In the mean time the " she " referred to — the average
daughter of average parents in both cit}" and country —
neither "learns at home," nor "takes to it naturall}^,"
L/
16 THE HOUSE: SITUATION, ETC.
save in exceptional cases ; and the reason for this is found
in the love, which, like much of the love given, is really
onl}' a higher form of selfishness. The busy mother of a
famil}', who has fought her own way to fairly successful
administration, longs to spare her daughters the petty
cares, the anxious planning, that have helped to eat out
her own youth ; and so the 3'oung girl enters married life
with a vague sense of the dinners that must be, and a
general belief that somehow or other they come of them-
selves. And so with all household labor. That to per-
form it successfuU}^ and skillfully, demands not only train-
ing, but the best powers one can bring to bear upon its
accomplishment, seldom enters the mind ; and the student,
who has ended her course of chemistry or physiology
enthusiasticall}^, never dreams of appl3ing either to every-
day life.
This may seem a digression ; and yet, in the verj^ outset,
it is necessary to place this work upon the right footing,
and to impress with all possible earnestness the fact, that
Household Science holds every other science in tribute,
and that only that home which starts with this admission,
and builds upon the best foundation the best that thought
can furnish, has an^^ right to the name of " home." The
swarms of drunkards, of idiots, of insane, of deaf and
dumb, owe their existence to an ignorance of the laws of
right living, which is simpl}" criminal, and for w^hich we
must be judged ; and no word can be too earnest, which
opens the 3"oung girl's e3-es to the fact that in her hands
lie not alone her own or her husband's future, but the
future of the nation. It is hard to see beyond one's own
circle ; but if light is sought for, and there is stead}'
resolve and patient effort to do the best for one's individ-
THE HOUSE: SITUATION, ETC, 17
shadow passes, aud that progress is an appreciable thing.
Begin in j'our own home. Study to make it not only
beautiful, but perfectly appointed. If your own hands
must do the work, learn every method of economizing
time and strength. If you have servants, whether one or
more, let the same laws rule. It is not easy, I admit ;
no good thing is : but there is infinite reward for every
effort. Let no failure discourage, but let each one be only
a fresh round in the ladder all must climb who would do
worthy work ; and be sure that the end will reward all
pain, aU self-sacrifice, and make you truly the mistresses
of the home for which everj' woman naturally and right-
fully hopes, but which is never trul}^ hers till every shade
of detail in its administration has been mastered.
Page 6
Presented as published in 1881. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
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In the mean time the " she " referred to — the average
daughter of average parents in both cit}" and country —
neither "learns at home," nor "takes to it naturall}^,"
L/
16 THE HOUSE: SITUATION, ETC.
save in exceptional cases ; and the reason for this is found
in the love, which, like much of the love given, is really
onl}' a higher form of selfishness. The busy mother of a
famil}', who has fought her own way to fairly successful
administration, longs to spare her daughters the petty
cares, the anxious planning, that have helped to eat out
her own youth ; and so the 3'oung girl enters married life
with a vague sense of the dinners that must be, and a
general belief that somehow or other they come of them-
selves. And so with all household labor. That to per-
form it successfuU}^ and skillfully, demands not only train-
ing, but the best powers one can bring to bear upon its
accomplishment, seldom enters the mind ; and the student,
who has ended her course of chemistry or physiology
enthusiasticall}^, never dreams of appl3ing either to every-
day life.
This may seem a digression ; and yet, in the verj^ outset,
it is necessary to place this work upon the right footing,
and to impress with all possible earnestness the fact, that
Household Science holds every other science in tribute,
and that only that home which starts with this admission,
and builds upon the best foundation the best that thought
can furnish, has an^^ right to the name of " home." The
swarms of drunkards, of idiots, of insane, of deaf and
dumb, owe their existence to an ignorance of the laws of
right living, which is simpl}" criminal, and for w^hich we
must be judged ; and no word can be too earnest, which
opens the 3"oung girl's e3-es to the fact that in her hands
lie not alone her own or her husband's future, but the
future of the nation. It is hard to see beyond one's own
circle ; but if light is sought for, and there is stead}'
resolve and patient effort to do the best for one's individ-
THE HOUSE: SITUATION, ETC, 17
shadow passes, aud that progress is an appreciable thing.
Begin in j'our own home. Study to make it not only
beautiful, but perfectly appointed. If your own hands
must do the work, learn every method of economizing
time and strength. If you have servants, whether one or
more, let the same laws rule. It is not easy, I admit ;
no good thing is : but there is infinite reward for every
effort. Let no failure discourage, but let each one be only
a fresh round in the ladder all must climb who would do
worthy work ; and be sure that the end will reward all
pain, aU self-sacrifice, and make you truly the mistresses
of the home for which everj' woman naturally and right-
fully hopes, but which is never trul}^ hers till every shade
of detail in its administration has been mastered.