wing1 with real advantage to themselves4 ,the simpler the dress worn by the ladies who are at home1 the better the taste shown4 ,here again we may learn much from the ,french1 who perfectly understand the art of demi-toilette4 ,our theatres and concert-rooms are filled night after night by people who pay to be entertained4 ,they never take food in their pockets1 and the passing to and fro of sellers of refreshment is felt to be a nuisance4 ,why should people who have dined late be supposed to want supper1 unless they have been dancing1 or are sitting up later than is good for them8 ,and the proof that they do not want it is in the very little they take of it1 except some stout elderly ladies who prepared for it before they came1 and who consequently have felt too low all the evening to be moderately cheerful4 ,people who dine early always make a solid tea about six o'clock4 ,it is only the bourgeois class who love their hot suppers1 and the taste stamps them4 ,how can we use hospitality one towards another without grudging1 when1 instead of being able to rejoice that a friend is sharing our daily pursuits and repasts1 we must spend a fortune in jellies1 pastry1 and unwholesome sweets1 whenever we invite our friends inside our doors2 when we are compelled to import from the confectioner piles of plates1 dishes1 and hired cutlery1 turn our houses into scenes of confusion for a week1 and feed our children upon what have been aptly called brass knockers1 the remains of the feast8 ,no wonder most of us dread giving a party6 ,no2 ,i would have special banquets on special occasions--,christmas1 comings of age1 marriages1 silver1 and above all golden1 weddings1 welcomes from abroad1 and other joyful days4 ,but our enjoyment of society need not be limited to such observances as these1 but rather the crop of friendship increased by attentive cultivation4 ,has friendship increased8 asks wise ,sir ,arthur ,helps4 ,anxious as ,i am to show the uniformity of human life1 ,i should say that this1 one of the greatest soothers of human misery1 has decreased4 ,lady ,morgan1 an experienced leader of society1 used to tell me1 ,my dear1 give them plenty of wax-candles and people will enjoy themselves2 to which ,i add1 manage the music well1 and teach your daughters to help you1 and cultivate musical young men1 keeping1 however1 the law in your own hands4 ,almost the only art we have not spoiled by machinery is music--for we do not consider the barrel-organ in the light of music4 ,perhaps it is because in this art we had scope for invention1 not finding a good thing ready made to our hands by the ,greeks1 which we might imitate mechanically1 and become slaves of its tradition4 ,possibly it is a blessing in disguise that the music of the ancients is lost to us1 for having no models we have no fetters4 ,there is1 however1 in music1 less liberty for the performer than for the master-inventor2 and this is as it should be3 we interpret his greater mind4 ,wilful music is seldom pleasing4 ,what ,ruskin says about truth of line in drawing applies equally to music3 ,in the rapid passages of a presto by ,beethoven1 the audience at ,st4 ,james's ,hall would know if ,halle played one single note out1 even if he slightly touched the corner of a wrong black key2 for our ears have been wonderfully trained4 ,and the time must be as accurate as the tone1 and the proper degree of light and shade must be expressed1 or you are no master4 ,what must it be to be the creator of the music which it is so difficult even to copy6 ,yet in our drawing-rooms we permit people to talk all the time music is being played1 showing respect neither to the composition nor to the performer4 ,this should not be1 and abroad this ill-bred custom has not obtained4 ,there is1 however1 something to be said on the other side4 ,the music we hear in society is frequently either flimsy and not worth studying2 or it is too difficult for the capacity of the performer1 perhaps having been learnt in too idle a manner1 in which case conversation shields the composer4 ,but the chief cause of the distressing rudeness complained of1 is that there is too much music at a party1 and it is not well arranged4 ,glees are got up and fail deplorably2 harps and flutes are not in tune with other instruments2 people accompany songs they have never seen before2 and much time and talk are consumed in wishing for absent tenor or bass voices4 ,a little good music would have been delightful2 the noise of so many imperfect efforts is only a bore4 ,in our parties we carelessly lose ,nature's purest delights3 those which appeal most strongly to our finest perceptions4 ,is it not true enjoyment to sit among the roses on a balcony listening to a sweet voice within singing an air of ,schubert or ,mozart8 ,and if the charm be enhanced by moonlight1 it is a pleasure for the gods6 ,it is true that roses will not flourish on ,london balconies1 the coal-smoke being so injurious to them2 but pinks1 and many other fragrant flowers1 grow well and easily1 without the cost of frequent renewal required for roses4 ,the general use of window gardens1 and the due encouragement of greenery over our houses1 would tend much to improve our vitiated atmosphere1 and we may have the gratification of feeling that we are doing good to our neighbours while we cultivate plants for our own benefit4 ,perhaps1 by-and-by1 a tax may be charged upon every empty window-sill4 ,the front and back of every house would make a good-sized bit of garden1 only it will be perpendicular instead of horizontal4 ,we ought all to grow our own pears trained against the walls1 as these ripen as well in town as in the country2 and most of us might dwell under our own vines and fig-trees4 ,a balcony1 however small it may be1 is an extra room1 and frequently it is a good play-room for children if kept clean and well syringed4 ,no training is better for children than the culture of flowers--it unites work and play with every advantage of both4 ,it is an education in itself4 ,mr4 ,gladstone calls the love of flowers a peculiarly ,english taste4 ,he seems to have forgotten the special fondness for plants shown by the ,french and ,belgians2 though the ,dutch tulip mania reminds one somewhat of a commercial speculation4 ,his remarks on the children's flower-show held at ,grosvenor ,house merit particular attention4 ,he observes that owing to the increased value of land1 large masses of the population are removed from contact with nature1 and at this period it is important that every family should learn that they possess a resource in the cultivation of flowers both in their cottages and windows1 and at every point where contact with the open air may be obtained4 ,he hopes that with the needful improvements in the dwellings of the poor1 some means may be devised for fostering cottage horticulture and cottage floriculture4 ,wind and scorching sunshine are the great adversaries to window gardening1 but both of these evils may be obviated by simple contrivances in the way of screens4 ,very few plants can be cultivated in our sitting-rooms with advantage either to themselves or to our furniture4 ,they are greatly injured by gas1 as well as by the dry heat of our fires1 while they cause a dampness in the atmosphere which speedily produces mildew and other ill effects of moisture4 ,we should bear in mind1 in furnishing a drawing-room1 that the guests are the principal part of the furniture1 and leave sufficient space for the number we wish our room to hold4 ,a drawing-room as empty as one of ,orchardson's pictures may be overcrowded by twenty people4 ,the walls may be adorned to profusion with objects of taste1 without their inconveniently occupying space2 but tiny tables and flower-pot stands are often in jeopardy4 ,in a room crowded with furniture the guests cannot circulate--one because there is not space enough to pass between a lady's dress and the small table with a vase upon it that is so likely to be upset2 another because an ottoman just before her keeps her a prisoner on the sofa where she was planted on entering the room--until ladies are thankful to do a little something inaudible at the piano as a pretext for moving1 and gentlemen are only too glad to be required to force a passage in the service of a lady4 ,and this not merely in the absurd and terrible crush at an at home in the ,london season1 but at a simple evening party anywhere4 ,it is often agreeable to have several afternoon tea-tables in the drawing-room1 as the ladies can pair off at each1 and become pleasantly acquainted while serving each other4 ,but in the case of large musical at homes1 it is better to have refreshments served in the dining-room1 as the clatter of spoons and the bustle of waiting disturbs the music2 besides injury being often done by ice plates left about1 tea spilt1 and crumbs trodden into the carpet4 ,we will now leave the subject of parties and study the drawing-room in its ordinary appearance as the sitting-room of the family out of working hours4 ,a drawing-room should be used1 and look as if it were used1 and if used properly it need never be dirty nor in disorder4 ,a library1 or study1 greatly aids the drawing-room by preventing its too indiscriminate use4 ,indeed1 where boys and girls have school-work to prepare1 this is almost a matter of necessity1 as there is neither rest nor comfort for their elders while lessons are going on2 and if other members of the family occupy themselves much in writing or painting1 it is a great hindrance to have to remove their paraphernalia every time the table is required for some other purpose4 ,the room may be called a study1 morning-room1 or library1 according to its purpose1 bearing in mind that although the name is more high sounding1 a library with few books is only ridiculous4 ,and when there are many and good books1 the room must be held in great respect1 and those who use it trained to extreme neatness and order4 ,i find it a good plan to instal my eldest son as responsible librarian at a small salary2 he sees that the younger children put away their books after them4 ,a gas-standard lights a study better than anything else for general use1 though the ,queen's reading lamp is good for weak eyes4 ,the standard must be firm on its base1 so as not easily to upset2 it is less in the way if it stands on the floor rather than on the