Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/35

Rh and although given to one of the male sex, will equally apply to the question of a woman's dress:—

Charity is a Duty and privilege that we owe to ourselves as well as to our needy neighbours. There is, we hope, hardly any one so poor, but that with a little thought he can give assistance, in works if not in goods, to others. As a poet has sung—

Personal work, care and time are however necessary if our gifts are to have the best effect. Fortunately, the duty of visiting the poor, whether in crowded city slums or rustic villages, was never more widely recognized than at the present time. It should not be necessary to urge all who undertake this duty to lay aside any patronizing attitude, which may do untold harm. A heartfelt sense of the real dignity of honest, self-supporting poverty is one of the first essentials in such work.

Marketing.—Much information for guidance and assistance will be found in our average price lists in the chapter on "Marketing" and in the observations before the cookery sections for Fish, Meat, Poultry, Game, Vegetables, Fruit, etc. That the best articles will prove the cheapest in the long run, and that the purchase of low priced and untrustworthy substitutes for reliable articles should be avoided, may be laid down as fundamental rules for marketing. It is most desirable that whenever possible the mistress should herself purchase all stores needed for the home. Should the young wife lack knowledge upon these subjects, a little personal practice and experience will soon teach her the best articles to buy and the most reliable places to deal at.

Accounts of Household Expenditure should always be kept, and kept punctually and precisely. The best plan for keeping household accounts is to write down in a daily diary every amount, be it ever so small, spent each day; then, at the end of a week or month, let these payments be ranged under their various heads of Butcher, Baker, etc. Thus the amounts paid to each tradesman will be seen, and any week's or month's expenses can be contrasted with those of another. The housekeeping accounts should be balanced not less than once a month—once a week is better; and it should be seen that the money in hand agrees with the accounts. "My advice,"