owing how they contribute to the
happiness of a family, as by showing how they add beauty to a copy-book,
or a portfolio of drawings? Would not a teacher be as well employed in
teaching the rules of economy, in regard to time and expenses, or in
regard to dispensing charity, as in teaching double, or single entry in
bookkeeping? Are not the principles that should guide in constructing a
house, and in warming and ventilating it properly, as important to young
girls as the principles of the Athenian Commonwealth, or the rules of
Roman tactics? Is it not as important that children should be taught the
dangers to the mental faculties, when over-excited on the one hand, or
left unoccupied on the other, as to teach them the conflicting theories
of political economy, or the speculations of metaphysicians? For
ourselves, we have always found children, especially girls, peculiarly
ready to listen to what they saw would prepare them for future duties.
The truth, that education should be _a preparation for actual, real
life_, has the greatest force with children. The constantly-recurring
inquiry, 'What will be _the use_ of this study?' is always satisfied by
showing, that it will prepare for any duty, relation, or office which,
in the natural course of things, will be likely to come.

"We think this book extremely well suited to be used as a text-book in
schools for young ladies, and many chapters are well adapted for a
reading book for children of both sexes."

To this the writer would add the testimony of a lady who has used this
work with several classes of young girls and young ladies. She remarked
that she had never known a school-book that awakened more interest, and
that some young girls would learn a lesson in this when they would study
nothing else. She remarked, also, that when reciting the chapter on the
construction of houses, they became greatly interested in inventing
plans of their own, which gave an opportunity to the teacher to point
out difficulties and defects. Had this part of domestic economy been
taught in schools, our land would not be so defaced with awkward,
misshapen, inconvenient, and, at the same time, needlessly expensive
houses, as it now is.

Although the writer was trained to the care of children, and to perform
all branches of domestic duty, by some of the best of housekeepers, much
in these pages is offered, not as the result of her own experience, but
as what has obtained the approbation of som