table1 and it should be capable of being raised to the height of six feet1 or lowered to any point4 ,it ought to be easily movable in any direction1 and the tube long enough to admit of its being placed in any part of the room4 ,the only kind of tubing that really prevents a disagreeable smell escaping from the gas is the snake tubing4 ,i had at first a kind that was dearer than the ordinary india-rubber tubing1 but1 although assured by the gasfitter that it would be inodorous1 ,i was obliged to change it for the snake1 for which ,i paid twelve shillings1 and have had no trouble since4 ,we all know that wax candles are the nicest and most becoming light for a drawing-room2 but they are dear1 and candlesticks1 however elegant1 require frequent cleaning4 ,the commoner kind of candles are greasy1 and grease is very troublesome when it drops about1 though wax and sperm are readily removed by warming the spots4 ,there is a kind of candle called the dropless candle which answers very well to its name4 ,paraffin1 and almost all patent candles1 fill the air with burnt smoke1 and this1 to many people1 is insufferable4 ,sperm candles are preferable to any others for general use at the piano and for bed-rooms4 ,and candles need not be an expensive item when a house is well fitted with gas1 as much music practising may be done by daylight and gaslight2 while in bed-rooms we ought not to require much length of candlelight4 ,there is no need of more than one candle to be carried about1 and that is for the person who turns off the gas to go upstairs with4 ,an ,italian lucerna is a picturesque object for this purpose2 oil is burnt in it--colza will do1 though they burn olive oil in ,italy1 and it gives double the light of colza4 ,on no account use petroleum1 or any of the mineral oils4 ,besides their horrible smell and associations1 all the kinds are more or less explosive1 and for the little use for which we should require lamps1 the difference in cost is trifling4 ,one occasionally sees curious and quaint old iron or bronze candlesticks1 and it is well to seize the opportunity of purchasing such treasures2 but if not fortunate enough to get a better thing1 it is easy to procure one of those funny little brass candlesticks1 in the shape of a frying-pan1 so commonly used in the ,belgian hotels4 ,as there are no servants in our model establishment1 tallow candles need never be bought1 and no candlebox will be required1 nor any kitchen candlesticks1 to be stuck periodically in a row in the fender to melt their grease and solder1 and lose their extinguishers and snuffers4 ,so we see1 even in this small instance1 how a young couple beginning to furnish will want few of these superfluities1 and1 not being compelled to buy common things for servants1 may afford things of choice quality for themselves1 and to these they may add others as time goes on4 ,take1 for another example1 the breakfast-cups2 they may at first buy two very pretty cups and saucers for their own use1 and a third equally pretty for their lady friend1 or help1 as they may like to call her2 and either title is honourable1 only one seems kinder than the other4 ,and so they need not purchase what is called a whole set1 or1 more shopmanly1 a suite1 comprising a dozen of almost everything1 whose chief merit is in its completeness1 of which we tire2 and this merit is destroyed when on breaking one of the two bread-and-butter plates we find it is a last year's pattern1 and cannot be matched at the shop without its being specially made for us4 ,how much more we should be attached to a pretty thing if we could say of it3 ,don't you remember we bought that cup when ,so-and-,so came to stay with us8 ,such associations endow everyday objects with life4 ,the original outlay throughout the house may proceed in like manner1 and spare rooms may be furnished after the other rooms4 ,this would enable more young people to marry1 and they need not go to a shop whose advertisements recommend them to furnish on the three years' system1 by the end of which time they will have paid double the value of their furniture1 and most of it will probably be discarded1 or broken in pieces4 ,perhaps a day may come when nobody will heed an advertisement1 and only look at a circular when they write memoranda on its clean side4 ,then our postmen will be spared the bulk of their work1 which makes it a perpetual ,valentine's-day for them4 ,it is too visionary to hope that our eyes may cease to be distressed by posters blazing everywhere1 or that nearly half of every book or newspaper we buy may not be made up of advertisements4 ,but no more on this irritating topic1 as ,i would only counsel those about to furnish not to be too much tempted with novelties1 especially patent novelties4 ,some of us are beginning to tire of the mediaevalism which was the natural reaction from the preposterous designs of the wall-papers1 curtains1 and other furniture which disguised our rooms--the ridiculous carpets with such patterns as orange-blossoms tied with white satin favours 7,so sweet for a bride71 and rugs with huge blue roses4 ,but we have now gone too far the other way1 and made all our houses like ,high churches1 not permitting even the simplest unconventional design to interfere with the severity of our ,gothic taste4 ,this is a mistake2 for as our houses ought not to be turned into ,greek temples1 as they were in the time of the first ,french ,empire1 as little should they be decorated like ,gothic churches4 ,many styles1 and many beautiful yet diverse objects1 may be made to harmonize by tasteful arrangement2 and this freer latitude is well adapted to our varied moods and our many-sided lives4 ,few people of moderate means can carry out one style in its entirety4 ,i have seen a very handsome drawing-room fitted up perfectly in the ,louis ,quatorze style1 and spoiled by some ,german bead-mats on the table2 and some of the most beautiful upholstery ,i ever saw1 of ,neo-,greek designs painted on straw-coloured satin1 covering chairs of purely ,greek form1 looked droll on a ,brussels carpet with fuchsias upon it4 ,twenty years ago1 people of taste and pretension to archaeological knowledge furnished their houses in the ,elizabethan style1 with the result of uncomfortable furniture abounding in anachronisms4 ,the ,queen ,anne style1 so fashionable at present1 is far better suited to modern requirements than is the ,elizabethan1 which is of necessity kept exclusively ,english4 ,the ,jacobean style too is less rigid1 as we may with propriety consider that much ,french and ,italian elegance had been imported into the court of ,scotland by the two ,french queens and ,mary ,stuart4 ,the possession of a portrait by ,vandyke would be of itself enough to make one wish to furnish a house in the stately and elegant style of his time4 ,although it may not be so pure in taste1 the style of the ,renaissance is eminently adapted for comfortable household service4 ,the delicate arabesques and grotesques followed from ,raffaelle's adornments of the ,vatican are not too precious for use in household decoration--where painting cannot be expected to last as long as pictures framed and out of reach of daily handling--and yet they are graceful enough to refresh without exciting a tired mind4 ,any one possessing artistic taste and some training can work out these fanciful decorations for home gratification1 and being cherished1 they will last three or four times as long as the graining of the house-painter4 ,besides1 and this is a great consideration in cities1 all the majolica ornaments and tiles1 which are so suitable to this style of decoration1 will wash1 and be bright and clear for ever4 ,do not despise the ,renaissance1 for there is much delight in it1 though not of the highest kind4 ,we may keep the higher things for higher uses4 ,a ,brussels carpet of ,persian pattern is very nice for a drawing-room1 as it is unobtrusive1 and yet it is cheerful1 and suits most styles of furniture4 ,this1 like the dining-room carpet1 had better be made with a border1 and so as to allow of a margin of the floor round it being varnished4 ,if edged with fringe its appearance is enriched2 and ,i do not in practice find the fringe inconveniently displaced by ladies' dresses1 nor in dusting1 as ,i feared it might be when ,i added it to a carpet which required enlarging4 ,the remarks on dining-room curtains and rods apply equally here1 as it is of great consequence that the room should be easily cleaned4 ,for a young couple beginning to furnish1 it may be well to have some of the pretty cretonnes for curtains and chair-coverings1 which would last clean and bright while better were being worked on simple materials from patterns1 either original or borrowed from the ,art ,needlework ,society4 ,then the cretonne curtains might be hung in the newly furnished spare bed-room4 ,the chair-coverings would be replaced one by one as others were worked or nice materials met with4 ,in doing fancy-work1 it is better to make one good thing large enough to take a pride in1 than countless little elegances1 such as mats1 antimacassars1 table banner-screens1 etc41 which seldom last long1 and are terribly in the way4 ,the time consumed in making pincushions1 pocket-tidies1 and tiny knick-knacks1 would serve to tapestry a room1 let alone making curtains for it4 ,where there are fine views from the windows1 they are better framed as pictures than curtained4 ,draperies1 if they are very beautiful1 are more favourably displayed when facing the light 7as in the case of portieres7 than at the windows1 where they are liable to fade1 and the light shining through them hides their beauty4 ,draught more often enters from doorways than by the windows2 and in summer doors are often unhung for the sake of coolness and additional space1 and the portieres are comfortable to use on chilly days4 ,venetian blinds are the best of any interior blinds1 though window awnings are much pleasanter in summer4 ,red tammy enriches the colour of the room1 but it is not agreeable to sit long in a room filled with the flame-coloured light1 though this softens as the blinds fade1 which they soon do4 ,yellow blinds are very disagreeable1 and tryingly sunny in summer4 ,blue are as unpleasantly cold1 and make people look like ghosts4 ,white holland gives as soft a light as any1 and if carefully used the