03 1 m THINGS WORTH KNOWING: A BOOK \ k DISCLOSING IN VALUABLE INFORMATION, RECEIPTS AND INSTRUCTION, IN THE USEFUL AND DOMESTIC ARTS, EVERYTHING OP WHICH IS OF PRACTICAL use to everybody, new YO HENRY STEPHENS v ONE THOUSAND \ THINGS WORTH INFORMATION, RECEIPTS AND INSTRUCTION IN THE USEFUL AND DOMESTIC EVERYTHING OP WHICH IS OP PRACTICAL USE r U NEW YORK: HENRY STEPHENS, PUB 0T> I CONTENTS A TI T OF DRESSMAKING, • * * ART OF GOOD BEHAVIOR, ...••• HOW TO GET RICH, ON THE CHOICE OF MEATS' ND HOW TO COOK THEM, ON THE TREATMENT OF >'* ANTS, * DISEASES OF THE HAIR, • the art of carting, ••••-"* OX WARTS AND CORVS, AND HOW TO COKE THEM, . ON MAKING THE CANARY-BIRD ANCIER, • • * THE ETIQUETTE Olr COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE, * * HYDROPATHY, OR THE WATER CURE, THE ART OF CONVERSATION, . • COOKERY FOR THE SICK ROOM, ‘ RESPECTING CLOTHING, • ON THE CARE OF FURNITURE AND HOUSE-KEEPING ARTICLES, . CO MAKE CHEAP AND WHOLESOME DRINKS POR WARM WEATHER, TO MAKE SWEETMEATS AND PRESERVES, THE NURSE’S MANUAL, MEDICAL PREPARATIONS, * ^HE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL, • * THE INVALID’S MANUAL, ..•••* "TIE YOUNG MAN’S MANUAL, HINTS ON ETIQUETTE, HOW TO WIN A SWEET HEART— TRUE AND ONLY METHOD, . HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL, . • « e * EMPLOYMENT FOR EVERYBODY, OB ** r 5 11 18 21 26 30 34 41 44 55 61 69 76 80 82 85 90 91 95 102 105 118 125 128 129 l * 1 THE AKT OF millinery and dressmaking. SSO’VET "2*0 IMr A-IEsr-ig’; XKEUS&SfiSL :£S$/S?J3£?s Sr3 cmteriaUf that width,' will hJ found suffident “ enn °’ " a “ y ° ther Cutting Out book of the month, and s Ldy i* a littlo 3n ^, therefore get a f ashion of the bookstores It w i tJn V -r , The Y are to be had at any flounces, are cut on t, dgh/way /thlmaterial’ ov'Tt "h™ may mLT^'th B bVSlSe“°““ ^ ^ dr ® ssed ’ tha * you is made, supposiL V- 1 tl0a you can observe how her dress makingofadrm Fash?on1« - W a ! read y. something about the less change than' man™* * Denary idea, and there is much material. Sp0llt by bemg overloaded with trimmings or Waist or Body. 1. tl te ou f ,nl1 ; -a. .tout p™ it - *— fc 232 6 THE ART OF MILLINERY xAND DRESSMAKING. be even •• do not draw the hand too*tight. If you have no paper pattern that fits, unpick half an old body that fits well 5 lay your new lining on your cutting board, with an old body on top of it, and with your piercer prick through both, in the old stitches of your body pattern ; prick them well , as the marks are apt to rub out 5 tack all the body well in the holes round it, before you begin, and be very careful to stitch your body to the tacking thread ; take care and attend to this. Five out of six persons have their dresses made too tight across the chest ; it is a sad fault ; I have many times seen waists out of reason in length, and the front two inches too narrow ) if a penknife were run up the middle, it would burst open ) when I have had occasion to do it, I have never found any one willing to have the seam sewn up again ; and I feel convinced, that any lady, once wearing an easy dress, would never go back to a tight one; to say nothing of its being healthy and beautiful. Great care must be taken with the arm-holes ; do not make them too large or too small 5 thirteen inches is a nice size for a person not more than twenty-four inches in the waist ; fourteen inches is a large size, only required for stout persons. If you have to alter the arm-hole, never do it under the arm ; in nine cases out of ten, it will spoil the dress, and it takes away the free use of the arm ; a very small piece cut off round the arm-hole, except underneath, will be all that is necessary. Do not forget, your sleeve must be larger than the arm-hole an inch and a half ; when put in, it never looks the least full, and sets better. The seam of your sleeve must not be even with the seam of your body, but half an inch in front of it. In cording the neck, do not stretch it ; hold the cord tight. The waist must, on the contrary, be pulled well, when the cord is put on, or it will never fit ; it requires much stretching. The fit of the body often depends on the finishing of the waist. In putting on a waistband, let it be larger than the body ; the fashion at the present moment, I am glad to say, is not carried to the extreme ; the waists are moderate in length, and I do hope sensible women will cease to think tight waists are an ornament. Nothing is so beautiful as nature, if we will only let it alone ; it is presumption to think we can improve it ; so much has been said by all our clever physicians on this subject, that more than a passing remark from me, will be unnecessary. It is a common error to make the backs of a dress of a different size ; both halves should be of the same size ; as one comes under, and the other over, they must of course wrap equal, and certainly require to be both alike. Put the hooks not more than one inch apart, and a quarter of an inch from the edge of the back. If the dress fastens in front, make the fastenings the same ; and I think a hem down the back, a decided improve- ment ; it takes off the width of the back, for narrow backs and wide chests are what is considered right. In gathering a body at the waist, if it is at all thick material, guage it with strong silk or thread and large stitches, for it is a small compass it has to be put in ; all full bodies are made with quite a straight piece of material, the art of millinery and dressmaking. 7 twenty inches long, and eighteen wide : this is half the front • gather it straight at the bottom, and then place it on ycur tight lining; fix it firmly, and then gather it at the shoulder Tit mind and do the bottom guagmg first; to make a body with folds still have your material twenty inches long, and nineteen wide • the sebage must reach from waist to shoulder. Have the piece' on a table before you, and make about four folds quite straight ? W tpi on your lining, push them close together at the waist and'pull them wS“' f *r d ~ \ d »« ietii * which is too frequently the case, and always will, as a matter of course set badly ; do not put your folds into th^ neck let then. th l sh ° ulder ’ lt; widens the chest; they had better be laid a little on the sleeves, than pushed all towards the neck In making your body lining ready to put on the part be careful it is iriu““L“kt™, lh i *°1 ”“ d ,0m bod ! r " I1 “ l ■»•■*> *» v'ell on . tlmt is, if your body is lined with white, which it certainlv p.r.r w« T de Tr ed fit a with S ’ Eve dreS l d ° e l 'I" fit Dicely wi thout bone, it wuTnever be sure to give ease in the arm-hole, and width on the chest ’ Sleeves: How to make them. seem volf cfnT™’ T* °"? S °? d P attern > strange as it may VouT’ sleeve a lhS 6aSI J m *.f x different fashions by cutting youi sleeve a little longer or a little shorter, and putting on differ- thL We 1Dg The r l S SOm V n a > nd at the wrist, or leaving ner I iefs are of white linen. If fig- nrpd or bordered, it should be very delicately, Gloves are worn in the street, at church, and places of amusement. Tt is not enough to carry them — they are to be worn. Ladies are Allowed to consult fancy, variety, and ornament, more than men, yet nearly the same rules apply. Itisthemarkofa lady and produces many others. No woman who laces tight can h g @ & shoulders, a straight spine, good lungs, sweet breath, or Wi ThTmos°t h dJgant dresses are black or white. Common modesty will prevent indecent exposure of the shoulders and bosom. £ — — «* - “ b».h d » s best dressed when you cannot remember how they Avoid everything out of the way, uncommon, or grote-q (3.) Behavior in the Street. When you meet a gentleman with whom you^are acquainted, y u 14 ART OF GOOD BEHAVIOR. DOW, raising* your hit slightly with the left hand, which leaves your right at liberty to shake hands if you stop. If the gentleman is un- gloved, you must take off yours, not otherwise. Meeting a lady, the rule is that she should make the first salute, or at least indicate by her manner that she recognizes you. Your bow must be lower, and your hat carried further from your head ; but you never offer to shake hands ; that is her privilege. The right, being the post of honor, is given to superiors and ladies, except in the street, when they take the wall, as farthest from danger from passing carriages, in walking with or meeting them. , In walking with a lady, you are not bound to recognize gentlemen with whom she is not acquainted, nor have they, in such a case, any right to salute, much less to speak to you. Whenever or wherever you stand, to converse with a lady, or while handing her into or out of a carriage, keep your hat in your hand. I Should her shoe become unlaced, or her dress in any manner disor- I dered, fail not to apprise her of it, respectfully, and offer your assist- ance. A gentleman may hook a dress or lace a shoe with perfect ' propriety, and should be able to do so gracefully. Whether with a lady or gentleman, a street talk should be a short * one ; and in either case, when you have passed the customary com- pliments, if you wish to continue the conversation, you must say. j “ Permit me to accompany you.” i Don’t sing, hum, whistle, or talk to yourself, in walking. Endeavor, 1 besides being well dressed, to have a calm, good-natured countenance. A scowl always begets wrinkles. It is best not to smoke at all in public, but none but a ruffian in grain will inflict upon society the I odor of a bad cigar, or that of any kind on ladies. Ladies are not allowed, upon ordinary occasions, to take the arm of any one but a relative or an accepted lover in the street, and in the day time ; in the evening — in the fields, or in a crowd, wherever she may need protection — she should not refuse it.* She should pass her hand over the gentleman’s, arm, merely, but should not walk at arm’s length apart, as country girls sometimes do. In walking with a gen- tleman, the step of the lady must be lengthened, and his shortened, to prevent the hobbling appearance of not keeping step. Of course, the conversation of a stranger, beyond asking a necessary question, must oe considered as a gross insult, and repelled with proper spirit. (4.) Visiting. Of course, you ring or knock, and await the opening of the door. When this is done, you ask for the mistress of the house, not the master. Should she be not at home or engaged, you leave your card, where cards are used, or y:ur compliments. Where there are several ladies I in the family, you may ask for the ladies. Where people dine early, I calls are not made until some time after dinner — in cities they are made from eleven till three. You leave overcoat, cane, umbrella, &c., and, if the call is of any length, your hat, in the entry. A graceful bow, a pleasant smile, aR ART OF GOOD BEHAVIOR. 15 easy way of paying the customary compliments, and suiting them to each person, no lesson can teach. In the presence of ladies, you are onty silent when listening to them. You never yawn, nor lounge on your seat, nor interrupt, nor contradict, but by insinuation — you never tell unpleasant news, nor make ill-timed observations. Study to please, by a respectful demeanor and an easy gayety. Never be rude or boisterous or presuming. In short, it is much easier to tell wha* you should not do, than what you should — but there is one important direction, “ never wear out your welcome.” It is well to know how to enter a room, but it is much better to know when and how to leave it. If you have made a good impression, a long story may wear it cff— if a bad one, being tedious only makes it worse. Don’t stand hammering and fumbling, and saying, “ Well, I guess I must be go- ing.” When you are ready, go at once. It is very easy to say, “ Miss Susan, your company is so agreeable, that I am staying longer than I intended, but I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you soon again ; I wish you a good morning ;” and, bowing, smiling, shaking hands, if the hand be proffered, you leave the room, if possible with- out turning your back ; you bow again at the front door, and if any eyes are following you, you still turn and raise your hat in the street. (5.) Introductions. The rule is, never to introduce one person to another without know- ing that it is agreeable to both. Ladies are always to be consulted beforehand. Gentlemen are to be introduced to ladies, not ladies to gentlemen. In other cases, the younger to the elder. Where per- sons are equal, we “ introduce” them. Where there is much differ- ence in age or station, we “ present. 9 ’ A common form is, “ Mr. Jones, Mr. Smith — Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones.” Messrs. Jones and Smith bow, shake hands, express their happiness at being made acquainted with each other. When more ceremony is required, the introducer says, “ Miss Smith, permit me to introduce Mr. Jones to your acquaintance,” or, “ allow me to present.” Coffee-house, steamboat, and stage-coach acquaintances last only for the time being. You are not obliged to know them afterwards, however familiar for the time, no more than a lady is required to recog- nize a gentleman with whom she has danced at a public ball. (6.) Behavior at Dinner. There is no situation in which one’s breeding is more observed, than at the dinner-table ; our work would therefore be incomplete without the proper directions as to its etiquette. If there are ladies, gentlemen offer their arms, and conduct them to the dining-room, according to their age or the degree of respect to be shown them. The lady of the house sits at the head of the table, and the gentle- man opposite at the foot. The place of honor for gentlemen is on each side of the mistress of the house — for ladies, on each side of the master. The company should be so arranged that each lady will have 16 ART OF GOOD BEHAVIOR. some gentleman at her side to assist her. Of course it is every gen- tleman’s duty, first of all to see that ladies near him are attended to. When napkins are provided, they are at once carefully unfolded, and laid on the knees. Observe if grace is to be said, and keep a proper decorum. If soup is served, take a piece of bread in the left hand, and the spoon in the right, and sip noiselessly from the side of the spoon. Do not take two plates of the same kind of soup, and ! never tip up the plate. When regular courses are served, the next dish is fish. If silver or I wide-pronged forks are used, eat with the fork in the right hand — the I knife is unnecessary. Next come the roast and boiled meats. If possible, the knife should never be put in the mouth at all, and if at all, let the edge be turned I outward. Anything taken into the mouth not fit to be swallowed, I should be quietly removed with the fingers of the left hand, to that side of the plate. The teeth should be picked as little as possible, and I never with the fork or fingers. Carefully abstain from every act oi j observation that may cause disgust, such as spitting, blowing the nose gulping, rinsing the mouth, &c. Should a gentleman send you wine at a public table, or ask the honor of a glass with you, observe when he raises his glass, and do the same, bowing, whether you. drink or not. When the ladies leave the table, which they do together at the sig- nal of the mistress of the house, the gentlemen rise and conduct them to the door of the apartment, and then return to the table. This is in formal parties. If at dinner you are requested to help any one to sauce, do not pour it over the meat or vegetables, but on one side. If you should have to carve and help a joint, do not load a person’s plate — it iswulgar: also in serving soup, one ladleful to each plate is sufficient. Eat peas with a dessert spoon ; and curry also. Tarts and pud- dings are to be eaten with a spoon. As a general rule, in helping any one at table, never use a knife when you can use a spoon. Making a noise in chewing, or breathing hard in eating, are both unseemly habits, and ought to be eschewed. I Never pare an apple or a pear for a lady unless she desire you, and then be careful to use your fork to hold it ; you may sometimes offer • | to divide a very large pear with or for a person. At some tables, large colored glasses, partly filled with water, with a bit of lemon, are brought when the cloth is removed. You dip a corner of your napkin in the water, and wipe your mouth, then rinse your fingers and wipe them on your napkin. The best general rule for a person unacquainted with the usages of society, is to be cautious, pay attention, and do as he sees others do, who ought to know what is proper. Most of our blunders are the re- sult of haste and want of observation. (7.) On Conversation . The object of conversation is to entertain and amuse. To be agree- able, you must learn to be a good listener. A man who monopolizes a conversation is a bore , no matter how great his knowledge. ART OF GOOD BEHAVIOR. 1 / Never get into a dispute. State your opinions, but do not argue them. Do not contradict, and, above all, never offend by correcting mistakes or inaccuracies of fact or expression. Never lose temper — never notice a slight — never seen conscious of an affront, unless it is of a gross character, and then punish it at once. You can never quarrel in the presence of ladies, bit a personal indignity may be avenged anywhere . You are not required to defend your friends in company, unless the conversation is addressed to you ; but you may correct a statement Oi fact, if you knovj it to be wrong. Never talk at people by hints, slurs, innuendoes, and such mean de- vices. Jf you have anything to say, out with it. Nothing charms more than candor, when united with good breeding. » Do not call people by their names, in speaking to them. In speak- ing of your own children, never “ Master” and £< Miss” them — in speaking to other people of theirs, never neglect to do so. It is very vulgar to talk in a loud tone, and indulge in horse-laughs. Be very careful in speaking of subjects upon which you are not ac- quainted. Much is to be learned by confessing your ignorance — nothing can be by pretending to knowledge which you do not pos- sess. Never tell long stories. Avoid all common slang phrases and pet words. Of all things, don’t attempt to be too fine. Use good honest English — and common words for common things. If you speak of breeches, shirts, or petticoats, call them by their right names. The vulgarity is in avoiding them. (8.) General Rules of Behavior. Having dressed yourself, pay no farther attention to your clothes. Few things look worse than a continual fussing with your attire. Never scratch your head, pick your teeth, clean your nails, or, worse than all, pick your nose, in company ; all these things are disgusting. Spit as little as possible, and never upon the floor. Do not lounge on sofas, nor tip back your chair, nor elevate your feet. If you are going into the company of ladies, beware of onions, spir- its, and tobacco. If you can sing or play, do so at once when requested, without re- quiring to be pressed, or making a fuss. On the other hand, let your performance be brief, or, if never so good, it will be tiresome. When a lady sits down to the piano forte, some gentleman should attend her, arrange the music stool, and turn over the leaves. Meeting friends in a public promenade, you salute them the first time in passing, and not every time you meet. Never tattle, nor repeat in one society any scandal or personal matter you hear in another. Give your own opinion of people if you please, but never repeat that of others. Meeting an acquaintance among strangers, in the street or a cof- fee-house, never address him by name. It is vulgar and annoying. 18 HOW TO GET RICH. HOW TO GET RICH. What will my reader give to know how to get rich ? Now, I wil not vouch that the following rules will enable every person who may read them to acquire wealth, but this I will answer for, that if ever "a man does grow rich by honest means, and retains his wealth for any length of time, he must practise upon the principles laid down in the following essay. The remarks are not original with me, but I strongly commend them to the attention of every young man, at least as afford- ing the true secret of success in attaining wealth. A single perusal of such an essay, at an impressible moment, has sometimes a very wanderful effect upon the disposition and character. Fortune, they say, is a fickle dame — full of her freaks and caprices ; who blindly distributes her favors without the slightest discrimination. So inconstant, so wavering is she represented, that her most faithful votaries can place no reliance on her promises. Disappointment, they tell us, is the lot of those who make offerings at her shrine. Nov/, all this is a vile slander upon the dear blind lady. Although wealth often appears the result of mere accident, or a for- tunate concurrence of favorable circumstances, without any exertion of skill or foresight, yet every man of sound health and unimpaired mind may become wealthy, if he takes the proper steps. Foremost in the the list of requisites, are honesty and strict integ- rity in every transaction of life. Let a man have the reputation of being fair and upright in his dealings, and he will possess the confi- dence of all who know him. Without these qualities, every other merit will prove unavailing. Ask concerning a man, “ is he active and capable?” Yes. “Industrious, temperate, and regular in his habits ?” O, yes. “ Is he honest ? is he trustworthy ?” Why, as to that, I am sorry to say that he is not to be trusted ; he wants watch- ing ; he is a little tricky, and will take an undue advantage, if he can, “ Then I will have nothing to do with him will be the invariable reply. Why, then, is honesty the best policy ? Because, without it, you will get a bad name, and everybody will shun you. A character for knavery will prove an insurmountable obstacle to success in almost every undertaking. It will be found that the straight line is, in business, as in geometry, the shortest. In a word, it is almost impossible for a dishonest man to acquire wealth by a regular process of business, because he is shunned as as a depredator upon society. Needy men are apt to deviate from the rule of integrity, under the plea that necessity knows no law : they might as well add, that it knows no shame. The course is suicidal, and by destroying all con- fidence, ever keeps them immured in poverty, although they may pos- sess every other quality for success in the world. Punctuality, which is said to be -he soul of business, is another im- portant element in the art of money-getting. The man known t( be \ "* HOW TO »ET RICH. ID scrupulously exact in the fulfillment of his engagements, gams the confidence of all, and may command all the means he can use to ad- vantage ; whereas, a man careless and regardless of his promises in money matters, will have every purse closed against him. Therefore be prompt in your payments. Next, let us consider the advantages of a cautious circumspection in our intercourse with the world. Slowness of belief, and a proper distrust are essential to success. The credulous and confiding are ever the dupes of knaves and impostors. Ask those who have lost their property, how it happened, and you will find in most cases it has been owing to misplaced confidence. One has lost by endorsing ' another by crediting ; another by false representations ; all of which a little more foresight and a little more distrust would have prevented. In the affairs of this world, men are not saved by faith, but by the want of it. Judge of men by what they do, not by what they say. Believe in looks, rather than in words. Observe all their movements. Ascer- tain their motives and their ends. Notice what they say and do in their unguarded moments, when under the influence of excitement. The passions have been compared to tortures, which force men to reveal their secrets. Before trusting a man, before putting it in his power to cause you a loss, possess yourself of every available infor- mation relative to him. Learn his history, his habits, inclinations and propensities ; his reputation for honesty, industry, frugality, and punc- tuality ; his prospects, resources, supports, advantages and disadvan- tages ; his intentions and motives of action ; who are his friends and enemies, and what are his good or bad qualities. You may learn a man’s good qualities and advantages from his friends — >his bad qualities and disadvantages from his enemies. Make due allowance for exag- geration in both. Finally, examine carefully before engaging in any- thing, and act with energy afterwards. Have the hundred eyes of Argus beforehand, and the hundred hands of Briarius afterwards. Order and system in the management of business must not be ne- glected. Nothing contributes more to despatch. Have a place for everything, and everything in its place ; a time for everything, and everything in its time. Do first what presses most, and having deter- mined what is to be done, and how it is to be done, lose no time in doing it. Without this method, all is hurry and confusion, little or nothing is accomplished, and business is attended to with neither pleasure nor profit. A polite, affable deportment is recommended. Agreeable manners contribute powerfully to a man’s success. Take two men, possessing equal advantages in every other respect, but let one be gentlemanly, kind, obliging, and conciliating in his manners ; the other harsh, rude, and disobliging, and the one will become rich, where the other will starve. We are now to consider a very important principle in the bqsiness of money-getting, namely — Industry — persevering indefatigable at- tention to business. Persevering diligence is the Philosopher’s stone, which turns everything to gold. Constant, regular, habitual, and sys- # 20 HOW TO GET RICH. tematic application to business must, in time, if properly directed, pro* duc-s great results. It must lead to wealth, with the same certainty thax poverty follows in the train of idleness and inattention. It has been truly remarked, that he who follows his amusements instead of his business, will, in a short time, have no business to follow. The art of money-saving is an important part of the art of money-get- ting. Without frugality no one can become rich ; with it, few would be poor. Those who consume as fast as they produce, are on the road to' ruin. As most of the poverty we meet with grows out of idleness and extravagance, so most large fortunes have been the result of ha- bitual industry and frugality. The practice of economy is as neces- , sary in the expenditure of time as of money. They say that, if “ we take care of the pence, the pounds will take care of themselves.” So, if we take care of the minutes, the days will take care of them- selves. The acquisition of wealth demands as much . self-denial, and as many sacrifices of present gratification, as the practice of virtue itself. Vice and poverty proceed, in some degree, from the same sources, namely — the disposition to sacrifice the future to the present ; the inability to forego a small present pleasure for great future advan- tages. Men fail of fortune in this world, as they fail of happiness in the world to come, simply because they are unwilling to deny them- selves momentary enjoyments for the sake of permanent future hap- piness. Every large city is filled with persons, who, in order to support the appearance of wealth, constantly live beyond their income, and make up the deficiency by contracting debts which are never paid. Others there are, the mere drones of society, who pass their days in idleness, and subsist by pirating on the hives of the industrious. Many who run a short-lived career of splendid beggary, could they but be per- suaded to adopt a system of rigid economy for a few years, might pass the remainder of their days in affluence. But no ! They must keep up appearances , they must live like other folks. Their debts accumu- late ; their credit fails ; they are harrassed by duns, and besieged by constables and sheriffs. In this extremity, as a last resort, they often submit to a shameful dependence, or engage in criminal practices, which entail hopeless wretchedness and infamy on themselves and families. Stick to the business in which you are regularly employed. Let speculators make their thousands in a year or day ; mind your own regular trade, never turning from it to the right hand or the left If you are a merchant, a professional man, or a mechanic, never buy lots or stocks unless you have siirplus money which you wish to invest. Your own business you understand as well as other men ; but other people’s business you do not understand. Let your business be some one which is useful to the community. All such occupations possess the elements of profit in themselves. ON THE CHOICE OF MEATS, AND BOW TO COOK THEM. 21 ON THE CHOICE OF MEATS, AND HOW TO COOK THEM. This is one of the most important branches of household affairs. There is not one person in fifty who is capable of selecting good meats, if his butcher chooses to impose upon him ; and as for cooking, I sup- pose every one will admit there is room enough for reform in this de- partment, all the world over. I have therefore taken pains to prepare a complete system of rules and observations by which any person of ordinary prudence and sagacity can not only purchase good meats, but have them cooked properly. ( 1 .) Venison. If the fat be clear, bright, and thick, and the cleft part smooth and close, it is young ; but if the cleft is wide and tough, it is old. (2.) Beef. If the flesh of ox-beef "be young, it will have a fine, smooth, open grain, be of good red, and feel tender. The fat should look white rather than yellow ; for when that is of a deep color, the meat is sel- dom good ; beef fed by oil cakes is in general so, and the flesh is flabby. In roasting beef, ten pounds will take above two hours and a half: twenty pounds, three hours and three quarters. (3.) Veal . The flesh of a bull-calf is firmest, but not so white. The fillet of the cow-calf is generally preferred for the udder. The whitest is the most juicy, having been made so by frequent bleeding. Yeal and mutton should have a little paper put over the fat to pre- serve it. If not fat enough to allow for basting, a little good dripping answers as well as butter. (4.) Mutton. Choose this by the fineness of its grain, good color, and firm white fat. A neck of mutton will take an hour and a half, if kept a proper dis- tance. A chin of pork, two hours. (5.) Lamb. Observe the neck of a fore-quarter ; if the vein is bluish, it is fresh ; if it has a green or yellow cast, it is stale. (6.) Pork. Pinch the lean, and if young it will break. If the rind be tough, thick, and cannot easily be impressed by the finger, it is old. A thin rind is a merit in all pork. When fresh, the flesh will be smooth and tool ; if clammy, it is tainted. 22 ON THE CHOICE OF MEATS, AND HOW TO COOK THEM. A leg of pork, or lamb, takes the allowance of twenty minva*5S» above a quarter of an hour, to a pound. (7.) Bacon . If the rind is thin, the fat firm, and of a red tinge, the lean tender, of a good color, and adhering to the bone, you may conclude it good, and not old. (8.) Hams . Stick a sharp knife under the bone : if it comes out clean, with a pleasant smell, the ham is good ; but if the knife is daubed, and has a bad scent, do not buy it. A ham of twenty pounds will take four hours and a half, and oth- ers in proportion. A tongue, if dry, takes four hours slow boiling, after soaking ; a tongue out of pickle, from two hours and a half to three hours, or more if very large ; it must be judged by feeling whether it is very tender. Put the meat in cold water, and flour it well first. Meat boiled quick will be hard ; but care must be taken that in boiling slow' it does not stop, or the meat will be under-done. If the steam is kept in, the water will not lessen much ; therefore, when you wish it to boil away, take off the cover of the soup-pot. Vegetables should not be dressed with the meat, except carrots or parsnips with boiled beef. Weigh the meat ; and allow for all solid joints a quarter of an hour for every pound, and some minutes (from ten to twenty) over, accord- ing as the family like it done. The meat should be put at a good distance from the fire, and brought gradually nearer when the inner part becomes hot, which will prevent its being scorched while yet raw. Meat should be much basted, and, when nearly done, floured, to make it look frothed. In roasting meat, it is a very good way to put a little salt and water into the dripping-pan, and baste for a while with it, before using its own fat or dripping. When dry, dust it with flour, and baste as usual. Salting meat before it is put to roast draws out the gravy ; it should only be sprinkled when almost done. (9.) For Roasting. The cook must order a fire according to what she is to dress. If anything little or thin, then a brisk little fire, that it may be done quick and nice. If a very large joint, be sure that a good fire is laid to cake : let it be clear at the bottom, and when the meat is half done, move the dripping-pan and spit a little from the fire, and stir it up. The spit ought to be kept very clean, and ought to be rubbed with nothing but sand and water. Wipe it with a dry cloth, Oil, brick- dust, &c , will spoil the meat. (10.) To Roast Pork. When you roast a loin, take a sharp penknife and 'cut tire skin Oh THE CHOICE OF MEATS, AND HOW TO COOK THEM, 2 3 across, to make the crackling eat the better. Roast a leg of pork thus: take a knife and score it ; stuff the knuckle part with sage and onion, chopped fine with pepper and salt ; or cut a hole under the twist, and put the sage, &c., there, and skewer it up. Roast it crisp. Make apple-sauce and send up in a boat ; then have a little drawn gravy to put in the dish. This is called a mock goose. The spring, or hand of pork, if young, roasted like a pig, eats very well ; other- wise it is better boiled. The spare-rib should be basted with a bit of butter, a little flour, and some sage shred small : never make any sauce to it but apple. The best way to dress pork griskins is to roast them, baste them with a little butter and sage, and pepper and salt. Pork must be well done. To every pound allow a quarter of an hour : for example, a joint of twelve pounds weight will require three hours, and so on. If it be a thin piece of that weight, two hours will roast it. (11.) To Roast Veal. Be careful to roast veal of a fine brown color ; if a large joint, have a good fire ; if small, a little brisk fire. If a fillet or a loin, be sure to paper the fat, that you lose as little of that as possible : lay it at some distance from the fire, till it is soaked ; then lay it near the fire. When you lay it down, baste it well with good butter ; and when it is near done, baste it again, and drudge it with a little flour. The breast must be roasted with the caul on till it is done enough ; skewer the sweet-bread on the back side of the breast. When it is nigh done, take off the caul, baste it, and drudge it with a little flour. Yeal takes much about the same time in roasting as pork. (12.) To Roast Beef. Paper the top, and baste it well, while roasting, with its own drip- ping, and throw a handfull of salt on it. When you see the smoke draw to the fire, it is near enough ; take off the paper, baste it well, and drudge it with a little flour to make a fine froth. Never salt roast meat before you lay it to the fire, for it draws out the gravy. If you would keep it a few days before you dress it, dry it with a cloth, and hang it where the air will come to it. When you take up the mc^t, garnish the dish with horseradish. (13.) To Roast a Rig. Spit a pig, and lay it to the fire, which must be a very good on© at each end, or hang a flat iron in the middle of the grate. Before you lay the pig down, take a little sage shred small, a piece of butter as big as a walnut, and pepper and salt ; put them in the pig, and gew it up with a coarse thread ; flour it well over, and keep flouring till the eyes drop out, or you find the crackling hard. Be sure to save all the gravy that comes out of it, by setting basins or pans under the pig in the dripping-pan, as soon as the gravy begins to run. When the pig is done enough, stir the fire up ; take a coarse cloth with about a quarter of a pound of butter in it, and rub the pig over till the crackling is crisp ; then take it up. Lay it in a dish, and with a sharp knife cut off the head, then cut the pig in two, before you draw 24 ON THE CHOICE OF MEATS, AND HOW TO COOK THEM out the spit. Cut the ears off the head, and lav them at each end , c ’ ir Kl , d tde da y before, an hour and a quarter If a vprv largeone, an hour and a half. But the best way to judge is when the cLrsfXth wSa^or?