atives induce and
increase certain sensations and useful processes, they are of essential
value to health, and it is no bad economy to spend something on them."

It is surely somewhat singular that Englishwomen, who have excelled in
almost every other craft, should be remarkable for their want of skill
in cookery. They have not been dismayed by any difficulties in
literature, art, or science, and yet how few are there among us who can
make a dish of porridge like a Scotchwoman, or an omelette like a
Frenchwoman! The fact would seem to be, that educated women having
disdained to occupy themselves either theoretically or practically with
cookery, those whose legitimate business it has been have become
indifferent also. The whole aim of the modern British cook seems to be
to save herself trouble, and she will give as much time and thought to
finding out ways of doing things in a slovenly manner as would go to
doing them properly.

No doubt cooks have often so much work of other kinds to do that they
cannot give the necessary time to cooking. In a case of this kind, the
mistress should herself give such help as she can, and bring up her
daughters to help in the kitchen. People in middle-class life often
expect the cook to do all the kitchen work, and frequently some of the
house work. Of course, in small families, this is quite possible to be
done, and it is always best for servants, as for other people, to be
fully employed. But in large families it is impossible the cooking can
be properly done, when the cook is harassed by so many other
occupations. Thus, because it takes less time and attention than cooking
smaller dishes, huge pieces of meat are roasted or boiled daily, and the
leg-of-mutton style of dietary is perpetuated--declared to be the most
economical, and, in short, the best for all the world.

Probably it is because bread and butter can be bought ready made, and
involve no trouble, that they are held to be the chief necessaries of
life in every English household. Some children almost live, if they do
not thrive, on bread and butter. Thoughtless housekeepers think they
have done their duty when they have seen that a sufficient supply of
these articles has been sent in from the shops. When we insist that
everyone should have home-baked bread, at once we shall be met with the
"penny-wise" suggestion that home-baked bread costs more than baker's,
because, being so nice, people eat more of it. Good bread, we need