blinds will not go awry4 ,green tammy is good1 but it soon fades4 ,with a gas fire there is no occasion for a hearth-rug1 though fur and other large rugs look very comfortable spread before the windows in winter1 and ,indian mats look cool in summer1 and preserve the carpet from fading4 ,in buying furniture it is safer to move cautiously4 ,seize1 by all means1 anything that strikes you as being just the very thing1 the moment you see it1 or it may escape you for ever2 but do not be beguiled into buying a whole suite of everything at once1 because you think you may as well finish the work while you are about it1 but let your taste1 as well as wisdom1 have time to grow4 ,we all know the feeling of vexation we endure when we have committed ourselves to any particular thing1 and find subsequently something which would have suited us very much better4 ,whatever you buy or make1 do not let it be rubbish4 ,things ill considered get dreadfully in our way1 and by-and-by we cannot endure their discordance2 that is1 if they last long enough for us to weary of them4 ,when you purchase anything1 remember that it has to be taken care of and dusted every day1 and the smaller the trifle the more troublesome it is to keep clean4 ,think1 before you buy it1 whether or not you will like it when it is tarnished1 and if you can value it sufficiently to devote thought and a minute of time to it every day for years4 ,we squander our money on frippery--not in dress merely1 but in hideous ornaments for our fire-places1 in antimacassars of disagreeably suggestive name1 in toys and trinkets and imitation rubbish of all kinds1 which encumber our table-surfaces1 and are dust-traps occupying the minds and mornings of our parlour-maids to keep them clean4 ,we spend in this taste-destroying trash the change of the twenty pounds which would have bought one ornament of real beauty1 which would only take the same time to dust as one of the fifty frivolities costing from half-a-crown to seven-and-sixpence each4 ,this is mostly so much waste1 or worse1 because it helps the habit of foolish1 ill-considered spending2 and while we thus bedizen our drawing-rooms1 we render them so uninhabitable that they fall out of use for our own comfort1 and become merely show places for visitors4 ,a long article might be written on dusting4 ,we can hardly have too little of the carpet-broom 7which all housemaids love to use every week to the detriment of our carpets71 and hardly too much of the feather-brush for lightly touching curtains1 walls1 and pictures1 or of the duster for rubbing furniture4 ,if a little is done daily1 furniture will never need polishing1 but will always look bright1 as dust will not have entered the crevices4 ,it is easier1 and also better for the durability of carpets1 to take them up occasionally to be beaten1 and have the dusty floor beneath them cleaned1 than to have everything smothered weekly in the dust raised by the carpet-broom4 ,a pair of steps is necessary in a house where cleanliness is attended to1 to unhang curtains and pictures and replace them after dusting4 ,the walls need to be whisked over weekly with the feather-brush4 ,the elegant china and glass gaseliers which are now so general are easily cleaned with a damp sponge2 those of ,venetian glass are still more beautiful1 and not much more expensive3 these also can be washed with little trouble4 ,adopting the plan of cleaning one room each day1 it will not take a great deal of time1 or cause much fatigue2 while the light daily dusting required is a mere nothing to any one doing it dexterously4 ,i have a great dislike of chiffoniers2 the very name presupposes them receptacles of chiffons and lumber4 ,i cannot see any use for them in a drawing-room4 ,music-books should be in the music-stand1 a lady's work in her work-table1 and books either in use or put away in the book-case4 ,a portfolio-stand is of great service in preserving and displaying drawings and prints which require careful and practised handling4 ,sir ,felix ,slade1 the eminent print-collector1 used to complain that many persons1 especially young ladies1 made a bent mark with their thumbs in the margin of an engraving2 he always insisted on having his prints taken up by what he called their north-west corner1 and carefully laid on the print-stand4 ,a portfolio-stand should have a piece of stuff laid over the books and cases1 wrapped inside the woodwork of the stand4 ,this is easily removed when the stand is in use2 as it is left hanging down on one side1 it keeps much dust from the pictures1 and if of some nice silk or other stuff is ornamental in itself4 ,a sofa with a rack-end to let down at pleasure at any angle is a great convenience1 but such couches are not often made1 unless especially ordered4 ,numerous mirrors injure the repose of a room1 causing bewilderment2 but one or two are pleasing1 as they have the effect of water in a landscape1 repeating the lines and echoing the forms of objects4 ,they also tend to give space1 though not to the same extent as pictures do1 which are the most decorative of all ornaments2 and when they are very good they rank with our most precious possessions4 ,brackets may be appropriately used for ornaments1 such as terra-cotta and others2 a few fine bronzes1 besides being handsome in themselves1 give value to the colouring of a room4 ,,bed ,,and ,,dressing ,,rooms4 ,ventilation--,window curtains and blinds--,bedsteads--,spring mattresses --,towels--,danger of fire at the toilet--,mantelpiece--,pictures and frames--,superfluous necessaries--,taine's criticisms--,aids to reading in bed--,service of the bath--,improvements in washstands--,arranging the rooms--,attics made beautiful--,sick-rooms--,neatness--,disi nfectants-- ,chlorine gas--,condy's solution--,filters--,invalid chairs--,generous efforts of the medical profession to improve the national health4 ,we pass a third of our time in our bed-rooms when we are in health1 and the whole of it when we are ill2 therefore their ventilation and general arrangement demand our most earnest consideration4 ,some bed-rooms are draughty1 occasioning cold and neuralgia1 but the more common fault is that they are not airy enough2 for with our extreme attention to what is called ,english comfort1 we too frequently make our bed-rooms almost air-tight4 ,this causes restlessness by night and headache by day4 ,it were far better to accustom ourselves to sleep with our windows open1 as the night air is not at all injurious in dry weather1 unless an east wind is blowing4 ,we must be guided by the weather1 and trim to the wind2 our feeling will tell us whether we may1 or may not1 safely leave our windows open much more surely than the almanac4 ,the time when windows should be shut throughout the house is when the dew is rising and falling2 then the damp enters and saturates everything4 ,people seldom attend to this point1 but keep their windows open too late in the afternoon1 which in ,italy is recognized as the dangerous time4 ,we have but little malaria in ,england1 but what little there is is at work just before and after sunset4 ,many persons1 too1 who like myself have immense faith in fresh air1 throw open their windows on leaving their rooms in the morning1 regardless of whether the air be dry and warm1 or whether a fog or bitter east wind will penetrate the whole house to damp or chill it4 ,it is more prudent1 in case of bleak or raw weather1 to wait for an hour or two before opening the windows1 ventilation from the door being sufficient for the room while it is empty4 ,it is useless to lay down laws as to the windows in our variable climate4 ,we must work by our natural thermometer1 and let our skin perform one of its most useful functions and tell us whether it is cold or hot2 but if our feelings are uncertain1 give judgment in favour of fresh air4 ,if your rooms have the old-fashioned long and narrow windows which are always found in houses built in the reigns of the early ,georges1 the ,japanese paper curtains1 being very cheap1 are as good as any1 the intention being to drape a skeleton window1 which curtainless is a dismal object4 ,but more modern windows should not1 or at least need not1 have long hanging curtains1 but only just sufficient to cover the window without leaving a streak of light4 ,the drapery may hang from one side or from both1 according to taste2 but unless you are very particular to admit no light in your bed-room1 a mere valance1 or some ornament at the top of the window1 is enough4 ,for instance1 some pretty design in fretwork1 as the tracery of an ,arabian arch1 made of deal an inch thick1 cut out with a steam saw and stained or enamelled black1 would be effective when lined with rose colour1 or any drapery suited to your room2 and you might furnish an appropriate design for the fretwork4 ,this would be easily dusted1 and is not expensive4 ,white blinds are clean and pleasant for bed-rooms1 but dark-green ones are better for persons with weak sight2 either these or ,venetian blinds are very useful where there are no shutters4 ,brass and iron bedsteads have almost entirely superseded wooden ones1 and they are generally made without fittings for curtains4 ,indeed1 in our well-built modern houses there are so few draughts to be guarded against that curtains are seldom necessary4 ,in bed-rooms of the present time valances to the beds are quite superfluous1 as the bed-round is completely out of fashion4 ,this was the name of the breadth of carpet which went round three sides of the bed1 leaving the remainder of the floor bare4 ,the fashion was healthy and economical1 certainly1 but it was tryingly ugly and cheerless4 ,for a bed-room1 nothing is so good as the square carpet1 with a broad margin of the floor stained and varnished1 as this is very easily taken up for the floor and carpet to be cleaned4 ,the carpet must be laid down the first time by a man from the carpet-warehouse1 so that it may be evenly stretched1 which is seldom done by a carpenter2 but after that it is easily spread1 as it remains in shape1 and needs very few nails to keep it in position4 ,bed-room carpets need not have brown paper laid under them1 though this is an advantage in other rooms1 as it keeps dust and draught from coming through the cracks of the floor1 besides saving the carpet from being cut by the edges of the boards4 ,kidderminster