™ '* g ?T Dg ve 7 hard ; then rub it with a - 45’*wSS,K,‘*' ,o " m “■ “ th « t , T ' me ’ dlstanc , e - basting often, and a clear fire of a proper size for roasdng. reqlUred,are & ' St articles of a g°od -olf’s "attemiont (14.) To Roast Mutton and Lamb. J™ t,n # 7 utton ’ the loin > haunch, and saddle, must be done as quick c^Lffire L P ste t? r E mUtt ° n f d - 1 T b muSt be roasted with a quick, clear tire , baste it when you lay it down; and just before vou take it up, drudge it with a little flour; but be sure not to use^oo much, for that takes away all the fine taste of the meat. Some choose th an hour and P a quarter • n ne pounds an hour and a half ; a leg of twelve pounds will take two hours ; if frosty, two hours and a half. (15.) To Roast Venison. ®P;, ta ba " nch °{ venison and butter well four sheets of paper, two which put on the haunch; then make a paste with flour butter and water, roll it out half as big as the haunch, and put it over the packThread^lavff T ^ 'l!' . tv y° ® heets f P a P er on, and tie them with “ * v " y i * rso *•> th ™ (16.) To Roast a Tongue or Udder. it r ° aSt tt ’ Stic , k eight or ten cloves about it. baste H 7 ; tb b . Jtt ® r > and bave gravy and sweet sauce. An udder eats very deliciously done the same way. ^ - (17.) To Roast a Leg of Pork. S i nal f 1 and , nl1 the space with sage and onion chopped, Slil k ! pepper and , salt - When half done, score the skin in mmtae« U ih d °n n k t CUt dee P erthan tlle outer rind. Apple-sauce and potatoes should be served to eat with it. (18.) Rolled Neclt of Pork. Bone it • put a forcemeat of chopped sage, a very few crumbs o' m y THE CHOICE OF MEATS, AND HOW TO COOK THEM. 25 bread, salt, pepper, and two or three berries of allspice over the inside; then roll the meat as tight as you can, and roast it slowly, and at a good distance at first. (19.) Spare Rib. Should be basted with a very little butter, and a little flour, and then sprinkle with a little dried sage crumbled. Apple-sauce and po- tatoes for roasted pork. (20.) Beef a*la-Mode . Choose a piece of thick flank of a fine ' heifer or ox, cut into long slices some fat bacon, but quite free from yellow ; let each bit be near an inch thick ; dip them into vinegar, and then into a seasoning ready prepared, of salt, black pepper, allspice, and a clove, all in a fine pow- der, with parsley, chives, thyme, savory, and knotted marjorum, shred as small as possible, and well mixed. With a sharp knife make holes deep enough to let in the larding, then rub the beef over with the sea- soning, and hind it up tight with tape. Set it in a well tinned pot over a fire or rather stove ; three or four onions must he fried brown and put to the beef, with two or three carrots, one turnip, a head or two of celery, and a small quantity of water ; let it simmer gently ten or twelve hours, or till extremely tender, turning the meat twice. (21.) Rolled Beef that equals Hare. Take the inside of a large sirloin, soak it in a glass of vinegar mix- ed, for forty-eight hours ; have ready a very fine stuffing, and bind it up tight. Roast it on a hanging spit, and baste it with a glass of port wine, the same quantity of vinegar, and a teaspoonful of pounded allspice. Larding improves the look and flavor : serve with rich gravy in the dish ; currant-jelly and melted butter in tureens. (22.) Leer of Veal Let the fillet be cut large or small, as best suits the number of your company. Take out the bone, fill the space with fine stuffing, and let it be skewered quite round ; and send the large side uppermost. When half roasted, if not before, put a paper over the fat ; and take care to allow a sufficient time, and put it a good distance from the fire, as the meat is very solid : serve with melted butter poured over it. You may pot some of it. (23.) Stewed Beef Steaks. Beat them with a rolling-pin, flour and season, then fry with sliced onion of a fine light brown, lay the steaks into a stew-pan, and pour as much boiling water over them as will serve for sauce; stew them very gently half an hour, and add a spoonful of catsup, or walnut liquor, before you serve. (24.) Cucumber Sauce. Put into a sauce-pan a piece of butter rolled in flour, some salt, pepper, and one or two pickled cucumbers minced fine. Moisten it with boiling water. LeC t stew gently a few minutes, and serve it up. 2 26 ON THE TREATMENT OF INFANTS.. ON THE TREATMENT OF INFANTS. Would that parents generally, were aware of the importance, ami adequately understood the principles, of properly taking care of chil- dien. One-half oi the diseasep»*of mature life have their origin in our eariy years. ^ ie following treatise may be found a complete code of precepts for the bringing up of children. It is from the highest medical au- thority, and I cannot too highly commend it to the attention of all parents, and alb those who ever expect to become such. ' C 1 -) Rules f Qr Treatment of the Child after Birth and before Weamng . Give the breast within twelve or eighteen hours after birth, at latest. Foment the breasts with warm water if the milk does not flow ] avoid rubbing the breasts with spirits. If there be too much milk, drink little, and take opening medicine. As a nurse, wear easjy dresses about the bosom and chest. Keep down the tendency of the abdomen to enlarge, by exercise. If the nipple is small, or turned in, have it drawn by an older* or stronger infant, not by artificial means ; but let the new-born child have the first milk. Choose a hired wet nurse [when required] nearly of the same age with the mother, like her in constitutional peculiarities, and who has been confined about the same time. When nursing, live on nutritious but not heavy diet A full habit requires less nutriment than a delicate constitution. Stimulating liquors are to be avoided. Simple diluents, such as tea, are quite enough as drinks for many mothers. The mother’s milk is the best food for the new-born child for three months. An infant fiom two to four months old requires to be suckled once about every three hours.. The best substitute for the breast, but as temporal v as possible, is asses’ or diluted cows’ milk ; but on no account shofild farinaceous food be given at this early period. Apply a flannel bandage to the lower part of the body in bowel complaints. A warm bath soothes irritation. After six months an approach may be rhade to more sol'd diet. Raise up the child after feeding. Give no stimulants, carraway- seeds, carminatives, &c. ; they are most pernicious. Give as little medicine to a child as possible, and always by advice. ' Never over-feed, and never stop crying by feeding. Avoid rough jolting and patting'of the back. Train an infant to regularity in all its wants. (2.) Rules for Weaning. Wean gradually, discontinuing suckling in the night : the gradual ON THE TREATMENT OF INFANT'S. ll change is beneficial to both mower and child. Avoid weaning in severe weather. Take for yourself a cooling purgative, and refrain from fluids and stimulating diet. In weaning, apply to the breasts three ounces compound soap lini- ment, three drachms laudaifum, one drachm camphor liniment. If this be too irritating, foment with warm water* or poppy-heads and chamomile flowers boiled together in water. Avoid tightness or pres- sure from the dress, and all roughness, for fear of .abscess* Avoid drawing the breasts ! avoid exposure to cold. (3.) Rules for Treatment after Weaning — Food. v Study the child’s constitution, digestive powers* teeth, strength, and proportion the kind and quantity of food. Animal food, in small quantity, once a day, if the teeth can masti- cate, is necessary when there is rapid growth. Avoid too nourishing a diet with a violent tempered child. Give a nourishing diet to a white-looking, ^Jbphatic child. Both over-feeding and under-feeding produces crofula and consump- tion. The spoiled and petted child is injured both in health and temper. Avoid seasoned dishes, fried and salted meats, pastry, uncooked vegetables, unripe fruits, wine and rich cake. Insist on thorough chewing or mastication. Never tempt the appetite when disinclined. Vary the food from day to day, but avoid variety at one meal. Animal food should be tender, and eaten with a little salt, vegeta hies, and bread. Take care that the child’s food is well cooked. Give no new bread. Sweetmeats and confections are only to be given to children in a very sparing manner, if given at all. Never pamper or reward with eatables. (4.) Rules for Sleep. Allow the child plenty of sleep, without disturbance. Avoid accustoming the child to sleep on the lap ; it will not sleep m bed if so accustomed. Establish times for regular sleeping. Keep the hands, feet, and face comfortably warm— blankets are better than sheets. Support every part of the body, raising by a slope the head and shoulders. Avoid laying the child in the same bed with an adult, unless for a short time, to restore warmth if it fail. Never rouse the child by play when taken up during the night. (5.) Rules for Clothing. In the first stage of infancy, warmth depends on clothing alone, foi there is no muscular movement. Avoid a degree, of warmth which produces sensible perspiration. Flannel and calico are the best materials in all seascns. £8 ON TtiK TREATMENT OF INFANTS* Dress the child loosely, and fasflen with strings, not with phis* The umbilical cord, navel, and nelly-band; require much attention* Avoid keeping the child’s head too warm, or its feet cold. Avoid chilling the child, or taking it abroad in cold weather,. Attend to the form and size of the child’s shoes, so that the feel shall not be cramped. The practice of plunging infants into cold water, to render them hardy, is exceedingly dangerous. Let a child’s washing be very completely and carefully performed. Keep the child always perfectly clean and neat. Be very attentive to ventilate the apartment where a child lives, but never expose it to draughts of air. Begin early to form habits of personal cleanliness and delicacy* (6.) Vaccination. Let the child be vaccinated from six weeks to two months after birth, and that by a proper medical attendant. Vaccination should take place before teething. (7.) Deformities and Distortions * Consult the surgeon upon the first appearance of any deformity ; and do not allow fears for giving pain to the child prevent the use of the necessary remedies. Be very vigilant with rickets or soft bones. Never allow the rick- ety child to support its own weight. It ought to be kept on its back for many months, and carried about on a little mattress on a board or tray, and have nourishing diet, and the proper medicines to give solidity to the bones. Never jerk or swing children by the arms ; much mischief has been done by this practice. When a child falls, or meets with any accident, it is highly culpa* ble in a nurse to conceal it. If she do not immediately mention it* she may be the cause of the child’s deformity and lameness for life. With proper attention, a tendency to be left-handed may be easily cured in a child. Prevent all tricks and ill-habits which injure the features and or* gans ; such as stuffing the nostrils, ears, &c., distending the mouth with too large a spoon* Curvature of the spine is of very frequent occurrence from misman* aging children, by tight lacing, long sitting without support to the back— (all school seats and forms should have backs). Take all de* formities of the spine in time, before they get fixed* (3.) Precocity. When a child appears to be over-intelligent, or too clever or wise for its age, this is a symptom of an unnatural development of the brain ; it is a kind of disease. Avoid, therefore, exercising the child’s ability : treat it as an animal, with nutritive food, muscular, out-door exercise, and plenty of sleep; and do this, and this only , for some years. ON THE TREATMENT OF INFANTS. 29 No child should be kept for more than a few minutes at a time en- gaged in mental study. (9.) Stammering and Defective Articulation. This defect, with care, may be cured ; or rather, when it is first threatened, it may be prevented. Practise the child in letters or artic- ulations where a peculiar defect appears. (10.) Squinting. Watch this very common weakness ; check it in the infant by hold- ing the hand over the eyes till they are shut ; and when opened again, if they have not assumed a proper position, repeat the operation. It may have often to be repeated. Careless nurses are very apt to pro- duce squinting in children. An ingenious and effectual mode of curing squinting has been dis- covered, and is now practised by surgeons. (11.) Teething. ^ The first sign of teething is heat in the mouth of the child — —felt by the mother during sucking — flow of saliva — biting and grinding the gums. A piece of India rubber is better than coral, ivory, or any hard substance, for rubbing the gums. When the child is much distressed, have recourse to medical aid. When the bowels are confined, give without delay a gentle purga- tive, such as castor-oil, manna* magnesia, or senna. The warm bath at ninety-six degrees soothes the child. A child’s mouth should be often examined, even after three years of age. Wayward temper, cough, and even croup, have been traced to cutting a double tooth. Do not hesitate to allow the child’s gums to be lanced. (12.) Exercise — Walking Alone. Very little motion, and that of the gentlest and most careful kind, is all the infant should have for a considerable time after birth. Avoid the upright posture as much as possible. Avoid all sudden and violent jerking, and long-continued positions. Allow the child to move its limbs freely, on the floor or in bed. Watch the first efforts of the child to walk alone, and interfere rather with eye and hand titan by exclamations of caution and alarm : these last do much harm. Avoid sympathizing too strongly with a child when hurt : assist quietly, and show how the accident happened. Children who are angry when hurt, should see that you do not sympathize with their rage, although you do with their sufferings. Abjure all leading-strings and go-carts, or other artificial means of teaching the child to walk. Never drag the child by one hand, or lift it by either one or both arms. When the child walks alone, it should not be permitted to over- fatigue itself. The mother should have her eye both on child and its attendant out of doors, and be as much as she can in her child’s company. 30 diseases of the hair. (13.) Moral Government. | a t‘ d . p . rev ' ent f retfulness and ill-temper, by keeping the el or hA f ea ' th ’ 6aSe ’ and comfort N «'er quiet with ghmgtc For h 7 o b ! n # ln an - v wa y> *ill less by opiates 8 8 • 1 °r TAj St few months > avoid loud and harsli sounds in the hoar X? t Sin" ,7f «*'» : JSZ SSJSS them.' B tighten them , and never jerk or roughly handle , w tri angry VVOrds and vio,ence > both to a child and in its presence • ay which means a naturally violent child may be trained to gentleness’ Hin^ A r a 7 propensit y of a chi ld, such as anger, violence greel ?“:s5.“c, nm " s ' “> chStote^he^ and ^ ber select servants such'as she wishes the ChlM 1S aff6Cted bytheconduct ofthoee n ‘moioi! ate anf ! .?? press * benevolence and cheerfulness ; in such an -mosphere, a child must become benevolent and cheerful nf»iiir the iA as Sh f ought ’ and she wil1 lobkas she feels. Much of a ch.ld s earliest moral training is by looks and gestures. When necessary, exhibit firmness and authority, Always with perfect temper, composure, and self-possession. } 1 .oi!t Cr glVe the child fbat which it cries for; and avoid beine too refus y aUnd S ^lfi"h! ° hlldren ’ s demands > else they become impatient of and V i l rent th Om ild “ most ^nt, the mother should be most calm m”sch evous SteTT^ f ™ing child is as useless as it is Te “reamfng ^ 6 ^ *>' is the beSt child Xne C0 ' A® chiH - tneSSeS sh ? uld 7 thdraw > and leave mother and cmiti alone. A child is very ready to look round and attract the aid ot foreign sympathy in its little rebellions. JNIever promise to give when the child leaves off crying. Let the ciying be the reason for not giving. Never strike a child, and never teach it to strike again. Never tell a chilu to beat or threaten any animal or object. Corporal correction may be avoided by substitutes. p correction DISEASES OF THE HAIR. Nothing contributes so much to personal beauty as a good head o h«m’ ! in I f eVertbe a SS ’ th j r air has its diseases like' other parts of the tSl'nfti Appended will be found an accurate and scientific de script) on of these diseases, from the highest medical authority, will prescriptions that may be implicitly relied on for their alleviation anc “ , very person who begins to find his hairioosen or prematurely to,” v shoal< ? read tnls essa y and practise its precepts. It will save him from being imposed on by quack nostrums, if nothing else. DISEASES OF THE HAIR. 31 ( 1 .) To remove superfluous Hair. With many persons it is an important question, how hairs in improper situtions are to be disposed of. 1 wish 1 could answer this question satisfactorily, for it is one that I have addressed to me very frequently. I know of no specific remedy for such a purpose. Substances are sold by the perfumers, called depilatories , which are represented as having the power of removing hair. But the hair is not destroyed by these means, the root and that part of the shaft implanted within the skin still remain, and are ready to shoot up with increased vigor as soon as the depilatory is withdrawn. The effect of the depilatory is the same in this respect as that of a razor, and the latter is unquestion- ably the better remedy. It must not, however, be imagined that de- pilatories are negative remedies, and that if they do no permanent good, they are at least harmless ; that is not the fact ; they are vio- lent irritants, and require to be used with the utmost caution. This will be immediately seen when I inform my reader that depilatories are chiefly composed of quicklime, soda, and s.ulphuret of arsenic, all of which substances act by burning up and dissolving the hair. There could be no objection to this process, if it were conducted with safety to the skin ; but the depilatory requires to be laid on the skin either in the form of powder or paste, and necessarily destroys the scarf-skin at the same time that it acts on the hair ; for the scarf-skin and hair are identical in composition. After all, the safest depilatorv is a pair of tweezers and patience. ( 2 .) Loosening of the Hair. I will not advert to the loosening of the hair, which frequently oc- curs to young persons, or in those of the middle period of life, and which, if neglected, would become real baldness. Such a state as I am now describing is not uncommon in women, and generally termi- nates, in its mildest form, in excessive loosening of the hair. The case, however, is far from being, the hopeless one which is generally imagined ; and if proper treatment be pursued, the hair will grow afresh, and assume all its pristine strength. A useful practice in men, and those of the opposite sex whose hair is short, is to immerse the head in cold water, morning and night, dry the hair thoroughly, and then brush the scalp, until a warm glow is produced. In women with long hair, this plan is objectionable ; and a better one is to brush the scalp until redness and a warm glow are produced, then dab among the roots of the hair one or other of the following lotions. If the lotion produce smarting or tenderness, the brush may be laid aside, but if no sensation is occasioned, the Brushing should be resumed,- and a second application of the lotion made. This treatment should be practised once or twice a day, or at intervals of a few days, according to the state of the scalp; namely, if tender, less; if insensible, more frequently. When the baldness happens in patches, the skin should be well brushed with a soft tooth-brush, dipped in distilled vinegar, morning and evening, or dipped in one of the following lotions : — 2 DISEASES OF THE HAIR. 32 Lotion for promoting the growth of the Hair. No. 1. Vinegar of cantharides, half an ounce. Eau de Cologne, one ounce. Rose water, one ounce. No. 2. Eau de Cologne, two ounces. Tincture of cantharides, half an ounce. Qil of nutmeg, half a drachm. Oil of lavender, ten drops. — Mix. No. 3. Mezereon bark in small pieces, one ounce. Horseradish root in small pieces, one ounce. Boiling distilled vinegar, half-a-pint. Let this infusion stand for a week, and then strain though muslin for use. If either of these lotions should be found too irritating to the skin, use them in smaller quantity, and less frequently. No. 3 may be diluted with more distilled vinegar. If they have the effect of making the hair harsh and dry, this inconvenience may be removed by the use of oil or pomatum after each application of the lotion. Pomatums for the growth of the hair are very inferior to the lotions, and the cele- brated pomatum of Dupuytren is both clumsy and inefficient. (3.) To remedy premature grayness of the Hair. It must be a matter of common observation, that in those instances in which the pigment presents the deepest hue, blanching most fre- quently occurs, and grayness is most common ; while in persons of light hair and light complexion, blanching is comparatively rare There can be no doubt that the production in this climate of a dark pigment is a greater exertion to the economy than one of a lighter kind ; and hence, when the power of the nervous system is reduced, the formation of pigment is one of the first actions which suffers. It is wisely ordained that it should be so, for color of the hair is one of the conditions of existence most easily spared, and it is one also that may well serve as a monitor of human decay. When grayness shows itself in the hair, it is therefore an indication of want of tone in the hair-producing organs ; and if this tone can be restored, the hair would cease to change, and, at the same time, further change would be prevented. The lotions for promating the growth of the hair are remedies of this kind, and I know no better local means for checking grayness. They must be used as recommended ii. the preceding par- agraph. (4.) On Dying the Hair. I have heard of persons who have been led to adopt this artifice under the supposition that the hair being once dyed will grow forever after of that color. If they had reflected in time that the dye acts ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE SIGHT. 33 only on the hair above the level of the surface, and that the hair con- tinues to grow of the exceptionable color, so as to require a weekly' repetition of a disagreeable process, they would, I think, have hesi- tated before they had offered themselves as willing slaves to a barba- rous practice. (5.) Altered direction of the Hair . Altered direction of the hair may be discussed in a few words ; the only situation in which the hair is known to give rise to inconvenience by irregularity in the direction of its growth, is upon the margin of the eyelids, where the lashes sometimes grow inward, and, by pressing against the front of the eyeball, occasion irritation, and even inflam- mation. When such a state as this occurs, the erring hair must be removed by means of a pair of fine tweezers, and the inflammation afterwards subdued by cooling and slightly astringent lotions. (6.) Ringworm. In the treatment of ringworm, the first point for attention is rig- orous cleanliness ; the head should be washed with a profusion of soap, and the hair carefully combed, to remove all loosened hairs, and every particle of crust. When this has been done; the whole head, and particularly the disordered parts, should be well rubbed with the following lotion : Ringworm Lotion Sublimate of mercury, five grains. Spirits of wine, two ounces. Tincture of musk, one drachm. Rose-water, six ounces. — Mix well It must be recollected that the yellow matter is not confined to the surface alone, but extends deeply into the hair-tubes ; and the friction of the diseased parts with the finger, when well wetted with the lotion, is necessary to introduce the latter into the hair-tubes. Unless atten- tion be paid to this observation, the lotion might be used without ever reaching the seat of the disorder, and of course without avail in re- spect of the cure of the disease. Another point to be noticed is the necessity of carrying the principle of cleanliness to the sponges, combs, and towels, used by the patient. The sponge and combs should be dipped in a weak solution of chloride of lime, and a clean towel employed at each washing. Unless these precautions be adopt- ed, the sponge, the comb, the brush, the towel, may each convey the seeds of the vegetable growth, and consequently the disease, back to the scalp. I have said nothing about shaving the head in ringworm, because m private life I know it to be quite unnecessary. 2 * 34 THE ART OF CARVING. THE ART OF CARVING, Without a perfect knowledge of the art of Carving, it is impossi- ble to perform the honors of the table with propriety ; and nothing can be more disagreeable to one of a sensitive disposition, than to- behold a person at the head of a well-furnished board, hacking the linest joints, and giving them the appearance of having been gnawed by dogs. It also merits attention in an economical point of view — a bad carvei will mangle joints so as not to be able to fill half a dozen plates from a sirloin of beef, or a large tongue: which, besides creating a great difference in the daily consumption in families, often occasions disgust in delicate persons, causing them to loathe the provisions, however good, which are set before them, if helped in a clumsy manner. I cannot therefore too strongly urge the study of this useful branch of domestic economy ; and I doubt not that whoever pays due atten- tion to the following instructions, will, after a little practice, without which all precept is unavailing, speedily acquire the reputation of be- ing a good carver. Slight, rather than muscular strength, is the secret of the art. To carve with ease, and with dispatch, requires practice. The observing of others, and attention to the following plates, will soon enable the practitioner to become an adept. The carver should be seated suffi- ciently elevated ; so near the dish as not to require effort in reaching ; and should wield, with the greatest facility, a keen blade. Fish wants but little carving. The pieces should be preserved as whole as possible. A fish trowel will be found preferable to a knife. (1.) Cod's Read and Shoulders . cf d Introduce the trowel at a, and cut through the back as far as b, then help to pieces from between c and d , and with each piece help a por- tion of the sound, which lines the under part of the back-bone. It is esteemed a delicacy ; is thin, and of a darker color than the rest of the fish. Some persons are fond of the palate and tongue, for which you must THE ART OF CARVING. 35 put, a spoon into the mouth. About the jaw-bone lies the jelly part* and within the head the firmer parts. (2.) Sirloin of Beef. There are two ways of carving this joint. The better is> by long thin pieces, from a to c; the other v^ay is, which spoils it, to cut across. The most tender and best part lies in the direction of the line b ; there, too, lies some delicate fat. Part should be given with each slice (3.) Ribs of Beef These may be sliced like the sirloin, commencing at the thin end and slicing the whole length, so as to give a mixture of fat and lean. (4.) Round of Beef Remove the upper surface, as in the edge-bone ; help to thin slices, with a portion of fat ; cutting as even as possible, to preserve its beauty of appearance. (5.) Saddle of Mutton. Cut long slices, on each side of the back-bone, in the direction a, b. As some are fond of a joint of the tail, they can easily be served bv eutting between the joints. (6.) Breast of Veal Separate the ribs from the brisket by cutting through the line a , b. The brisket is the thickest part, and of a gristly substance. Carve each, and help according to preference. 86 the art of car yens. (7.) Aitch-Bone of Beef. There are twokfnds' of fat*; attached • e ” tire surface ’ then help. It is necessary to ]earn which i« ^ ^ oin1: ’ and as tastes differ, at e, and must be cut horizontal!^ ft th ® ^! ld k ftt wiI1 be fo und r °w, at the back of the bone, below ’ d ^ Whlch resemb!es mar- meat S p refper jy toge t he Twh lie ?"J stituted / or the one wb!cb keeps the you cut down to it. ln ^’ and ^ ma y be withdrawn when ( 8 .) Calf’s Head. throa{ sweet-bread the eye be requested extract with' ? t!ler P art Should portion. The pa ate a delil l p °' n , ° f the knife ’ and help to a sweet-tooth Lfrulint S the head ‘ The in . Weir: is “.”]"X c w“wiX. ”S 0f o*; «* *”0. jaw-bone, ft, I e «„ „m S ppe „. Help » «eK,'h«2 (9.) Shoulder of Mutton. sace to the bone at the line «, and help thin pieces from each side THE ART OF CARVING. 37 The choice fat lies at the outer edge, at b. Should more be needed than can be gotten from those parts, slice on either side of the line c, which represents the blade-bone ; and nice pieces may be obtained from the under side, also, by slicing horizontally. (10.) Leg of Mutton. The nicest part lies at a , midway between the knuckle and the other end. Thence, cut thin slices each way, as deep as b. The outside being seldom very fat, some favorite pieces may be sliced off the broad end at c. The knuckle is tender, but the other parts more juicy, some good slices may be cut lengthwise, from the broad end of the back of the leg. The cramp-bone is much thought of by some : to get it, cut down to the bone at d , and in the curve line to e • (11.) Spare Rib. Carve, first, slices from the fleshy part, tracing the line a , b. This will give a proportion of lean and fat ; and being removed, separate the rib, placed in the direction d , b , c ; breaking it at the point c. If an entire rib is too much, a slice of meat may be taken from between two ribs. (12.) Fore Quarter of Lamb. Separate, first, the shoulder from the scoven, which constitutes the 33 THE ART OF CARVING. ribs and the breast, by sliding the knife under the knuckle, in the di* rection of a, b , c, leaving on the ribs a due proportion of meat. Place it on a different dish. Now squeeze half a Seville orange on the other part, which, being sprinkled with salt and pepper, should be carved in the direction c, d. This will separate the gristly part from the ribs. Now help from either, as may be the choice, carving as directed by the lines e,f. (13.) Fillet of Veal . This resembles a round of beef. Like that, it should be carved hor* izontally, or by cutting the even slices off the top, cutting deep into the flap, between a , b, for the stuffing. Help to each person a portion of the dressing. (14.) Pig . This is seldom sent to the table whole ; the cook first garnishing the dish with the chops and ears, and dividing the body lengthwise. Sep- arate a shoulder from the body ; next a leg ; and divide the ribs. The Joints may be divided, or the meat sliced from them. Some prefer the neck, though most the ribs. Help with stuffing and gravy. If the head is not otherwise disposed of, the brains should be mixed with the gravy. (15.) Venison . a Slices of a medium thickness may be given, and plenty of gravy with them. Cut quite to the bone in the line «, c, b ; then turn the dish with the end b towards you, and putting in the point of the knife THE ART OF CARVING, & c, d. You may now, at pleasure, slice from either side. As the fat lies deeper on the left, those who like fat, as most venison eaters do, may be helped to the best flavored and fattest slices on the left of the line c, d. (16.) Ham, Ham may be calved three different ways. Usually, commencing by long, delicate pieces, cut to the bone through the thick fat, in the line a, b. A second way is, to cut a small round hole on the top, as at c, taking thin, circular pieces. The most savins way is to be^in at the knuckle. (17.) A Fowl. ^ It will be more convenient carving this to take it on your plate, re» placing the joints, as separated, neatly on the dish. Place the fork in the middle of the breast, and remove the wing in the direction of a, separating the joint at a, and lifting up the pinion with the fork, and drawing the entire wing towards the leg. This drawing will separate the fleshy part more naturally than cutting. Cut between the leg and the body at c, to the joint b. By giving the blade a sudden turn, the joint will break. Repeat the same operation for the other wing and leg. Next, take off the merry-thought by drawing the knife across the breast and turning the joint back ; and then remove the two neck bones. Divide the breast from the back, by cutting through all the ribs, close to the breast. Turn the back up ; half way between the extreme ends press the point of the knife, and on raising the rump end the bone will part. Take off the sidesmen, having turned the rump from you : — and done. The wings should be made as handsome as possible. These, with the breast, are the most delicate parts of the fowl ; the legs are more juicy. 40 THE ART OF CARVING , (18.) AGoose. With the neck end toward you, to take off the wing, put the fcrl into the small end of the pinion, and press it close to the body, dividing the joint at a , and carrying the knife along, as far as b. Take off the leg by an incision from h to c, and separate the drumstick. Part the wing and leg from the other side, and between the line 1 and 2, cut Jong slices from each side of the breast. The apron must be removed by cutting from d to e, by c, to get at the stuffing. The merry-thought being removed, the neck bones and all other parts are to be divided as in a fowl. A Duck may be carved in a similar manner. (19.) Turkey. To carve, without withdrawing the fork, place your fork firmly in the lower part of the breast, so as to have the turkey at perfect com- mand. It is not difficult to complete the entire carving of this fowl without extracting the fork till done — the whole back, of course, making one joint. Proceed to remove the wing ; the leg ; another wing and leg. (This maybe done either before or after slicing the breast). Next, remove the merry-thought, the neck bones, the neck itself; then, cutting through the ribs, the job is done. (20.) Partridge . Carved as a fowl. Wings, breast, and merry-thought, are the best parts. The two latter not often divided. The wing the best joint : the tip the very best. (21.) Pigeons. Halve them, dividing lengthwise ; or, so as to make the breast and wings form one division. The lower division generally preferred. Woodcocks , Grouse , c f*c., are carved like fowls, if not too small ; when they must be cut in quarters. Snipes should only be halved. (22.) Tongue. Cut perpendicular thin slices, commencing a little nearer the root than the tip. The fat lies underside, at the root. (23.) Leg of Pork — [See Ham.] The stuffing, in a roast leg, will be found under the skin, at the thick end. General Directions. The seat for the carver should be somewhat elevated above the other chairs : it is extremely ungraceful to carve standing, and it is rarely done by any person accustomed to the business. Carving de- ON WARTS AND CORNS, AND HOW TO CURE THEM. 41 pends more on skill than on strength. We have seen very small women carve admirably sitting down ; and very tall men who know not how to cut a piece of beef-steak without rising on their feet to do it. The carving-knife should be very sharp, and not heavy ; and it should be held firmly in the hand : also the dish should be not too fai from the carver. It is customary to help the fish with a fish-trowel, and not with a knife. The middie part of a fish is generally consid- ered the best. In helping it, avoid breaking the flakes, as that will give it a mangled appearance. In helping any one to gravy, or to melted butter, do not pour it over their meat, fowl, or fish, but put it to one side, on a vacant part of the plate, that they may use just as much of it as they like. In filling a plate, never heap one thing on another. In helping vegetables, do not plunge the spoon down to the bottom of the dish, in case they should not have been perfectly well drained, and the water should have settled there. ON WARTS AND CORNS, AND HOW TO CURE THEM. Such persons (and who have not) as have been troubled with these afflicting annoyances, will no doubt feel gratified to see a scientific ex- position of the nature of their enemy, and of the proper and ready means of exterminating him. The essay which follows is from one of our most enlightened surgeons, and his prescriptions may b,e im- plicitly relied on. (1.) How Warts are formed. The papillae of the sensitive skin are covered and protected by the scarf-skin, and the thickness of the scarf-skin bears an exact relation to the size of the papillse. It may therefore be inferred, that if the papillae grow to an extraordinary size, they, in their turn, will occasion the production of a proportionate quantity of scarf-skin, which will form a rounded prominence on the surface of the body. Such is the reality, and the little prominence so produced is termed a wart. The wart may be regarded as the effect of an excitation acting generally from within ; but instances are not wanting, in medicine, to prove that they may also be dependent on an obvious external cause of irri- tation. (2.) On the formation of Corns . Whenever a portion of the skin is subjected to long-continued and unequal pressure, the papillse of the sensitive skin are stimulated, and grow to an unusual size. Associated with this increase of growth ol the papillae, is the increased thickness of the scarf-skin ; and this latter being the outward and perceptible effect, is denominated, according tc its size, either “ callosity’’ or “ corn.” When the pressure, and con 42 ON WARTS AN]) CORNS, AND .TOW TO CURE THE 51. sequent, y the thickening of the scarf-skin, is distributed over -in ex tensive surface, the state is properly a callosity. Where it is limited occupying, for example, the prominence of a joint, and where Tcon sequence of this limitation, the effects produced are moC severe the case is one of corn. Callosities may occur on any pm of the bodv where much pressure exists ; on the shoulder, for iL?ance in nersZ rrafts-^thedbowl f iT 7 ^ b If denS , ; ° n the hand " in certain ci aits, on the elbows and knees, and on different parts of the horlv S™"? U r Ily “ t0 the feet >“ d are, in fa^ a mom S eveTe enL^ f , Ca °l' ty ' The papilla5 of the central P a '-t of the corn are § t ° s . uch an ^tent as to be equal in magnitude to those of a a W rate , In state, the papiH* take on the action of product ip^ sWh Sh hS ° f s< ? ar! * skln in the same manner as warts, and^these wWh 8 ’ S8e t n th ® CUt surface of a corn, give the idea of fibres which popular ignorance magnifies into roots. A corn extracted bv tts roots is therefore expected never to grow a.ain, beefuse trees wnch have roots, when torn up from the ground never re-appear’ But the fact is, that these so-called roots are, in reality, branches' and se«n m r y be CUt '° ff ’ and t0rn olf > and twisted off, as Tone as the’ pos- sessor lives without curing the corn, unless the cause “namelZhe pressure and friction, be removed. When the cause is takeaway appears. * " “ by degrees t0 their P ristine bulk > and the corn diT- It will be apparent to every one, that if a shoe of a certain size be worn, and if this shoe, by its too small dimensions, aTd coLequeht fi red U part 0C of a the n f a t C ° rn j. the Corn ’ ^ ’“"easing the size of the in- aheadv hrimed slfr ’ p • neoe , ssa " 1 y Increas “ the pressure on the ^leady irritated skin. l am and inflammation follow this injury and the least mischief that can happen is the enlarged growth of tK- Buf’onTna b °°1 th t n na f' al bein 8 now habitually sent to them. “ferfanK?i»^ When Vanit ^ trium P hs over comfort, and the f!m ko ‘f®, has b ® e " more tnan usuali y wronged, blood bursts f,om the pores of the sensitive skin, and the next morning, when the corn is inspected, it has the character of a bruise. The doctor is sent !!in a . P ou,tlc s 18 P’f on > res t enjoined, and in a few days ail is again weh , too well, in fact, to allow experience even a whisper. A tray restore 3 ? as d?e f sku S bter , on th< ? ““fortunate corn, but similar melnl restore it as before. Each section of a corn which has been thus maltreated is precisely that of the geological section of a stratified mountain, stratum following stratum, of various hues, from a delicate yellow to the deep black of dried blood. . ( 3 .) Of Soft Corns . j.he soft corn occurs between the toes, and is produced in the same manner as the common corn ; but in consequence of the moisture ex- isting in this situation, the thickened scarf-skin becomes saturated and remains permanently soft. The soft corn, again, rarely becomes ^ U ! ardiy ’ but P re f es severely on the deep textures, and oives little mdmation, as regards size, of the torment which it occasions! I no uncommon tiling to find a blister formed under the soft corn, ON WARTS AND CORNS, AND HCW TO CURE THEM. 43 and its fluid oozing through a small, round aperture in the centre of the latter. Sometimes, also, the soft corn is followed by a deep and painful sore, and inflammation of the foot; and on one occasion I examined a soft corn which had eaten into the bones, and produced inflammation of a joint. Diseased bone originating in soft corns is no infrequent occurrence. ^4.) To Cure Warts . The treatment of warts is to pare the hard and dry skin from their tops, and then touch them with the smallest drop of strong acetic acid, taking care that the acid does not run off the wart upon the neighbor- ing skin, for if it do, it will occasion inflammation and mhch pain. If this practice be continued once or twice daily, with regularity , paring the surface of the wart occasionally, when it gets hard and dry, the wart may soon be effectually cured. (5.) Sure method of Curing Corns. The same treatment will keep corns under, in spite of pressure ; but there is a knack in paring them which I will now explain. The end to be gained in cutting a corn is to take off the pressure of the shoe from the tender papillse of the sensitive skin ; and to effect this object, the summit of the corn must be cut in such a manner as to excavate it, the edges being left to act as a bolster, and still further protect the central part, w 7 here the longest, and consequently the most sensitive papillae are found. The professional chiropodist effects this object very adroitly ; he generally works around the centre, and takes out the fibrous portion in a single piece. He digs, as he says, for the root. There is another way of disposing of a corn, ’which 1 have been in the habit of recommending to my friends ; it is effectual, and obvi- ates the necessity for the use of the knife. Have some common stick- ing-plaster spread on buff leather; cut a piece sufficiently large to cover the corn and skin around, and have a hole punched in the mid- dle, of exactly the size of the summit of the corn. Now take some common soda of the oil shops, and make it into a paste, with about half its bulk of soap ; fill the hole in the plaster with this paste, and cover it up with a piece of sticking-plaster. Let this be done at bed- time, and in the morning remove the plaster, and wash the corn with warm water. If this operation be repeated every second, third, or fourth day for a short time, the corn will be removed. The only pre- caution requiring to be used is to avoid causing pain ; and so long as any tenderness occasioned by the remedy lasts, it must be repeated. When the corn is reduced within reasonable bounds by either of the above modes, or when it is only threatening, and has not yet risen to the height of being a sore annoyance, the best of all remedies is a piece of soft buff leather, spread with soap-plaster, and pierced in the centre with a hole cf exactly the size of the summit of the corn. If it can be procured, a better substance still for spreading the plaster upon is “ amadou,” or “ German tinder,” commonly used for lighting cigars, and kept by the tobacconists. This substance is softer than leather, and does not become har 1 and ruck up, as the latter does, after 44 OBSERVATIONS ON MAKING PUDDINGS, ETC. it has been on for a short time The soft corn is best relieved by- cutting away the thick skin witn a pair of scissors, avoiding to wound the flesh ; then touching it with a drop of Friar’s balsam, and wearing habitually a piece of cotton wool between the toes, changing the cot- ton daily. Caustic, as an application for the cure of corns, is a rem- edy which should be used with great caution , and would be better left altogether in the hands of the medical man. OBSERVATIONS ON MAKING PUDDINGS, &c. The recipes which follow are from an experienced and capable housewife. They are amply worthy the attention of all who have any interest in the kitchen. It will be perceived that the prescrip- tions are all upon the cold water principle, as alcohol is in no instance recommended. ON MAKING PUDDINGS. The cloths used to tie over puddings, or to boil them in, should be nicely washed and dried in the sun, and kept in a dry place. When to be used, they should be dipped into boiling water, squeezed dry, and floured. In all cases the eggs must be thoroughly beaten. If bread pudding, the cloth should be tied loose, to give room for rising. If batter, tight over. The water should boil quick when the pudding is put in ; and it should be moved about for a minute, that the ingredients should mix evenly. Batter puddings should be strained through a coarse sieve when all mixed. In others strain the eggs separately. The pans must always be buttered before the pudding is put in. And the milk or cream used should be boiled and cooled, before the eggs are put in. A pan of cold water must be ready, and the pudding dip ped in as soon as it comes out of the pot ; then it will not adhere t< the cloth. Transparent Pudding . 