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BY
MRS. CORNELIUS.
REVISED AND ENLARGED.
BOSTON:
BROWN, TAGGARD AND CHASE.
1859.
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1859, by
M. H. CORNELIUS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
CAMBRIDGE:
ALLEN AND FARNHAM, ELECTROTYPERS AND PRINTERS.
In preparing this little volume, my aim has been to furnishto young housekeepers the best aid that a book can give in thedepartments of which it treats. No printed guide can perfectlysupply the place of that experience which is gained by earlyand habitual attention to domestic concerns. But the directionshere given are designed to be so minute, and of so practical acharacter, that the observance of them shall prevent very manyof the perplexities which most young people suffer during theirfirst years of married life.
The receipts, with the exception of about twenty which arecopied from books, are furnished from my own experience, orthat of my immediate friends. An ample variety is given forfurnishing the table of any American family; but especial referencehas been had to those who have neither poverty norriches; and such directions have been given as will enable ahousekeeper to provide a good and healthful table, or, if desired,a handsome one, at a moderate expense.
To save repetition, very minute directions are given at thehead of every chapter, by attending to which, the least experiencedcook will learn how to proceed in making each article forwhich a receipt is given.
I do not attempt to give directions in regard to the bestmethods of taking care of all sorts of furniture, and performingall the various kinds of household labor, because there areworks already published which furnish copious and judiciousinstructions on these subjects.
It may be asked, "Why then publish a book of counsels andreceipts, for there surely are many receipt-books?" This istrue; but while some of them are not ample guides on the subjectsof which they treat, others are based upon a plan bothexpensive and unhealthy, and all of them that I have seen,leave an inexperienced housekeeper at a loss in regard to manyof the things most necessary to economy and comfort.
I have seen many a young lady, just entered upon the dutiesof married life, perplexed and prematurely care-worn, for wantof experience, or a little good instruction, in regard to