carpets are now made in very nice patterns1 and are quite suitable for bed-rooms where ,brussels carpets may be thought too expensive4 ,a hearth-rug is more useful in a bed-room than elsewhere1 as a bed-room fire should be of coal or wood1 and not of gas1 as this is injurious in a bed-room4 ,take care never to let the head of the bed be placed before the fire-place4 ,this is sometimes foolishly done1 and unsuspecting sleepers get neuralgia from it4 ,in summer a pretty pattern1 cut out in tissue-paper so as to resemble lace1 tacked on a slight frame covered with black tarletane1 and fitted into the fire-place1 allows ventilation and keeps out the dust from the chimney4 ,little girls love to cut these fire-papers1 and one of them1 with care1 lasts two summers1 and often three4 ,when there are no bed-curtains1 it is sometimes advisable to line the ironwork at the head of the bed1 so that the sleeper may not be exposed to draught4 ,spring mattresses1 with soft woollen mattresses upon them1 are the most comfortable beds of any2 and ,heal's folding spring mattresses1 though expensive1 cannot be too strongly recommended4 ,these spring beds are so easily made up1 that this is a matter of very trifling consideration in any house where there are two pairs of hands1 children's or grown-up people's4 ,it is necessary to turn back the bed-clothes completely over the foot of the bed1 and leave it to air for an hour1 at least1 after the window has been opened4 ,there is a great fancy now for having trimmed pillow-covers1 and pieces of ornamental needlework to spread over the bed after it is turned down2 the fashion is pretty1 but superfluous1 as a nicely worked counterpane looks equally well1 and need not be folded up at bedtime4 ,towels may1 and should be1 ornamented1 but not so much as to make them inconvenient for use4 ,the collection of linen exhibited by the ,duchess of ,edinburgh gave many of us an interesting lesson in things of this kind4 ,one of the silliest pieces of finery seen in a bed or dressing room is the trimmed towel-horse cover4 ,towels cannot possibly dry if the evaporation is stopped1 and even when the cover is made of thin muslin1 it is only a troublesome frivolity4 ,every lady has her own particular taste about her toilet-table1 so that ,i only give a caution to let it be safe1 and not liable to take fire4 ,we frequently want candles on our dressing-tables2 therefore it stands to reason that the veil often placed over the looking-glass is highly dangerous4 ,this drapery is intended to keep the sun from scorching the back of the glass1 but it is safer to stand the glass elsewhere than in the window when the room is exposed to the midday sun1 although it will not be so pleasant for use4 ,the rose-lined white muslin petticoat which was once such a popular way of concealing a deal dressing-table is highly dangerous4 ,indeed1 it is difficult to conceive any combination more inflammable than the veiled glass set in the midst of cotton window-curtains1 and two candles standing on a cotton toilet-cover1 with a frilled muslin pincushion between them1 and full muslin drapery below4 ,the most convenient table allows the large square-seated stool1 so comfortable to sit on while dressing the hair1 to be pushed under it when not in use4 ,when light ornaments are placed on a bed-room mantelpiece and exposed to a current of air1 it is advisable to have two upright pieces of board1 painted1 cut out1 or otherwise made ornamental1 placed one on each side of the shelf to protect the knick-knacks from being blown down2 and if these are numerous1 one or two shelves may be put above the mantelpiece1 forming a pretty little museum of curiosities which may be too small1 or too trifling1 to be placed with advantage in the drawing-room2 and houses of the class ,i am describing seldom have a boudoir4 ,if the mantelpiece is covered with cloth or velvet1 the shelves and back might be covered with the same1 and this would be very becoming to the ornaments4 ,tunisian or point lace forms a very good edging to a mantelboard1 and when a foot deep1 or nearly so1 it is extremely handsome4 ,water-colour sketches should abound in a bed-room1 souvenirs of places we have visited1 or of friends who have made the drawings1 being doubly enjoyed when we are recovering from illness1 or when we are awake early in the summer morning4 ,sketches are as pleasant as books1 without the trouble of holding them up to our eyes4 ,they should be carefully arranged so as not to look spotty2 and they must be hung flat against the wall by having the rings placed high in the frames1 as1 although it is becoming to the pictures1 the effect of them hanging much forward makes many people giddy1 and in an invalid will sometimes produce a feeling akin to sea-sickness4 ,neatly made frames of the cheap ,german gilding 7which will wash7 answer very well for sketches hung in the less prominent situations in a bedroom1 and bring a luxury within the reach of many who would not otherwise afford it4 ,now ,i am come to the difficult part of my subject--the tug of war1 in fact--for ,i want men to do something for themselves1 and women to do without something dear to their hearts4 ,i think ,i will speak of the latter clause first4 ,in bed-rooms especially is seen that truly ,english love of superfluous comforts which we mistake for civilization3 it meets us everywhere1 in and out of the house1 but it abounds in our bed and dressing rooms4 ,the amount of toilet so-called necessaries is incredible1 and the number of patent objects overwhelming4 ,when we consider that seven things only are necessary to our personal neatness and cleanliness--soap1 sponge1 towel1 and tooth-brush for washing1 and brush and comb and nail-scissors for the rest of the toilet--and then count the other paraphernalia seen in our dressing-rooms1 we shall discover how many frivolous trades our superfluities maintain1 to say nothing of ingenuity misplaced in making advertisements of dressing-cases and hair-restorers conspicuously attractive4 ,the toilet-table is not alone to blame3 the fault pervades the whole house and overwhelms the bed-rooms4 ,m4 ,taine1 in his ,notes on ,england1 amusingly describing an ,english house1 says1 ,in my bedroom is a table of rosewood1 standing on an oilcloth mat on the carpet2 upon this table is a slab of marble1 on the marble a round straw mat--all this to bear an ornamented water-bottle covered with a tumbler4 ,one does not simply place one's book on a table3 upon the table is a small stand for holding it4 ,one does not have a plain candlestick3 the candle is enclosed in a glass cylinder1 and is furnished with a self-acting extinguisher4 ,all this apparatus hampers2 it involves too much trouble for the sake of comfort4 ,this was only a bachelor's room2 what would the ,french critic have thought of the aids to reading in bed in an ordinarily well-appointed bed-room where the master indulges in that practice8 ,by the ,englishman's bedside is also a small table standing on a mat1 and on this table another mat supporting a patent stand which screws up and down1 and on this another mat with a candlestick with a nozzle and a patent protector of the candle from the draught1 a glass shield set in an ormolu frame which has an elaborate screw2 and by the side of the candlestick-stand another mat1 on which is a patent screw for shading the light from the aforesaid candle4 ,then1 besides the extinguisher1 also on a stand and a mat1 and patent matches in a patent box1 he is supplied with a book-rest which will turn in every possible way1 with a patent leaf-turner and leaf-holder1 and a variety of other little conveniences4 ,he only lacks an electric communication between the fire-escape outside and the patent night-bolt on his door1 to prevent him being burnt in his bed1 to make the thing complete4 ,we feel how difficult we have made life by having to put all these indispensables to their intended use4 ,we have multiplied these patent gimcracks until we cannot move without being crushed by our comforts2 and the keeping of all this in order obliges us to have under us a parlour-maid1 an upper housemaid1 and an under housemaid1 to wait upon these inventions4 ,helps1 in one of his essays1 says1 ,i have always maintained that half the work of the world is useless1 if subjected to severe scrutiny4 ,my idea of organization would be to diminish much of this useless work4 ,the same remark applies to our luggage when we travel4 ,we take things fancying4 ,we may want them1 forgetting that it is easier to do without an article once1 than to have the trouble of packing it and looking after it every day2 so we bury our pleasure under a heap of care4 ,i must give another extract from ,taine's description of his bed-room before ,i proceed to my second great battle-field1 where ,i fear a harder contest4 ,after describing his dressing-table1 ,taine goes on to say of his washstand3 ,it is furnished with one large jug1 one small one1 a medium one for hot water1 two porcelain basins1 a dish for toothbrushes1 two soap-dishes1 a water-bottle with its tumbler1 a finger-glass with its glass4 ,underneath is a very low table1 a sponge1 another basin1 a large shallow zinc bath for morning bathing4 ,in a cupboard is a towel-horse with four towels of different kinds1 one of them thick and rough4 ,napkins are under all the vessels and utensils2 to provide for such a service1 when the house is occupied1 it is necessary that washing should be always going on4 ,the servant comes four times a day into the rooms3 in the morning to draw the blinds and the curtains1 open the inner blinds1 carry off the boots and clothes1 and bring a large can of hot water with a fluffy towel on which to place the feet2 at midday and at seven in the evening to bring water and the rest1 in order that the visitor may wash before luncheon and dinner2 at night to shut the window1 arrange the bed1 get the bath ready1 renew the linen2--all this with silence1 gravity1 and respect4 ,pardon these trifling details1 but they must be handled in order to figure to one's self the wants of an ,englishman in the direction of his luxury3 what he expends in being waited upon and comfort is enormous1 and one may laughingly say that he spends the fifth of his life in his tub4 ,men will do much for glory and for vainglory1 even to using cold shower-baths in winter1 