8 eggs ; 8 oz. of sugar ; 8 oz. of butter ; nutmeg. Beat up the eggs, put them into a stewpan with the sugar and but- ter, nutmeg to taste, set it on a stove or fire of coals, stirring it con- stantly until it thickens, then pour it into a basin to cool. Set a rich paste round the edge of your dish, pour in your pudding, and bake it in a moderate oven. A most delicious and e.egant article. A Cheshire Pudding. 1 lb. of raspberry jam ; 4 oz. of butter; 1 cup of cream or butter* milk ; 1 1-2 lbs. flour ; 1 tablespoonful of saleratus. Rub the half of the butter into the flour, warm the milk, rub the sal- eratus fine with the broad blade of a knife on the correr of a paste- board, then scrape it in, and while it is in effervescence, mix with the flour and the rest of the butter, and a dust of more salt if necessary; then roll out to fourteen or fifteen inches long, and eight or nine in OllStiRVAflONg ON MAKING Fti'DDtKO S, ETC. 45 width; spread with the jam* and roll it up in the manner of collared eel ; have a floured cloth ready, and wrap it two or three times around and pin it ; tie it tight at each end. Boil in plenty of water two hours. Serve with thickened sweet sauce, with some rose-water and nutmeg* and juice of a lemon. Nice stewed peaches are fine in this dumpling, with cream, sweet- ened, and nutmeg for sauce. Almost any acid fruit is excellent in this way. The crust should be light* and it must be eat as soon as done. Tapioca Pudding . 1 quart of milk ; 5 eggs ; Seasoning ; 1 coffee-cup of tapioca. Steep the tapioca in the milk two hours, put it in cold, let it warm a little, beat up the eggs well with sufficient sugar* a little essence of lemon. Bake half an hour, eat with butter. Quince Pudding . Scald the quinces tender, pare them thin, scrape off the pulp, mix with sugar very sweet, and add a little ginger arid cinnamon. To a pint of cream put three or four yolks of eggs', and stir it into the quinces till they are of a good thickness. Butter the dish, pour it in* and bake it. Baked Potato Pudding . 12 oz. of boiled potato skinned and mashed ; 1 os. of suet; I os. of cheese grated fine ; 1 gill of milk. Mix the potatoes, suet, milk, cheese, and all together ; if not of a proper consistence, add a little water. Bake it in Carmarthen pan. Almond Pudding. 1 lb. of blanched almonds ; 8 oz. of sugar ; 1-2 glass of rose-water; 1 pint of cream ; 6 eggs. Put the rose-water to the almonds in a marble mortar* pound them fine ; beat the sugar and eggs together well, the sugar being nicely sifted : put all into a basin and stir them over a few coals, well together, until they are Warm, then put it into a thin dish, put paste only around the edges (or sides of the dish) bake three-quarters of an hour. Winter Pudding. Take the crust of a baker’s loaf of bread, and fill it with plums ; boil it in milk and water. Custard Pudding. 1 quart of milk ; 6 spoonsful of flour ; 6 eggs ; 1 nutmeg, sugar and butter. Boil the milk, and, whilst scalding, stir in the flour, set to cool halt an hour before it is wanted, beat up the eggs nicely, and put to the milk with sufficient salt ; bake in a quick oven twenty minutes. Rub nutmeg with nice sugar and butter for sauce. 46 OBSERVATIONS ON MAKING PUDDINGS, ETC. Flour Pudding . 1 pint of milk , 6 spoonsful of flour ; 6 eggs. Boil the milk, stir in the flour whilst scalding, let it cool ; have the water boiling. When sufficiently cool, beat the eggs well, and put them in with salt to taste ; boil hard one hour. Use the sauce above. Sago Pudding . 4 spoonsful of sago ; 4 eggs ; 3 1-2 pints of milk ; sugar to taste ; lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmegs. 'Boil the milk and sago nicely, let it cool ; beat the eggs up perfectly with some sugar ; add the other ingredients ; then mix all together, put a nice paste round the dish, pour in the pudding, and bake slowly. Boiled Custard Pudding . 1 pint of new milk; orange-flower water; 2 spoonsful of flour; cinnamon, currant jelly ; yolks of five eggs. Mix the flour with the milk, by degrees ; beat the yellows and other ingredients with a little salt together, and put with the milk. Butter a basin that will exactly hold it, pour the batter in, and tie a floured cloth over it. Put in a kettle of boiling water, and turn it about a few minutes to prevent the egg from settling on one side. Half an hour will boil it. Pour currant-jelly over, and serve with sweet sauce. Rice Pudding . 1 quart of milk ; 1 stick of cinnamon ; 4 oz. of rice ; 4 spoonsful of rose-water; 1-2 nutmeg; 8 eggs ; salt. Boil the rice and cinnamon with the milk ; stir it often to keep from burning ; cool ; add the nutmeg and other ingredients, having beat the eggs well. Butter a pan or dish, or cover the dish with puff paste; pour the above composition in ; bake one hour and a half. Serve with butter and sugar. An Apple Pudding Dumpling . Put into a nice paste, quartered apples, tie up in a floured cloth, and boil two hours ; serve with sweet sauce. Pears, plums, peaches, &c., are line done this way. Indian Pudding. 3 pints of milk; 1-4 lb. of butter; 7 eggs; 7 spoonsful of Indian meal ; 1-2 lb. of raisins ; spice, salt, sugar to taste. Scald the milk, and stir it in the meal whilst boiling ; set it to cool ; stone and put in the raisins, salt, and spice ; then beat the eggs well, and if only milk-warm, put them in ; stir all well together ; bake an hour and a half, good heat. A Superb Lemon Pudding. 1-2 lb. of sugar; 5 eggs ; 1-2 lb. best butter ; 1 glass of rose-water; 1 lemon ; 1 glass orange-flower water. Beat the r 3 se-water and butter to a froth ; prepare the sugar and eggs PUL.D2NG3, ETC. OBSERVATIONS ON MAKING FUNDINGS, ETC. ^ the lemon-rind in, but after incorporating the puddino- well L‘ ?, ‘ e read ''. ln y° ur dish, and, Bake in a moderate oven 0 ®^ n ’ P 01 ",' It . ,nto - vour 1**8. ■*» * P— m^JSZStiSS " “* ,h * ““ Boston Apple Pudding. mon! fws a fl 1 Temo;VtngL b to^ ^teVSKm^’ 1 ^ 5 “ thenriith^’littfe Zerlnft^X" wil! J“* hold stew over a slow fire tm quit« S thj P I® pSei ? f the ,emon in i sieve; beat the eggs and grated ™ mi and P ass trough a lemon, then mix af weU? ifne tile insidf °jtP W ? th *® Juice of a puff-paste, put in youTpudd'h^, bakerhldf antiwar ^ With '^ Newmarket Pudding. bake it half hour. r • th « n '*J the cuM.td over, and Vermicelli Pudding. loaf sugar; salt to taste™ 0 " pintofraUk™ 011 5 5 y ° IkS ’ 3 Whites eggs 5 thr“h , ‘“,iS! [ p W u f‘ n l t,'v“c5? Sgf ”‘ I “*<» eggs well beaten ; when sufficiently cool m ® n f ^ lnut . es ’ co ° ] > ha ve the together, ,„d ,t,a m &>&* Suet Pudding. spoons of flour 2 ’ * 2 P ' -nt ° f milk ’ 1 s P oon of ginger; 3 table- «o“rte.uhe'^%rid'°i “ “■ v* w «" "»« that has been dipped into’ boiling water ^ Sp ‘ CeSi . ^° ur a c,otl11 'vater, boil hard an hour and a qfartel ’ Seri af’ P U lnto boi!in g with the squeeze of a lemon irUt ® ® 1 sweeten ed sauce, , . Spring Pudding. of cinnamon; lAemmh^ ^ pie "P lant ) > 1-2 i[>- of] af sugar; 1 spoon with the grated rindTf the lemon Ut S | k °^’ t!ll ow il into tfie stew-pan cook, reduce it to a marrnatdt ’ a "i C!nnam °n= and sugar ; set it to dish with good puff-paste and Dour^fi^^ ! a - bair sieve ’ have a P ie * f Past ® ! and P° l,r thc P«dding in ; bake half an hour. £8 OBSERVATIONS ON MAKING PUDDINGS, ETC* Batter Pudding . 6 oz. flour; salt; 3 eggs; 1 pint of milk. Have the milk boiled, and beat the eggs well ; add milk until it is smooth, the thickness of cream; mix all well together, then have a dish buttered that will just hol^it. Bake three quarters of an hour ; or it is nice to boiljas before directed. Boil one and a half or two hours. Bread Pudding. 4 eggs ; one stick of cinnamon ; 1 pint of milk ; sugar, nutmeg \ 1 pint crumbs of bread ; salt to taste. f Boil the bread and milk with the cinnamon ten minutes, then cook pass through a sieve ; beat the eggs very well, and add to the batter, sweeten, and salt, mix well together, bake half an hour; or, boil one hour and a quarter. Nottingham Pudding. 6 fine sour apples ; sugar. Prepare the batter as for the above batter pudding, peel the apples, and take out the core with a sharp-pointed penknife, but do not cut the apple open ; fill the space with sugpr, (where the core was taken from), after setting them in a pudding-dish ; then pour tne batter over them, bake in a moderate oven one hour. SMALL DISHES FOR SUPPER OR TEA. Poached Eggs. 6 eggs ; six slices of bread ; 1-4 lb. of butter. Draw the butter nicely, have ready a nice kettle of boiling water, toast the bread of a light brown, wet with the drawn butter, and place in a covered dish ; break the eggs one at a time into a teacup, and drop into the boiling water, (having thrown some salt in); two will cook at once. When cooked to suit, slip a skimmer under and place them upon toast ; drop in more, and so on, until all are cooked 1 hen pour the remainder of the butter over. Custards. 1 quart of cream, or new milk ; nutmeg ; 8 eggs ; 1 oz. of sugar. Beat the eggs and sugar well together, grate in some nutmeg, add the cream by degrees, stirring it all the while; set your custard-cups in a dripping-pan, pour the custard into the cups, set the dripping-pan into the oven, then pour water around. Bake in a quick oven. Orange Custards. 1 Seville orange ; rose-water ; 1-2 oz. of loaf sugar ; 1 pint of cream ; 4 eggs. , , Squeeze the juice from a Seville orange, take half of the peel an boil very tender beat it in a (marble) mortar until fine; pn .toil two sjkns of rose-water, the juice of the orange, the sugar, and the yel- ON MAKING SMALL DISHES FOR SUPPER OR TEA. 49 lows of the eggs. Beat all together for ten minutes, then have ready the cream boiling hot, which put to them by degrees ; beat them until cold, then put them into custard- cups, in a dish of hot water. Let them stand until they are set, then take them out and stick preserved orange peel on the top. This forms a fine flavored ffish, and may he served up hot or cold. Some are fond of sippets of toast in cups of cusU.. i. Dried beef, sliced thin, is nice for tea ; or venison, dried, is nice, sliced thin ; or mutton, dried, and sliced thin, is nice, together with good bread and good butter, and a dish of fruit, cheese, and a plate of cake of some kind. Some nice corned beef, sliced thin, is a substitute for dried ; cold boiled ham, sliced thin, is a good relish, or cold tongue, for tea. Some are fond of other cold meats of any kind, nicely sliced thin. The manner of doing things is a great deal. Ice Currants . Take large bunches of ripe currants, have them clean, whisk the white of an egg to a froth, and dip them in it, lay them on a sieve or plate not to be touched, sift double refined sugar over them very thick, and dry them in a cool oven. Icing for Cake. 2 lbs. double refined sugar ; 5 eggs ; 1 spoon of fine starch ; 1 spoon rose-water ; 1 pennyworth gum Arabic in powder ; 1 juice of lemon. Make the sugar fine, and sift it through a hair sieve, rub the starch fine, sift, and the gum Arabic sift also ; beat or stir all well together. Take the whites of the eggs, whisk them well, put one spoonful of rose-water, one spoon of the juice of lemon, beat well together, then put to the sugar by degrees, until you wet it, then beat it until the cake is baked ; lay it on with a knife, and the ornaments, if you have any ; and if it does not harden sufficiently from the warmth of the cake, return it to the oven. Be careful not to discolor. Ice Cream. 2 quarts of milk; 2 oz. of sugar; 12 eggs; 2 lemons. Grate the peels into the milk, and boil ; sweeten ; take the yellows of all of the eggs, and half of the whites ; beat them well, then add the boiling milk, keep them stirring, set the dish over the fire five min- utes, stirring it constantly, then pour through a sieve into your freez- ing-pot. The proportions to surround the pot is one quart of salt to one pail full of ice. Place it in as cold a place as possible ; as fast as it freezes on the sides, remove it with the spoon. One hour is suf- ficient to freeze it. Scotch Marmalade. 2 lbs. honey ; 2 pints juice of Seville oranges. Squeeze the juice from the oranges, put them together, and boil in a nice, well tinned stew-pan, and boil to a proper consistence. 3 60 PICKLING. Ice Cream with Fruit. 1 pound of preserved fruit; 2 lemons ; 1 quart of cream ; cochineal. Squeeze the juice of the lemons into some sugar to taste ; then pass all through a sieve, and if raspberry, or strawberry, or any other ripe fruit, add a little cochineal to heighten the color. Have the freezing- pot nice and clean, put the cream into it, and cover it ; then put the pot into the tub with the ice beat small, and some salt ; turn the freez- ing-pot quick, and as the cream sticks to the sides, scrape it down with an ice-spoon, and so on until it is frozen. The more the cream is worked to the side with a spoon, the smoother and better it will be fla- vored. After it is well frozen, take it out and put it into ice shapes with salt and ice ; then carefully wash the shapes for fear of any salt adhering to them ; dip them in lukewarm water, and send to the table. Fresh fruit, strawberries, or raspberries, are nice, but more sugar will be necessary; Currant Jelly , to ifae with Venison. 10 lbs. of the juice of red currants ; 8 lbs. clean brown sugar. As the currants may, for this jelly, get very ripe, they can be broken through a colander, and then be cleaned with flannel jelly-bags. When perfectly clean, add the sugar, boil and skim until it jellies ; which is known by dipping in a spoon and holding it in the air ; when it hangs in a drop to the spoon, it is done : pour into pots ; when cold,, cover as before directed. Another way. 4 lbs. double refined sugar ; 4 lbs. of clear juice extracted in a jar. Stir gently and smoothly for three hours, then put into glasses, and in three days it will concrete into a firm jelly : then cover and set by for use. Black Currant Jelly. 6 quarts of juice ; 9 pounds of sugar. To ten quarts of the dry fruit, add one quart of water ; out them in a large stew-pot, tie paper close over them, and set them for two hours in a cool oven. Squeeze them through a fine cloth, and add to every quart of juice a pound and a half of sugar loaf, broken in small pieces. Stir it until the sugar is melted ; when it boils, skim it quite clear. Boil it quick over a clear fire till it jellies ; try it as above directed. If jelly is boiled too long, it will lose its flavor, and shrink very much : pot and cover. PICKLING. This branch of domestic economy comprises a great variety of arti cles, which are essentially necessary to the convenience of families. It is at the same time too prevalent a practice to make use of brass utensils to give pickle a fine color. This pernicious custom is easily avoided by heating the liquor, and keeping it in a proper degree of PICKLING. 51 warmth before it is pourea upon the prakle. Stone jars are the best adapted for sound keeping. Pickles should never be handled with the finger, but by a spoon kept for the purpose. To pickle Onions . Put a sufficient quantity into salt and water, for nine days, observ- ing to change the water every day ; next put them into jars, and pour fresh boiling salt and water over them, cover them close up till they are cold, then make a second decoction of salt and water, and pour it on boiling. When it is cold, drain the onions on a hair sieve: and put them into wide-mouthed bottles; fill them up with distilled vinegar ; put into every bottle a slice or two of ginger, a blade of mace, and a teaspoonful of sweet oil ; which will keep the onions white. Cork them well up in a dry place. Mushrooms . Put the smallest that can be got into spring water, and rub them with a piece of new flannel dipped in salt. Throw them into cold water as they are cleaned, which will make them keep their color : next put them into a sauce-pan, with a handful of salt upon them. Cover them close, and set them over the fire four or five minutes, or till the heat draws the liquor from them ; next lay them betwixt two dry cloths till they are cold ; put them into glass bottles, and fill them up with distilled vinegar, with a blade of mace and a teaspoonful of sweet oil into every bottle ; cork them up close, and place them in a dry, cool place ; as a substitute for distilled vinegar, use white wine vinegar, or ale. Allegar will do, but it must be boiled with a little mace, salt, and a few slices of ginger, and it must be quite cold before it is poured upon the mushrooms. Another method . — Bruise a quantity of well grown flaps of mush- rooms with the hands, and then strew a fair proportion of salt over them ; let them stand all night, and the next day put them into stew- pans ; set them in a quick oven for twelve hours, and strain them through a hair sieve. To every gallon of liquor, put of cloves, Ja- maica black pepper, and ginger, one ounce each, 1-2 lb. of common salt ; set it on a slow fire, and let it boil till half the liquor is wasted ; then put it into a clean pot, and when cold, bottle it for use. Salmon. *Boil the fish gently till done, and then take it up, strain the liquor, add bay leaves, pepper-corns, and salt ; give these a boil, and when cold, add the best vinegar to them ; then put the whole sufficiently over the fish to cover it, and let it remain a month at least. To salt Hams. For three hams, pound and mix together half a peck of salt, half an ounce of salt prunella, three ounces of saltpetre, and four . pounds of coarse salt; rub the hams well with this, and lay what is to spare over them ; let them lie three days, then hang them up. Take the pickle in which the hams were, put water enough to cover the hams, with 62 PASTE Y, ETC. more common salt, till it will bear an egg, then boil anu skim it well, put it in the salting tub, and the next morning put it to the hams ; keep them down the same as pickled pork ; in a fortnight take them out of the liquor, rub them well with brine, and hang them up to dry. To dry salt Beef and Po 1c. Lay the meat on a table, or in a tub, with a double bottom, that the brine may drain off as fast as it forms ; rub the salt well in, and be careful to apply it to every niche ; afterwards put it into either of the above utensils, when it must be frequently turned; after the brine has ceased running, it must be quite buried in salt, and kept closely packed. Meat which has had the bones taken out, is the best for salting. Tn some places, the salted meat is pressed by heavy weights or a screw, to extract the moisture sooner. To jpickle in Brine. A good brine is made of bay salt and water, thoroughly saturated, so that some of the salt remains undissolved ; into this brine the sub- stances to be preserved are plunged, and kept covered wjth it. Among vegetables, French beans, artichokes, olives, and the different sorts of samphire may be thus preserved, and among animals, herrings. PASTRY, ETC. To make a rich Plum Cake. Take one pound of fresh butter, one pound of sugar, one pound and a half of flour, two pounds of currants, a glass of brandy, one pound of sweetmeats, two ounces of sweet almonds, ten eggs, a quarter of an ounce of allspice, and a quarter of an ounce of cinnamon/ Melt the butter to a cream, and put in the sugar. Stir it till quite light, adding the allspice, and pounded cinnamon ; in a quarter of an hour take the yolks of the eggs, and work them in, two or three at a time ; and the whites of the same must by this time be beaten into a strong snow quite ready to work in ; as the paste must not stand to chill the butter, or it will be heavy, work in the whites gradually ; then add the orange-peel, lemon and citron, cut in fine strips, and the currants, which must be mixed in well, with the sweet almonds. Then add the sifted flour and glass of brandy. Bake this cake in a tin hoop in a hot oven for three hours, and put twelve sheets of paper under it to keep it from burning A ylain Pound Cake. Beat one pound of butter in an earthen pan until it is like a fine thick cream, then beat in nine whole eggs till quite light. Put in a glass of brandy, a little lemon-peel,, shred fine, then work in a pound and a quarter of flour ; put it into the hoop or pan, and bake it for an hour. A pound plum cake is made the same, with putting one pound and a half of clean washed currants, and half ^ pound of candied enion peel. PASTRY, ETC. 53 Rice Cakes. Beat the yolks of fifteen eggs for nearly half an hour, with a whisk; mix well with them ten ounces of fine sifted loaf sugar, put in half a pound of ground rice, a little orange- water or brandy, and the rinds ol two lemons grated, then add the whites of seven eggs well beaten, and stir the whole together for a quarter of an hour. Put them into a hoop* and set them in a quick oven for half an hour, when they will be prop- erly done. Lemon Cakes. Take one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of flour, four- teen eggs, two tablespoonfuls of rose-water, the raspings and juice of four lemons ; when the yolks are well beat up and separated, add the powder sugar, the lemon raspings, the juice, and the rose-water; beat them well together in a pan with a round bottom, till it becomes quite light, for half an hour. Put the paste to the whites, previously well whisked about, and mix it very light. When well mixed, sift in the flour, and knead it in with the paste, as light as possible ; form the biscuits, and bake them in small oval tins, with six sheets of paper under them, in a moderate heat. Butter the tins well, or it will prove difficult to take out the biscuits, which will be exceedingly nice if well made. Ice them previous to baking, but very lightly and even. Plain Gingerbread. Mix three pounds of flour with four ounces of moist sugar, half an ounce of powdered ginger, and one pound and a quarter of warm trea- cle ; melt half a pound of fresh butter in it, put it to the flour, and make it a paste ; then form it into nuts or cakes, or bake it in one cake. Another method. — Mix six pounds of flour with two ounces of car- raway-seeds, two ounces of ground ginger, two ounces of candied orange-peel, the same of candied lemon-peel cut in pieces, a little salt, and six ounces of moist sugar : melt one pound of fresh butter in about half a pint of milk, pour it by degrees into four pounds of trea- cle, stir it well together, and add it, a little at a time, to the flour ; mix it thoroughly ; make it into a paste ; roll if out rather thin, and cut into cakes with the top of a dredger or wine-glass ; put them on floured tins, and bake them in rather a brisk oven. Cream Cakes. Beat the whites of nine eggs to a stiff froth, stir it gently with a spoon, lest the froth should fall, and to every white of an egg grate the rinds of two lemons ; shake in gently a spoonful of double refined sugar sifted fine, lay a wet sheet of paper on a tin, and with a spoon drop the froth in little lumps on it near each other. Sift a good quan- tity of sugar over them, set them in the oven after the bread is out, and close up the mouth of it, which will occasion the froth to rise. As soon as they are colored they will be sufficiently baked ; lay them by two bottoms together on a sieve, and dry them in a cool oven. Crumpets. ♦Set two pounds of flour with a little salt before the fire till quite 54 PASTRY, ETC. warm : then mix it with warm milk and water till it is as stiff as it can je stirred ; let the milk be as warm as it can be borne with the a cu ^ this with tbree e g£s well beaten, and mixed with three spoonfuls of very thick yeast; then put this to the batter, A a We -n together in a large pan or bowl, add as much ,l\ nd r Wa l r Wl n ? ake into a thlck batter ; cover it close, and put it before the fire to rise ; put a bit of butter in a piece of thin mus- lin, tie it up, and rub it lightly over the iron hearth or frying-pan ; then pour on a sufficient quantity of batter at a time to make one crumpet; f j slow i y ’ be very light. Bake them all the same way. I hey should not be brown, but of a fine yellow. Muffins. Mix a quartern of fine flour, 1 1-2 pints of warm milk and water, with 1-4 of a pint of good yeast, and a little salt; stir them together tor a quarter of an hour, then strain the liquor into a quarter of a peck of fine flour ; mix the dough well, and set it to rise for an hour, then roll it up and pull it into small pieces, make them up in the hand like balls, and lay a flannel over them while rolling, to keep them warm. The dough should be closely covered up the whole time ; when the whole is rolled into balls, the first that are made will be ready for baking. When they are spread out in the right form for muffins, lay them on tins and bake them, and as the bottoms begin to change color, turn them on the other side. Common Buns. Rub four ounces of butter into tw T o pounds of flour, a little salt, four ounces of sugar, a dessert-spoonful of carraways, and a teaspoonful of ginger ; put some warm milk or cream to four tablespoonfuls of yeast ; mix all together into a paste, but not too stiff*; cover it over, and set it before the fire an hour to rise, then make it into buns, put them on a tin, set them before the fire for a quarter of an hour, cover over with flannel, then brush them with very, warm milk, and bake them of a nice brown in a moderate oven. Rusks. Beat up seven eggs, mix them with half a pint of warm new milk, in which a quarter of a pound of butter has been melted, add a quar- ter of a pint of yeast, and three ounces of sugar ; put them gradually into as much flour as will make a light paste nearly as thin as batter ; let it rise before the fire half an hour, add more flour to make it a little stiffer, work it well, and divide it into small loaves, or cakes, about five or six inches wide, and flatten them. * When baked and cold, put them into the oven to brown a little. These cakes, when first baked, are very good buttered for tea ; if they are made with ce.rraway seeds, they eat very nice cold. * Baked Custards. Boil a pint of cream with some mace and cinnamon, and when it is cold, take four yolks of eggs, a little rose-water, sack, nutmeg, and sugar, to taste ; mix them well and bake them. THE. CANARY BIRD FANCIER. 55 Lemon Custards . Take half a pound of double refined sugar, the juice of two lemons, the rind of one pared very thin, the inner rind of one boiled tender, and rubbed through a sieve, and a pint of white wine ; boil them for some time, then take out the peel and a little of the liquor ; strain them into the dish, stir them well together, and set them to cool. Orange or Lemon Pie . Rub six oranges or lemons with salt, and put them into water, with a handful of salt, for two days. Put every day fresh water without salt, for a fortnight. Boil them tender, cut them into half quarters, corner ways, quite thin ; boil six pippins, pared, cored, and quartered, in a pint of water till they break, then put the liquor to the oranges or lemons, with half the pulp of the pippins well broken, and a pound ol sugar ; boil them a quarter of an hour, then put them into a pot and squeeze in two spoonfuls of the juice of either orange or lemon, ac- cording to the kind of tart ; put puff paste, very thin, into shallow patty-pans. Take a brush, and rub them over with melted butter, sift, double refined sugar over them, which will form a pretty icing, and bake them. THE CANARY BIRD FANCIER. For the amusement of our leisure hours, I know not that a more innocent or rational pursuit can be recommended than that of rearing these harmonious songsters. In many of the principal cities and towns, the industrious mechanic and manufacturer are enabled to pay the entire of their rents, and to add to their comforts, by attending, in the intervals of their labor, to the rearing and management of these pleasing little warblers. Pleasure is thus blended with profit ; and our pretty songsters help to “feed the hungry and clothe the naked.” To the gentleman fancier they afford an equal degree of amusement and delight ; and, if profit were his object, the prices which are fre- quently given for well-bred birds, sufficiently prove that they may he easily obtained. I will only add, the directions here given for their treatment in cases of illness, are the result of practical knowledge, and many years’ experience of their efficacy. (1.) Of the general characteristics of Canaries . Canaries are not naturally' so delicate as they are thought to be, but become so from the little attention and improper treatment that is sometimes paid them. It may be said with truth, that they excel most other birds in their good qualities — 1st, In the sweetness and melody of their song, which continues nearly the whole of the year, excepting only the time of moulting, during which they are generally silent; although some, in spite of their annual illness, do not even then lose their song. 2dly, By their rich and beautiful plumage, which 56 THE CANARY BIRD FANCIER. r!S ayed S6Ven °r ei ^ ht different colors, musing a variety of cor- theC^HoX name h- l |? - be glVGn them b y different fanciers. Idly, By their docility; which is manifested by their learning quicklv a varied of pleasing little tricks-such as coming at the order^fThlir mS and even pronouncing distinctly several words. Add to this their ant- ness ,n learning airs, by means of a flageolet or bird-organ even keen B »• SSSSZ (2.) The proper time for pairing Canaries. or titer end ITm* & enei ; aI1 y commences about the middle atter end of March, but in some degree depends upon the weather the fmst e h° d ’ a elng ge “ j 1 ° r otherwise - The best criterion is, when the frosts have disappeared, and the rays of the sun begin to shed the enlivening warmth, which, at the time I have named, if generally the You may then pair them in the following manner : Take a small wh1ch W a h re h IS Wel1 cleaned ;, be careful there are no small red insects, which are very injurious, and of which I shall hereafter speak. Se- LetW*?^ and hen Cana fyy° u intend to pair, and put them in to- gether, as they sooner match in a small cage than in a large one. as * vou^wif/ sn fSt they ., may fight a .nd : quarrel, let not this alarm you, ’ chwil1 b ' kn “" b!,,helr in^manupt 11 . 6 £“? they “° P re P ari ? g ’ the y must be fed in the follow- mg inanner Boil an egg very hard, and chop or grate it very fine, to 7u un wed ; e l CrUmbled , e t qUal ';T fi ? e ’ a iittle maw seed » and mix this all up well together m a plate, and give the birds a tablespoonful twice a day. in ten days (sometimes much sooner) they will be paired. (3.) The most advantageous place for the Breeding Cao-e fwatothe ; bJe U ed?r? re W * * in the success that For instance, if the cage be in a dark room, where the sun seldom °V he Cage > tbe y°“ng: birds that mav be bied will be weakly, dull, and small; and not equal in three weeks “ b ‘T° f ten days old, which are bred in a more cheerful situation ; so that if you wish to procure fine birds, let your breeding cage be in a wblcb e nj°y s the morning sun, and on which it continues, if possible, the best part of the forenoon, which is preferable, to a room w lere le sun shines only in the afternoon, as the excessive heat then sometimes causes the hen to fall ill, and forsake her nest ; it likewise occasions what may be termed a sweating sickness, and causes the Wpp l t0 , mites > which destroy the young ones, sucking their blood, and sticking to them with the most obstinate pertinacity, as long fifo 6 re “ al , I } s - 1 do not now speak of a variety of accidents' to which tney are liable, as having clear and unproductive eggs, or beimr in a room which does not suit their temper, for they have their preferences THE CANARY BIRD FANCIER. 