say to all other women; and it is to comply with that wish, partly
expressed to me, that I have gathered up from chance observation,
chance reading, and hearsay, some ideas bearing on the subject.
Suppose we begin by looking about us, and making clear to our minds
just what this state of things is, which, because it hinders culture,
many deem so unsatisfactory. After that, we will consider its causes,
reasons for changing it, and the way or ways out of it.

A few, a very few, of our women are able to live and move and have
their being literally regardless of expense. These can buy of skilled
assistants and competent supervisors, whole lifetimes of leisure; with
these, therefore, our problem has no concern. The larger class, the
immense majority, either do their work themselves, or attend
personally to its being done by others; "others" signifying that
inefficient, untrustworthy, unstable horde who come fresh from their
training in peat-bog and meadow, to cook our dinners, take care of our
china dishes, and adjust the nice little internal arrangements of our
dwellings.

Observing closely the lives of the immense majority, I think we shall
see, that, in conducting their household affairs, the object they have
in view is one and the same. I think we shall see that they all
strive, some by their own labors wholly, the rest by covering over and
piecing out the shortcomings of "help," to present a smooth, agreeable
surface to husbands and company. This smooth, agreeable surface may be
compared to a piece of mosaic work composed of many parts. Of the
almost infinite number of those parts, and of the time, skill, and
labor required to adjust them, it hath not entered, it cannot enter,
into the heart of man to conceive.