and boast of breaking the ice in them2 but ,i never yet heard of a man who would take the trouble to empty his bath after using it4 ,now ,i maintain that every man who has not a valet ought to do this4 ,few men consider the hard work it is to a woman to carry upstairs heavy cans of water2 but that is trifling1 compared with the difficulty to a woman of turning the water out of a large flat bath into a pail4 ,a man would find little difficulty in doing this2 his arms are longer1 his back stronger1 and his dress does not come in the way4 ,when a man likes to have his bath regularly--and who does not8--he should think of the labour that half a dozen or more baths entail1 and in the evening prepare his can of water for to-morrow's use1 place his own bath on his piece of oil-cloth1 enjoy his tub to his heart's content1 pour away the water1 put up his tub1 and say nothing about it4 ,this disagreeable lecture over1 we will go on and see how easy the general dressing-room arrangements might be made4 ,if1 instead of our ordinary washstands with their jugs and basins1 we had fixed basins with plugs in them and taps above1 much of the water-bearing difficulty would be obviated4 ,these washstands should be placed back to back1 as it were1 in every two rooms1 having only the partition-wall between them1 so that the same pipe would supply two taps4 ,i have three sorts of basins in use in my house3 one kind has the ordinary tap and plug1 another kind has handles for supply and waste1 the water being sucked away on turning the waste handle4 ,this is safe for careless people who let rings or any other articles drop in the basin1 and nothing but water can go down to choke the pipe4 ,but the basin ,i find easiest and most pleasant to use1 tilts out the water by lifting a handle1 or rather finger-niche1 in front of the basin2 and when this is let fall it strikes on an india-rubber pad beneath the tap1 so that the basin cannot be cracked4 ,all these different basins are fitted into marble washstands with dishes for soap and tooth-brushes hollowed in the marble1 with holes for drainage connected with the waste-pipe below4 ,these conveniences1 with a housemaid's-closet with sink and tap on the same floor1 save all carrying up and down of pails and cans of water1 and1 in fact1 the heaviest part of a housemaid's work4 ,where the hall is warmed by hot-water pipes1 water from the same source will supply the bedrooms4 ,it will be warm if the first quart is allowed to flow away4 ,or the pipes may be connected with the kitchen boiler1 which1 in the case of our kitchen on the ground floor1 will not be so expensive as where the pipes have to communicate with the basement4 ,supplying the taps is perfectly easy when only cold water is required1 and children and delicate persons may be indulged with jugs of warm water1 which1 however1 every boy using should fetch for himself4 ,we should thus be able to dispense with ewers and toilet-cans1 which would at once pay for the fitting of the pipe and tap to each room4 ,it is better and nicer to use filtered water for the toilet-decanter1 and not water drawn directly from the cistern1 unless it has been tested and found pure4 ,in such a case1 which is rare1 no decanter will be needed1 unless we like to have a ,venetian glass one for the sake of its beauty4 ,let all persons1 in dressing1 replace the things they have used1 and spread their towels on the horse to dry2 then the rooms will be set in order for the day1 only needing the daily dusting1 which will be done after the beds are made4 ,boys and girls who go to school should make their beds before they go1 so they must open them to air immediately they get up4 ,these seem little things3 and so they are unless you neglect them 7,sir ,a4 ,helps74 ,everybody should have his or her own wardrobe1 and keep it in order4 ,men and boys and little children will have everything neatly made and mended for them1 and laid in its proper place2 so all they have to do is to leave the drawers as tidy as they found them1 taking heed not to lose their gloves and neckties2 the larger things take care of themselves4 ,the secret of keeping one's clothes tidy is not to have too many4 ,of course1 where there are no servants to provide for1 the house has fewer rooms than a family of the same size requires in our present experience1 and the uglier part of the house is abolished1 or where not abolished1 is converted from servants' bed-rooms and attics--unpleasant1 dusty1 and ill furnished2 redolent of tallow candle1 shoes1 brushes1 and stale perfumery2 with closed windows and the floor strewn with old letters1 hair-pins1 half-empty matchboxes1 and dogs-eared penny novels--into a bower-like study or morning-room1 where a young lady may entertain herself and her own especial visitors4 ,i have even known an attic in ,baker ,street so converted by the invention and taste of a young lady1 as to live in one's recollection as as pretty a summer room as any country rectory could boast1 by being papered with bright flowery paper all over its sloping roof1 and its window made cheerful with climbing plants and flowers2 tasteful draperies1 a work-table and work-basket in embroidered green satin1 book-shelves carved by friends1 a piano just good enough for practising upon1 and water-colour drawings on the walls4 ,i have known another room1 cheaply fitted up in a ,french style by a ,french lady1 as a dressing-room1 with looking-glass wardrobe and painted furniture4 ,a small bed in an alcove1 in case the room might be wanted as a spare room1 and lace curtains drawn over the alcove4 ,the head of the bed and all its plain wood-work covered in quilted white cotton in large diamonds1 and cross-barred with narrow blue satin ribbon1 and large blue bows here and there4 ,the walls papered with a paper resembling quilted muslin4 ,the effect was soft1 clean1 and extremely pretty4 ,a few words on the topic of sick-rooms before quitting this part of the subject4 ,in cases of severe illness it is advisable to engage a professed nurse4 ,she is a great help to the physician1 and a support to the family1 who too often1 in their love for the sufferer1 overtax their strength1 and break down at the moment this is most required4 ,no person can long sustain night and day nursing1 particularly if to bodily fatigue anxiety and distress of mind be added2 nor can they keep up that appearance of cheerfulness which is such a support to a sick person4 ,it is a great mistake to attempt to do this in any case1 but more especially if it is likely to be a prolonged illness4 ,a sister of mercy is often found a most valuable member of the household under such circumstances4 ,people often talk of not having had their clothes off for a fortnight4 ,one's first thought on hearing this said is1 how glad you will be to take a bath6 ,and one's second thought1 what good did it do the patient8 ,the sick-room should be kept as much as possible in its usual order4 ,the paraphernalia of illness distresses the sick person1 causing nervousness4 ,do not let physic bottles be visible in all directions1 or the patient will never feel well1 and those in attendance will fancy they have caught the infection1 simply because they are nauseated with the smell of the medicines1 and the disagreeable sight of their dregs left about in spoons and glasses4 ,the medicines that have to be given at stated hours should be neatly placed in readiness on a small tray1 near the clock if possible1 so that they may be remembered and the hours observed4 ,keep perfect cleanliness and neatness in the room1 and avoid clatter4 ,wear thin shoes1 and do not let your dress rustle4 ,a woman's hand should at every touch improve or replace something1 so that there may never be a great bustle of setting to rights4 ,we have already spoken at length of ventilation3 in sickness it must be particularly attended to1 as fresh air is the most beneficial of all medicines4 ,at the time of the great cattle-plague1 fumigation with chlorine gas was advocated1 and beneficially employed1 by ,professor ,stone1 of ,owen's ,college1 ,manchester4 ,it is simple for domestic use4 ,one teaspoonful of powdered chlorate of potash should be loosely stirred together with three table-spoonfuls of dry sand in an empty dry pickle bottle2 add to this nearly an ounce of muriatic acid2 stand the bottle on some warm embers in an old ,australian-meat tin1 or other receptacle of this kind1 and place it 7with the embers in it7 on a shelf1 or somewhere high up in the room1 taking care not to scorch the wood-work4 ,the heavy chlorine gas will descend and so fill all parts of the room1 and in about three hours disinfection will be complete4 ,it would be a good thing if district-visitors1 and other charitable persons1 would instruct the clergy and their poor people in such effectual means of stamping out infection4 ,in all hospitals ,condy's solution is placed with the water and towels for the use of the visiting medical men4 ,it is highly advisable to keep this in every house for cleansing and disinfecting purposes1 and for the removal of unpleasant smells4 ,it is useful in cleansing bird-cages and gun-barrels1 in preparing poultry or game1 and in many other ways4 ,the solution may be made at home4 ,the ,british ,pharmacopoeia allows four grains of the permanganate of potash 7the basis of the solution7 to the fluid ounce4 ,it is chiefly for external use4 ,the permanganate of potash is sold in crystals of two kinds3 the most expensive is the purple1 which is used in what is called the ozonized water1 a very weak solution of permanganate1 sold by chemists for toilet use4 ,the cheaper and more general disinfectant is a greenish coarse powder1 sold by any honest chemist at under five shillings a pound4 ,it may be bought of the ,general ,apothecaries' ,company1 #di1 ,berner's ,street1 ,london1 for from three shillings a pound to three-and-sixpence1 as it varies with the market2 and this does as well as ,condy's patent1 and is #ejj per cent4 cheaper1 as fourteen gallons of disinfectant may be prepared from a pound of the powdered crystals1 and these again will be extensively diluted for use4 ,the purple crystals may be bought by the ounce4 ,be cautious in using this fluid1 or the ,condy1 whichever you may happen to prefer1 as it turns almost everything brown that it touches4 ,very deep stains will never come out2 slight