57 a nd antipathies, and their behavior in their room or cage will readily testify their satisfaction or dislike to it. J (4.) Observations on the mode of Fairing. The original Canary, which was of a dusky buff and dark green color, is now but. little esteemed in comparison with the birds distin- guished by the terms jonque and mealy. In pairing, care should be taaen not to put a cock and hen both mealy, otherwise the color of the young ones would degenerate to a disagreeable dirty or whitish tint • ut rather you should pair a fine jonque or yellow cock with a mealy ryfr- u' U m ? y th ™ ex P ect the y° un 8' birds > particularly the cocks, to follow the color of the father. So also is it with streaked, striped spotted or various colored birds, taking care, if the predominant color be yellow, to pair with mealy, and vice versa. If you wish to breed splashed or marked birds, I should recommend you to nair a fine- shaped lively green or splashed male bird with a yellow or jonque hen • the Foduce of this pair will be marked, and of various colors To breed lull-colored yellow birds without a 'spot or splash, you should procure a fine large mealy hen, bred from yellow birds, With which match a jonque cock bird ; or a pair of close-feathered yellow birds large and strong : these latter will, from being both jonque, if they are not of a good size, dwindle very much, but from such matches are thrown the fine deep yellow birds. If you wish to breed green Cana- ries, let the birds you pair be both greep, or a green cock bird with a yellow or mealy hen, bred from green old ones, from which I have known to be produced that pleasing variety called “ Cinnamon Birds.” (5.) The proper materials for Nests. There are different materials given them to build their nests with • but nothing is so good as a little fine hay and cow’s hair, or deer’s hair’ which latter ought to be well washed to clean it from dust, and then dried in the sun or before the fire. This hair, after serving one nest may be washed and dried, and it will serve the remainder Sf the sea- son, being as good as the first for the succeeding nest. The best nest-boxes are those which are composed entirely of wicker or wooden sides with wire bottoms, so that the dust, if any be left in the hair, falls through, and does not breed the red mites which prey on the young birds. You must not fail to let the paired birds, when in the breeding cage, have red sand or gravel, which ought to be dried before it s given them, and laid pretty thick at the bottom of the cage, so that if the cock or hen, in flying off the nest, happen to draw a young bird or egg out after them, which sometimes occurs, it falls on the soft sand, and thus frequently is saved a valuable bird. I would recom- boTas^the" y0Ur . lrd ! are , first P ut up, to give them only one nest- rUUtfr^? 7 a P t > wben the y have two, to carry the building mate Who fh h ° ne - an{ ^ tben t0 a uother, and by these means lose time. Sho ho v e , hc ; n f ts ’ I tbe l other nest box is easily put in, or indeed after she has hatched. It is better to make the second and following nest Qm, as by so^ doing they are saved much unnecessary fatigue : .68 THE CANARY BIRD FANCIER. and if it does not please them, they soon adapt it to their wishes or fancy. (6.) Directions for Feeding. The following food must be given to them when they have young: Boil an egg very hard, and grate it through a grater, such as is used for grating horse-radish ; after that, take a piece of stale bread about the size of an egg, and grate it through the grater, after the egg is gratea ; then mix them together ; pass it through the grater twice, and it will mix the better. Give them, mow and then, for a change, a piece of stale bread soaked in water, with the crust taken off, then squeeze the water out, add a little sweet milk to it, and then give it to the birds ; also give them cabbage now and then when in season — this is a fine thing for them. This ought to be given them two or three times a day, with chicken-weed or salad, if in season. Many persons who com- mence breeding Canaries, without previously knowing the necessary management of them, very often meet with such disappointment from the number o_f birds that die, that they give it up in disgust, attributing fault to the bird, when they alone are to be blamed. The young ones are generally lost from being either fed too much or too little, and without paying any attention as to the food being proper at the season it is given them, or not. For instance, chick-weed or salad, which in proper season are excellent, if given too early in the year, are abso- lute poison ; that is, before the plants are in that stage of their growth that their bitterness goes off, and their cold acrid juices are dissipated or exhaled by the heat of the sun. Thus, when your young birds can feed themselves, (which you will observe by their not letting the cock feed them any longer, or by his discontinuing to do so,) you may cage them off and give them chopped egg, with bread, as before stated, with the addition of a little maw seed, and some ground or bruised rape till they are seven weeks old ; when they will be able to crack hard seed, which should, however, before that time, be given them. They should then have a mixture of rape, Canary, yellow, and hemp seeds mixed together, taking care that fresh seed be put in their box every two days, with now and then a few grains of bruised hemp seed. Some feed their birds with rape alone, thinking they live longer. I have ob- served it renders them so thin, that they often die at the first illness that attacks them — and particularly the later birds when moulting. Another evil to guard against is, when your old birds are put in a cage with soft food, &c., to breed, they generally gorge to such a degree as to swell themselves and die. Many Canaries are killed by giving them too large a quantity of soft food, as eggs, greens, &c., which is not always necessary for them. Remember, when breeding, your , old birds should have (besides Canary, rape, and hemp seed) a little lettuce seed, which purges and clears them of such foul humors as may have generated during the winter* And, as the breeding time is the most difficult time to manage them, I shall be particular in my directions for their treatment -at that season. The hen sits thirteen, but more frequently fourteen days, although much depends on the state of the weather, as in very fine weather they THE CANARY BIRD FANCIER. 59 fiatch sooner than in dull and cold weather; however, two days before she hatches, I generally clean the perches, fill the box with seed, and the fountain with water, so that they may not be disturbed for two or three days after they hatch. The soft meat must be given them three times a day; you may likewise give them a little seed, chick-weed as free as possible from the large, rank leaves, which are very injurious. In July and August, they should have ripe plantain, or a lettuce leaf, feeding them at six o’clock in the morning, at noon, and again at five in the afternoon. In the hot months, they must be very particularly attended to ; and this food put in the cage in the morning, if any re- mains, should be taken away when next fed, as the soft meat in a few hours turns sour, the chick-weed also withers, so that the old ones, feed- ing their young on these nauseous, half-rotten substances, retard their growth, and make them weak and large bellied, instead of being strong, straight, and taper. I also give them lettuce seed and plantain seed mixed in a small pot. Observe what the old ones prefer, giving them as much of that particular seed as they will eat : for the less they feed the young ones on green meat the better, as it causes the surfeit or swelling before observed. I put sometimes a piece of stick liquor- ice into their water glass, which gives a flavor to the water, and acts as an alterative. In hot weather they should have clean water once a day in pans, to bathe and wash in, which greatly refreshes them ; as well as in their glasses, as they drink much oftener than in cold weather. (7.) Directions to make Paste , to bring them up by hand . When you wish to bring up a Canary by hand, for the purpose of rendering him remarkably tame, you must first see if he is strong enough to be taken away from the old ones ; as should he be taken away too soon, he is apt to pine ; neither must he be left too long, as in that case he is obstinate, sullen, and difficult to breed. The bird thus intended to be brought up, should be well fledged or feathered ; if a mealy bird, eleven days is the proper age ; if a jonque, thirteen. When taken from the hen, he should be placed in a warm box, and kept in rather a dark situation, to make him forget the old ones. This rule is not without exception ; as sometimes the hen is taken ill in breeding, and cannot feed her young, so that it becomes neces- sary they should be taken from her sooner, and bred up by hand, if fou have not another hen under which you can put them. And occa- sionally a hen feeds so ill, that the young ones fall away, and will die for want of food. When this is the case, they must be taken from her, or they would soon be past recovery, from the effect of her ne- glect. Frequently the hen leaves them at eight days old to the care of the cock ; and although you give her proper things for her nest, she unmercifully plucks the feathers from her young ones ; in which case they must be taken from her, or she will kill them in two or three days. But when there is no pressing occasion to take them from the old ones, they should be suffered to remain as before stated. When they are taken away, the following paste is given them, which \ 60 THE CANARY BIRD FANCIER will keep good fifteen days. In a large mortar, or on r.n even table, you must bruise with a rolling-pin a pint or quart of rape, in such manner that you may blow the chaff away ; to this bruised seed add a piece of bread, reducing them to powder; mix these together, and put them in an oak box, which should be kept from the sun. You may give them a teaspoonful of this powder, with the addition of a little hard yolk of egg and a few drops of water. By these means you will have prepared in a minute food for your young birds with- out trouble. This powder must not be kept longer than twelve days, as it then becomes unfit for use, the rape seed turning sour, so that when the water is put in, it smells like mustard. After twenty days, if any of the powder remains, it may be given dry to the old ones, and it will do them no harm. I rather prefer giving them their paste fresh every day, as I observe they thrive better. The first three days I take them from the old ones, I give them part of a sponge biscuit, reduced to powder ; add a hard boiled yolk of egg, (or the white, which is better, if fresh, as it does not heat them as much as the yolk,) with a drop or two of water : make this up into a thick paste, as, if it be too liquid, it digests so quickly as to be of little or no service to them. After your birds are three or four days old, and begin to be strong, add to the mixture a small quantity of scalded rape seed, without bruising it, as they are strong enough to digest it. I sometimes give them, too, (chopped very fine,) a sweet almond peeled, and a small quantity of chick-weed seed. This latter ought to be given them twice a day in very hot weather. If you attend strictly to this • mode of feeding, you may depend on your Canaries thriving well, and, on an average, you will scarcely lose one in fifty. (8.) How to treat those that are sick. If any of the young ones are ill, you must treat them as follows : Take a handful of hemp seed, which first wash in cold water, then bruise it in a mortar, and put in water again, from which again take it and put it in a clean piece of linen, which you must squeeze very strongly in the last used water, and this is termed milk of hemp seed it will strengthen and nourish your young birds very much. Re- member to take the water glass away when you give your sick birds this medicine. Birds brought up by hand require frequent feeding ; let them be at- tended to every two hours at farthest. This regularity and frequency is absolutely requisite to procure complete success. To feed them, sharpen a small piece of wood, and at each time of feeding give them four or five mouthfuls, or till they refuse to open their mouths volun* tarily ; as, if too much gorged, they are apt, from a want of sufficient digestive powers, to become ill, and to fall into what may be termed a surfeit. At a month old you may cease feeding them with a stick, as they will then begin to feed alone. You must put them in a cage without perches, at first, and feed them as before directed, for about a month. There must be a little rape and Canary in the seed box, or glass. When you see them strong enough, which will generally be about seven weeks old, take the soft food by degrees away from them, THE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 61 and leave them only the rape, yellow, and Canary. It will be well to give them, now and then, a little bruised hemp seed, especially in the winter, # Many fanciers boast that the Canaries brought up by the old ones are the strongest and best, while some maintain that the birds brought up by hand by far exceed the others in strength and force ; (and the additional trouble considered, so they ought). It often hap- pens that those brought up by the old ones fall into a consumption, * owing to the parent birds being ill, and not giving them half enough food ; having five or six in a nest to bring up at a time, they must necessarily neglect some, which become feeble and die. The cock and hen are likewise much relieved when the young ones are taken away at ten or twelve days old ; and they live longer than when they are left entirely to rear them themselves. The young brought up br hand are more familiar than the others, and fewer die in the moult At least, a nest from each pair of birds is gained by thus rearing them ; and they may have four nests without too much fatiguing them during the breeding season, and they will the next season be in as good a state to breed as they were the first year. A bird that breeds, seldom lives longer than ten years : others, that are not bred from, but kept merely for song, have been known to attain the age of twenty years. THE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. No subject in this work is more important, and certainly none will be studied with as much attention, as that of the present section. Love is the universal passion, courtship is the most interesting avoca- tion of human life, and marriage one of the great ends of existence. As our wives are not purchased as in China, nor stolen as in some parts of Africa, nor in general negotiated for by parents, as in some countries in Europe, but wooed and" won by polite attentions, the man- ner in which a gentleman should behave towards ladies is a matter of the greatest importance. Charms, filters, and talismans are used no longer — the only proper talismans are worth and accomplishments. How to win the favor of Ladies. To win the favor of the ladies, dress and manner must never be neglected. Women look more to sense than to beauty, and a man shows his sense, or his want of it, in every action of his life. When a young man first finds himself in the company of the other sex, he is seldom free from a degree of bashfulness, which makes him more avvkward than he would otherwise appear, and he very often errs from real ignorance of what he should say or do. Though a feeling of re- spect and kindness, and a desire to be obliging and agreeable, will always be recognized and appreciated, there are certain forms very convenient to be understood. 62 THE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. How to address a Lady. We address a married lady, or widow, as Madam, or by* name, as Missis or Mistress Jones, In answering a question, we contract the Madam to ma’am — as “yes, ma’am, no ma’am, very fine day, ma’am.” A single lady, of a certain age, may also be addressed as Madam. A young lady, if the eldest of the family, unmarried, is entitled to the sirnajne, as Miss Smith, while her younger sisters are called Miss Mary, Miss Julia, &c. The term “ Miss,” used by itself, is very inel- egant. It is expected, that gentlemen will, upon every proper occasion, offer civilities to ladies of their acquaintance, and especially to those for whom they have a particular attachment. A gentleman meeting a lady at an evening party, is struck with her appearance. Ascertaining that she is not engaged, which he may do from some acquaintance, he takes some opportunity of saying, “ Miss Ellen, will you honor me, by accepting my escort home, to- night ?” or, “ Miss Ellen, shall I have the pleasure of seeing you home ?” or, “ Miss Ellen, make me happy by selecting me for your cavalier o», “ Miss Ellen, shall I have the pleasure of protecting you ?” The last, of course, as the others, may be half in fun, for these lit- tle matters do not require much seriousness. The lady replies, if engaged, “ Excuse me, Sir, I am already provided for or, pleasantly, “ How unfortunate ! If you had been five minutes earlier, I migh* have availed myself of your services ;’ or, if disengaged, “ Thank you, Sir; I shall be obliged for your attention or, “ With pleasure, Sir, if my company will pay you for your trouble or, any other pleasant way of saying that she accepts, and is grateful for the attention proffered to her. The preliminaries settled, which should be as early as possible, his attention should be public. He should assist her in putting on her cloak and shawl, and offer her his arm before leaving the room. Preliminaries of Courtship. There is no reason why the passion of love should be wrapped up in mystery. It w T ould prevent much and complicated misery in the world, if all young persons understood it truly. According to the usages of society, it is the custom for the man to propose marriage, and for the female to refuse or accept the offer, as she may think fit. There ought to be a perfect freedom of the will in both parties. When a young man admires a lady, and thinks her society neces- sary to his happiness, it is proper, before committing himself, or indu- cing the object of his admiration to do so, to apply to her parents or guardians for permission to address her ; this is a becoming mark of re- spect, and the circumstances must be very peculiar, which would jus- tify a deviation from this course. Everything secret and unacknowledged is to be avoided, as the rep* THE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 63 utation of a clandestine intercourse is always more or less injurious through life. The romance evaporates, but the memory of indiscre- tion survives. Young men frequently amuse themselves by playing with the feel- ings of young women. They visit them often, they walk with them, they pay them divers attentions, and after giving them an idea that they are attached to them, they either leave them, or, what is worse, never come to an explanation of their sentiments. This is to act the character of a dangler , a character truly dastardly and infamous. How to Commence a Courtship. A gentleman having met a lady at social parties, danced with her at balls, accompanied her to and from church, may desire to become more intimately acquainted. In short, you wish to commence a formal courtship. This is a case for palpitations, but forget not that 44 faint heart never won fair lady.” What will you do ? Why, taking some good opportunity, you will say, “Miss Wilson, since I became acquainted with you, I have been every day more pleased with your society, and I hope you will allow me to enjoy more of it — if you are not otherwise engaged, will you permit me to visit you on Sunday evening ?” The lady will blush, no doubt — she may tremble a little, but if your proposition is acceptable to her, she may say, “I am grateful for your good opinion, and shall be happy to see you.” Or if her friends have not been consulted, as they usually are be- fore matters proceed so far, she may say : 44 I am sensible of your kindness, Sir ; but I cannot consent to a private interview, without consulting my family.” Or she may refuse altogether, and in such a case, should do so with every regard to the feelings of the gentleman, and, if engaged, should say frankly : 44 1 shall be happy to see you at all times as a friend, but 1 am not at liberty to grant a private interview.” As, in all these affairs, the lady is the respondent, there is little ne- cessity for any directions in regard to her conduct, as a 44 Yes” ever so softly whispered, is a sufficient affirmative, and as her kindness of heart will induce her to soften as much as possible her 44 No.” To tell a lady who has granted the preliminary favors, that you love her better than life, and to ask her to name the happy day, are matters of nerve, rather than form, and require no teaching. Love Letters. A gentleman is struck with the appearance of a lady, and is desirous of her acquaintance, but there are no means within his reach of ob- taining an introduction, and he has no friends who are acquainted with herself or her family. In this dilemma there is no alternative but a letter. The--e is, besides, a delicacy, a timidity, and nervousness in love, which makes many men desire some mode of communication rather than the speech, which, in such cases, too often fails them. In short, A £4 THE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. there are reasons enough for writing — but when the enamored youtn Has set about penning a letter to the object of his passion, how diffi- cult does he find it ! How many sheets of paper does he spoil ! How many efforts does he make before he succeeds in writing one to suit him ! It may be doubted whether as many reams of paper have ever been used in writing letters upon all other subjects, as have been consumed upon epistles of love ; ana there is probably no man living who has not at some time written, or desired to write, some missive which might explain his passion to the amiable being of whom he was enam- ored ; and it has been the same, so far as can be judged, in all the generations of the world. Affairs of the heart — the delicate and interesting preliminaries of marriage, are oftener settled by the pen than in any other manner. To write the words legibly, to spell them correctly, to point them properly, to begin every sentence and every proper name with a cap- ital letter, every one is supposed to learn at school. To give examples of letters would be useless and absurd, as each particular case must necessarily require a widely different epistle, and the judgment and feelings of the party writing must be left to control both the style and substance of the letter. For a love letter, good paper is indispensable. When it can be pro- cured, that of a costly quality, gold-edged, perfumed, or ornamented in the French style, may be properly used. The letter should be care- fully enveloped, and nicely sealed with a fancy wafer — not a common one, of course, where any other can be had ; or, what is better, plain or fancy sealing wax. As all persons are more or less governed by first impressions and externals, the whole affair should be as neat and elegant as possible. Popping the Question . There is nothing more appalling to a modest and sensitive young man than asking the girl he loves to marry him ; and there are few who do not find their moral courage tasked to the utmost. Many a man who would lead a forlorn hope, mount a breach, and “ seek ihe bubble ruputation e’en in the cannon’s mouth, 5 ’ trembles at the idea of asking a woman the question which is to decide his fate. Ladies may congratulate themselves that nature and custom have made them the responding party. In a matter which men have always found so terrible, yet which, in one way or other, they have always contrived in some awkward way to accomplish, it is not easy to give instructions suited to every emer- gency. A man naturally conforms to the disposition of the woman he ad- mires. If she be serious, he will approach the awful subject with due solemnity — if gay and lively, he will make it an excellent joke — if softly sentimental, he must woo her in a strain of high-wrought romance — if severely practical, he relies upon straight-forward com- mon sense. There is one maxim of universal application — Never lose an oppor THE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 65 tunity. What can a woman think of a lover who neglects one ? Women cannot make direct advances, but they use infinite tact ih giving men occasions to make them. In every case, it is fair to pre- sume that when a woman gives a man an opportunity, she expects him to improve it ; and though he may tremble, and feel his pulses throb- bing and tingling through every limb ; though his heart is filling up his throat, and his tongue cleaves to the roof of his mouth, yet the awful question must be asked — the fearful task accomplished. In the country, the lover is taking a romantic walk by moonlight, with the lady of his love — talks of the beauty of the scenery, the har- mony of nature, and exclaims, 44 Ah! Julia, how happy would exist- ence prove, if I always had such a companion !” She sighs, and leans more fondly on the arm that tremblingly sup- ports her. 44 My dearest Julia, be mine forever !” This is a settler, and the answer, ever so inaudible, 44 makes or undoes him quite.” 44 Take pity on a forlorn bachelor,” says another, in a manner which may be either jest or earnest, <4 marry me at once , and put me out of my misery.” 44 With all my heart, whenever you are ready,” replies the laughing fair. A joke carried thus far is easily made earnest. A point is often carried by taking a thing for granted. A gentle- man who has been paying attentions to a lady, says, 44 Well, Mary, when is the happy day ?” 44 What day, pray ?” she asks, with a con- scious blush. 44 Why, everybody knows that we are going to get married, and it might as well be one time as another ; so, when shall it be ?” Cornered in this fashion, there is no retreat. 44 Jane, I love you! Will you marry me ?” would be somewhat abrupt, and a simple, frankly given, 44 Yes !” would be short and sweet, for an answer. 44 Ellen, one word from you would make me the happiest man in the universe 1” 44 1 should be cruel not to speak it, then, unless it is a very hard one.” 44 It is a word of three letters, and answers the question, Will you have me ?” The lady, of course, says Yes, unless she happen to prefer a word of only two letters, and answers No. And so this interesting and terrible process in practice, simple as it is in theory, is varied in a hundred ways, according to circumstances and the various dispositions. One timid gentleman asks, 44 Have you any objection to change your name ?” and follows this up with another, which clenches its signifi- cance, 44 How would mine suit you ?” Another asks, 44 Will you tell me what I most wish to know ?” 44 Yes, if I can.” 44 The happy day when we shall be married ?” Another says, 44 My Eliza, we must do what all the world evidently expects we shall.” 68 7. HE ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. “ All the world is very impertinent.” “ I know it — but it can’t be helped. When shall I tell the parson to be ready ?” As a general rule, a gentleman never need be refused. Every woman, except a heartless coquette, finds the means of discouraging a man whom she does not intend to have, before the matter comes to the point of a declaration. Marriage Ceremony . Weddings are everywhere accompanied with some degree of cere mony, and are usually considered as occasions of festivity. ; The preliminaries having been arranged by the contracting parties and the lady having named the happy day, preparations are made for the wedding. Those who belong to the Episcopal and Roman Catho- lic churches are usually married at church, in the morning, and by the prescribed forms. In some cases there is a wedding party given in the evening ; in others, the happy couple make a short wedding tour, and issue cards of invitation on their return. Among other denominations, the parties are married by a clergyman or magistrate ; and in the State of New York, marriage being consid- ered by the law only a civil contract, it may ,be witnessed by any person. Where a wedding is celebrated in the usual forms, cards of invita- tion are issued, at least a week beforehand. The hour selected is usually eight o’clock, P. M. Wedding cake, wines, and other refresh- ments, are provided by the bride and her friends for the occasion. The bride is usually dressed in pure white — she wears a white veil, and her head is crowned with a wreath of white flowers, usually artificial ; and orange blossoms are preferred. She should wear no ornaments but such as her intended husband or her father may present her for the occasion — certainly no gift, if any such were retained, of any former sweetheart. The bridemaid or bridemaids, if there be two, are generally younger than the bride, and should also be dressed in white, but more simply. The bridegroom must be in full dress — that is, he must wear a dress coat, which, if he pleases, may be faced with white satin ; a white vest, black pantaloons, and dress boots or pumps, with black silk stock- ings, and white kid gloves, and a white cravat. The bridegroom is attended by one or two groomsmen, who should be dressed in a simi- lar manner. It is the duty of the bridemaids to assist in dressing the bride, and making the necessary preparations for the entertainment of the guests. The chief groomsman engages the clergyman or magis- trate, and upon his arrival, introduces him to the bride and bridegroom, and the friends of the parties. The invited guests, upon their arrival, are received as at other par- ties, and after visiting the dressing rooms, and arranging their toilets, they proceed to the room where the ceremony is to be performed. In some cases the marriage is performed before the arrival of the guests. When the hour for the ceremony has arrived, and all things are ( oady, the wedding part}', consisting of the happy couple, with the THE El IQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 67 bridemaids and groomsmen, walk into the room arm in arm ; the groomsmen each attending the bridemaids, preceding the bride and bridegroom, and take their position at the head of the room, which is usually the end farthest from the entrance ; the bride standing facing the assembly on the right of the bridegroom — the bridemaids taking their position at her right, and the groomsmen at the left of the bride- groom. The principal groomsman now formally introduces the cler- gyman or magistrate to the bride and bridegroom, and he proceeds to perfolm the marriage ceremony: if a ring is to be used, the bride- groom procures a plain gold one previously, taking some means to have it of the proper size. As soon as the ceremony is over, and the bridegroom has kissed the bride, the clergyman or magistrate shakes hands with the bride, sa- luting her by her newly acquired name, as Mrs. , and wishes them joy, prosperity, and happiness: the groomsmen and bridemaids then do the same ; and then the principal groomsman brings to them the other persons in the room, commencing with the parents and rela- tives of the parties, the bride’s relatives having precedence, and ladies being accompanied by gentlemen. In this manner all present are ex- pected to make their salutations and congratulations, first to the newly married couple, and then to their parents and friends. And where the weddigg ceremony has been performed before the arrival of the guests, they are received near the door, having, of course, first visited the dressing rooms, and introduced in the same manner. The groomsman takes occasion, before the clergyman or magistrate leaves, to privately thank him for his attendance, at the same time placing in his hand the marriage fee, which is wrapped up nicely in paper, and if more than the legal sum, as is frequently the case where the parties are wealthy, it is usually in gold. The bridegroom, of course, takes an early op- portunity to reimburse his groomsman for necessary expenses. When the presentations and congratulations are over, that is, when the guests have arrived, the bridal party, which till now has kept its position, mingles with the rest of the company, and joins in the danc- ing or other amusements. The Bridal Chamber. The festivities should not be kept up too late ; and at the hour of retiring, the bride is to be conducted to the bridal chamber by the bridemaids, who assist her in her night toilet. The bridegroom upon receiving notice will retire, without farther attendance or ceremony. The practice of kissing the bride is not so common as formerly, and in regard to this, the taste of the bridegroom may be consulted, as the rest of the company follow the example of the groomsman ; but the parents and very near relatives of the parties, of course act as affec- tion prompts them. The chamber frolics, such as the whole company visiting the bride and bridegroom after they are in bed, which was done some years ago. even at the marriage of monarchs, and the custom of throwing the stocking, etc., are almost universally dispensed with. THE ETI OF COURTSHIP ANU MARRIAGE. m After Marriage. After marriage tlSe bridal party usually travel for a week or two. upon their return, it is customary for the bride to be 44 at home” for a few days to receive visits. The first four weeks after marriage con- stitute the honeymoon. You need not retain the whole of your previous acquaintance r those only to whom you send cards are, after marriage, considered m the circle of your visiting acquaintance. The parents or friends of the bride usually send the cards to her connexion ; the bridegroom selects those persons among his former associates whom he wishes to retain as such. The cards are sometimes united by a silken cord, or white ribbon, to distinguish those of a^newly married pair from ordi- nary visitors ; but it is doubtful whether it be in good taste. A married lady may leave her own or her husband’s card in return- ing a visit ; the latter only would be adored as a resource in the event of her not having her own with her. A lady will not say, “ My husband,” except among intimates ; in every other case she should address him by his Christian name, calling him Mr. It is equally good ton, when alore with him, to designate him by his Christian name. Cobbett; in his 44 Advice to a Husband,” says, 44 1 never could see the sense of its being a piece of etiquette, a sort of mark of good breeding , to make it a rule that man and wife are not to sit side by side in a mixed company ; that if a party walk out, the wife is to give her arm to some other than her husband ; that if there be any other hand near, his is not to help to a seat or into a carriage. I never could see the sense of this ; but I have always seen the nc ^sense of it plainly enough ; it is, in short, a piece of false refinement : \\ being interpreted, means that so free are the parties from a liability to suspicion, that each man can safely trust his wife with another man, and each woman her husband with another woman. But this piece of false refinement, like all others, overshoots its mark ; it says too much ; for it says that the parties have lewd thoughts in their minds. ” This is the sensible view taken of part of the etiquette f marriage, by a man of extreme practical sense. Acquaintances after Marriage. When a man marries, it is understood that all former acquaintance- ship ends , unless he intimate a desire to renew it, by sending you his own and his wife’s card, if near, or by letter, if distant, f 7 this be neglected, be sure no further intercourse is desired. In the first place — A bachelor is seldom very particular in the choice of his companions. So long as he is amused, he will associate freely enough with those whose morals and habits would point then out as highly dangerous persons to introduce into the sanctity of domestic life. Secondly — A married man has the tastes of another to consult ; and the friend of the husband may not be equally acceptable to the wife. Besides — Newly- married people may wish to limit the circle of their friends, from praiseworthy motives of economy. When a man first- HYDROPATHY, JR THE WATER JURE. 69 ' 4 sets up ” in the world, the burden of an extensive and indiscriminate acquaintance may be felt in various ways. Many have had cause to regret the weakness of mind which allowed them to plunge into a vortex of gayety and expense they could ill afford, from which they have found it difficult to extricate themselves, and the effects of which have proved a_serious evil to them in after-life. When a man is about to be married, he usually gives a dinner to his bachelor friends ; which is understood to be their conge, unless he choose to renew their acquaintance. HYDROPATHY, OR THE WATER CURE. Bathing has been practised, both as a preventive and a curative of disease, from the earliest ages to the present day. It is a vulgar error, that the practice of cold bathing, when the body is bedewed with perspiration, is dangerous, and that numbers of persons, every summer, lose their lives by this means. But the true fact is, that the danger in such cases is owing to the fatigue present, and not to perspiration checked. The ancient Romans were in the habit of often passing from their sudatorium, or sweating, to the cold bath. The Russians, for centuries, have been accustomed to go, while in a state of reeking sweat, to a cold immersion, or to roll in the snow. So, also, in this way, the Indians of our own country accomplish, in a multitude of cases of rheumatism, fevers, etc., what could not be with any amount of drugs, and the lancet besides. The Macedonians considered warm water to be enervating. Their women, after accouchement, were washed in cold water. The Spartans bathed their children, as soon as born, in cold water ; and the men of Sparta, both old and young, bathed at all seasons of the year, to harden their flesh, and strengthen their bodies. Among the Araucanian Indians of South America, a mother, imme- diately after childbirth, takes her child, and going down to the nearest stream of water, washes herself and it, and returns to the usual labcrs of her station. A remedy that has proved so potent in untrained and unskilled hands, affords a legitimate prospect of much greater success when wielded by men of cultivated minds, and devoted to the practice of the healing art. So far as great names give a sanction to a system, the Water Cure is not without some of the most eminent in science, and the most dis- tinguished in practice. Not to mention a host of physicians and profes sors on the continent of Europe, with the illustrious Liebig at their head, it may be enough to cite some names of well-deserved note in England — Sir Charles Scudamore, Drs. Wilson, Gully, Johnson, Adair, Craw- ford, Hume, Weatherhead, Freeman, Heathcote, Swethurst, Mr. Her- bert Mayo, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Abdy, and many others. The system is rapidly gaining ground among intelligent and scientific men in our own country ; and the French, Prussian, and Austrian Governments have already given their public approval of its practice, the reports of 70 HYDROPATHY, OR THE WATER CURE. their respective commissions sent to the establishment of Pmsrioitz at Grafenberg to investigate its merits, having given a favorable verdict. The Process of the Water Cure. Having premised with these general observations, we shall proceed to explain the various modes of administering the remedy, with the diseases for which each mode is peculiarly applicable. Sweating. This is produced as follows : The patient is stripped and laid upon a thick woolen blanket extended on the bed. An