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[Illustration: THE LARDER.]




[Illustration]




THE

ENGLISH HOUSEKEEPER:

OR,

MANUAL OF DOMESTIC MANAGEMENT:

CONTAINING

ADVICE ON THE CONDUCT OF HOUSEHOLD AFFAIRS, AND

Practical Instructions

CONCERNING

  THE STORE-ROOM,
  THE PANTRY,
  THE LARDER,
  THE KITCHEN,
  THE CELLAR,
  THE DAIRY.

THE WHOLE BEING INTENDED

FOR THE USE OF YOUNG LADIES WHO UNDERTAKE THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF THEIR OWN
HOUSEKEEPING.

_SIXTH EDITION._

(IMPROVED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF MANY NEW RECEIPTS.)


BY ANNE COBBETT.


LONDON: PUBLISHED BY A. COBBETT, 137, STRAND.


1851.

[_Price Six Shillings._]




  LONDON:
  GEO. PEIRCE, PRINTER, 310, STRAND.

{iii}INTRODUCTION.

  "She looketh well to the ways of her _Household_, and eateth not the
  bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed: her
  husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously,
  but thou excellest them all."--PROVERBS, Chap. xxxi., vs. 27, 28, & 29.


I HAVE taken so much pains to make the following work deserving of the
title it bears, that I could not, without affectation, pretend to
undervalue my own performance, by anticipating doubts of its utility, or by
expressing any fear lest my friends should be disappointed when they look
into it. Every publication of this description is necessarily calculated to
be of some essential service; for it must not only be practical in its
descriptions and directions, but must relate to matters touching the daily
and hourly wants of all mankind; and it will, of course, be approved
according as it may happen to meet those wants.

As a mere Cookery-book, mine must submit to be placed in a lower rank than
some others, because I do not profess to bring to light discoveries in the
culinary art, neither do I design to favour epicurism. I have no pretension
beyond that of advising young ladies who are their own housekeepers; and
the receipts which will be found in my selection, are such as appeared to
me suitable to any family of moderate style in living, and such as may be
easily comprehended and put in practice. These have been carefully
{iv}revised and amended in the present edition, and some others added.

While I am offering advice with respect to the manner of conducting
domestic affairs, I cannot refrain from expressing my regret that so large
a proportion of the young ladies of England are sadly deficient in that
information, and in those practices of economy which are the most
essentially necessary to their welfare as persons of influence and
authority in a house. I am by no means singular in lamenting that the
advantages of a knowledge of housekeeping seem to be so entirely lost sight
of by those who have the responsibility of bringing up either their own or
other people's daughters; and I find it frequently the subject of remark
that the ladies of the present day have become incapable of being so
skilful in the discharge of their domestic duties as the ladies of a former
period were, in proportion as they have become more cultivated and more
accomplished. But is it so? Are there now a greater proportion of women
whose minds are really cultivated than there were formerly? Is there not
rather a greater pretence of learning with less of it in reality? It is
erroneous to suppose that persons of real learning look upon the minor
duties of life with contempt, because of their learning; for, though
learning does not, perhaps, give sense, it surely does not destroy it, and
there is not only a want of sense, but a positive folly, in that
affectation of refinement, and that assumption of superiority, which has
led to the result now complained of. But the system of education which has
prevailed of late years is certainly in fault; a system which assigns the
same species of learning, indiscriminately, to young persons of every rank
and degree, without distinction even as to ability. Such a method of