stains wash and wear out after a time1 but china and all white ware1 and sponges and brushes1 have their appearance greatly injured by it4 ,bed-room floors may be washed with it2 they will be thoroughly purified1 and the colour will be as if they were stained dark oak previous to being varnished4 ,stains will wear off the hands in a few days1 and a weak solution will not discolour them4 ,the purple fluid is a test of water--if it turns brown the water is impure4 ,it decolorizes on contact with animal matter4 ,it is a useful plan to keep a filter on every floor of a house2 the expense is not very great1 while the increased safety is incalculable4 ,spencer's patent1 or magnetic-carbide1 filter is one of the best4 ,he imitated nature's process when constructing it1 having observed that the purest water filtered through oxide of iron in the earth's strata4 ,two articles of furniture will be found of great use in a sick-room4 ,one is a chair back with bars of broad webbing1 made to lift up and down like the music-desk of a grand piano4 ,this is a most comfortable support to an invalid when sitting up to take food or medicine4 ,when closed flat it will slip easily under the pillow1 and it can be raised gently and gradually to the angle required4 ,the other thing is an arm-chair1 stood and fastened on a board with four ,french castors4 ,this is a great assistance in cases of lameness or extreme weakness1 as it is easy for the invalid to sit on it and be wheeled to any part of the room2 and it costs less than a wheeled chair4 ,none of the learned professions have advanced during the last thirty years so much as the medical4 ,medicine has become a new science since it has taken hold of the sanitary improvement of our towns and dwellings4 ,the profession1 with a disinterestedness and devotion to science worthy of liberal minds1 combines to make the prevention of disease its aim1 even beyond its cure4 ,it forms a noble co-operative society4 ,at the last meeting of the ,british ,medical ,association at ,sheffield1 it was most truly said that independent medical officers of health would before long change the character of disease throughout the nation1 and save future generations much misery4 ,it is to be hoped that the country1 which will reap the benefit of their endeavours1 will strengthen the hands of those whose efforts are directed to raising the standard of national health4 ,,the ,,education ,,of ,,girls4 ,to what age should boys' and girls' education be alike8--,accomplishments fruitlessly taught--,nursery and ,school-room government--,helplessness --,introduction to society--,the convent system--,unhappy results--,scientific education--,geometrical illustration--,religion--,professional life for women--,home training--,varied knowledge--,companionship of a mother-- ,experience--,kindness--,truth4 ,at what age should the training of boys and girls begin to differ8 ,this is a doubtful point1 though we may consider that as1 until about the age of fourteen1 their nature has been much the same1 their strength of mind and body nearly equal1 and their tastes and dispositions much alike1 this may be the time when their training should begin to follow each its own path2 as the boy's strength grows from this time beyond that of the girl1 while she becomes more remarkable for the increasing delicacy of her skill4 ,practically there is a divergence when their clothing begins to differ1 but this is merely artificial4 ,the girl is made to wear finer and more delicate clothing than the boy2 its texture and form impede her movements1 and it is more easily injured by the weather4 ,but where a girl is sensibly dressed1 so that her clothes will not spoil with the rain1 nor prevent her moving her limbs freely1 this diversity between the two disappears4 ,but although it will not harm a girl to share her brother's pursuits till the age of fourteen1 the conditions of her so doing will depend upon circumstances4 ,except in the case of twins1 the boy will be rather older or younger than the girl1 if even she have brothers about her own age at all1 and many accidents will be found to control her education4 ,besides these1 nature works gradually1 and there are seldom abrupt transitions in her processes4 ,the girl's future skill of hand and the boy's strength of arm will be prepared for1 and seen1 in their differences of taste and choice of pursuits and games2 the girl will prefer working for her doll and protecting it from the boy's rough handling1 and the boy will love his bat and knife4 ,he will show his instinct for construction1 and she hers for preservation1 after the first early stage when both alike delight in destruction4 ,here education comes into use1 leading each child to exercise the good instinct instead of its converse4 ,when the conventional proprieties are not allowed to warp the natural taste1 a girl loves running and climbing as well as the boy does3 she likes to collect stamps1 minerals1 fossils1 birds' eggs1 insects1 etc41 fully as much as he does4 ,their favourite books are identical1 their scrap-books equally enjoyed1 the theatre and theatricals at home delighted in by both1 and their pets are much beloved4 ,why1 then1 should we make so much difference between them where ,nature has created none8 ,girls of the upper classes are always at lessons of some kind from six years old to eighteen2 thus they have twelve years of instruction1 and we know that of old a seven year's apprenticeship was held sufficient to make a master in some craft4 ,what do the twelve years do for our girls8 ,does their training enable them to maintain them decently in any one line8 ,what have they learnt1 and what can they do8 ,they have learnt music enough to play a morceau de salon showily1 and the allegretto movement of a sonata stumblingly1 and the latter only because it was thought 'proper' that they should learn 'classical music4' ,but they do not know enough even to learn another morceau de salon without the help of a master1 so of course music cannot be reckoned upon as doing much for them4 ,i place music first1 because the most time has been given to it2 a weary hour every day1 had it not been so broken up by visits to the clock4 ,practical girls grudge this hour wasted on a weakness they are sure to give up when they marry1 for they all think they are as certain to marry as to give up their music4 ,they are healthy and strong and have good voices1 but few of them can do more than incomprehensibly murmur a few lines of twaddle to a feeble accompaniment1 or sing out of all time the top line of a glee1 provided the piano helps them out with the notes4 ,so here is a physical gift thrown aside4 ,can anything be made of that pencil-stroking on buff paper1 with some splashes of white1 which is held to represent a cottage1 flanked on one side by a gate-post which could never have been a good gate-post1 and on the other side by something smeary which is not at all like a tree1 nor any other created thing8 ,every willow-pattern plate has a better landscape on it than that4 ,so there are two hours a week gone1 for the lop-sided chalk head is of no more use to anybody than was the landscape4 ,the girl has been taught ,french and ,german1 but has not learnt enough of either language to enjoy a good book1 or to converse with intelligence in either tongue1 and her stock of dialogue-book phrases is soon exhausted4 ,indeed1 she can hardly talk better in ,english when she gets beyond the depth of drawing-room chatter1 as her knowledge of facts is of a most uncertain sort2 so in general conversation she covers her deficiencies by slang1 which1 although it distresses us1 we forgive in a pretty1 lively girl4 ,she cannot cook1 how should she8 ,she was never permitted to peep inside the kitchen1 but was kept in an upstairs nursery until she was six years old1 under the stultifying dominion of nurse1 whose sole training was ,miss1 ,i'll tell your ma1 when wicked or cruel teaching did not replace this feebleness4 ,when she was promoted to the school-room and made over to the care of the governess1 the system of instruction was little more satisfactory4 ,the list of the ,kings of ,england superseded standing in the corner as a punishment for weariness1 but her chief experience of life was gathered from tales in cheap magazines1 read surreptitiously2 and as she grew older1 the railway novel by a sensational author replaced the serial in the penny paper4 ,the child saw her parents together for a quarter of an hour in the evening1 when she was full dressed to go down to dessert1 and her mother for about five minutes in the course of the morning1 when she came up to the school-room to find fault with the governess for the children's bad grammar1 or awkward behaviour1 on the previous evening4 ,the round of the year brings the sea-side visit4 ,here1 although health is gained1 there is no education beyond lodging-house gossip4 ,the children are put into the train like so many parcels1 and in so many hours are somewhere else2 frocks suited to the sea-side are put on them by the nurse1 but these might have dropped from the clouds1 and the children have been none the wiser4 ,helplessness is the natural outcome of all this4 ,the school-room course begins in about six years to be agreeably diversified by the visits of music and drawing-masters2 which1 if the governess did not sit in the room all the time1 trying to attract their admiration1 would be a really pleasant change4 ,but nothing comes of the lessons beyond the showy morceau de salon aforesaid1 the buff-paper drawing1 and the weak rhyme jingled to an accompaniment in quavers2 except an increase of energy in borrowing1 or hiring1 yellow-covered books revealing stirring impossibilities in the lives of ,edwin and ,angelina1 over which a girl1 according to her disposition1 may weep or rage4 ,for this is the only outlet for her poor imprisoned life1 until1 on her introduction to society1 she is suddenly flung upon the world1 to make her way as best1 or worst1 she can2 and now1 and now only1 does her real education begin4 ,this manner of bringing up our girls differs from the convent system in this1 that it is worldly instead of being religious1 and needlework and confectionery are worse taught2 other things are about equal4 ,both we and our continental neighbours imprison our girls in a school-room or convent for