attendant wraps first the one side of the blanket round the body of the patient, drawing it close in every direction : grasping now firmly with the one hand the portion in which the patient is wrapped, he draws with the other hand the blanket round the body, and tucks this part also under him. The coverings must be in close contact with the body, particularly at the neck, so that the heat emitted may be retained, for it is the ex- cess of caloric thus confined that induces sweating. Before the out- break of perspiration, slight excitement of the vessels generally passes off spontaneously ; but where it does not, a cooling bandage must be laid on the head of the patient, at the same time administering cold water internally. All parts affected with swellings are to be wrap- ped up in warming applications before envelopment, in order to allay the pain, which is usually more violent previous to perspiration. As persons thus enveloped are helpless, a servant should always be in at- tendance to open the windows as soon as sweating ensues, and to give as much cold water as is necessary to promote perspiration, every ten or fifteen minutes. The result of this mode of treatment is pretty certain. The best time for sweating in chronic cases is in the early hours of the morning, from four to five o’clock. A repetition of the process the same day is only admissible as an exception. The ordinary dura- tion in chronic cases is from half an hour to three hours daily ; but moderate perspiration may be encouraged for a longer time in acute diseases. i When the patient has remained in a state of perspiration long enough, the woolen covering should be loosened about his feet and legs, to enable him to walk. If not able, he is to be carried to the bath. No danger is to be dreaded from the transition from heat to cold, if everything is properly done. After the bath, patients who can, should walk, or take other exer- cise, in fresh air. Those who cannot, must be rubbed after the bath for some time, first with wet cloths and then dry. This is a powerful part of the treatment, and must be resorted to with prudence; Priessnitz does not now use it as often as formerly. Wet Sheet. This is the great bug-bear of the treatment. The wet sheet is laid upon one or more blankets, the patient lays himself at full length upon HYDROFATHY, OR THE WATER CURE. 71 the former, whereupon it is folded round him, so as to rome in close contact with every portion of the body. He is then enveloped in the blanket and bed covering. The wet sheets are of remarkable utility in all febrile diseases. In acute fevers, they must be changed according to the degree of heat, every quarter or half hour, until the dry, hot skin, becomes softer, and more prone to sweating. When this symptom is observed, the renewal of the wet cloths may be delayed till perspiration actually ensues. The patient must then remain for several hours in this state, until uneasy sensations render it necesary to extricate him ; but it is more advisable to keep him in the loosened envelopment until the sweating ceases spontaneously, when a tepid ablution, or half bath, should fol- low. In acute eruptions of the skin, measles, scarlatina, small pox, &c., the wet sheets are not less serviceable, than when the eruption cannot make its way to the surface in consequence of the dry state and heat of the skin, and of the violence of the fever ; or where the rash has receded suddenly, owing to other disturbances. The wet sheets followed by tepid ablutions cannot be sufficiently recommended in many diseases of children. In using the envelopment, we generally raise the temperature of the patient, and occasionally allow him to perspire, according to the cir- cumstances of the case. Determination to the head during the pro- cess must be removed by cold applications to that part. If the feet remain cold for a long time in the wet cloths, and show no disposition to become warm, they are to be extricated and wrapped in the dry blanket only. The wet sheet produces two diametrically opposite effects , according as it is used. If it be changed frequently, as fast as the patient be- comes warm, as, for instance, in cases of fever, almost any amount of heat may be abstracted slowly and gradually from the body. But if the patient remain half an hour, the most delicious sensation of warmth and a gentle perspiration are produced ; while pains and uneasiness are removed. Cooling Bandages . Bandages are made to produce the same effect upon any part of the oody, as the wet sheet upon the whole body. As cooling applications, they should be applied of a size suited to the part inflamed, folded from three or four to eight times, dipped in very cold water, and are to be renewed from every three or four to ten minutes, according to the ne- cessities of the case. Warming , or Stimulating Bandages. These are applied by folding linen two or three times, and dipping them in cold water, or they may be made slightly tepid ; they should be well pressed or wrung out, and are not to be changed until they begin to dry. They must be well adapted to the part, and also well secured from the action of the air by a dry bandage, which is better to be a non-conductor of heat, so that the part may be raised in tempera- ture. The combined action of heat and moisture thus produced is 72 HYDROPATHY, ON THE WATER CURE. highly beneficial in a great, variety of indurations, swellings, tumors, &c. In the water cure, they are also much used in derangements of the digestive organs, affections of the abdomen, diseases of the liver, &c. For the abdomen, a convenient form is made by folding and sewing together two or three thicknesses of linen, of sufficient length to pass round the body two or more times, the width varying according to the size of the person ; one end is wet and wrung out, enough in length to cover the abdomen, or to pass round the body if desirable, and then applied as tightly as comfortable — and the dry folds over in the same manner, the whole secured by tapes attached for the purpose. There should always be enough dry cloths to prevent a permanent chill. Rubbing Wet Sheet. A coarse linen sheet, suitable for holding considerable water, and for friction, is here used. It may be allowed even dripping. The pa- tient standing ready, it. is to be thrown over the head or closely about the neck, so as to create a slight shock, and immediately very active friction is to be used by the assistant behind, and the patient, if able or another assistant, before. This should be continued from one to five minutes, when the skin will have become reddened and warm. This must be followed briskly by a coarse dry sheet or dry cloths, until the surface is perfectly dry and in a complete glow. The patient is then immediately dressed for exercise, or for bed, as the case may be. The temperature of the water used should correspond with the strength of the patient. Those who are so feeble as to render it necessary to remain in bed, can be often much benefited by a judicious rubbing while in bed. This is a highly useful application, and, if judiciously made, will produce nearly all the good effects of a bath, and will often be found much more convenient of application. Ablutions. These may be performed in the following manner : — The hands, or a sponge or cloth, is dipped into a vessel containing cold water, placed on a chair. The sponge or cloth is to be gently expressed, and then conveyed for some few minutes rapidly over the whole surface of the body; then the same operation is to be performed with dry cloths, brushes, &c., until the surface is entirely dry. Every one, old and young, should practise daily ablutions. The best times for these ablutions is the morning. They are to be performed immediately after rising from bed, when the temperature of the body is raised by the heat of the bed. In many cases a second ablution before going to bed will suffice. Local ablution will have to be repeated most frequently, where we wish to produce increased reac- tion ; even in these cases the natural warmth of the body should be restored before proceeding to a second ablu-tion ; to increase the ben- eficial effects of this washing, it should be accompanied by friction during the process ; this is also essential immediately after it. Quite as necessary is exercise in the open air, if circumstances will in any way permit it. Very great invalids only may be allowed, after wash- ing, to retire to bed. HYDROPATHY, OR THE WATER CURE. 73 Plunging Baths. Tire immersion of the body covered with sweat, into cold water, is exempt from danger, provided the organs of perspiration are in a state of repose. The risk which is incurred of catching cold, if, on arriving at a river to bathe, we remain until the body is cold, cannot exist in this case ; as we thereby abstract from the body the heat which it re- quires to produce reaction, and thus lose the good effect of bathing. If we walk fast, or a long distance, to the bath, it is requisite to repose a little in order to tranquillize the lungs, after which we must undress quickly and plunge headforemost into the water, having first wetted the head and chest, to prevent the blood from mounting to those regions. This precaution is strongly enforced at Graefenberg. During the bath, the head ought to be immersed several times into the water. Great care is requisite in not exposing the body, between throwing aside the blanket after sweating and entering into the bath. It is highly advantageous to keep in movement in the bath, and to rub with the hands any parts afflicted. The skin is thus stimulated, and the sensation of cold abated. Those whose chests are affected, must exercise moderation in the use of the bath, entering it only by degrees, and not staying in it too long. In general, the time for re- maining in the bath is governed by the coldness of the water, and the vital heat. At Graefenberg, where the temperature of the water is from 43 to 50 degrees, no one stays longer in the bath than from six to eight minutes. Priessnitz advises his patients to avoid the second sensation of cold by leaving the bath before it is felt ; by this means the patient will avoid a too powerful reaction provoked by a great sub- traction of heat. This precaution is indispensable at the epoch of the treatment marked by fevers and eruptions. Then a reaction, produced by an immoderate use of the bath or douche, would compel the invalid to keep his bed for some days without at all accelerating the cure. A glass or two of water immediately after the bath, is agreeable, and should not be omitted whilst walking. The Half-Bath. This is employed in cases in which the whole bath would be too much for the strength of the invalid, who may require to be bathed for a longer time, in order to excite the morbid humors. It is less active than the entire bath, and it is attended with less danger. The temper- ature of the small or half-bath is never lower than about 60 degrees. The water in these half-baths is only about three to six inches deep. When it is necessary that the invalid should have the advantage of an entire bath, water is poured upon, or the attendant constantly wets the body and head with the water of the bath. The half-bath is frequently taken by the patient immediately after he has been confined in the w T et sheet. It may be accompsnied by a gen- eral sprinkling of the body with cold water and rubbing. When the patient quits the bath, he dries himself, dresses, and proceeds to take exercise in the open air. 4 74 HYDROPATHY, OR THE WATER CURE Sitting -Baths. The dimensions of the vessel should be about the following : height of the pedestal, four to six inches ; the inner depth of the vessel from nine to ten inches ; height of the back, six to eight inches ; whole breadth of the vessel, twenty-two to twenty-four inches. These baths are made of wood or tin. The vessel in which the bath is taken should be filled with water, until it reaches the navel of the patient, when in the sitting posture. In especial cases, a greater or less height of water may be requisite. During the bath, the upper part of the body is to remain covered, the shirt should be turned up, and the legs and feet are to be enveloped in a woolen coverlet. Whilst the person is in the bath, he may rub the abdomen with a woolen cloth, to increase the action of the skin, and to facilitate the passage of flatulent collec- tions. The action of sitting-baths varies. Where they are desired to have a tonic action, the temperature should be from 50 to 60 degrees of Fah., and they should be continued from ten to fifteen minutes. To act as a stimulant, and to produce more powerful reaction, they must be continued for the same length of time ; but their temperature must not exceed 40 to 45 degrees of Fah. Where the sitting-baths are to act as derivatives, determining the blood from parts which suffer from congestion, the patient must remain twenty minutes to half an hour in the bath. It is sometimes neces- sary, during the bath, to adapt cold applications to the parts affected ; this is the more necessary, if the congestion increase during the bath. If the sitting-baths be intended to produce a solvent effect, a mod- erate temperature of 60 to 70 degrees of Fah., and rather a lengthened continuation of them, say from half an hour to an hour or more, will be required. It is advisable, that patients suffering from obstructions or haemorrhoids should sit in deeper water ; it may, in this case, ex- tend beyond the umbilicus. These baths should not, as a rule, be taken immediately after eating, as they will be liable to derange the digestion, and produce irregular- ities in the evacuations. The best time is an hour before dinner, or before going to bed. In the latter case they offer the advantage of securing a night’s rest to the patient. Generally speaking, two sit- ting-baths a day will suffice ; in particular cases, especially if not per- severed in for a long time, five to six may be taken during the day. Exercise in the open air is to be strictly recommended both before and after these baths. Leg- Bath. The thighs and legs, when afflicted with ulcers, ring- worms, wounds, or fixed rheumatic pains, ought to be put into a* bath so as to cover the parts afflicted. The object of these baths is for them to act as stimu- lants. They may be taken for an hour, and sometimes longer : they always determine abscesses, and where they already exist, they cause an abundant suppuration. They are also applicable to any ether mem- bers afflicted in a like manner. 74 HYDROPATHY, OR THE WATER CURE. Shower -Bath, In this kind of bath very weakly or irritable people may begin with tepid water, and they will soon accustom themselves to cold, as these baths produce a very grateful impression. Those who cannot obtain a proper machine may stand in an empty bathing vat, or other vessel, sufficiently large, whilst an assistant standing on a chair pours water over them from a common watering-pot, which answer^ the purpose perfectly. The action of these baths consists in a general shock to the nervous system, and to the skin ; in consequence of which, the secretion and excretion is promoted, and the whole economy benefited. As the ac- tion of shower-baths is closely allied to that of ablutions, they are justly preferred to these by many people, because their effect is milder and more grateful, and the water, in the form of rain is brought in contact with all parts of the body at the same time. They are to be -ecommended in diseases requiring repeated sweatings for their cure ; or patients who, in consequence of congestions, and diseases of the chest, cannot bear the full baths after the process of sweating. These baths deserve recommendation to families. Children may be best ac- customed to cold water in these baths where the temperature can at first be raised, and then gradually decreased. The Douche . This description of bath is prepared with the aid of mechanical con- trivances, by means of which a stream of water is made to fall upon the body with more or less force. In some respects it is more advantageous to make use of a natural fall of water for this purpose ; we can then conduct the water simply into a channel, giving it a fall of twelve to twenty feet, and to the stream a calibre of half an inch to five inches. Douche rooms, admitting by their construction of the access of air from above, produce an agreeable sensation, especially in summer, and are very beneficial in their action. After the first time of using these baths, the dreadful ideas which many patients preconceive of them quickly disappear. The chief consideration in the use of the douche should be to guard against applying it to the body when quite cold, or when in a state of perspiration after active exercise. The patient, after undressing in n moderate temperature, steps below the falling stream, attempting to re- ceive it in the palms of his hands, that the whole force and volume of the water may not fall upon his body immediately, which is not, to say the least, at all times agreeable. After having thus prepared himself for the more potent shock, he must expose himself to the full stream, and, in such a manner, that the whole column of water falls chiefly on the. neck and spine. From time to time he must equally expose the other members of the body to the stream ; but the affected parts chiefly, and for a greater length of time. He should be careful not to allow the stream to fall perpendicularly on the head, chest, or the region of the liver, especially if these parts be weak or affected with disease. The duration of the douche must be regulated by the constitution of 76 THE ART OF CONVERSATION. the patient, and the effect we wish to produce ; it sho ild never be con- tinued for less than one, nor more than twelve minutes. It is only to be taken fasting, or immediately after sweating, ano never on a full stomach, nor oftener than once or twice daily. It is, moreover, not advisable to drink cold water immediately after the douche, because a rapid generation of heat is thus impeded, and in- flammation of the stomach and bowels might be caused. THE ART OF CONVERSATION. The art of conversation, so essential to every one who wishes to mingle in society, can only be perfected by frequent intercourse with the polite ; yet great assistance may be derived by an intelligent per- son from the observations below, and no important blunders can possi- bly be made if the rules here given be attended to. Under favorable circumstances, and among persons who know how to train a conversation, there are few if any amusements more grate- ful to the human mind. Every one knows something which he is willing to tell, and which any other that he is in company with wishes to know, or which, if known to him, would be amusing or useful. To be a skillful conversationist, one’s eyes and ears should be busy ; nothing should escape his observation. His memory should be a good one, and he should have a good-natured willingness to please and to be pleased. It follows that all matter of offence in conversation should be avoid- sd. The self-love of others is to be respected. Therefore, no one is tolerated who makes himself the subject of his own commendation, nor who disregards the feelings of those whom he addresses. There is as much demand for politeness and civility in conversation as in any other department of social intercourse. One who rudely )nterrupts another, does much the same thing as though he should, when walking with another, impertinently thrust himself before his companion, and stops his progress. It was one of the maxims of a French philosopher, that “ in con- versation, confidence has a greater share than wit.” The maxim is erroneous, although it is true that a fashionable fool may attain to the small talk of which much of the conversation of society is composed, and his glib confidence may so far impose upon the superficial as to make this pass for wit ; but it will not be received as such by that portion of society whose esteem is desirable. Good sense, sound and • varied information, are as necessary as confidence, to enable a man to eonverse well. In addition, then, to the ordinary routine of education, make your- self acquainted with the passing circumstances of the day — its poli- tics, its parties, itis amusements, its foibles, its customs, its literatures and at ' he present time, I must also say its science. Some of these THE ART OF CONVERSATION. 77 subjects may be the parent of much gossip and scandal ; still, a man moving in society as a gentleman, must be ignorant of nothing which relates thereto, or if he is, he must not appear to be. Avoid a loud tone, particularly if speaking to ladies. By observing men of the world, you will perceive that their voices, as it were, in- voluntarily, assume a softness as they address the sex; this is one of the most obvious proofs of an intimacy with good society. Never attempt to occupy the attention of a company for a long time : unless your conversation be very brilliant, it must become tiresome. Never tell long stories, or retail well-known anecdotes. -tie not partial to theorizing, or your conversation will assume the style of speech-making, which is intolerable. Badinage is pleasant but it may be dangerous; stupid people may imagine you are ridiculing them, and the stupid are the most assiduous GiiGmies. Abjure punning ; it has been aptly designated “ the wit of fools.” A man of talent rarely condescends to be an habitual punster ; a gentle- tibie with ™ P T" ng ‘ S a S ?> rt ° f P ot ' house wit > which ^ quite incompa- tible with good manners. Be not over anxious to be considered a wit • recollect that, except in the society of wits, the wit of the company is likely to become the butt of the company. company is cunatfnn nfT° n err ° r ’ th ^, of , ada P tin g your conversation to the oc- cupation of the persons with whom you are conversing, and to some .persons it is exceedingly offensive. Thus, introducing theology to a clergyman— of law to a barrister, &c! &c., is in fact ed-afl ar i?”"”' 1 ' n ' ,ieCt with wbich you are best ac quaint- • , - a , , are , ke to me - This is an assumption of superiority 4 which is highly indecorous, and will ultimately insure punishment. 7 A man Inadvet^f ^ b8 ° ffended ’ but he ^ instantly attribute the inadvertence to ignorance ; indeed, it generally arises from a de- sire to avoid the awkwardness of silence? and is a bunglin" way of St 0 ™!, ° nUS ° f sl,stainin g ‘he conversation, and of vouthe hfnZfir fT' lnc ? m Petence; but where one person will give y At n rthf ° f th ‘f apology ’ a dozen wil1 consider you impertinent, excessive i an ir most contemptible character, uniting in person either mischleffand mah^ity & Vamty ’ 0r the eXtremes of meanness > ieabusTtLntalStyr 11 ^" ^ ^ ^ than vice ~ Men ’ ^om Without intending mischief, many persons do much, bv repeating conversations from one house to another. This gossiping is air but as injurious as scandal; for as you can never represent the exact ci“ may give 6 a mfh" \ faCt "? ay have been related > y° ur version tte oriJLl S* k meaWng *° that wbich was intended by do*e c l 16 ' 5 aS observat,on P roves that, in relating an anec- SDfeaker n?i f t n j We , g ‘ ve our impression of the meaning of the infinite mischief." ” ^ t iUS * mlscon ception of our own may produce nofshow S T' et , P ermit himself to lose his temper in society, how that he has taken offence at any supposed slight— it places T8 THE ART OF CONVERSATION. him in a disadvantageous position — betraying an absence of self* respect, or at the least of self-position. If a “ puppy” adopt a disagreeable tone of voice, or offensive man- ner toward you, nevei resent it at the time , and, above all, do not adopt the same style in your conversation with him ; appear not to notice it, and generally it will be discontinued, as it will be seen that it has failed in its object, besides which — you save your temper. Avoid a loud tone of voice in conversation, or a “horse laugh both are exceedingly vulgar ; and if practised, strangers may think that you have been “ cad” to an omnibus. There is a slightly subdued patrician tone of voice , which we fear can only be acquired in good society. Be cautious also how you take the lead in conversation, un- less it be forced upon you, lest people reiterate the remark made on a certain occasion upon that “ Brummagem ” Johnson, Dr. Parr — that “ he was like a great toe in society ; the most ignoble part of the body , yet ever thrust foremost .” Be very careful how you “ show off” in strange company, unless you be thoroughly conversant with your subject, as you are never sure of the person next to whom you may be seated. Lounging on sofas, or reclining in chairs, or leaning back in a chair when in society^ as if in the privacy of one’s own dressing room or study, is always considered indecorous ; but in the presence of ladies, is deemed extremely vulgar. Mothers should be on their guard not to repeat nursery anecdotes or bon-mots, as, however interesting to themselves, they are seldom so to others. Long stories should always be avoided, as, however well told, they interrupt general conversation, and leave the impression that the narrator thought the circle dull, and consequently endeavored to amuse it. Never use the term “genteel” Do not speak of “ genteel people it is a low estimate of good breeding, used only by vulgar persons, and from their lips implies that union of finery, flippancy and affectation, often found in those but one remove from the essentially vulgar. Sub- stitute “ well bred persons ,” “ manners of a gentlewoman ” or of “a gentleman ,” instead. Never use the initial of a person’s name to designate him; as “Mr. P.,” “ Mrs. C.,” “Miss W.,” &c. Nothing is more abominable than to hear a woman speak of her husband as “ Mr. B.” It is allowable, in some cases, to conceal our sentiments ; but we ought never to do so for the purpose of deceiving others. Make it a rule never to give utterance to a falsehood : in all circumstances, and whatever be the consequences, adhere to truth. It is not considered good taste for a lady to say yes, Sir,” and “ no, Sir,” to a gentleman, or frequently to introduce the word Sir at the end of her sentences, unless she desires to be exceedingly reserved toward the person with whom she is conversing. It is not contrary to good breeding to laugh in company, and even tc laugh heartily, when there is anything amusing going on ; this is nothing more than being "sociable. To remain prim and precise oil wiich an occasion, is sheer affectation. THE ART OF CONVERSATION. 79 If, upon the entrance of a visitor, you continue a conversation begun before, you should always explain the subject to the new-comer. There cannot be a custom more vulgar or offensive than that of taking a person aside to whisper in a room with company, yet this rudeness is of frequent occurrence — and that with persons who ought to know better. Conversation shov d be studied as an art. Style in conversation is as important, and as. capable of cultivation, as style in writing. The manner of saying things is what gives them their value. Avoid provincialisms in your language and pronunciation. Walker is the standard for pronouncing in the best society, both in the United Spates and in England. Swearing, which .ormerly pervaded every rank of society, is now to be chiefly found in a very low and uninstructed class ; it is, in fact, a vulgar and proscribed mode of speech. Nevertheless, it is still used occasionally by persons of no humbie rank, especially by the young, though chiefly for the purpose of giving an emphasis to speech, or perhaps simply to give token of a redundancy of spirits, and a high state of excitement. To these who are guilty of it for these reasons, it is only necessary to point out, that no well-informed person can be at the least loss, with the genuine words of the English language, to express all legitimate ideas and feelings, and that to use either pro- fane or slang words is, at the least, the indication of a low taste and inferior understanding. A direct, pure, manly use of our native lan- guage is an object which all may cultivate in a greater or less degree ; and we ha sre invariably obsa'-ved, through life, that the most virtuous persons ar ; the most exempt from the use of mean and ridiculous phraseology and monkey tricks of all kinds. Meeting an acquaintance among strangers — in the street or a cof- fee-house — never address him by name. It is vulgar and annoying. Never tattle — nor repeat in one society any scandal or personal matter you hear in another. Give your own opinion of people if you please, but never repeat that of others. You are not required to defend your friends in company, unless the conversation is addressed to you ; but you may correct a statement of fact, if you know it to be wrong. Do not call people by their names, in speaking to them. In speak- ing of your own children, never “ Master” and “ Miss” them — in speak- ing to other people of theirs, never neglect to do so. In the use of language, avoid too great formality of expression, and an affectation of preciseness. It is better to say “ I don’t know,” or “ I can’t tell,” than “ I do not know,” or “ I cannot tell.” Preserve a proper medium, avoiding pedantry on the one hand, and vulgarity on the other. In all cases speak plainly, with proper emphasis and inflec- tion, neither drawling, nor mumbling, nor chattering, nor spluttering, nor speaking through the nose, nor mouthing, like a stage-player mur- dering Shakspeare, nor whining like a whipped school-boy. There are a thousand vulgarities of pronunciation and expression which it is impossible to enumerate — such as “ onct,” for once ; “ dost,” for does ; “ wulgar,” for vulgar ; and the rest. Bo COOKERY FOR THE SICK ROOM. In relating a circumstance to any one, do not be constantly saying — ' 14 you know” — “ you understand ” — “ you take.” Do not at every six words put in a “ says he,” or u says she,” which last I have heard voluble old ladies shorten into a continual “ sheshe.” What is called doubling comparatives should be carefully avoided, such as “ more better,” “ more honester,” &c. Avoid grand words and high sounding phrases, particularly when you are not quite sure you can use them correctly, or you may be ex- posed to the same ridicule as was a worthy lady with more money than learning, who, in describing the mansion her husband was about to build, said there was to be a “ Pizarro” on the front, and a “ lemonade” all round it, while, to complete the arrangement, the water was to come in an “ anecdote.” There is another vulgar affectation — that of claiming acquaintance with distinguished people. Some persons are forever telling of Gov- ernor this, and General that, evidently to increase their own conse- quence. While music is playing, especially while any one is singing, it is very bad manners, little better than an insult, indeed, to talk at all. In general society, certain subjects must be carefully excluded. Politics generally lead to warm and intemperate discussions. Secta- rian opinions of religion cannot be put forth without offence, and all matters of controversy should be avoided. In ordinary conversation, the modulation and proper management of the voice is a point worthy of the attention of young ladies ; for a fine, and melodious voice, “ sweet as music on the waters,” makes the heart- strings vibrate to their very core. The thin, small voice is the most difficult to manage, as it is liable to degenerate into shrillness ; and ladies who have this kind of voice must keep strict guard over their temper, when within hearing of any one on whom they may wish to make a favorable impression ; for the very idea of a shrill voiced scold makes us place our hands to our ears. But with a sweet temper, a pretty little harmonious voice is pleasing enough. Always recollect, however, that affectation, con- straint, or striving for effect, is the certain ruin of the prettiest voice in the world. COOKERY FOR THE SICK ROOM. Too little attention is generally paid to the preparation of food for the sick; and when we consider that “ kitchen physic is often the best physic,” it is a matter of surprise that so important a subject should oe so frequently neglected. The palate of a sick person is usually more nice, and less easily pleased, than that of one in good health, and the utmost delicacy is required in preparing nourishing articles of diet. The cookery for the sick room is confined to the processes of boil- ing, baking, and roasting ; and it may be useful to offer a few remarks upon the principles which render these processes serviceable for the preparation of food. By cookery, alimentary substances undergo a COOK Erl Y FOR THE SICK ROOM. 81 two-fold change, — their principles are chemically modified, and their texture is mechanically changed. The extent and nature of these changes greatly depend on the manner in which heat has been applied to them. (1.) Boiling . Boilkig softens the animal fibre, and the principles not properly solu- ble are rendered softer, and easier of digestion. In boiling meat, the water should scarcely be brought to the boiling temperature, but it should be long kept at a lower than the boiling point of water, or in that state which approaches more to stewing than to boiling. The nature of the water is also of some importance. Dr. Paris observes,, that meat boiled in hard water is more tender and juicy than when soft water is used ; while vegetables are rendered harder and less di- gestible when boiled in hard water. (2.) Baking. Excepting in the preparation of light puddings, the process of baking is inadmissible for the sick. (3.) Roasting. Roasting softens the tendinous part of meat better than boiling, and it retains more of its nutritious principles. Care should always be taken that the meat be neither over or under-done ; for, although in the latter state it may contain more nutriment, yet it will be less digesdble on account of the density of its texture. It has of late years been much the fashion to regard under-done roasted meat as being well adapted for weak stomachs ; but no opinion is more erroneous. (4.) Mutton Broth. This is prepared from a pound of good mutton, freed from fat, and cut into slices, and a pint and a half of soft water. Boil for half an hour, after the maceration, and then strain it through a sieve. (5.) Panada. Having pared off the crust, boil some slices of bread in a quart of water for about five minutes. Then take out the bread, and beat if smooth in a deep dish, mixing in a little of the water it has boiled in ; and mix it with a bit of fresh butter, and sugar and nutmeg to youi taste. (6.) Tapioca . Wash the tapioca well, and let it steep for five or six hours, chang- ing the water three times. Simmer it in the last water till quite clear then season it with sugar and wine, or lemon-juice. (7.) Rice Jelly. Having picked and washed a quarter of a pound of rice, mix it with half a pound of loaf sugar, and just sufficient water to cover it. Boil it till it becomes a glutinous mass ; then strain it/ 4 * 82^ RESPECTING CLOTHING, ETC. season it with whatever may be thought proper ; and let it stand to cool. (8.) Gruel. Allow three large tablespoonfuls of oatmeal or Indian meal to a quart of water. Put the meal into a large bowl, and add the water, a little at a time, mixing and bruising the meal with the back of a spoon. As you proceed, pour off the liquid into another bowl, at every time, before adding fresh water to the meal, till you have used it all up. Then boil the mixture for twenty minutes, stirring it all the while; add a little salt. Then strain the gruel' 'and sweeten it. A piece of butter may be stirred into it ; and also a little wine and nut- meg. It should the taken warm. RESPECTING CLOTHING, &c. (L) Putting away Woolens . The following method of putting away all the woolen and worsted articles of the house, will be found an infallible preservative against moths : and the cost is nothing in comparison to the security it affords of finding the things in good order when opened for use on the return of cold weather. Procure, at a distiller’s or elsewhere, a tight, empty hogshead, that has held whiskey. Have it well cleaned, (without wash- ing) and see that it is quite dry. Let it be placed in some part of the house that is little used in summer, and where it can be shut up dark. After the carpets have been taken up, and well shaken and beaten and the grease-spots all removed, (see 4) let them be folded and packet* closely down in the cask. Put in also the blankets, having first wash- ed all that were not clean ; also, the woolen table-covers. If you have worsted or cloth curtains and cushions, pack them likewise, after they have been freed from dust. Also, flannels, merinoes, cloaks, coats, furs, and, in short, everything that is liable to be attracted by the moths. Fold and pack them closely, making all the articles fit advantageously into the space, and so disposing them that each may find a place in the hogshead. The furs had best be sewed up in linen before they are put in. If well packed, one hogshead will generally hold all the woolen articles belonging to a house of modern size, and a moderate sized family. Then nail on the head of the cask, and let the whole remain undisturbed till the warm weather is over. While the house is shut up, and the family out of town, in the summer, you may safely leave your woolens put away in this manner. Choose a clear dry day for unpacking them in the autumn ; and when open, expose them to the air till the odor of the whiskey has gone off. If they are put away clean, and free from dust, it will be found that the whiskey atmosphere has brightened their colors. As soon as the things are all out of it, nail up the cask again, and keep it for next season. Where camphor cannot be conveniently procured, furs, flannels, &c., may be kept through the summer by sewing them up in linen, and in- terspersing properly among them bits of fresh sassafras bark, or shav" RESPECTING CLOTHING, ETC. 83 ings of red cedar. But there is nothing so certain to preserve them from moths as an old whiskey cask. Never keep hair trunks. They always produce moths. (2.) French method of washing Silk Cravats , Scarfs , Shawls , fyc. Make a' mixture in a large flat dish, of the following articles: — A large tablespoonful of soft soap or of hard brown soap, shaved fine, ( white soap will not do) ; a small teaspoonful of strained honey, and a pint of spirits of wine ; have ready a large brush, (a clothes brush, for instance); make perfectly clean. Lay the silk on a board or on an ironing-table, stretching it evenly, and securing it in its place with weights on its edges. Then dip the brush into the mixture, and with >t go all over the silk lengthwise of the texture, beginning at the part .'