or who may require it. In this part of your domeftic duty, you will experience the utility of Arithmetic; and will be convinced, that you were not taught it, but for a practical purpose.

I have already remarked, that Economy and taste may be united in furnishing a table. It will be the duty of the Miftrefs of the family to prefide at it; which office will be gracefully performed by a Woman of Senfe, Politenefs and Affability. But where thefe requifites are wanting, she will appear aukward and confufed. To be equally attentive to her Guefts, and to join with them in sprightly converfation, is a behaviour proper to be observed on thefe occafions; and they will retire well fatisfied from a repaft, which has been feasoned with courtesy and respect.

You

Your female Servants, likewise, will demand fome share of your attention. Think not, becaufe of their inferiority in point of ftation, that they are unworthy of your care. ought to inspect their moral conduct, as well as their manual labour. In whatever particulars they are ignorant, you fhould inftruct them, and you should be affiduous in introducing thofe methods of order and economy, which you would wish to have eftablished. The inequality that is betwixt you must not make you forget, that it is not nature, but the necessary fubordinations of civil life, which have caufed

this diftinction. Faithful and honeft depend ants may be regarded as humble friends; who, in return for their fervices of diligence and integrity, will expect from you civility and kindnefs. A haughty manner of addreffing and commanding them, is not only in itself repugnant to female meeknefs and delicacy, but will excite in them a fpirit of contumacy, and an indifference, whether they please you or not. You may be affured, that the less imperious you are, the more you will be obeyed. They will ferve you, not through fear, but love. And when they find you ready to affift them with your advice, to promote their welfare, and to render them contented with their ftation, they will respect you, they will be afraid of offending, and they will feel an intereft in your concerns. Do not reprehend their faults with afperity, nor despair of reformation, where you find a corrigible temper. Accuftom them to reasonable reproof. Be not hafty in giving your orders; nor break out into gufts of Paffion if they are difobeyed. You may make them fenfible of your difpleasure without the noise of clamorous rebuke, or any other external emotions of anger. You should encourage them by your approbation of what is done well; and you may fufficiently mark your difapprobation of what is not fo, with quietnefs and complacency.

Το

To be always quarrelling with Domestics, is a certain fign of a fretful, peevish, or irafcible difpofition. If those Miftreffes, whom they ferve, expect to fee them free from human frail ties, they expect to fee what is not in themfelves, The behaviour of Menials will often depend upon the treatment they receive from thofe, in whose service they are, provided their temper is not habitually bad. But when we invariably observe the fame kind of family contention, and perpetually hear of mutual complaints and diflikes, whatever changes may have taken place, we may then be affured, that thofe who govern are more culpable, than thofe who are governed. To avoid this reproach, you muft learn betimes to command your paffions, to practise a civil behaviour, to be kind, courteous and affable; by fuch a conduct you will make those happy, who may be in fubjection to your power. Always remember, that inhumanity and oppreffion are the never-failing attendants of tyranny.

There requires fome judgment in knowing how to procure obedience; which they will beft fucceed in, who have practifed obedience themfelves. In the choice of domeftics, have particular regard to honefty, diligence and fobriety. But whatever Virtues you will wish to find in them, let them find the fame in you. A good

example

example will be the means of preferving them in a uniform courfe of regular life; but a bad one may corrupt the best inclinations. A Miftress of a family should not be ignorant of those duties which are to be performed by Servants, and should make herfelf capable of judging, whether their refpective tasks be properly exe-cuted.

The utility of order and punctuality is vifible in every department of life. In that alrea dy mentioned, it is evidently to be seen, by the neatness and cleanlinefs which prevail, in the furniture and apartments of the House; and in the regularity, with which the bufinefs of it is conducted through every branch, and by every member of the family: But it would be particularly beneficial to the Mistress of it, to appropriate certain hours for the inspection of household affairs; which might be fo diftinguished from the rest of her time, as to enable her to tranfact her domeftic duties at proper feafons, without creating an embarrassment, or interrupting her in the intervals applied to Society or Retirement.

In order to maintain your importance in domeftic life, and discharge with consistency its respective concerns, when the management and conduct of household affairs fhould be commit aed to your care, it will be requifite that you fhould

fhould then discard the levity of youth, and acquire a steadiness and uniformity of behavi

our.

Apply yourselves, when young, to the conomy of a house. Perhaps fome of you may be fo circumstanced, as foon to be called upon for the exercise of your skill and judgment in this particular. But fhould you be so happy as not to be deprived of maternal inftruction, avail yourselves of the opportunity, which will then offer, of receiving every possible information; and be ready and willing, not only to learn, but also to affift. This will foon qualify you to undertake the fole management of family concerns, fhould it be required; or fhould a change of condition render it abfolutely neceffary. You are then to confider yourselves, as prefiding over the whole; and directing all the fubordinate parts. If you fhould be attentive obfervers of fuch as have acquitted themselves in this fphere with prudence and method, you will never be at a lofs, how to act yourfelves. Thofe, under your direction, perceiving that you are not only competent to the task of governing a family, but are difpofed to conduct it upon principles of frugality and order, will be careful in the difcharge of their respective duties: Because they will have difcernment enough to fee, that you can not only discover neglect in the execution

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