twelve years1 and yet boast of our superiority over the ,turks6 ,after this1 can we wonder at the weakness or the folly of girls1 or be surprised that society is at a dead-lock1 or that our women eat bitter bread8 ,can we marvel that women ruin their husbands by their dress and extravagance2 that they drive them to their clubs for companionship1 and freedom from the wretchedness of home2 that they tyrannize over their milliners1 and are in their turn tyrannized over by their servants2 that their sons drink the brandy and smoke the tobacco of idleness1 and that their daughters grow up the patterns of themselves8 ,only where the mother is passively useless1 the daughter will be actively mischievous2 where the mother was merely frivolous1 the daughter will be actually wicked4 ,does all our boasted culture come to this2 or will ,cambridge examinations and a scientific education set all right again8 ,when an hour a day1 at least1 for twelve years passed in the study of music has failed to implant those habits of accuracy which this beautiful science so pre-eminently combines with sweetness and grace1 is a smattering of geology certain to succeed8 ,will ,greek strengthen the character more than ,german8 ,or is one as likely as the other to puff the mind with conceit1 where it does not equally encourage a deceitful appearance of knowledge4 ,and is the new system better calculated than the old one to prepare girls for fifty years of womanhood8 ,people talk of depth1 as if truth were only to be found at the bottom of a well4 ,what seems most wanted is breadth1 free expansion all round to keep the soul healthy4 ,let every branch have due encouragement to stretch out towards the light1 to receive the shower or sunshine as they come4 ,some careful mothers say1 ,i keep my girls exclusively at 'studies' for the piano2 they make such a good groundwork4 ,this may be so1 but finger training is not everything4 ,the poor girls have had their souls so sickened over melancholy minor meditations1 that their hearts are closed to the tender or joyous melodies of music1 and its rich1 majestic harmonies4 ,point out these things to the young1 who will love them1 at first blindly1 and afterwards with a gradually developing appreciation4 ,here a little1 there a little1 is a true precept in education4 ,a thing can never be completely taught1 for there is infinity everywhere4 ,how rarely we can begin at the beginning1 or even the unit1 of anything2 multiplication and subdivision meet us at both ends1 besides all the collaterals4 ,i have ever observed that those girls who have been the greatest number of years at the same school know the least1 and are the most stupid4 ,it is better to let children go to many different schools in succession1 than to remain long in one3 they gain more experience1 while the chances of their learning evil are the same in both cases4 ,in public schools as boys go up through the forms1 they meet different sets of masters and subjects of study1 so that these are1 in fact1 fresh schools4 ,to use a simile which will be intelligible to this generation1 women have been treated as if they were stones4 ,left shapeless under the school-room prison system1 they are only fit to be broken up for the roads1 as they will fit in nowhere4 ,our well-educated ancestresses1 down to the time of ,hannah ,more1 were formed into cubes1 very solid and steady on either of their bases1 and suitable for many buildings1 though the finer kinds of stone are in this manner misapplied4 ,modern science gives the stones more sides1 and1 while seeming to round them into more adaptable forms1 only produces a number of small facets1 making a somewhat polished dodecahedron1 which rolls about in any position and is of no particular service1 except1 maybe1 to stick upon a gate-post at a girl's school1 though it has given a great deal of trouble in the cutting4 ,but the hourly guidance of the loving hands of father and mother1 aided by raspings and filings of circumstances1 and many blows from chisels more or less severe1 produces at last a beautiful statue1 well shaped in all its parts1 which becomes a perfect and nobly planned ,galatea4 ,what is the best training for girls8 ,that is the question4 ,what are they to be1 or not to be8 ,we have tried hitherto to bring up our girls so that they may be fitted for the high position here that we all wish they may attain1 making their education tend solely to pleasure2 forgetting how easily the nature of woman adapts itself to any superior station1 and how soon it seems like everyday life1 however high the rank or great the wealth to which a girl may be suddenly raised4 ,we teach religion1 when it is taught at all1 under the head of divinity1 at school1 where it is put on a par with the multiplication-table2 or as a series of religious duties1 to be performed once a week and rendered as irksome as possible1 quite ignoring that everything we do is our duty towards ,god1 or towards our neighbour1 which is part of the same duty2 whereas we ought to train our girls for duties here1 and give them joy in preparing for their high position as daughters of ,god in heaven4 ,we should let our divine life so permeate through every hour of our stay here1 that it may be the vivifying light shed upon everything we are concerned with1 making the trifles of this life unfold their beauties1 comforting sadness and gilding poverty1 as the southern sunshine lights up squalid dwellings till they shine like gold and silver1 and makes rags glow with light and colour4 ,our ideas have changed lately1 and now we seem to think that all girls who are not born to high position here must of necessity be trained to professional life4 ,but1 after all1 the demand for certified teachers1 heads of ladies' colleges1 doctors1 and other learned professions1 will never comprise the great bulk of the number of willing workers among the unmarried women of ,england3 nor do these things constitute a quarter of the work to be done4 ,instances of marked talent or decided turn for some particular line of study should be furthered and fostered to the utmost1 consistently with the possibility that after all the vocation may not be carried into effect2 but women are really more valuable1 and more likely to be happy1 in what it is old-fashioned to call the sphere of a home4 ,and this is best prepared for by home training2 which does not mean being pushed aside so as to be out of the way1 and shut up in the nursery or school-room1 but enjoying the companionship of a judicious and sensible mother1 and the freedom of the house--where the child will be taught to behave herself properly1 and be useful and obliging2 where she will have regular hours of study with her mother1 her governess1 or at school1 and yet have opportunities of seeing how everything is managed in the kitchen and throughout the house1 being allowed occasionally to do some little thing herself1 and so acquire some of the needful practice2 where she can be taught needlework and the proper use of many tools2 learn to carve1 to cut bread and butter1 to help dishes neatly at table1 and gain a knowledge of gardening and green-house culture4 ,children should be permitted to look on at the proceedings of all workmen employed in or out of the house3 the glazier1 gasfitter1 gardener1 carpet-stretcher1 carpenter1 locksmith1 and piano-tuner2 the exceptions being the dustman and the sweep1 because of the dirt4 ,how much money might be saved in a house if people understood the use of a few tools1 the construction of a few fittings1 or could take a piano to pieces and tune it4 ,if a bell-wire is broken1 a man is sent for2 he charges half a day's work and some materials1 and generally makes a little bit of work for some other tradesman1 whereas a knowledge of how to unscrew and take off the bell-cover would often enable a piece of copper wire to be joined1 and the bell set in order4 ,how often people fail to force down a window whose weights are just over-lapping1 where a blow with a mallet on the shutterbox would have shaken them into their places2 or1 failing that1 the box containing the sash-weights might be opened by taking off the beading near the window-sash1 the cords and weights put straight1 and the beading replaced by hammering the brads4 ,but no2 we send for a man4 ,our water-pipes burst in winter1 because during a hard frost we have not taken the precaution to turn the taps so that a few drops may pass to relieve the pressure in thawing4 ,we cannot even frame and hang up a picture when we have painted it1 or cover a chair with the piece of needlework we have made4 ,we do not know how to renew the cord of a spring blind1 nor many a little thing besides2 and yet any one who keeps a house in order knows how constantly these things are recurring1 and what a source of expense they are4 ,girls should be taken out shopping that they may learn the names and qualities of things1 the quantities of material required for different purposes1 and the value of money4 ,the knowledge of how much it costs to clothe a child will teach them more practical arithmetic than any amount of extraction of the square root1 and give an interest to their tables of weights and measures besides4 ,let ,euclid be learnt by all means1 if desired2 but if it is only done for the sake of training1 and not to aid some particular purpose1 as good1 if not as exact1 training may be found in some study leading to a pleasing result1 such as music1 drawing1 or knowledge of architecture1 as from the pure mathematics4 ,let the girls learn to fit their clothes exactly1 estimate the needful quantity of material1 and calculate the cost of the quality4 ,when the mother is considering the size and price of a new carpet1 if she consult with her daughters about it1 it will help their judgment at the same time that it improves their arithmetic4 ,let girls learn to write notes of invitation and letters of business1 and write orders to tradespeople2 let them accompany their parents on house-hunting expeditions--it is a school in itself--or when furniture is bought4 ,elder girls may go with their mothers when they are treating for schools for little brothers1 and when servants are hired1 or evening parties catered for2 when lodgings are taken for friends1 and a thousand and one other circumstances4 ,it is all experience1 and of the kind those girls never gain