•east seen when worn, and trying a little at a time, till you have as- certained the effect. If you find that the liquid changes the color of tne silk, weaken it by adding more spirits of wine. Having gone carefully over the whole of the article, dip it up and down in a bucket of clean water ; but do not squeeze or wring it. Repeat this through another clear water, and then through a third. Afterwards spread it on a line to dry, but without any squeezing or wringing. Let it dry slowly. While still damp, take it down, pull i\ and stretch it even, then roll and fold it up, and let it rest a few min utes. Have irons ready, and iron the silk, taking care that the iron 'je not so hot as to change the color. The above quantity of the washing mixture is sufficient for about .ialf a dozen silk handkerchiefs, one shawl, or two scarfs, if they are not too long. If there be fringe on the scarfs, it is best to take it off and replace it with new ; or else to gather the ends of the scarfs and finish them with a lapell or ball. Brocaded silks cannot be washed in this way. Gentlemen’s silk or cha.y cravats may be made to look very well washed in this manner. Ribbons, also, if they are thick and rich. Indeed, whatever is washed by this process, must be of very good qual- ity. A foul or dyed silk dress may be washed this way, provided it is first taken apart ; silk aprons also. We have seen articles washed by this process, and can assure our readers it is a good one. This is also a good method of washing blond, using a soft sponge instead of a brush. When dry, lay the blond in long folds within a large sheet of white paper, and press it for a few days in a large book, but do not iron it. In putting away ribbons o rsilk, wrap or fold them in coarse brown paper, which, as it contains a portion of tar or turpentine, will pre- serve the color of the article, and prevent white silk from turning yel- low. The chloride of lime used in manufacturing white paper renders it improper to keep silks in, as it frequently causes them to spot or to change color. (3.) To make a soiled Coat look as good as new. First clean the coat of grease and dirt (see No, 4,) then take one gallon of a strong decoction of logwood made by boiling logwood chips 64 THE HOUSEWIFE'S MANUAL. in water. Strain this liquid, and when cool, add two ounces of gum arabic in powder, which should be kept in well stopped bottles for use. Then go gently over the coat with a sponge wet in the above liquid diluted to suit the color, and hang it in the shade to dry. After which brush the nap smoeth, and it will look as good as new. The liquid wiM suit all brown or dark colors if properly diluted, of which it is easy to judge. (4.) To extract Oil or Spermaceti from a Carpet or other Woolen. If oil has been spilt on a carpet, that part of the carpet must be loosened up, and the floor beneath it well scrubbed with warm soap and water, and fuller’s earth ; otherwise the grease will continue yet to come through. You may extract some of the oil by washing that part of the carpet with cold water and a cloth. Then spread over it a thin coating of scraped Wilmington clay, which should be renewed every two or three hours. If you have no Wilmington clay, take common magnesia. To remove spots of spermaceti, scrape off as much as you can with a knife, then lay on a thin, soft, white paper upon the spots, and pres? it with a warm iron. By repeating this you may draw out the sper- maceti. Afterwards rub the cloth where the spots have been, will some very soft brownish paper. Wilmington clay, which may be had in small round balls, is excel lent for removing grease spots however large. Scrape down a suffl cient quantity, and rub on the spot, letting it rest an hour or more then brush it off, and continue to repeat the process. The genuine Wilmington clay, pure and unmixed, is far superior to any other grease ball sold by the druggists. (5.) To extract Grease Spots. Grease of the very worst kind, (whale oil, for instance,) may be extracted even from silks, ribbons, and other delicate articles, by means of camphine oil. As this oil is the better for being fresh, get but lit- tle at a time. Pour some camphine into a cup, and dip lightly with a clean, soft, white rag. With this rub the grease spot. Then take a fresh rag dipped in the camphine, and continue rubbing till the grease is extracted, which will be very soon. The color of the article will be uninjured. To remove the turpentine odor of the camphine. rub the place with Cologne water or strong spirits of wine, and expose it to the open air. Repeat this process if any odor remains after the first (6.) To take Mildew out of Linen. Take soap and rub it well ; then scrape some fine chalk, and rub that also in the linen ; lay it on the grass ; as it dries, wet it a little, and it will soon come out. (7.) To take Paint off of Cloths . Rub with spirits of turpentine or spirits of wine, either will answer if the paint is but just on. But if be is allowed to harden, nothing will remove it but spirits of turpentine rubbed on with perseverance Use a soft sponge or a soft rag. CARE OF FURNITURE AND HOIJSE-KEEf ING ARTICLES. 8ft (8.) To dean White Kid Gloves . Stretch them on a board, and rub the soiled spots with cream of tartar or magnesia. Let them rest an hour, then take a mixture of alum and fuller’s earth in powder, and rub it all over the gloves with a clean brush, and let them rest again for an hour or two. Then sweep it all off, and go over with a flannel dipped in a mixture of bran and finely powdered whiting. Let them rest another hour ; brush off the powder, and you will find them clean. (9.) To wash Colored Kid or Hoskin Gloves. Have, on a table, a clean towel, folded three or four times, a saucer of new milk, and a piece of brown soap. Spread a glove smoothly on the folded towel, dip into the milk a piece of clean flannel, rub it on the soap until you get enough, and then commence rubbing the glove, beginning at the wrist, and rubbing lengthwise to the ends of the fin- gers, the glove being held firmly in the left hand. When done, spread them out to dry gradually. When nearly dry, pull them out the cross way of the leather, and when quite dry, stretch them on your hand. (10.) To clean White Leather Gloves. White leather gloves may be cleaned to look very well, by putting on one at a time, and going over them thoroughly with a shaving brush and lather. Then wipe them off with a clean handkerchief or sponge, and dry them on the hands by the fire, or in the sun. (11.) To preserve Furs from Moths. Wrap up a few cloves or pepper ears with them when vou put them away for any length of time. (12.) To extract Durable Ink. Rub the ink stain with a little sal-ammonia moistened with watei (13.) To remove Stains from Cotton and Linen. Put a small quantity of brimstone into an iron vessel, and drop in a live coal of fire ; having first wet the stained spot with water, lay the cloth over the vessel, so as to let the fumes have full access to the .stained spot, and it will soon disappear, or become 'cose, a;; as to wash out. ON THE CARE OF FURNITURE AND HOUSE- KEEPING ARTICLES. (1.) To clean the imide of Jars. There is frequently some trouble in cleaning the inside of jars that nave had sweatmeats, pickles, mince-meat, or other articles put up iri them for keeping, and that when empty are wanted for further use. This can be done in a few minutes, without scraping or soaking, by filling up the jars with hot water, (it need no be scalding hot,) and 86 housewife’s manual. then stirring in a teaspoonful or more of pearlash. Whatever of the former contents has remained sticking about the sides and bottom of the jar will immediately be seen to disengage itself, and float loose through the water. Then empty the jar at once, and if any of the former odor remains about it, fill it again with warm water and pearl- ash, and let It stand undisturbed a few hours, or till next day ; then empty it again, and rinse it with cold water. Wash phials in the same manner. Also, the insides of kettles, or anything which you w 7 ish to purify or clear from grease expeditiously and completely. If you cannot conveniently obtain pearl-ash, the same purpose may be an- swered nearly as well, by filling the vessels with strong ley, poured off clear from the wood-ashes. For kegs, buckets, crocks, or other very large vessels, ley may be always used. (2.) To dean Wine Decanters. Use a little pearl-ash or soda, and some cinders and water. Rinse them well out with clean water. (3.) To dean China. Use a little fuller’s earth and soda, or pearl-ash, with your water. (4.) Cements. Cements of various kinds should be kept for occasional use. Flour paste answers very well for slight purposes; if required stronger than usual, let a little glue be boiled in it, or put some powdered rosin in it. White of egg, or a solution of glue and strong gum water, are good cements. A paste made of linseed meal dries very hard, and adheres firmly. A soft cement is made of yellow wax melted with its weight of turpentine, and a little Venetian red to give it color. This, when cool, is as hard as soap, and is very useful to stop up cracks, and is better to cover the corks of bottles than sealing-wax or hard cement. The best cement for broken China or glass, is that sold under the name of the diamond cement, which is colorless, and resists moisture This is made by soaking isinglass in water till it is soft, and then dis- solving it in proof spirit. Add to this a little gum-ammoniac, or gal- bonam, or mastic, both dissolved in as little alcohol as possible. When the cement is to be used, it must be gently liquified by placing the phial containing it in boiling water. The phial must be well closed by a good cork, not by a glass stopper, as they may become forced. It is applied to the broken edges with a camel’s hair pencil. When the objects are not to be exposed to moisture, the white of an egg alone, or mixed with finely sifted quick-lime, will answer pretty well ; shellac, dissolved in water, is better. A very strong cement for earthenware is made by boiling slices of skim-milk cheese wfith water into a paste, and then grinding it with quick-lime in a marble mortar, or on a slab, with a mallet. (5.) To remove dark stains from Silver. A certain remedy for the most inveterate stains that are sometimes to be seen on teaspoons and other silver ware, is to obtain from a drug* W CAllE OF FURNITURE AND HOUSE-KEEFING ARTICLES* 8 ? gist a small phial of sulphuric acid, and pouring a little of it into a saucer, wet with it a soft linen rag, and rub it on the blackened silver till the stain disappears. Then brighten the article with whiting finely powdered and sifted, and wetted with whiskey or spirits of wine. When the whiting has dried on, and rested a quarter of an hour or more, wipe it with a silk handkerchief, and polish with a soft buckskin. (6.) To 'prevent Lamps smoking. It is very often difficult to get a good light from a lamp, and yet keep it from smoking, but if the wick be first soaked in strong vinegar, and then thoroughly dried, this annoyance will be prevented. Still the wick must not be put up too high. (7.) To take stains out of Mahogany. Mix spirits of salt 6 parts, and salt of lemons 1 part, then drop a little on the stains, and rub them until they disappear. (8.) To clean Britannia Ware. Britannia ware should be first washed with a woolen cloth and sweet oil, then washed in water and suds, and rubbed with soft leather and whiting. Thus treated, it will retain its beauty to the last. (10.) To clean Looking-glasses. Take a newspaper, or part of one, according to the size of the glass. Fold it small, and dip it into a basin of clean cold water , when thoroughly wet, squeeze it out in your hand as you would a sponge, and then rub it hard all over the face of the glass, taking care that if is not so wet as to run down in streams. In fact, the paper must only be completely moistened, or damped all through. After the glass has been well rubbed with the wet paper, let it rest a few minutes ; and then go over it with a fresh dry newspaper (folded small in your hand! till it looks clear and bright — which it will almost immediately, and with no further trouble. This method, simple as it is, is the best and most expeditious for cleaning mirrors, and it will be found -so on trial — giving it a clear- ness and polish that can be produced by no other process. It is equally convenient, speedy, and effective. The inside of window frames may be cleaned in this manner to look beautifully clear; the windows be- ing first washed on the outside ; also the glasses of spectacles, &c The glass globe of an astral lamp may be cleaned with a newspaper in the above manner. (11.) To clean Mahogany and Marble , and to restore Mahogany Varnish . Use no soap on them; wash them in fair water, and rub them till dry with a clean soft cloth. A little sweet oil, rubbed on occasionally, gives them a polish. Rub furniture with a cloth dipped in oil; then with a clean cloth, till dry and polished. Rubbing with sweet oil wiil restore the spots from which the varnish has been removed. White spots on varnished furniture may be removed, by rubbing them with a warm flannel, dipped in spirits of turpentine. Remove ink sjiots by 88 housewife’s manual. rubbing them with a woolen cloth, dipped in the oil of vitriol and water Be careful to touch only the spots with the vitriol. Rinse them with saleratus water, and then with fair water. It is said, blotting paper will extract the ink, if rolled up, and rubbed hard on the spots. Ma- hogany furniture may be beautifully polished thus : — Rub it with cold drawn linseed oil; wipe off the oil, and polish by rubbing smartly with a clean dry cloth. And marble may be cleaned thus : — Pound, very fine, a little stone blue with four ounces of whiting; mix them with an ounce of soda dissolved in a little water, and four ounces of soft soap; boil all fifteen minutes over a slow fire, carefully stirring it. When quite hot, lay it on the marble with a brush, and let it remain ,alf an hour ; wash it off with warm water, flannel, and a scrubbing brush, and wipe it dry. Some clean alabaster and all kinds of mar- ble, by mixing pulverized pumice stone with verjuice, letting it remain several hours ; then dipping in a perfectly clean sponge, ancl rubbing the marble till clean. Rinse it oif with fair water, and rub it dry with a clean linen cloth. (12.) To clean Knives and Forks. Use finely powdered Bath brick to remove rust, and to polish steel utensils. Rub knives on a board with a thick leather cover over it fast- ened down tight, applying a cork dipped in the powder, and moistened, if they are spotted. Do not wet them, only wipe them with a dry cloth. Wipe the handles with a cloth rather damp, to make them smooth ; do not touch the blades, as it will tarnish them. It will yel- low ivory handles to dip them in hot water. If yellow, rub them with sand paper. If Bath brick does not remove rust from steel, rub the spots with sand paper or emery, or rub on - sweet oil and let it remain a day, and then rub it off with quicklime. Clean thoroughly steel utensils that are not in constant use ; rub them over with sweet oil, and exclude the air by a wrapper of brown paper, wrapping each knife and fork separately. (13.) To clean Stoves and Stone Hearths. Put on varnished stoves several coats of varnish in the summer, to have it get hard before used; Wash them in warm water, without soap, and rub a little oil on them occasionally. It will make them look nice, and prevent the varnish wearing off. Black stoves that have never been varnished, with black lead and British lustre. It will not answer if they have been varnished. Mix them with cold water to a paste, rub it on the stoves, and let the paste remain till quite dry ; then rub the stoves with a dry, stiff, flat brush, till clean and polished. To preserve the color of freestone hearths, wash them in water with- out any soap ; rub on them, while damp, pulverized freestone ; Jet it re- main till dry, and then rub it off. If stained, rub them hard with a piece of freestone. To have your hearths look dark, rub them with pure soft soap, or dilute it with water. Use reddening for brick hearths, mixed with thin hot starch and milk. (14.) To remove Putty and Paint from Window-glass. Put saleratus into hot water, till very strong ; saturate the putty or CAKE OF FURNITURE AND HOUSE-KEEPING ARTICLES. 89 paint-daub with it ; let it remain till nearly dry ; then rub it off hard with a woolen cloth. Whiting is good to remove it. Saleratus water is good to remove putty while green on the glass. (15.) To Extract Irik, from Floors. Remove ink from floors, by scouring them with sand wet with water and the oil of vitriol, mixed. Then rinse them with strong saleratus water. (16.) To temper Earthenware. Boil earthenware that is used for baking, (before using it, as it will be less liable to crack,) covering it with cold water, and then heating it gradually. Let it remain in till the water has cooled. (17.) To loosen tightly-wedged Stopples of Decanters and Smelling-bottles. Rub a feather dipped in oil round the stopple, close to the mouth of the bottle ; place the mouth of the bottle towards the fire, about two feet from it. When warm, strike the bottle lightly on both sides, with any convenient wooden instrument and take out the stopple. You may have to repeat the process. By perseverance, you will ultimately tri- umph, however closely wedged in. (18.) To prevent the formation of a Crust m Tea Kettles. Keep an oyster-shell in your tea kettle. By attracting the stony particles to itself, it will prevent the formation of a crust. (19.) To cleanse Phials and Pie Plates. Cleanse bottles that have had medicines in them, by putting ashes in each, immersing them in cold water, and then heating the water gradually till it boils. After boiling an hour, let them remain in the water till it is cold. Wash them in soap suds, and rinse them till clear in fair water. Pie plates that have been long used for baking, are apt to impart an unpleasant taste on account of the rancidity of the butter and lard imbibed. Put them in a brass kettle, with ashes and cold water, and boil them an hour. (20.) To renovate Feather Beds and Mattresses. Make soiled and heavy feather beds clean and light thus: — Dip a stiff* brush in hot soap suds, and rub them ; when clean, lay them on a shed, or in some clean place, and let it rain on them ; when thor- oughly soaked, let them dry a week in the hot sun, shaking them well, and turning them over daily, and covering them nightly with a thick cloth. It is quite as well as to empty the feathers, and to wash them and the tick separately, and much easier. Dry the bed thoroughly before sleeping on it. Hard and dirty hair mattresses can be made almost as good as new, by ripping them, washing the ticking, picking the hair free from bunches, and keeping it some days in a dry, airy place. Fill the ticking lightly, when dry, and tack it together. (21.) To clean Bed Ticks , however badly soiled Apply Poland starch, by rubbing it on thick, with a wet cloth. 90 CHEAP AND WHOLESOME DRINKS FOR WARM WEATHER. Place t in the sun. When dry, rub it in with the hands. Repeat it* if necessary. The soiled part will be as clean as new. *22.) To clean Bedsteads , and keep them free of Chintzes. Apply lard. (23.) Creaking Hinges , Ironing Board , Sheets and Holders , Mending . Put soft soap on the hinges. Keep expressly for ironing, an i* on- ing apparatus; cover with old flannel, and then with fine cottor, a board twenty-four by fourteen inches, as a convenient appendage for the ironing of small articles. Mend clothes before washing, except stockings. (24.) To clean the inside of a Stove . Introduce the poker, or some convenient instrument, by removing the top of the stove or otherwise, and scrape the slag off*, while red hot (25.) A cheap Water Filter. Lay a thick bed of pounded charcoal on the bottom of a large com- mon earthen flower-pot, and over this lay a bed of fine sand about four inches thick. TO MAKE CHEAP AND WHOLESOME DRINKS FOR WARM WEATHER. (1.) Sassafras Mead. This is a very pleasant, wholesome, and cheap beverage in warm weather. Stir gradually with two quarts of boiling water, three pounds and a half of the best brown sugar, a pint and a half of good West India molasses, and a quarter of a pound of tartaric acid. Stir it well, and when cool, strain it into a large jug or pan, then mix in a quarter of an ounce of essence of sassafras. Transfer it to clear bottles (it will fill about half a dozen), cork it tightly, and keep it in a cool place. Have ready a box containing about a quarter of a pound of carbonate of soda to use with it. To prepare a glass of it for drinking, pour a little of the mead into a tumbler, stir into it a small quantity of soda, and then add sufficient ice water to half fill the glass ; give it a stir, and it will immediately foam up to the top. (2.) To make Pineappleade. This is a delightfully refreshing drink in warm weather, and is much used in the West Indies. Pare some ripe pineapples, cut them into thin slices, then cut each slice into small bits, put them into a large pitcher, and sprinkle powdered white sugar among them : pour on boiling water in proportion of half a pint of water to each pineap- ple ; cover the pitcher, stop up the spout with a roll of soft paper, and let the pineapple infuse into the water till it becomes quite cool, stir- TO MAKE SWEETMEATS AND PRESERVES. 9] ring and pressing down the pineapple occasionally with a spoon, to get out as much juice as possible. When the liquid has grown quite cold, set the pitcher for a while in ice. Then transfer the infu sion to tumblers, add some more sugar, and put into each glass a lump of ice. You may lay a thin slice of fresh pineapple into each tumbler before you pour out the infusion. (3.) Broivn Spruce Beer . Pour eight gallons of water into a barrel, and then eight gallons more boiling hot ; add twelve pounds of molasses, and half a pound of .essence of spruce ; and when nearly cool, put in half a pint of good ale yeast. This must be well stirred and well mixed, and leave the bung out two or three days ; after w r hich the liquor may be immedi- ately bottled, well corked and tied, and packed in sawdust or sind, when it will be ripe and fit to drink in a fortnight. (4.) Cottage Beer . Take a peck of good sweet wet bran, and put it into ten gallons of water with three handfuls of good hops ; boil the whole together in an iron, brass, or copper kettle, until the bran and hops sink to the bottom. Then strain it through a hair sieve, or a thin sheet, into a cooler, and when it is about lukewarm, add two quarts of molasses. As soon as the molasses is melted, pour the whole into a nine or ten gallon cask with two tablespoonfuls of yeast. When the fermenta- tion has subsided, bung up the cask, and in four days it will be fit for use. TO MAKE SWEETMEATS AND PRESERVES. Sweetmeats should be kept in a cool, dry place ; they should be properly boiled, and then they will not be likely to ferment ; but they should be well looked to the first two months, and if not likely to keep, set the jar in the oven after the bread comes out, or on a hot hearth. As soon as preserved fruit is entirely cold, it should be covered with either a carmel cover (for which I shall give directions,) or white paper, cut the exact size of the pot or jar, that the fruit may be cov- ered ; then dip the paper in a liquid, one part pepperrsauce, two parts (fourth proof) brandy. Then an entire white paper tied down over the top, pricked full of holes, and the article mentioned that the pot contains, and the year made, &c. I am thus particular, as I feel that those to whom this will be most welcome, will not have a mother to teach these little et ceteras. Jellies should be covered in the same way. A pan should be kept for preserving, of double block tin. A bow handle opposite the straight one for safety will do well ; skimmers, sieves, and spoons, should be kept on purpose for sweet things. If brass is ever used, it must be kept free from verdigris. It is necessary that nice conserves should be put into small jelly pots or glasses, that no more should be disturbed than what is re* housewife’s manual. *h quired at the time wanted; there are many reasons, which will soon appear to all good managers. (1.) A Carmel Cover for $weet7neats. Dissolve eight ounces of double refined sugar in three or four spoonfuls of water, and three or four drops of lemon juice ; then put into a brass kettle. When it boils to be thick, dip the handle of a spoon in it, and put that into a pint basin of water. Squeeze the sugar from the spoon into it, and so on, till you have all the sugar. Take a bit out of the water, and if it snaps, and is brittle when cold, it is done enough. But only let it be three parts cold, then pour the water from the sugar, and having a copper form well oiled, run the sugar on it, in the manner of a maze ; and when cold, you may put it on the dish it is to cover ; but if on trial the sugar be not brittle, pour off the water, and return the sugar into the kettle and boil again : it should look thick, like treacle, but of a bright, light, good color. It is an ele- gant cover. (2.) To Preserve Plums an Elegant Green . 8 lbs. of double refined sugar ; 8 lbs of fruit, prepared as below. Take the plums whilst a pin will pass through them, set them cov- ered with water, in which a little alum has been dissolved, in a brass kettle on a hot hearth, to coddle. If necessary, change the water ; they must be a beautiful grass-green ; then if you prefer, peel them and coddle again ; take eight pounds of this fruit to the above sugar after it has been dissolved in one quart of water and nicely skimmed. Then set the whole on the fire to boil, until clear, slowly, skimming them often, and they will be very green; put them up* in glasses, as before directed, for use. Cherries, apricots, or grapes, can be done in this way ; they look fine. (3.) To Preserve Cherries . 4 lbs of fruit ; 3 lbs. of sugar. Take one quart of water, melt some sugar in, and boil, tnen the rest, boil and skim, then put in the cherries, boil softly but steadily, take ofi the scum as it rises ; and take them off two or three times and shake them, and put them on again ; then let them boil fast. When the fruit looks clear, take it out with a skimmer, and boil the syrup until it will not spread on a China plate ; then return the fruit, and let it cool ; then pot for use. (4.) To Keep Damsons. Take damsons when they are first ripe, pick them off carefully, wipe them clean, put them in snuff bottles, stop them up with nice new corks, that neither air nor water can penetrate. Set the bottles in a kettle of cold water, put over the fire, let them heat slowly, then lei them boil slowly for half an hour, set off to cool, let the bottles remain in the water until cold, then rosin the corks, and set them in a cool cellar ; they will keep one year nice, if done right. But they must be used as soon as opened. It will answer as well to place the bottler TO MAKE SWEETMEATS AND PRESERVES. I? in a good brick oven after the bread is removed. All kinds of frui can be preserved in the same way, placed with the mouth downwards, to prevent fermentation. (5.) To Preserve Quinces . Take a peck of the finest golden quinces, put them into a bell-metal kettle, cover with cold water, put over the fire, and boil until done soft, then take them out with a fork into an earthen dish ; when sufficiently cool to handle, take off the skin, cut open on one side and take out the core, keeping them as whole as possible. Take their weight in double refined sugar, put it with a quart of water into the kettle, let it boil, and skim until very clear, then put in your quinces ; two oranges cut up thin and put with the fruit, is an improvement. Let them boil in the syrup half an hour, then with your fruit-ladle take out the fruit, and boil the juice sufficiently, then pour it over the fruit. (6.) To Preserve Peaches. 10 lbs. of nicely peeled fruit ; 2 lemons, fresh ; 10 lbs. of loaf sugar. The white clingstone is the nicest ; peel and drop into a pan of water, cut up the lemons, break the sugar slightly, put into a well tinned kettle (brass will do if nicely cleaned), with one quart of water and the lemons, let it scald, and skim, and having the required quan- tity of peaches in a nice stone jar, pour the syrup over, let it stand over night, then put all into the preserving kettle and boil slowly, un- til the fruit looks clear ; take out the peaches, and boil down the syrup to a proper consistence, and pour over the fruit. (7.) To Preserve Magnum Bonum Plums. 12 lbs. of plums ; 12 lbs. of loaf sugar; 2 oranges. Take two pounds of the sugar, and make a weak syrup, pour it boil- ing upon the fruit, let it remain over night, closely covered ; then, if preferred, skin them, and slice up the oranges nicely, dissolve the rest of the sugar by taking the large cakes and dip in water quickly, and instantly brought out. If the plums are not peeled, they must be nicely drained from the first syrup, and the skin pricked with a needle. Do them gently, until they look clear, and the syrup adheres to them. Put them one by one into small pots, and pour the liquor over. These plums will ferment if not boiled in two syrups. (8.) To Preserve Barberries. 6 lbs. of barberries ; 6 lbs. of sugar. Put the sugar and fruit into a jar, and place the jar in a kettle of ooiling water ; let it boil until the sugar is dissolved, and the fruit soft ; let them remain all night. Next day put them into a preserving-pan, and boil them fifteen minutes ; then pot, as soon as cool. The next day cover as directed, tie close, and set by. (9.) Raspberry Jam . 6 lbs. of nicely picked fruit ; 6 lbs. of loaf sugar. Put the fruit into a nice kettle over a quick fire, and stir constantly, 94 housewife’s MANUAL. until the juice is nearly wasted, then add the -sugar, and simmer to a fine jam. In this way the jam is greatly superior to that which is made by putting the sugar in first. Another way. Put the fruit in a jar into a kettle of boiling water (or cold, and ley it boil) or set the jar on a hot hearth till the juice will run from it, then take one gill from every pound of fruit. Boil and bruise it half ar hour, then put in the weight of the fruit in sugar, and the same quan- tity of currant juice, boil it ?o a strong jelly. The raspberry juice may be boiled with its weight in sugar to a jelly, to make ice cream. (10.) To Clarify Sugar . Take half a pint of water to one pound of loaf sugar, set it over the fire to dissolve ; to twelve pounds of sugar thus prepared, beat up an egg very well, put in when cold, and, as it boils up, check it with a lit- tle cold water. The second time boiling, set it away to cool. In a quarter of an hour, skim the top, and turn the syrup off quickly, leav- ing the sediment which will collect at the bottom. (11.) Currant JeUy. 4 quarts of juice ; 8 lbs. of refined sugar. The currants should be used as soon as of a light red j put them, stem and all, into a jar, place that in boiling water, cook, then squeeze the juice, and to every quart put two pounds of sugar; boil together fifteen minutes, then put into glasses. (12.) Bread Cheese Cake. 1 nutmeg'"; 1-2 lb. of currants; 1 pint of cream; 1 spoonful of rose-water; 8 eggs ; 1 penny loaf of bread ; 1-2 lb. of butter. Scald the cream, slice the bread thin as possible, and pour the cream boiling on to it ; let it stand two hours. Beat together the eggs, but- ter, and grated nutmegs, and rose-water, add the cream, beat well, and oake in patty-pans on a raised crust. (13.) Almond Custards. 4 oz. of blanched almonds; 4 yolks of eggs; 1 pint of cream; 2 spoonfuls of sugar ; 2 spoonfuls of rose-water. Beat the almonds fine with the rose-water ; beat the yolks and sugar together, then add to the other ingredients, stir them well together unti'. it becomes thick, then pour it into cups. (14.) Cranberry Jelly. 2 crz. or isinglass ; 1 lb. of double refined sugar ; 3 pints of well strained cranberry juice. Make a strong jelly of the isinglass, then add the sugar and cran- berry juice, boil up, strain it into shape. It is very fine. Or put the cranberries with calf’s feet, or pork jplly. THE mjKSE’s MANUAL. Off (15.) Apple Marmalade. 10 lbs. of apples ; 10 lbs. of lump sugar. Peel pippins (or any fine apppie to cook), drop in water as they are done ; then scald until they will pulp from the core. After being nicely done, take equal weight of sugar in large lumps, just dip them in water, and boiling it until it be well skimmed, and is a thick syrup , then add the pulp, and simmer it on a quick fire fifteen minutes. Keep it in jelly pots. (16.) Apple Jelly . 20 golden pippins ; sugar ; 1 lemon. Peel and core the apples, put into a preserving-kettle with one pint and a half of water, stew until tender ; then strain the liquor through a colander. To every pint, put a pound of fine sugar, add grated orange or lemon, then boil to a jelly. Another . — Prepare the apples as above ; have ready half an ounce of isinglass boiled in half a pint of water to a jelly. Put this to the apple-water, and apple as strained through a coarse sieve ; add sugar, a little lemon juice and peel. Boil up all together, and put into a dish. Take out the peel. (17.) Biscuit of Fruit. To the pulps of any scalded fruit put an equal weight of refined and sifted sugar, beat it two hours, then put it into little white paper forms ; dry in a cool oven, turn the next day, and, in two or three days, box them. THE NURSE’S MANUAL. The head of every family should become familiar with the readiest methods of curing at least the ordinary complaints. I would by no means attempt to make “ every man his own doctor, 55 for when seri- ous disease threatens, it is the first duty of every one to call in an ex- perienced physician ; but there are a countless number of cases where a faithful prescription will save many a doctor’s fee, and not unfre- quently years of suffering or even a valuable life. I present now a few recipes, all of which I have tested on myself and others, and know to be correct. Still, what will cure one person, will not always cure another, as people’s idiosyncracies of constitu- tion differ. In many cases, therefore, I have given more than one pre- scription for the same complaint. If one will not answer, let another be tried. If they will do no good, I am sure they will do no harm. It is hardly necessary to state, perhaps, that all the articles ot a medicinal character here mentioned can readily be procured either at the drug or herb stores. v (1.)' A sure remedy for Bummer Complaint. Put three-fourths of a teaspoonful of powdered rhubarb, and one I THE NUKSE^S MANUAL, teaspoonful of magnesia into a tea-cup, and pour it full of boiling water ; let it stand till it is cool, and then pour the liquid off, to which add two teaspoonfuls of good brandy, and sweeten well with loaf sugar; give a child of from one to three years old a teaspoonful five or six times a day. For food, take a double handful of flour, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it three hours ; when cold, take off the outer covering of paste, and grate the hard white substance in a sufficient quantity 10 thicken with milk, boil it a minute or two, stir it with a stick of cinnamon, and sweeten it. Both the medicine and the food are quite oalatable, and together rarely fail of a perfect cure. (2.) A simple remedy for the Summer Complaint. I have often seen quite severe attacks of this disease, attended with severe griping in the bowels, immediately subdued by taking six drops of the essence of spearmint on a little sugar. This is a very easily applied remedy, and in very many cases, particularly with women and children, (children should take but two drops, if less than five years of age, and delicate women four drops,) will be found a perfect cure. If nothing better, it is very useful to check the complaint when it comes on one, as it often does, at a time when it is inconvenient to take other medicines ; for instance, in traveling. The dose can be repeated every six hours if found necessary. (3.) Cure for Run-rounds . That disease of the finger or toe which is commonly called a run- round, may be easily cured by a remedy so simple, that persons who have not tried it are generally incredulous as to its efficacy. The first symptoms of the complaint are heat, pain, swelling, and redness at the top of the nail. The inflammation, if not checked very soon, goes round the whole of the nail, causing intense pain, accompanied by a gathering of yellow matter, which, as soon as it appears, should be punctured or opened by a needle, not waiting till it has extended its progress, otherwise the finger will become excessively sore, and the nail will eventually come off. All this may be prevented at once, if, as soon as the swelling and inflammation begin, the finger is laid flat on the table, and the nail is scratched all over (first lengthwise, and then, crosswise) with the sharp point of a pin or scissors, or of a pen-knife, so as to scratch off the whole surface of the nail, leaving it rough and white. This little operation will not give the slightest pain, and we have never known it fail in stopping the progress of the disease ; all symptoms of which will disappear by next day. This may be relied on as a positive cure, if done before matter begins to appear, and even then it will succeed if the yellow part of the gathering be first punc- tured with a needle. (4.) A good remedy for the Toothache. Take kreosote one part, spirit of wine ten parts. Mix and apply by means of a small piece of lint. This often affords immediate relief! THE NURSE S MANUAL. 91 (5.) Cure for Corns. Pare them down to the quick, but not so far as to make them bleed, then apply, on going to bed, the inner part of an onion mashed fine. A very few applications will soon cause a complete cure. (6.) To remove a Wart. Touch it with a clean pen dipped in a little aquafortis. By repeat- ing this daily, the wart will crumble and come off without pain or trouble. It is an excellent and safe remedy for hard, horny, callous, whitish warts; but if the wart be red, fleshy, and sore to the touch, do not apply the aquafortis. (7.) Ringworms. There is no better remedy than mercurial ointment rubbed on at night, and not washed off till morning. It causes no pain, and a few applications of it will effect a cure. (8.) Cure for Quinsy. Simmer hops in vinegar until their strength is extracted, strain the liquid, sweeten it with sugar, and give it frequently to the patient until relieved. This is an almost infallible remedy. (9.) To cure the Consumption. 