The Virginia Housewife

page xi

INTRODUCTION.

MANAGEMENT is an art that may be acquired by every woman of good sense and
tolerable memory. If, unfortunately, she has been bred in a family where
domestic business is the work of chance, she will have many difficulties to
encounter; but a determined resolution to obtain this valuable knowledge, will
enable her to surmount all obstacles. She must begin the day with an early
breakfast, requiring each person to be in readiness to take their seats when the
muffins, buckwheat cakes are placed on the table. This looks social and
comfortable. When the family breakfast by detachments, the table remains a
tedious time; the servants are kept from their morning's meal, and a complete
derangement takes place in the whole business of the day. No work can be done
till breakfast is finished. The Virginia ladies, who are proverbially good
managers, employ themselves, while their servants are eating, in washing the
cups, glasses; arranging the cruets, the mustard, salt-sellers, pickle
vases, and all the apparatus for the dinner table. This occupies but a short
time, and the lady has the satisfaction of knowing that they are in much better
order than they would be if left to the servants. It also relieves her from the
trouble of seeing the dinner table prepared, which should be done every day with
the same scrupulous regard to exact neatness and method, as if a grand company
was expected. When the servant is required to do this daily, he soon gets into
the habit of doing it well; and his mistress having made arrangements for him in
the morning, there is no fear of bustle and confusion in running after things
that may be called for during the hour of dinner. When the kitchen breakfast is
over, and the cook has put all things in their proper places, the mistress
should go in to give her orders. Let all the articles intended for the dinner,
pass in review before her: have the butter, sugar, flour, meal, lard, given out
in proper quantities; the catsup, spice, wine, whatever may be wanted

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