who are always at school-work2 so that those who have not this knowledge begin life many years behind the home-trained girls1 and commit many follies owing to their want of it4 ,it need not be feared that this experience will destroy a girl's charm of manner4 ,ignorance is not simplicity1 nor silliness a grace1 neither are awkwardness and affectation as dignified as self-possession4 ,i would on no account depreciate the efforts made for the higher education of women4 ,no one rejoices more than ,i do at seeing things more thoroughly taught4 ,still1 we cannot rest content with crumbs of science2 female education must be filled with the milk of human kindness4 ,it is not the nature of woman to stand ,alp-like alone1 with one peak seeming to pierce the heavens2 she should be like the spreading tree which gives shelter and enjoyment to all within its influence1 its roots being firmly fixed in the good ground4 ,the nursery training for children is merely repressive4 ,they are told not to be naughty1 not to be greedy1 not to break their toys1 not to be noisy4 ,whereas a teaching more calculated to develop their intelligence would substitute some interesting occupation to counteract their naughtiness2 such as mending a toy they have broken1 which would delight them more than any new toy2 and having seen the trouble it took to mend it1 and the time it took to dry it1 they would learn carefulness4 ,if they wish to shout at inconvenient times and places1 teach them to sing a chorus1 and if the noise is too great1 let them sing one at a time4 ,if they are greedy1 which often means hungry1 for children need frequent feeding1 give them a piece of bread4 ,but although tender kindness is the best of nurture1 on no account let it degenerate into weak indulgence4 ,compel instant obedience to the slightest word1 the minutest direction1 enforcing habits of attention and discipline4 ,never let children be obtrusive or feel that they are a power in the house2 and require of them the utmost respect to elders4 ,the good example of parents is the safeguard of the children4 ,if they show reverence to all that is lovely1 children will do so too4 ,above all1 parents should never break a promise1 nor ever deceive their children1 even in play1 or children will not honour their word4 ,i do not like to see mothers or nurses take away from a child something they do not wish it to have1 and hide it1 and pretend not to know where it is gone2 yet this is a very favourite form of play1 and deemed quite innocent4 ,surely it were better kindly1 but firmly and openly1 to remove the object and turn the attention from the loss4 ,i hope these few remarks will be found useful4 ,i have tried to keep them brief1 but in writing on so important a topic as that of education1 it is difficult to bear in mind the clever old ,french saying1 ,woe to him who says all that can be said4 ,,sunday4 ,children's ,sundays made wearisome--,sunday precious to workers--,moral workers--,moral vices--,our gifts--,misuse of them--,necessary work on ,sunday--,diminished by management--,sunday prevents us living too fast--,the rest must be earned--,sunday repairs the human machine4 ,do not let ,sunday be turned into a day of dread to the children4 ,it is the day which the ,lord has made2 we will rejoice and be glad in it4 ,for years ,i lived in terror of the ,sunday1 and ,i feel for children who1 being brought more into the presence of their elders on that day1 are consequently more exposed to reproof for their natural animal spirits1 which are trying to jaded and irritable persons4 ,an only child1 ,i was taken twice a day to a church built in the dismal style of the reign of ,george ,,iii41 and put into a high pew1 shut up in a cupboard1 as ,i have heard a little child express it1 where ,i could only see a frightful ornament like a row of teeth in painted woodwork that ran round the upper part of the church4 ,i sat contemplating this through the long low church service and sermon1 of which ,i was too young to understand a word4 ,the remainder of the day was filled up with collect1 epistle1 and catechism1 ,bible questions to write and answer1 the text to remember1 hymns to repeat to visitors1 and a prolonged dessert1 with half a glass of sherry1 which was like a dose of physic to me4 ,the ,life of ,joseph was my only recreation4 ,too often is ,sunday given up to the display of toilet vanities out of doors and listlessness at home4 ,those who have been really working during the week know well what a blessing the ,sunday rest is4 ,those who have been idle cannot expect to feel this1 and they experience such a flatness in the quietly kept ,sunday that they regard it as a weekly penance which interrupts their pleasures4 ,but they ought not to have allowed themselves to get into this condition of feeling4 ,there is work for all in the world2 none but the dead have a right to be idle4 ,as ,kingsley justly asks3 ,if vanity1 profligacy1 pride1 and idleness be not moral vices1 what are8 ,what is more common than to find pride and vanity leading our women to idleness1 and that extravagance and craving after gaiety which are the feminine form of profligacy8 ,and ,kingsley goes on to show that beneath these vices1 and perhaps the cause of them all1 lies another and deeper vice--godlessness1 atheism4 ,i do not1 continues he1 mean merely the want of religion1 doctrinal unbelief4 ,i mean want of belief in duty1 in responsibility4 ,want of belief that there is a living ,god governing the universe1 who has set us our work1 and will judge us according to our work4 ,why are our noble gifts given to us2 such gifts as these-- ,the reason firm1 the temperate will1 ,endurance1 foresight1 strength1 and skill4 ,is it that we may become tolerably harmless dolls8 ,how shall we answer for having used our endurance only so much as may make us wait with common patience for next month's number of ,belgravia2 our foresight in choosing a pattern for a mantle which shall be fashionable enough to be worn next autumn2 our skill in crochet-work1 and our strength in skating on the outside edge4 ,no wonder we do not value the ,sunday rest4 ,we know that heavenly mansions are being prepared for us to enjoy the heavenly rest in1 and that we must prepare ourselves for these mansions1 or we shall not be permitted to enter them4 ,then let us take pains to prepare our earthly houses for the right use of the day of rest1 and be able to go up to the house of the ,lord with the multitude that keep holy-day4 ,we should so put our houses in order on ,saturday that we may really be able to rest on ,sunday4 ,some works of necessity must be done1 such as the dinner prepared2 but by dining early1 and doing as much as possible on the previous day towards its preparation1 the labour may be reduced to a minimum4 ,there will be no needlework1 no cleaning or dusting1 no marketing to be done on ,sunday4 ,pies and tarts should have been made on ,saturday1 a double quantity of potatoes and other vegetables prepared1 and a general foresight used4 ,sunday is a good day for sending out a large joint to be baked1 and a pudding also2 indeed1 this seems the opportunity for the national roast beef and plumpudding dinner4 ,so that1 in fact1 beyond laying the cloth and removing the things used at meals1 there is absolutely no work to be done beyond the five minutes' daily occupation of each person in making his or her own bed1 as the re-arrangement of the used dinner things may be left till the following morning4 ,the table is cleared as if by magic1 if every child is told to put in its place two things1 or three things1 according to the number of things used and the number of children to put them back4 ,each person replaces his or her own chair1 and the ,sunday work is over4 ,life is not so hard to us as it was to the country squire's wife half a century ago1 who always gave her servants physic on a ,sunday because it was no loss of time4 ,to us the ,sunday is very helpful in another way3 it keeps us from living too fast2 without this wholesome stop we might drive ourselves on to frenzy4 ,many if not most of us feel lazy and desultory on ,monday morning 7which therefore had better be employed on some kind of desultory and irregular work71 and we only get ourselves warm in the harness by the middle of the week4 ,we go on working with gradually increasing excitement until ,saturday night1 when some sensible friend hints that it is too late to make a bad week's work good2 precious ,sunday comes to ease the strain1 and the human machine is oiled and cooled4 ,let us be diligent during the week1 and lengthen our days by beginning them earlier1 so as to do most of our work in the morning2 then with a clear conscience we may leave off our play as early as we please and go to rest3 we shall enjoy the ,sunday repose which we have earned1 and find ourselves refreshed instead of wearied by it4 ,i will conclude this essay in the words of ,macaulay--words which he considers among the very best he ever wrote4 ,man1 man is the great instrument that produces wealth4 ,the natural difference between ,campania and ,spitzbergen is trifling when compared with the difference between a country inhabited by men full of bodily and mental vigour1 and a country inhabited by men sunk in bodily and mental decrepitude4 ,therefore it is that we are not poorer but richer1 because we have1 through many ages1 rested from our labour one day in seven4 ,that day is not lost4 ,while industry is suspended1 while the plough lies in the furrow1 while the ,exchange is silent1 while no smoke ascends from the factory1 a process is going on quite as important to the wealth of nations as any process which is performed on more busy days4 ,man1 the machine of machines1 the machine compared with which all the contrivances of the ,watts and ,arkwrights are worthless1 is repairing and winding up1 so that he returns to his labours on the ,monday with clearer intellect1 with livelier spirits1 with renewed corporal vigour4 ,never will ,i believe that what makes a population stronger and healthier and wiser and better can ultimately make it poorer4 ,if ever we are forced to yield the foremost place among commercial nations1 we shall yield it not to a race of degenerate dwarfs1 but to some people pre-eminently vigorous in body and in mind4 ,,the ,,end4 ,,printed ,,at ,,the ,,caxton ,,press1 ,,beccles4