1 do not give the following as an effectual remedy for a deep seated consumption, but that it will cure many most obstinate cases I well know. I have witne ssed its good effects in numberless instances. Live temperately — avoid spirituous liquors — wear flannel next the skin — and take, every morning, half a pint of new milk mixed with a wineglass full of expressed juice of green hoarhound; and if you are not too far gone, a cure is certain. (10.) To make Lozenges that will cure the Heart-hum, Take prepared chalk four ounces, crab’s eyes prepared, two ounces, bole ammoniac one ounce — make into a paste with dissolved gum arabic. When held in the mouth till they dissolve, they will afford sensible relief. (11.) Spitting of Blood. Take two spoonfuls of the juice of nettles at night, or take three spoonfuls of sage juice in a little honey. This presently stops either spitting or vomiting blood ; or twenty grains of alum in water every two hours. (12.) Cure for a Cough. This is a complaint which admits of a variety of remedies. Here follows a number of recipes, all of which I know to be good. If one does not cure, try another. What will cure one person will not al- ways cure another. 1. Roast a large lemon very carefully without burning ; when it is thoroughly hot, cut and squeeze it into a cup upon three ounces of sugar-candy finely powdered ; take a spoonful when- ever your cough troubles you. It is easy to be obtained, pleasant ta 5 98 THE NURSE’S MANUAL. take, and in very many instances will prove a perfect cure. 2. Take two ounces of syrup of poppies, as much conserve of red roses ; mix, and take one spoonful for three nights when going to bed. 3. Make a strong tea of alehoof, sweeten it with sugar-candy, pour this upon a white toast well rubbed with nutmeg, and drink it first and last. 4. For a Cough with Hoarseness. — Syrup of jujubes and olthea, of each two ounces, lohock savans one ounce, saffron and water flag powdered, of each a scruple ; lick it off a liquorice stick when you cough. 5. For a Consumptive Cough. — Take half a pound of double refined sugar finely beat and sifted, wet this with an orange, water and boil it to a candy, then stir in an ounce of cassia earth powdered, and use it ai ofher candy. (13.) To cure a Cold with a Cough . The editor of the Baltimore Farmer and Gardener says the best rem edy he ever tried in his family for a cough or eold, is a decoction of the leaves of the pine tree, sweetened with loaf sugar, to be freely drank warm when going to bed at night, and cold through the day. It is a certain cure in a short time. (14.) A certain cure for Colds. Take a large teaspoonful of flax-seed with half an ounce of extract of liquorice, and a quarter of a pound of sun-dried raisins. Put it into two quarts of soft water, and let it simmer over a slow fire till it is reduced to one ; then add to it a quarter of a pound of brown sugar candy, pounded, a tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, or lemon juice. N. B. The vinegar is best to be added only to that quantity you are going immediately to take ; for if it be put into the whole, it is liable in a little time to grow flat. Drink a half a pint on going to bed, and take a little when the cough is troublesome. This recipe generally cures the worst of colds in two or three days, and if taken in time may be said to be almost an infallible remedy. It is a sovereign balsamic cordial for the lungs, without the opening qual- ities which engender fresh colds on going out. I have known it to cure colds that have almost settled into consumption, in three weeks. (15.) To prevent the Nails growing down into the Toes . This is a very troublesome, and sometimes dangerous thing, for I know an instance of a toe’s having to be' amputated in consequence. But the cure is very simple. Take a sharp pointed knife, and cut a little furrow all along the top of the nail lengthwise. As it fills up, scrape it out again. This will cause the nail to contract at the top, and so loosen its hold from the flesh. Persevere until the difficulty is entirely overcome. (16.) A sure cure for the Barber's Itch . Having in numberless instances seen the good effects of the follow- ing prescription, I can certify to its being a perfect remedy. Dilute corrosive sublimate with the oil of almonds, apply it to the face occa- sionally, and in a few days a cure will be effected. THE NURSE’S MANUAL. 99 (17.) For Burns and Scalds . Mix in a bottle three ounces of olive oil, and four ounces of lime water. Apply the mixture to the part burned, five or six times a day with a feather. Linsded oil is equally as good as olive oil. Another . — Spread clarified honey upon a linen rag, and apply it to the burn immediately, and it will relieve the pain instantly, and heal the sore in a very short time. (18.) To slop Diarrhoea . Take half a pint of brandy and stir it with an iron red hot, previ- ously adding loaf sugar sufficient to make it agreeably sweet. A spoonful or two, or even more, to be taken as required. I have known this repeatedly to cure this disease in its very worst stages. (19.) To apply an Eye Stone . Eye- stones are frequently used to extract matter, railroad sparks, and other extraneous substances from the eye. They are to be pro- cured from the apothecary’s. They cost but two or three cents apiece, and it is well to get several, that if one does not succeed, you may try another. To give an eye-stone activity, lay it for about five min- utes in a saucer of vinegar and water, and if it be a good one, it will soon begin to move or swim round in the liquid. Then wipe it dry, and let it be inserted under the eyelid, binding the eye closely with a hand- kerchief. The eye-stone will make the circutit of the eye, and take out the mote, which, when the eye-stone finally drops out, it will bring with it. The first thing to be done, when a mote or spark gets into your eye, is to pull down the lower part of the eyelid, and with a handkerchief in your hand blow your nose violently at the same moment. This will frequently expel the mote without further trouble. A mote will, in many cases, come out of itself, by immediately holding your eye wide open in a cup or glass filled to the brim with clear cold water. Or take a small pin, and wrapping the head in the corner of a soft cambric handkerchief, sweep carefully round the eye with it, under the lid, above and below. This should be done with a firm and steady hand. Another way is to take a bristle from a brush, and first tying the ends together with a bit of thread, so as to form a loop, sweep round the eye with it, so that the loop may catch the mote and bring it out. A particle of iron or steel has, we know, been extracted from the eye by holding near it a powerful magnet. (20.) Ointment for Sore Eyelids. Sedigated red precipitate one part, spermaceti ointment twenty-five parts. Mix and apply with the tip of the finger on going to bed ; or, Another . — Apply balsam of sugar ; or apply butter of, wax which speedily heals them. (21.) Cure for the Tetter. Obtain at a druggist’s an ounce of sulphuret of potash. Be care- ful to ask for this article precisely. Put the sulphuret into a large 100 THE NURSE’S MANUAL. glass jar, and pour on it a quart of cold soft water. Stop it tightly, and leave it to dissolve. It may be more convenient, afterwards, to transfer it to smaller bottles. Care must be taken to keep it closely corked. To use it, pour a little into a cup, and dipping in it a soft sponge, bathe the eruption with it five or six times a day. Persist, and, in most cases, it will effect a cure. There is indeed no better remedy. Should the tetter re-appear in cold weather, immediately ap- ply this solution, and it will again be found more efficacious. A bath of sulphuret of potash, made as above, and frequently repeated, has cured the tetter in a child after it had spread all over the body. (22.) A cure for the Rheumatism . I have known the following prescription to cure the rheumatism in its worst stages, and in a very short time. Take one pint of the very best brandy, and add to it one ounce of the gum of guiacum powdered fine, take as much of it at a time as you can bear, and take clear. Repeat the dose till a cure is effected. (23.) Relief for a sprained Ankle . Wash the ankle frequently with cold salt and water , which is far better than warm vinegar or decoctions of herbs. Keep your foot as cold as possible to prevent inflammation, and sit with it elevated on a cushion. Live 09 very low diet, and take every day some cooling medicine. By obeying these directions only, a sprained ankle has been cured in a few days. (24.) Bathing the Feet . In bathing the feet of a sick person, use at the beginning tepid or iuke-warm water. Have ready in a tea-kettle or a covered pitcher some hot water, of which poj#.in a little at intervals, so as gradually to increase the temperature of the foot-bath, till it becomes as warm as it can be borne with comfort ; after which the feet should be taken out before the water cools. This is a much better way than to put them at first into very warm water, letting it grow cool before they are taken out. Clean stockings, well warmed, should be ready to put on the feet as soon as they are out of the water, and have been rubbed dry with a flannel. (25.) A mild Puke . For a grown person, dissolve 20 grains of ipecachuanha in six spoonfuls of warm water ; give a spoonful every ten minutes until it operates. (26.) To prevent swelling from a Bruise. Apply, at once, a cloth five or six-fold in thickness dipped in cold water, and when it grows warm, renew the wetting. (27.) To cure the Cramp . This involuntary contraction of the muscles, attended with a con- vulsive effort of the neck, arms, and legs, as well as a violent, though transi^ry pain, is often the portion of the sedentary, the aged and THE NURSE’S MANUAL. 101 Infirm. A variety of remedies have been tried with occasional suc- cess. Sometimes a garter, applied tightly round the part affected, removes the complaint ; but when it is more obstinate, a heated brick, wrapped in a flannel bag, may be placed at the foot of the bed, against which the person afflicted may place his feet, and as the brick will remain warm the whole night, a return will thus be prevented. No remedy, however, is equal to that of diligent and persevering friction ; which, while it restores the free circulation of the blood in the con- tracted part, is more simple, expeditious, and safe in its effects. If cramp attacks the interior organs, as the stomach or bowels, it is always attended with danger, as frequent returns of it may occasion death. Medicine may relieve , but cannot cure ; we therefore advise all who are liable to be afflicted in this way, to adopt a strictly temperate and regular mode of living — to abstain rigorously from all spirituous and fermented liquors — to shun inundating their stomachs twice or thrice a day with hot tea — and to avoid smoked, salted, and pickled provisions, as well as fat, rancid, and flatulent dishes, which require a vigorous digestion ; in short, thus avoiding both the predisposing and exciting causes — the latter of which is generally found in an irritable temper, indulgence in fits of anger, and other depressing passions — which gen- erally relaxing the animal fibre, it again becomes contracted, and a paroxysm of the cramp is the inevitable consequence. Remedies for convulsions and spasm are generally good for the cramp. (28.) To purify the atmosphere of a Sick Room. Keep always on the shelf of the washing-stand, or on the mantle- piece or table, or in a corner of the floor, a saucer or small bread-pan, or a shallow mug filled with a solution of chloride of lime in cold water, stirring it up frequently. The proportion may be about a table- spoonful of the powder to half a pint .^Jjwater. Renew it every two or three days. If the room be large, place in it more than one vessel of the chloride of lime. In stirring it, any unpleasant odor will be immediately dispelled. On going to sea, it is well to take with you one or more quart bot- tles of this solution, to sprinkle occasionally about your state-room. (29.) For Constipation of the Bowels. This is One of the most troublesome of all complaints, and if allowed to become confirmed, often leads to most serious consequences. It can never be cured by pills or other medicines taken into the stomach. On the contrary, the tendency of these things is inevitably to make it worse. The only permanent cure is a proper system of diet and reg- imen, of which I shall speak hereafter. But if not cured, all danger- ous consequences may be avoided, and immediate relief may be ob- tained, by using injections. The best instrument for this purpose is the common syringe, which costs but a few shillings. There is a machine sold by the druggists, which is complicated, soon gets out ol order, and is troublesome to keep it clean, and besides, ia quite expen- sive. For injections, pure water in many cases will answer. Throw up as much as to make the stomach feel a little uncomfortable, and if 102 " THE NtESE’s MANUAL. one injection does not answer, try another, and even a third. But there are many cases in which there is something required to stimu^ late and relax the system, and for this purpose, nothing is superior to the prescription below. I should not recommend its constant use if it can be avoided. Still, no bad effects need be apprehended from it, for, upon the whole, it has a very soothing and strengthening tendency ; it is a very excellent remedy to be used in case of sudden attacks of sickness. The bowels are, in this way, thoroughly emptied in a few minutes. It will tend at first to weaken the system slightly, but this soon passes off ; however, to avoid this altogether, the quantity of lobelia and Cayenne may be reduced, as, to make it more powerful, they should be increased. Recipe . — Take one ounce fine bayberry, one and a half ounce of Cayenne pepper, one third of an ounce of pulverized lobelia, and one quarter of an ounce of gum myrrh pulverized ; mix them well together. For a common dose, take about two teaspoonfuls or more as it is needed, in half a pint or so of warm water. (30.) To prevent Nightmare, Avoid heavy suppers, and on going to bed take the following mix- ture. Sal-volatile twenty drops, tincture of ginger two drachms. (31.) Cure for Excoriated Nostrils. If, after a severe cold in the head, the inside of the nostrils continue very sore and inflamed, (as is frequently the case,) rub them lightly with a little kreosote ointment, applied to the interior of the nose with your finger. Do this at night, and several times during the day. It will very soon effect a cure, often in twenty-four hours. (32.) To cure the Flux . Take a quantity of water-cresses, and boil them in clear water for fifteen minutes ; strain them off, and drink half a pint of the decoction now and then, about milk-warm. (33.) To cure the Hiccough. A single drop of chemical oil of cinnamon dropped on a piece of lump sugar, let it dissolve in the mouth leisurely. (34.) To cure the Whitlow. Steep in distilled vinegar, hot as you can bear it, four or five times a day for two days successively ; then moisten a leaf of tobacco in the vinegar, bind it round the part grieved, and a cure follows. (35.) To cure Bleeding at the Nose. Rub your nostrils with the juice of nettles, or round nettles bruised. MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS. There are many useful preparations and simple remedies easily made when one knows how, that every one should keep in the house. THE NURSE’S MANUAL. 103 To say nothing of the convenience and safety in case of emergency of so doing, the economy is very great. For, in case of an accident, you are obliged to run to the apothecary and pay more for enough for a single application, than for what, with a little trouble, would have lasted a whole family for a twelvemonth. The few recipes I now pre- sent, are exceedingly valuable. I heartily commend them to the atten- tion of every housekeeper. (1.) Camphor Spirits. There is both convenience and economy in preparing liquid cam- phor yourself; and no house should be without it. Buy two ounces of gum camphor, and a pint and a half of spirits of wine (alcohol.) Break up the camphor, pick it clean, and put it into a large glass bot- tle or jar — one with a glass stopper will be the best — pour on the alco- hol, and cork it closely, tying a piece of kid leather over the top. Next day you will find the camphor entirely dissolved. For present convenience, transfer a portion of it to small bottles or phials. In buying phials, it is best always to get the short, wide ones, that will stand steadily by themselves. To take camphor as a remedy for faint- ness, pour a few drops into half a wineglass of water ; stir it a little, and drink it. Camphor is excellent to sprinkle about a sick room. It is well to keep in a second large bottle a somewhat different prepara- tion, to be used in bathing the forehead for nervous headache, or as an embrocation of rheumatic pains. For these purposes, instead of dis- solving the camphor in alcohol only, pour on it spirits of wine and whiskey mixed in equal proportions. Thus diluted, it will cause less irritation to the skin. This will be found to be quite as good as the camphor spirits obtained at the drug stores, and infinitely cheaper. One should always keep a bottle of it in the house. When taken to remove faintness, nervous pains, &c., pour a few drops of the liquid camphor into a half wineglass of water, and swallow it. (2.) Fine Hoarhound Candy. Take a large bunch of the herb hoarhound, as green and fresh as you can get it. Cut it up (leaves and stalks) with scissors. Scald twice a China teapot or covered pitcher., and then put into it the hoar- hound, pressing it down hard with your hands. The pot should be about two-thirds full of the herb. Then fill it up with boiling water. Cover it closely, and put a small roll of soft papei into the mouth of the spout, to prevent any of the strength escaping with the steam. Set the pot close to the fire to infuse, and keep it there till it comes to a hard boil. Then immediately take it away, and strain it into another vessel. Mix with the liquid sufficient powdered loaf sugar to make it very thick soft paste. Then put over the fire and give it a boil, stirring and skimming it well. Take a shallow, square tin pan, grease it slightly with sweet oil, and put into it the candy as soon as it is well boiled, smoothing it over the surface with a wet knife blade. Then sift on some powdered %igar. Set it away to cool. When nearly congealed, score it into squares. It is good for colds, and coughs, and hoarseness. 104 THE NURSE J S MANUAL. If you find it too thin, you may stir in, when it is nearly done boil- ing, a spoonful of flour, or arrow-root, or pulverized starch. Another way of making this candy is, to boil the hoarhound in as much water as will cover it, and till all the juice is extracted. Then strain it, and give it another boil, stirring in, gradually, sugar enough to make it very thick and stiff. Afterwards, sift sugar over a shallow tin pan, and fill it with the paste, and leave it to congeal. Any herb candy may be made as above. (3.) Blackberry Syrup. Take a sufficient quantity of ripe blackberries. Put them into a sieve placed over a large, broad pan, and with a clean potato-masher, or something of the sort, press out all the juice. Or having bruised them first, put the blackberries into a linen bag, and squeeze out all the juice into a vessel placed beneath. Measure it, and to every quart of the strained juice allow half a pound of powdered loaf sugar, a heaped teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, the same of powdered cloves, and a powdered nutmeg. Mix the spices with the juice and sugar, and boil all together in a porcelain kettle, skimming it well. When cold, stir into the above quantity half a pint of fourth proof brandy. Then bottle it for use. This is a good family medicine, and is beneficial in complaints incident to warm weather. It should be administered at proper times, (at proper intervals,) from a teaspoonful to a wineglassful, according to the age of the patient. (4.) French Raspberry Vinegar. Take a sufficiency of the ripe raspberries. Put them into a deep earthen pan, and mash them with a wooden beetle. Then pour them, with all their juice, into a large linen bag, and squeeze and press out the liquid into a vessel beneath. Measure it, and to each quart of the raspberry-juice, allow a pound of powdered white sugar, and a pint of the best cider vinegar. First mix. together the juice and the vinegar, and give them a boil in a preserving-kettle. Wffien it has boiled well, add gradually the sugar, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. When done, f at it into clean bottles, and cork them tightly. It is a very pleasant ai d cooling beverage in warm weather, and for inva- lids who are feve T *sh. To use it, pour out half a tumbler of the raspberry vinegar, and fill it up with ice water. (5.) Fine Lavender Compound. For this purpose use lavender buds gathered just before they are ready to blow. As soon as the blossom expands into a flower, a por tion of its strength and fragrance immediately evaporates. This is also the case with roses, which, for rose-water, should always be gath- ered, not after they are blown, but w 7 hen just about to open. Hav- ing stripped the lavender buds from the stalks, measure a pint of the buds, and mix with them an ounce of powdered cochineal, half an ounce of whole cloves, and two nutmegs ^roken up but not grated. Put the whole into a glass jar, and pour in a quart of the best French brandy, cover the jar close, making it completely air-tight by the THE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. 105 addition of strong paper pasted down over the cover. Set away, and leave the ingredients to infuse, undisturbed, for a month. Then strain it into a pitcher, and bottle it for use. It is a well known remedy for flatulence, and pain, and sickness of the stomach. To use it, put some loaf sugar into the bottom of a wineglass, pour on sufficient lavender to soften the sugar, and then eat it with a teaspoon. (6.) Mustard Plasters . Mustard plasters are frequently very efficacious in rheumatic or other pains. It is best to make them entirely of mustard and vinegar, without any mixture of flour. They should be spread ' between two pieces of thin muslin, and bound on the part affected. It is not well, to allow them to stay on more than twenty minutes at the utmost, it not being advisable that they should blister the skin. When a mus- tard plaster is taken off, wash the part tenderly with a soft sponge and warm water. If the irritation continues troublesome, apply poultices of grated bread crumbs well wetted with lead water, renewing them frequently. A mustard plaster behind the ear will often remove a toothache, earache, or rheumatic pain in the head. Applied to the wrists, they are very beneficial in checking an ague fit, if put on as soon as the first symptoms of the chill evince themselves. (7.) Medicated Prunes , a 'palatable Medicine. Take a quarter of an ounce of senna and manna, (as obtained from the druggists,) and pour on it a pint of boiling water. Cover it, set it by the fire, and let it infuse for an hour. If the vessel in which you prepare it has a spout, stop up the spout with a roll or wad of soft paper. This should also be done in making herb teas or other decoc- tions, as a portion of the strength evaporates at the spout. When the senna and manna have thus been an hour by the fire, strain it into a skillet or saucer, (one lined with porcelain will be best.) and stir in a large wineglass or small teacup of West India molasses. Add about half a pound or more of the best prunes, putting in sufficient to absorb the liquid while stewing. Then cover the vessel tightly, and let the whole stand for an hour, or till all the stones of the prunes are loose If stewed too long, the prunes will taste weak and insipid. When done, put it into a dish to cool, and pick out all the stones. This will be found an excellent and agreeable cathartic medicine, as there will be no perceptible taste of the senna or manna. It may be given to children at their supper. YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. UPON DRESS AND THE TOILETTE— A CHAPTER FOE YOUNG LADIES. I have little respect for that philosophy which inculcates a contempt for what some judicious writer terms “ the minor morals of society,” or the arts and accomplishments which tend to exalt and refine the 5 * 106 THE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. manners and disposition. Foppery is one thing, and a proper regard to dress and the toilette is quite another. Nothing is more ridiculous than the first — nothing tends more to enhance one’s self-respect, force of character, and even strength of moral principle, than the other, While I would not therefore (especially in a new country like this) encourage an undue attention to the fripperies and frivolities of mere fashion, I would strenuously urge upon all a due regard to neatness of dress, propriety of deportment, and such a reasonable attention to the person generally, as shall tend to render oneself as agreeable as pos- sible to one’s associates and acquaintances. I must be permitted to add, that he who doubts the propriety of such advice has yet much to learn of the nature of man, and of the influence of appearances. I shall now present a few observations and prescriptions, arranged under appropriate heads, which will, I trust, meet the approbation and approval of all sensible and intelligent ladies. DRESS. Every lady should study and determine what dress is most becoming and suitable to her style of person. In Paris, the style of beauty, and the peculiarities of every individual, are considered before her style of costume is determined upon. In an English or American ball- room, on the contrary, one dress is too often the fac-simile of all the others ; the tall and the short, the lean and the stout, are all robed alike — and all, as they imagine, dressed according to the latest Pa- risian fashion. This is an error which every woman of real taste will endeavor to correct. A few general rules concerning dress may be given, which can ena- ble our readers to determine what mode of dress will most effectually display and heighten their charms. Tight sleeves, without any trimming, are becoming to full forms the medium height, or below it. Upon a tall, slender woman, with long arms, they are very ungraceful, unless trimmed with folds, or a small, ruffled cap, which is made to reach the elbow. Upon a very short, stout person, moderately wide sleeves are more becoming than tight ones, as they conceal the outlines of the form. Flounces are graceful upon tall persons, whether slender or other- wise, but never upon diminutive ones. Tucks are equally graceful upon both, and never look out of fashion. A couple of wide tucks, which give the appearance of two skirts, are very beautiful for an even- ing dress, made .of delicate materials. Any species of trimming down the front or sides of the skirt, increases the apparent height. Capes are, in general, only becoming to persons with falling shoul- ders. High neck dresses are convenient, and almost always look well. Upon a very high-shouldered person, a low-necked dress is more ap- propriate, and if the shoulders are only moderately high, the jieck may still be covered, and the dress finished off* about the throat with a nar- row piece of lace, turned downwards, instead of a collar. Dresses with loose backs are only becoming upon very fine, and at the same THE YOUNG LADY S MANUAL. 107 time slender figures. Evening dresses of transparent materials look well when made high in the neck ; but upon very young girls it is more usual to cut the dress low, leaving a part of the shoulder bare. A dress should always be made loose over the chest, and tight over the shoulder blades. Every species of drapery is graceful, and may always be worn to advantage. Long sashes, knotted in front, are more becoming than belts, unless there is much trimming upon the dress. Na dress with long sleeves is complete, without a pair of cuffs. They look very pretty, when simply made of linen cambric, with a double row of herring-bone. Cuffs, with small ruffles, make the hands look small. To make narrow shoulders look wider, an inside cape, (or cape fas- tened to the dress,) falling at the shoulders, should be worn. The effect of a well made tournure (or bustle) is to make the waist look round and delicate. An extremely small and waspish looking waist can never be considered a beauty. It is exceedingly hurtful to those who attain it by tight lacing, and doubly ungraceful, since it pre- vents all graceful movements. Tying the sash in a point in front gives a roundness to the waist, and lessens its dimensions. To pre- vent the fulness of the skirt from rising above the sash, which is very ungraceful, the belt should be lined with buckram. Short cloaks are very unbecoming to short and clumsily built per- sons — upon others they are generally graceful. A close cottage bonnet is never out of fashion, and there are very few faces which it does not improve. The morning costume of a lady should consist of a loose wrapper , fastened with a cord and tassel at the waist, and worn with very plam cuffs and collar. Shoes should always be worn a little longer than the foot, so that their length makes the foot look narrow, which is a great beauty. A broad, short foot can never be considered handsome. Tight shoes impair the gait, and a large foot is, at any time, preferable to an awk- ward mode of walking. THE HAIR. Hair should be abundant, soft, flexible, growing in long locks, in color suitable to the skin, thick in the mass, delicate and distinct in the particular. The mode of wearing it should differ. Those who have it growing low in the nape of the neck, should prefer wearing it in locks hanging down, rather than turned up with a comb ; the wear- ing it, however, in that manner, is delicate and feminine, and suits many. In general, this mode of wearing the hair is to be regulated by the shape of the head. Ringlets hanging about the forehead suit almost every one. On the other hand, the fashion of putting the hair smoothly, and drawing it back on either side, is becoming to few ; it has a look of vanity instead of simplicity ; the face must do everything foi it, which is asking too much ; especially, as hair, in its pure stater 108 THE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. is the ornament intended for it by nature. Hair is to the human aspect what foliage is to the landscape. r Dressing the Hair. After a few experiments, a lady may very easily decide what mode of dressing her hair, and what head-dress, renders her face most attractive. Light hair is generally most becoming when curled. For a round face, the curls should be made in short, half ringlets, reaching a little below the ears. For an oval face, long and thick ringlets are suitable, but if the face be thin and sharp, .the ringlets should be light, and not • too long, nor too many in number. When dark hair is curled, the ringlets should never fall in heavy masses upon the shoulders. Open braids are very beautiful when made of dark hair — they are also becoming to light-haired persons A simple and graceful mode of arranging the hair is to fold the front locks behind the ears, permitting the ends to fall in a couple of ring- lets on either side behind. s Another beautiful mode of dressing the hair, and one very appro- priate in damp weather, when it will not keep in curl, is to loop up the ringlets with small hair-pins on either side of the face and behind the ears, and pass a light band of braided hair over them. , Great care should be taken to part the hair directly in the centre of the forehead, in a line from the nose. When the hair is parted at the side, the line of parting should be made directly over the centre of the right or left eyebrow. There are very fevy persons who do not look better with hair parted in the middle of the forehead than at the side. Persons with very long, narrow heads, may wear the hair knotted very low at the back of the neck. If the head be long, but not very narrow, the back hair may be drawn to one side, braided in a thick braid, and wound around the head. When the head is round the hair should be formed in a braid in the middle of the back of the head. If the braid be made to resemble a basket, and a few curls permitted to fall from within it, the shape of the head is much improved. Caps are becoming to most ladies, but they should be trimmed with as few bows and as little lace as possible. Upon a long head, they look well with a narrow border of lace lying close to the face and forehead. Turbans are very generally becoming, if well arranged. Upon a young person, they should only consist of a silk, gauze, or cashmere scarf, laid over the head, fastened at one side, and the long ends twist- ed into a roll and wound round the head. The scarf should have a fringe. The German method of treating the Hair. T ] ! ® w °men of Germany have remarkably fine and luxuriant hair: the following is their method of managing it. About once in two or three weeks, boil for half an hour or more a large handful of bran in a quart of soft water ; strain it into a basin, and let it cool till nearly tepid ; rub into it a little white soap, and then dip in the corner of a THE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. 109 soft linen cloth or towel, and wash your head with it thoroughly, di- viding the hair all over, so as to reach the roots. Next take the yolk of an egg, slightly beaten in a saucer, and with your fingers rub it well into the roots of the hair, let it rest a few minutes, and then wash it off entirely with a cloth dipped in pure water, rinse the head well till the yolk of the egg has disappeared from it, then wipe and rub it dry with a towel, and comb the hair up from your head, parting it with your fingers. In winter, it is best to do all this near the fire. Have ready some soft pomatum made of fresh beef marrow boiled with a little almond oil or sweet olive oil, stirring it all the time till it is well amalgamated, and as thick as an ointment. When you take it from the fire (and not before) stir in a little mild perfume, such as oil of roses, or rose-water, oil of carnations, essence of violets, or orange flower water. Put it into gallicups with lids, and keep it well covered for use. Take a very small quantity of this pomatum, and rub it among your hair on the skin of your head, after it has been washed as above. To make the Hair curl. At any time you may make your hair curl the more easily by rub- bing it with beaten yolk of an egg, washed off afterwards with clear water, and then putting on a little pomatum before you put up your curls ; it is well always to go through this process when you change to curls, after having worn your hair plain. To make the Hair grow rapidly. Take half a pound of southernwood, and let it be slightly pounded, boil it in a pound and a half of olive oil, and half a pint of port wine ; when these ingredients are thoroughly impregnated, take them off the fire, and strain out the liquid well, through a linen cloth. Repeat the operation three times with fresh southernwood ; and this being done, add to the filtered liquor two ounces of bear’s grease, or hog’s lard. It should be added, that excess in the use of this, as well as any other oleaginous substance, must be avoided, as it would produce a contrary effect, and cause the hair to fall off. The recipe we have here given is one of the best prescriptions for making the hair grow., ever given. To prevent the Hair falling out. One of the most efficacious methods of preventing the hair falling out, is to moisten it occasionally with a little fresh strong beer. It also keeps the hair in curl. When first used, it is apt to render the hair dry, but a small quantity of bear’s oil will remove this objection. To stain the Hair black. Take of bruised gall nuts one pound, boil them in olive oil till they become soft; then dry them, and reduce them to a fine powder, which is to be incorporated with equal parts of the charcoal of the willow, and common salt prepared and pulverized. Add a small quantity of lemon and orange peel, dried and reduced to powder. Boil the whole 110 THE YOUNG LADY’s MANUAL. in twelve pounds of water till the sediment at the bottom of the vessel assumes the consistence of a black salve. Obs.