Let us understand, then, that a house should bear witness in all its economy that
human culture is the end to which it is built and garnished. It stands there under the
sun and moon to ends analogous, and not less noble than theirs. It is not for festivity, it
is not for sleep: but the pine and the oak shall gladly descend from the mountain to up-
hold the roof of men as faithful and necessary as themselves; to be the shelter always open
to good and true persons — a hall which shines with sincerity, brows ever tranquil, and a
6 HOME DISSERTATIONS.
demeanor impossible to disconcert; whose inmates know what they want; who do not ask
your house how theirs should be kept. They have aims: they cannot pause for trifles.
The diet of the house does not create its order, but knowledge, character, action, absorb
so much life and yield so much entertainment that the refectory has ceased to be so curi-
ously studied. With a change of aim has followed a change of the whole scale by which
men and things were wont to be measured. Wealth and poverty are seen for what they
arc. It begins to be seen that the poor are only they who feel poor, and poverty consists
in feeling poor. The poor man's son is educated. There is many a humble house in every
city, in every town, where talent and taste, and sometimes genius, dwell with poverty and
labor.
Honor to the house where they are simple to the verge of hardship, so that the
intellect is awake and reads the laws of the universe, the soul worships truth and love,
honor and courtesy flows into all deeds."
" In the true marriage relation the independence of the husband and the wife is equal,
their dependence mutual, and their obligations are reciprocal." The hearts of married
people ought to be types of one another; a husband owes to his wife all the sentiment he
expects from her; and his happiness depends much more on what he is to her than what
she is to him."
" It is well for the women of the household to remember that pleasant homes are
strong antidotes to the practice of looking for enjoyment abroad; for relaxation and rec-
reation will be indulged in somehow by most men, and happy are they who find in the
home circle the diversion they need. A lively game, an interesting book read aloud, or
in musical families, a new song to be practiced, will furnish pastime that will make an
evening enjoyable to all. Our homes should be warm, bright, home-like, and cozy. Every
corner should appear as if somebody made it an especial haunt and had just gone out.
" Let all the members of households ever remember that at home there should be
peace and unity, though all the world be at war. Those bound by the ties of kindred
should uphold each other, and bear with each others foibles and hide them from strang-
ers' eyes. Those who dwell under the same home-roof must fight under one flag or be
defeated. Policy, if not good feeling, should bind together the members of every
household."
Page 2
Presented as published in 1891. 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
Let us understand, then, that a house should bear witness in all its economy that human culture is the end to which it is built and garnished. It stands there under the sun and moon to ends analogous, and not less noble than theirs. It is not for festivity, it is not for sleep: but the pine and the oak shall gladly descend from the mountain to uphold the roof of men as faithful and necessary as themselves; to be the shelter always open to good and true persons — a hall which shines with sincerity, brows ever tranquil, and a demeanor impossible to disconcert; whose inmates know what they want; who do not ask your house how theirs should be kept. They have aims: they cannot pause for trifles. The diet of the house does not create its order, but knowledge, character, action, absorb so much life and yield so much entertainment that the refectory has ceased to be so curiously studied. With a change of aim has followed a change of the whole scale by which men and things were wont to be measured. Wealth and poverty are seen for what they arc. It begins to be seen that the poor are only they who feel poor, and poverty consists in feeling poor. The poor man's son is educated. There is many a humble house in every city, in every town, where talent and taste, and sometimes genius, dwell with poverty and labor.
Honor to the house where they are simple to the verge of hardship, so that the intellect is awake and reads the laws of the universe, the soul worships truth and love, honor and courtesy flows into all deeds."
" In the true marriage relation the independence of the husband and the wife is equal, their dependence mutual, and their obligations are reciprocal." The hearts of married people ought to be types of one another; a husband owes to his wife all the sentiment he expects from her; and his happiness depends much more on what he is to her than what she is to him."
" It is well for the women of the household to remember that pleasant homes are strong antidotes to the practice of looking for enjoyment abroad; for relaxation and recreation will be indulged in somehow by most men, and happy are they who find in the home circle the diversion they need. A lively game, an interesting book read aloud, or in musical families, a new song to be practiced, will furnish pastime that will make an evening enjoyable to all. Our homes should be warm, bright, home-like, and cozy. Every corner should appear as if somebody made it an especial haunt and had just gone out.
" Let all the members of households ever remember that at home there should be peace and unity, though all the world be at war. Those bound by the ties of kindred should uphold each other, and bear with each others foibles and hide them from strangers' eyes. Those who dwell under the same home-roof must fight under one flag or be defeated. Policy, if not good feeling, should bind together the members of every household."