difficulties to encounter; but a determined resolution to obtain this
valuable knowledge, will enable her to surmount all obstacles. She must
begin the day with an early breakfast, requiring each person to be in
readiness to take their seats when the muffins, buckwheat cakes, &c. are
placed on the table. This looks social and comfortable. When the family
breakfast by detachments, the table remains a tedious time; the servants
are kept from their morning's meal, and a complete derangement takes
place in the whole business of the day. No work can be done till
breakfast is finished. The Virginia ladies, who are proverbially good
managers, employ themselves, while their servants are eating, in washing
the cups, glasses, &c.; arranging the cruets, the mustard, salt-sellers,
pickle vases, and all the apparatus for the dinner table. This occupies
but a short time, and the lady has the satisfaction of knowing that they
are in much better order than they would be if left to the servants. It
also relieves her from the trouble of seeing the dinner table prepared,
which should be done every day with the same scrupulous regard to exact
neatness and method, as if a grand company was expected. When the
servant is required to do this daily, he soon gets into the habit of
doing it well; and his mistress having made arrangements for him in the
morning, there is no fear of bustle and confusion in running after
things that may be called for during the hour of dinner. When the
kitchen breakfast is over, and the cook has put all things in their
proper places, the mistress should go in to give her orders. Let all the
articles intended for the dinner, pass in review before her: have the
butter, sugar, flour, meal, lard, given out in proper quantities; the
catsup, spice, wine, whatever may be wanted for each dish, measured to
the cook. The mistress must tax her own memory with all this: we have no
right to expect slaves or hired servants to be more attentive to our
interest than we ourselves are: they will never recollect these little
articles until they are going to use them; the mistress must then be