— -The hair is to be annointed with this preparation ; covering it with a cap till dry, and then combing it. All preparations of this kind shouM be used once a week, because as fast as the hair grows, it appears in its original color at the part nearest the skin. Another Method . Boil for half an hour, on a slow fire, equal parts of vinegar, lemon juice, and powdered litharge. With this decoction wet the hair, and in a short time it will turn black. To remove superfluous Hair. Hair is said to be superfluous when it grows on the back of the hands, or fingers, the cheek bones, the upper lip or chins of females, or other parts of the exposed surface of the skin. The depilatories in general use are various, possessing different de- grees of strength. The mildest are parsley water, acacia juice, and the gum of ivy. It is asserted that nut oil, with which many peo- ple rub the heads of children, prevents the hair from growing. The juice of the milk- thistle mixed with oil, is recommended by Dr. Turner to remove the hair which grows too low upon the forehead. It is also said that the gum of the cherry tree prevents the hair from growing. The following method, if carefully adopted, may be employed with success : Apply gently, by means of a hair pencil, a few drops of mu- riatic acid a little reduced at first ; and if this does not succeed, let the concentrated form be used by delicately touching the tops of the hair to be removed, avoiding, as much as possible, the skin ; Or what is a better way to apply this acid, rub the skin and hair over at the same time, and immediately afterwards rub the part with a linen cloth. To remove Hair from the Nostrils. Take some very fine and clean wood ashes, dilute them with a little water, and with the finger apply some of the mixture within the nos- trils. The hair will be removed without the least pain. Oil for the Hair. A very excellent ready made oil for the hair, which answers all common purposes, is made by mixing one part brandy with three parts of sweet oil. Add any scent you prefer ; a selection can be got at the druggist’s. But the best oil upon the whole, for the hair, to be used regularly, is perhaps the Macassar oil ; this is now very difficult to obtain in its genuine form ; that which is commonly sold in this country is a vile counterfeit, and in most cases is an absolute injury to the hair, causing it to crisp and dry up. Appended is a recipe which will enable every one to make the genuine article, and at one fourth the price at which it can be procured. Take half an ounce of the chippings of alkanet root, which may be bought for a few cents at a druggist’s. Divide this quantity into four portions, and tie up each portion in a separate bit of new bobbinet. THE YOUNG LADY’s MANUAL. Ill or clean thin muslin. The strings must be while; for instance, coarse white thread, or fine cotton cord. Take care to omit any powder or dust that, may be found about the alkanet., as if put in, it will render the oil cloudy and muddy. Put these little bags into a large tumbler, or a straight-sided white-ware jar, and pour on half a pint of the best fresh olive oil. Cover the vessel, and leave it untouched for three or lour days or a week, being careful not to shake or stir it ; do not press or squeeze the bags. Have ready some small clear glass phials, or one large one, that will hold half a pint. Take out carefully the bags of alkanet, and lay them in a saucer. You will find that they have colored the oil of a beautiful crimson. Put into the bottom of each phial a small portion of any perfume you fancy ; for instance, oil of orange flowers ; oil of jessamine ; oil of roses ; oil of pinks • extract of violets. The pungent oils (cloves, cinnamon, bergamot! lavender, orange peel, lemon, &c.,) are not good for the hair, and must not be used in scenting Macassar oil. Having put a little perfume into the phials pour into each, through a small funnel, sufficient of the colored olive oil to fill them to the neck. Then cork them tightly, and tie a circular bit of white kid leather over the corks, i-.., ' °. “ s0 Macassar oil, (observing never to shake the bottle) pour a little into a saucer, and with the finger rub it into the roots of the hair iiie bags of alkanet may be used a second time. To prevent one's Bonnet being injured by the Hair. Great advantage will be found in having a piece of white or yellow oiled silk basted inside of that part of your bonnet where the crown unites with the brim, carrying it up some distance into the crown, and some distance down into the hair between the outside and the lining. This will prevent the bonnet being injured by any oiliness about your hair. Or you may have! an oiled silk bonnet cap. All hair should be combed every morning with a fine comb, to re- move the dust which insensibly goes into it during the day, and to keep the skm of the head always clean. To dean Hair Brushes. Clean your head brushes by washing them thoroughly with a bit of soft sponge tied on the end of a stick, and dipped into a warm solu- tion of pearlash, prepared by dissolving a tablespoonful of pearlash in a pint of boiling water. When the bristles have thus been made quite clean, rinse the brushes in clear hot water, leaving them in till the water gets cold. Afterwards drain and wipe the brushes with a clean cloth, and set -them upright before the fire to dry. To dean a fine-tooth Comb. .,'£!!? mo f con jenient way of cleaning combs, is with a strong silk thread, made fast to the handle of a bureau drawer — in front of which ZUT&TV t0We l SP D ad r r yGUr lap *° catch tbe impuri- ties that fall from the comb. Pas the thread hard between each of its 1 12 i THE YOUNG LAOY’s MANUAL. teeth, holding the comb in one hand, and the end of the thread in the other. Afterwards wipe the comb well, and then wash it in warm soap suds, and dry it on a clean cloth. THE EYE-LASHES. The Circassian method of treating the eye-lashes is as follows : — The careful mother removes, with a pair of scissors, the forked and gossamer-like points (not more) of the eye-lashes ; and every time this is done, their growth is renewed, and they become long, close, finely curved, and of a silky gloss. The growth of the eye-lashes has been promoted, where they have been lost from disease, by the following ointment: — Take ointment of nitre oxide of mercury, two drachms ; hog’s lard, one drachm. Incor- porate the the ointment well with the lard, and anoint the edges of the eye-lids night and morning, washing after each time with milk and water, warm. To blacken the Eye-lashes. The simplest preparations for this purpose, are the juice of elder berries, burnt cork, and cloves burnt at the candle. Another means is, to take the black of frankincense, resin and mastic. This black will not come off with perspiration. THE MOUTH. The mouth requires particular care, as nothing is more offensive than a want of cleanliness in this organ. It should be rinsed every morning, with cold water. This frequent washing of the month is necessary, because small particles of food settle about the interstices of the teeth, and if not removed will affect the breath, and gradually affect the teeth. The tongue ought no less to be cleansed every morn- ing, either with a small piece of whalebone or with a leaf of sage, which last is also useful for polishing the teeth. To cleanse the throat, it should be gurgled with cold water, and more or less of the same swallowed every morning fasting. Purity 'of the Breath . Purity of breath is an advantage that cannot be too highly prized, as the want of it is the most unfortunate circumstance that can befall beauty, and is alone sufficient to annihilate, in an instant, the most perfect and otherwise inviting charms. A fetid breath may be the consequence of various causes. When it proceeds from a diseased state of the lungs, riding on horseback, fresh air, and the use of gargles of myrrh, or of the infusion of oak bark, with proper attention to the state of the bowels, may palliate the affection, and ultimately remove it, if not too deeply seated. THE YOUNG LADY’s MANUAL 113 If it arise from causes which derange the digestive organs, the cause may be removed by proper medicines before the effect can cease ; but cleanliness, and attention to the state of the mouth and teeth, morning and night, will assist to remove the inconvenience. Tonic gargles, charcoal, and Peruvian bark, or myrrh, for a tooth powder; chewing, occasionally, a little mastic, will be useful. Bad breath is frequently the consequence of repeated watching, or excessive fatigue, immoderate pleasures, or amusements. When it proceeds from an incurable evil, the person so affected is reduced to the sad necessity of removing the smell by others of a different kind. For this purpose, cashoo is recommended, to which, as it combines with many other odoriferous substances, any scent may be given that is preferred. There are many forms prescribed for using it ; we select the follow- ing : — Take gum tragacanth and cashoo, enough of each tG make a ball about the size of a filbert ; scent it with Cologne water, oil bergamot, ambergris, or any other agreeable perfume. Keep one of these in your mouth, on occasion, or you may chew, occasionally, a bit of the root of Florentine iris, or gum mastic ; or wash the mouth frequently, as already observed, with the tincture of myrrh : or, at night, going to bed, chew a piece of the myrrh, about the size of a small nut ; or every night and morning, a clove ; or a piece of burnt alum, about the size of a small bean ; but attention to the state of the bowels, is an indispensable requisite where the breath is tainted from whatever cause, and all other remedies, without this, will be useless. The Teeth and Gums . Cleanliness of the teeth is to the eye what purity of the breath is to the sense of smelling. Nothing, indeed, is more pleasing than clean, white teeth, and gums of the color of the rose ; nothing more disagreeable than dirty, black teeth, thickly encrusted with tartar, a sight alone sufficient to excite disgust: the most beautiful face and vermilion lips being repulsive, if the latter, when open, exhibit Jie horrible spectacle of neglected teeth. The teeth are liable to lose their whiteness by the influence of vari- ous causes — for instance, they become encrusted with tartarous mat- ter, and are tarnished either by the action of certain elements, or by the exhalations of the stomach. When the loss of whiteness is occasioned by the production of tartar, a corhl stick may be used to clean the teeth, and to remove the tartarous salt. The blackness of the teeth may be corrected by the .following process : pulverize equal parts of tartar and salt, and having washed your teeth fasting, rub them with this powder. The preservation of the teeth depends not only on the particular pains necessary to be taken with them, but also on the regimen best adapted to health. The teeth do not long continue sound with bad digestion, with unwholesome food, with a stomach which but imper^ 114 THE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. fectly discharges its functions, and with vitiated digestive juices. All these causes may contribute to the decay of teeth, and the bad state of the gums. The gums cannot be healthy unless they are firm and red, and ad- here to the roots of the teeth. These qualities depend in a great mea- sure on the state of the health. The gums are liable to a variety of accidents which impair both their health and beauty, and which often transform them into objects most disgusting to the eye. Sometimes they grow soft, swell, and ap- pear full of livid and corrupted blood — at others, they project, and cover great part of the teeth : they also become inflamed and painful, and covered with offensive and malignant ulcers. When disease of the gums proceeds from internal causes, these must be first attacked with adequate remedies : in this case, recourse must be had to medical advice; we shall only here, therefore, con- sider such cases for which local applications are sufficient. Tincture for the Teeth and Gums. Take Peruvian bark, coarsely powdered, one ounce, and infuse it for a fortnight in half a pint of brandy. Gargle the mouth morning and night, with a teaspoonful of this tincture, diluted with an equal quantity of rose-water. Mixture for Caries , or Rotten Teeth. Make a balsam with a sufficient quantity of honey, two scruples of myrrh in fine powder, a scruple of gum juniper, and ten grains of rock alum. A portion to be applied frequently to the decayed teeth. A Coral Stick for the Teeth. Make a stiff paste with tooth powder, and a sufficient quantity of mucilage of gum tragacanth ; form with this paste cylindrical rollers, the thickness of a large goose-quill, and about three inches in length. The way to use this stick is to rub it against the teeth, which be- come cleaner in proportion as it washes. Dog-wood for the Teeth. A small twig of dog-wood is of great service in cleansing the teeth. It may be used instead of a tooth-brush, and is particularly serviceable in cleansing between the teeth without injuring the enamel. A silk thread, well waxed, will also effectually remove the tartar from be- tween the teeth. To clean the Teeth and Gums. Take an ounce of myrrh in fine pow 7 der, two spoon fufs of the best kite honey, and a little green sage in a very fine powder,. Mix them THE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. 115 well together, and wet the teeth and gums with a little every night and rooming. Another Prescription. Take pummice stone, and cuttle-fish bone, of each half an ounce ; vitriolated tartar, and mastic, of each a drachm ; oil of rhodium, four drops. Mix all into a fine powder. Ohs. Charcoal alone stands pre-eminent in the rank of dentrifices. From the property it possesses of destroying the coloring particles, it has been turned to a good purpose as a tooth powder for whitening the teeth: as it attacks only the coloring matter of the teeth, it does.no injury to the enamel. Jt possesses, besides, the property of opposing putrefaction, of checking its progress, and even causing it to retro- grade ; hence, it is calculated to destroy the vices of the gums, to clean them, and to correct the fetor which may accumulate in the mouth and among the teeth ; in these two respects, powdered charcoal is the tooth-powder, par excellence , and is, accordingly, recommended by many eminent physicians and chemists. It may occasionally be used either with myrrh, Peruvian bark, cream of tartar, or chalk. THE LIPS. The lips are liable to excoriations and chaps, which often extend to considerable depth. These chaps are generally occasioned by mere cold ; the following salves will be found efficacious in correcting these evils. (1.) Lip Salve. Take oil of almonds three ounces ; spermaceti one ounce ; virgin rice half an ounce. Melt these together over a slow fire, mixing with them a little powder of alkanet root to color it. Keep stirring till cold, and then add a few drops of the oil of rhodium ; or, (2.) Take oil of almonds, spermaceti, white wax, and white sugar- candy, equal parts. These form a good white lip salve ; or, (3.) Take oil of almonds two ounces, white wax and spermaceti, of each one drachm ; melt, and while warm, add rose water tw’o ounces, and orange flower water half an ounce. These make Hud- son’s cold cream, a very excellent article. THE HANDS AND ARMS. A fine hand is always pleasing, and next to the charms of a beau- tiful face, a waman h as an undoubted right to be proud of a fine, no THE YOUNG LADY’S MANUAL. delicately tapered hand, and a symmetrical and elegantly rounded arm A handsome head may be appended to a very ordinary body, or an ugly head may detract from the elegance of a well-shapen body ; but a fine hand and arm scarcely ever accompany any than an otherwise perfect person, and are an unerring symbol of gentility or nobleness of birth and character. To improve the Skin of the Hands and Arms . Take two ounces of Venice soap, and dissolve it in two ounces of lemon juice. Add one ounce of the oil of bitter almonds, and a like quantity of the oil of tartar. Mix the whole, and stir it well till it has acquired the consistence of soap ; and use it as such for the hands. The paste of sweet almonds, which contains an oil fit for keeping the skin soft and elastic, and removing indurations, may be benefi- cially applied to the hands and arms. The most common accidents to which the hands are liable, are chaps, chilblains, and warts. The perspiration of the hands is also, at times, very troublesome, especially to such as are employed in works which require great cleanliness. Chaps Are usually the result of cold, and though not so serious as chil- blains, of which we shall treat hereafter, are very detrimental to delicate hands. • They leave the true skin, which is acutely sensible, bare, raw, and sore ; and thus cause irritation and inflammation. This may alike occur from summer’s heat as the cold of winter; and equally attack the lips, face, hands, or any other part exposed to heat or cold. For the cure of chapped hands, take three drachms of bole ammo- niac, three drachms of Myrrh, and a drachm of white lead. Incorpo- rate these with a sufficient quantity of goose-grease ; and with this anoint the parts affected ; and wear worsted gloves : or, (2.) Take myrrh, one ounce ; litharge, one drachm ; honey, four ounces ; wax, yellow, two ounces; oil of roses, six ounces. - Mix the whole in one well-blended mass for use. When the hands are chapped, avoid putting them in water. To whiten the hands, and preserve them from being chapped, rub them with a tallow candle before retiring, and wear a pair of gloves through the night. To remove Stains from the Hands . Ink-stains, dye-stains, &c., can be immediately removed, by dipping the finger in water, (warm water is best) and then rubbing on the stain a small portion of oxalic acid powder and cream of tartar, mixed to- gether in equal quantities, and kept in a box. When the stain disap- pears, wash the hands with fine soap, or almond cream. A small box of this stain-powder should be kept always in the washstand drawer THE YOUNG LADY S MANUAL. m unless there are smail children in the family, in which case it should be put out of their reach, as it is poison if swallowed. The Nails. To g we a fine color to the nails, the hands and fingers must be well lathered and washed in scented soap ; then the nails should be rubbed with equal parts of cinnabar and emery, and afterwards with oil of bitter almonds. When the bad color of the nails is occasioned by some internal evil, the cause must be first attacked. In jaundice, for instance, the nails become of a yellow color, which it would be in vain to attempt to correct by external application. There are sometimes white specks upon the nails, called gifts. These may be removed by the following preparation. Melt equal parts of pitch and turpentine in a small vessel : add to it vinegar and powdered sulphur. Apply this mixture to the nails, and the spots will soon disappear. Pitch and myrrh melted together may be used with equal success. Chilblains, Generally attack the hands and feet ; but are cured by the same means, on whatever part they may appear. When the tingling and itching are first felt (a sure sign of chilblains,) the parts, hands or feet, ought to be bathed in cold water, or rubbed with snow, till the sensation subsides, then well dried ; or the following preventive embrocation may be used, though the first method is un- questionably the best. Take spirits of turpentine one ounce, balsam of copavia one ounce. Mix them together, and rub the afflicted parts two or three times a day with a portion of it. Mr. War drop's Chilblain Embrocation . Take tincture of cantharides two drachms ; soap liniment one and a half ounces. Mix, and rub the affected parts therewith. , Warm spirits of rosemary, or spirits of camphor, are useful at the first appearance of chilblains. Those who are most liable to chilblains, should, on the approach of winter, cover the parts most subject to be affected, with woolen gloves or stockings, and not expose the hands or feet too precipitately to wet or cold, or, as before observed, to a con- siderable degree of heat. Hints to Ladies. btair carpets should always have a slip of paper put under them, at and over the edge of every stair, which is the part where they first wear out, in order to lessen the friction of the carpets against the boards beneath. The strips should be within an inch or two as lon (18.) Cure for Rattlesnake Bites, and other Poisonous creatures kejt in S °ciote boUlfs Um ^ a ^ eoho i’ 8 ozs - mixed and completed Pplj t0 the wound and th ® cure is soon (19.) Cough Syrup. Put 1 qt. hoarhound to 1 qt. water and hnil if . “>:» ««gh ,L be t, 0 „We,„T,“ P ““■* * d ** » “ •"» above receipt has been sold for $100 Spvavq] a making much money by its manufacture. * ™ l &T ™ are (20.) Cure for the Bite of a Mad bog. in apt nU h Li^ down^o 0 * nt^T 1 ? T’ CUt U fine ’ and boil * fasting, (eat no food untill 4 o’clock P M ) fyom l®£” ™ IQ ? 8 time tor two weeks. The above has cured “ * (21.) Cure for Chapped Hands , Lips, etc * nd 1 lb - ““*• “ d 2 Apply (22.) Dysentery and Bloody Flux. S3^*wS£s3-i£ (23.) Water-Proof for Leather. ozs Ta Buriundy nlLl ft ^7 Wax and white tur P enti “e each 2 , rgunay pitch 1 oz., melt and color with lampblack. (24.) Best Shaving Soap ever Invented. Take 4i lbs. white bar soap, 1 qt. rain water, 1 gill beef’s gall, OR. KOW TO MAKE MONEY, 137 and 1 gill spirits turpentine : cut the soap thin and boil five min- utes; stir while boiling, and color with \ oz. vermillion ; scent with oil of rose or almonds. Fifty cents’ worth of materials will make six dollars’ worth of soap. (25.) Wart and Corn Salve. Take the extract of Belladonna 4 drachms, per oxide of manga- nese, 3 ozs., potash 5 lbs.; pulverize the potash in an iron kettle, and let it stand in the open air 24 hours, then mix the whole together. Shave the corn with a sharp knife, and then apply for ten min- utes the salve ; wash it off and soak it in sweet oil. This is the article sold about the country, and on the corners of the streets in our cities for 25 and 50 cents a drachm bottle. (26.) Writing Ink — Black. Take 1 lb. logwood, 1 gallon soft water; boil slightly or simmer in an iron vessel one hour ; dissolve in a little hot water 24 grains bychromate of potash, 12 do. prussiate of potash and'stir into the liquid while over the fire; take it off and strain it through a fine cloth. This ink can be made for 5 cents per gallon, and it sells from $1 to $3. It is of a bright jet black, flows beautifully from the pen, and it is so indelible that oxalic acid will not remove it from paper. No other ink will stand the test of oxalic acid; hence its value for merchants, banks, etc. (27.) Indellible Ink. One inch of the stick of the nitrate of silver dissolved in a little water, and stirred into each gallon of the above, makes a first-rate mdellible ink for cloth. (28.) Blue Ink. Take soft Prussian blue and oxalic acid in equal parts, powder them finely, and then add soft water to bring it to a thin paste. Let it stand for a few days, then add soft water to make the desired shade of color, adding a little gum arabic to prevent its spreading. (29.) Best Red Ink. Take best carmine (nakarot) 2 grains, rain water ^ oz., water of ammonia 20 drops. This is a beautiful ruling ink for ledgers and bank purposes. Add a little gum arabic. (30.) Yellow Ink. A little alum added to saffron makes a beautiful yellow ink. (31.) Oil Paste Blacking. Take oil of vitriol 2 ozs., tanner’s oil 5 ozs., ivory black 1 lb., molasses 5 ozs.; mix the oil and vitriol together, and let it stand a day, and then add the ivory black and molasses^ and the white of EMPLOYMENT FOR EVERYBODY, !$8 one egg, and stir it well together to a thick paste. This is a supe- rior blacking, will not injure the leather, and gives universal satis- faction. (32.) Cologne. Take 1 gall, cologne spirits, 90 per cent, proof, add of the oil of lemon, orange and burgamot each a spoonful; add also extract of vanilla 40 drops, shake until the oils are cut then, add a pint and a half of soft water. (33.) Hair Oil . Take 1 gall, cologne spirits 90 per cent., 1 pt. best castor oil, or as much as the spirits will cut, add 1 oz. oil cinnamon, or as much as will bring it to the desired flavor (34.) French Chemical Soap. Take 5 lbs. castile soap, cut fine, 1 pt. alcohol, 1 do. soft water, 2 ozs. aquafortis, oz. lampblack, 2 ozs. saltpetre, 3 ozs. potash 1 oz. camphor, and 4 ozs. cinnamon in powder. First dissolve the soap, potash, and saltpetre by boiling ; then add all the other arti- cles and continue to stir until it cools ; then pour it into a box and let it stand 24 hours, then cut into cakes. For taking out oil, grease, etc. from cloths. (35.) Ox Marrow Pomatum. 'Take 2 ozs. of yellow wax, 12 ozs. lard, and 8 ozs. beef marrow melt all together, and when sufficiently cool, perfume it with the essential oil of almonds. This is an excellent article and sells well. (36.) An Excellent Article to prevent the Hair from falling off. Take | pt. French brandy, a table spoonful fine salt, tea spoon- ful powdered alum. Let these be mixed and well shaken until they are dissolved ; then filter, and it is ready for use. If used every day, it may be diluted with soft water. (37.) Tooth Powder. Take prepared chalk 2 ozs., gum myrrh in fine powder 1 drachm, Peruvian bark { oz., white sugar 1 oz., rose pink 1 oz.; mix well. This is one of the best tooth powders in use ; it cleams the teeth, hardens the gums and sweetens the breath, and can be made and sold at a moderate price. (38.) Extract of Vanilla. This beautiful flavor is made by taking 1 quart pure French brandy, cutting up fine 1 oz. Yanilla beans, and 2 ozs. Tonqua, bruised. Add these tc the brandy and let it digest for two weeks, frequently shaking. Then filter carefully, and it is ready for use. OR HOW TO MAKE MONEY. 139 This article is in great demand for flavoring pies, cakes, puddings, etc., and sells readily at a good price both to families and at the grocers. (39.) Shaving Soap . Take 2 lbs. of best white bar soap and lb. good common bar soap cut them up fine, so that they will dissolve readily. Put the soap into a copper kettle, with 1 quart of soft water — let it stand over th,e fire, and when it is dissolved by boiling, add 1 pint alcohol, 1 gill beef’s gall, 4 gill spirits turpentine ; boil all these together for five minutes; stir while boiling; while it is cooling flavor it with oil of sassafras to suit, and color it with fine vermillion. This soap makes a rich lather, softens the face, and can be made cheap. (40.) Shaving Cream . Take 1 lb. soft soap in ajar and add to it one quart high proof cologne spirits; set the jar in a vessel of boiling water, or water bath until the soap is dissolved ; perfume with essential oil to suit. This is a good article for shaving, especially for those troubled with pimples on the face ; it softens the skin and cures the humors. 2 or three drops rubbed upon the face with the end of the finger is enough for shaving. Dip the end of the brush in hot water and brush the face briskly and it will raise a rich lather. (41.) Crockery Cement , which is Transparent . Take 1 lb. white shellac, pulverized ; 2 ozs. clean gum mastic ; put these into a bottle, and then add \ lb. pure sulphuric ether. Let it stand half an hour, and then add half a gallon 90 per cent, alcohol — shake occasionally till it is dissolved. Heat the edges of the article to be mended and apply the cement with a pencil brush ; hold the article firmly together till the cement cools. (42.) Freckle Lotion— for the cure of Freckles , Tan, or Sun-burnt face and hands. Take \ lb. clear ox gall, drm. each of camphor and burnt alum, 1 drm. borax, \ oz. rock salt and rock candy. This should be mixed and shaken well several times a day for three weeks, until the gall becomes transparent ; then strain it very carefully through filtering paper, and apply it to the face during the day, wash it off at night. The article, if properly made, will not fail of its purpose. It sells very readily and commands a good price. (43.) Washing and Bleaching Liquid. Take 4 lb. unslacked lime, and pour upon it 6 qts. boiling water , stir it all up, and when it has stood long enough to entirely settle, strain off the clean water and dissolve in this water, by t oiling, 2 lbs. sal soda. 140 EMPLOYMENT TOR EVERYBODY, Fop washing— -to every pail full of water add for boiling, 1 pint of the liquid. The clothes must be put in soak the night before washing, taking care to rub all the dirt spots with soap ; then boil hem with the liquid 3o minutes. They are then to be drawn and put into a tub, and clear boiling water poured over them ; then rub them out rinse them well and they are fit for drying. (44.) Beautiful and cheap) Soap. Take i p. eommon bar Wp, out fine, and 1 lb. sal soda, to a pail full of water, boil a little, and you have good soap ; with it you can wash with half the labor. If you wish thicker soap, take Z lbs. soap and 2 lbs. sal soda to a pail full of water. (45.) Burning Fluid . Take 4 qts alcohol, and 1 qt. spirits turpentine, mix well to- gether, and it is ready for use. (46.) Liquid Cement. . Cut S um Shellac in 70 per cent, alcohol, put it in phials and it is ready for use Apply it to the edge of the broken dish with a leather, and hold it m a spirit lamp as long as the cement will sim- mer, then join together evenly, and when cold the dish will break m another place first, and is as strong as new. (47.) Bed Bug Poison. Take 1 pint alcohol, 2 ozs. sal ammonias, 1 pint spirits turpen- tine, 2 ozs. corrosive, sublimate and 2 ozs(. gum camphor: dissolve the camphor m the alcohol, then pulverize the corrosive sublimate and sal ammonias, and add to it, after which put in the spirits of turpentine and shake well together. This sells readily at 20 cents per oz. phial. J .... (48.) Cheap Outside Paint . ( . two parts (in bulk) of water lime ground fine, one part (m bulk)' of white lead ground in oil. Mix them thoroughly, by adding best boiled linseed oil, enough to prepare it to pass through * a pamt mill, after which temper with oil till it can be applied with a common paint brush. . Make any color to suit. It will last three times as long as lead paint, and cost not one-fourth as much. It is Superior. (49.) Ice Cream. Take of new milk and cream, each 2 quarts, 2 lbs. sugar and 12 eggs ; dissolve the sugar in the milk, beat the eggs to a froth, and add to the whole ; strain, and bring to a scald, but be careful not to burn it;, when cool flavor with extract of vanilla or oil of lemon, racx the tin freezer in a deep tub, with broken ice and salt, whirl the freezer, and occasionally scrape down from the side what gathers on. The proportions are one quart of salt to every pail of ice. OR HOW TO MAKE MONEY. 141 (50.) Original and only Genuine Silver Plating Fluid.- — Galvanism Simplified. Dissolve 1 oz. of nitrate of silver in crystal, in 12 ozs. of soft i water. Then dissolve in the water 2 ozs. of cyanuret of potash. Shake the whole together and let it stand till it becomes clear. | Have ready some half ounce vials, and fill them half full of Paris | white, or fine whiting, and then fill up the bottles with the liquid, and it is ready for use. The whiting does not increase the coating power ; it only helps to clean the articles, and to save the silver nuid by half filling the bottles. The above quantity of materials will cost about §1 61, so that the fluid will only cost about 3 cents I a bottle. (51.) Matches. The ends of the tapers, or wood, should be very dry and then j dipped in hot melted sulphur, and laid aside to dry. Then take 4 I parts of glue, dissolve it, and when hot, add 1 part of phosphorus, and stir in a few spoonfuls of fine whiting to bring it to the proper thickness. This preparation should be kept hot by being suspended over a lamp while dipping the wood or tapers/ Color the ends of the matches by adding a little Vermillion, lamp black or Prussian blue to the mass. Be careful not to ignite the compound while dipping. (52.) Barrett's Certain Preventive of the Potato Rot. Sow unleached ashes over the field once a week for six weexs, commencing soon after the second hoeing. Apply two or three bushels to the acre, using care to dust the tops well. It has never been known to fail, where faithfully tested. (53.) Cologne — A Superior Article. Take of 90 per cent, best alcohol 1 gall., add to it one ounce oil burgamot, one ounce oil of orange, two drachms oil of Cedrat, one drachm of oil of Nevoli, and one drachm oil Rosemary. Mix well gnd it is fit for use. (54.) Silver Solution, for Plating Copper , Brass , and German Silver. 1. Cut into small pieces a twenty- five cent piece, and put it into an earthern vessel with half an ounce of nitric acid. 2. Put the vessel into warm water, uncovered, until it dissolves. 3. Add half a gill of water and 1 teaspoonful of fine salt, let settle. 4. Drain off and repeat adding water to the sediment until the acid taste is all out of the water. 5. Add finally about a pint of water to the sediment, and 4 scruples cyanide of potassa, and all is ready. 6. Put in bottom of solution a piece of zinc, about 2 inches long, 1 wide and one-eighth in thickness. 7. After cleaning, immerse the article to be plated in the solution about half a minute, letting it rest on the zinc. 8. Wipe off with a dry cloth and rej'eat once. 142 EMPLOYMENT FOR EVERYBODY, Polish with buckskin. Thickness of plate can be increased by repeating, (55.) Superior Washing Soap. Take 5 pounds bar soap, or 7 pounds good soft soap, 4 pounds, sal soda, 2 ozs. borax, 1 oz. hartshorn ; to be dissolved in 22 quarts of water and boiled about fifteen minutes. For hard soap add to the above half a pound of rosin. (56.) Superior Boot Blacking . To 4 ounces gum asphaltum add half a pint of turpentine, put over fire for fifteen minutes. * (57.) Patent Burning Fluid — For Lamps. A superior article. To one gallon of 95 per cent, alcohol add one quart of camphene oil. Mix well, and if transparent it is fit for use. If not, add sufficient alcohol to bring it to the natural color of the alcohol. It may b^ colored to suit the fancy by add- ing a little tincture of golden seal, or any other coloring drug. Receipt cost $10. (58.) Superior Paint— For Brick Houses. To lime whitewash, add for a fastener, sulphate of zinc, and shade with any color you choose, as yellow ochre, Venetian red, etc. It outlasts oil paint. (59.) Piles — Perfectly Cured. Take flour of sulphur 1 oz., rosin 3 ozs., pulverize and mix well together. (Color with carmine or cochineal, if you like.) Bose — What will he on a five cent piece, night and morning, washing the parts freely in cold water once or twice a day. This is a rem- edy of great value. (60.) Inflammatory Rheumatism — A sure Remedy. Take an ounce of pulverized saltpetre and put it into a pint of sweet oil. Bathe the parts affected, and a sound cure will speedily * be made. Tested . (61.) Certain Cure for Corns. One teaspoonful of tar, one of coarse brown sugar, and one of saltpetre. The whole to be warmed together. Spread it on kid leather the size of the corns, and in two days they will be drawn out. (62.) Small Pox — Certain Cure. Take one grain each of powdered Fox-glove, ( Digitalis ,) and sulphate of zinc. Rub together thoroughly in a mortar with 5 or 6 drops of water ; this done, add 4 or 5 ounces of water, and sweeten with loaf sugar. Dose— -A table spoonful for an adult. OR HOW TO MAKE MONEY. 143 and one or two teaspoonfuls for a child every two or three hours until symptoms of disease vanish. (63.) Pulmonic Wafers — For Coughs , Colds , etc. Take white sugar 7 lbs., tincture or syrup of Ipecac. 4 ozs.; an- timonial wine 2 ozs.; morphine 10 grains, dissolved in a table spoonful of water, with 10 or 15 drops of sulphuric acid; tincture of blood root 1 oz.; syrup of Tolu 2 ozs. Add these to the sugar and mix the whole mass as confectioners do for lozenges, and cut into lozenges of the ordinary size. Use from 6 to 12 of these in 24 hours. Equal to any in use. They sell at a great profit. (64.) To mend Iron Pots. m Mix finely sifted lime with some white of an egg, till a thin Kind of paste is formed, then add some iron filings. Apply this to the fracture, and the vessel will be found nearly as sound as ever (65.) Glue for Cementing Paper, Silk and Leather. Take of isinglass and parchment size, each 1 oz., sugar candy and gum tragacanth, each 2 drms.; add to them 1 oz. water, and boil the whole together till the mixture appears (when cold) of the consistency of glue ; then pour it into any form you please. If this glue be wet with the tongue and rubbed on the edges of paper, silk or leather that are to be cemented, and they will, on being laid together, pressed lightly and suffered to dry, be as firmly united as other parts of the substance. It is fine to seal letters. (66.) To Destroy Cockroaches, Rats and Mice. Take a sixpenny loaf of bread, the staler the better, reduce it to a crumb, then in a pot of water put two spoonfuls cayenne pepper, one do. pulveriszed annis seed, half a drachm of saltpetre, the same of white lead, and a wine glass of extract of hops. Now throw in your crumbs of bread ; digest for six hours in a moderate heat ; strain through a cloth ; add to the liquor thirty drops of the tincture of quassia, and let it stausd until next day, and then bottle it. Some lumps of sugar saturated with this liquor will be a speedy cure for cockroaches. Some pieces of bread saturated with it, will destroy all the rats and mice. The above is extensively manufactured and sold at a great profit. (67.) Powder for Cleaning and Polishing Tin , Britannia and Brass Ware. Take lb. ground pumice stone and J lb. red chalk, mix them evenly together. This is for tin, brass, etc. For silver and fine ware, take | lb. red chalk and £ lb. pumice stone— mix very evenly ; use these articles dry with a piece of wash leather. It is one of • the best cleaning powders ever invented, and very valuable. (68.) Cure for Salt Rheum or Scurvy. Take of the pokeweed, any time in summer, pound it, press ' out the juice ; strain it into a pewter dish, set it in the sun till i it becomes a salve — then put it into an earthern mug ; add to it * fresh water and bees’ wax sufficient to make an ointment of com- mon consistency; simmer the whole over a fire till thoroughly mixed. When cold, rub the part effected. The patient will j immediately experience its good- effects, and the most obstinate 1 cases will be cured in three or four months. Tested . — The juice 2 of the ripe berries may be prepared in the same way. (69.) Hair Restorative . Take 1 drachm lac sulphur, 1 drachm of sugar lead, 4 ozs., rose water ; mix and shake the vial on using the mixture. Bathe the hair twice a day for a week. This preparation does not dye the hair but restores its original color (70.) Cheap Hair Oil. Take 1 gallon lard oil in a vessel ; tie up 1 oz. alkanet in a straining cloth and suspend it in the oil a few days until it comes to the right shade of color then flavor it with 1 oz. essential oil to suit. (71.) Bengal Lights. Take of nitrate of potassa, (saltpetre,) 8 parts, sublimed sul- :• phur 4 parts, and antimony 1 part, and let them be well mixed in pow T der and beat firmly into a stout iron cup, and set on fire, and if a little camphor be added it is still more brilliant. Such lights I are made use of for communicating at a great distance by sea 1 at night. (72.) Turkish Rouge* - Take ^ lb. best Brazil wood, fine, and of golden red color, infuse I 4 days in 4 qt. best white wine vinegar ; then boil them together for half an hour ; strain through a linen cloth, and place the liquid again over the fire ; having in th¥ meantime dissolved £ lb. alum in 1 pt. white wine vinegar, mix the two liquids and stir them well together. The scum which now arises should be carefully taken off, and gradually dried and powdered. (73.) Iron Rust Cement . Take one hundred parts iron filings, pounded and sifted, add one part sal ammonia. When it is applied give it sufficiency of water to make it of a paste consistency. This cement is used for filling up seams of iron. It will sell wherever such is needed. Jp. r TEE END.