Beeton's housewife's treasury of domestic information : comprising complete and practical instructions on the house and its furniture, artistic decoration economy, toilet, children, etiquette, domestic and fancy needlework, dressmaking and millinery, and all other household matters : with every requisite direction to secure the comfort, elegance, and prosperity of the home : a companion volume to "Mrs. Beeton's book of household management" : profusely illustrated

Front matter

THE

HOUSEWIFE'S TREASURY.

o

Preface

As is announced on the title-page, this is a companion volume to "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management." The enormous popularity of that work— to which there is no parallel in the domestic literature of the country— induces the publishers to hope that this will be received with an equal amount of favour.

« Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management," as all are aware, deals principally with Food and the various modes of its preparation. Now, there are many other matters in connection with which inexperienced and even experienced housekeepers need instruction and guidance : these are all fully discussed in the following pages.

The present work aims at making home the abode of comfort, elegance, and happiness ; and it will be found to contain countless directions on matters about which every one is eager to know something, but which are usually left to the expensive teaching of individual experience.

We have, first of all, gone fully into a description of the " House and its Furniture," and under this head have tried to convey clear and reliable information on all points connected with buying, building, renting, and furnishing.

The subject of " Furnishing with Taste" is then dealt with, and the reader is shown the secret of artistic effect, and how to make the home an abode of beauty.

We have next proceeded to discuss all such matters as relate to the daily life of the inmates, pointing out the various duties of servants, and giving many a valuable hint as to the art of superintendence on the part of the mistress.

VI

Preface.

" Children, and what to do with them," form the subjects of out next section, and in it young people at all stages of growth are treated with that prominence which their importance demands. The subject of the Toilet receives such exhaustive treatment as will, we believe, merit general approval ; and we have next dealt with Etiquette, in relation to every possible situation in social life.

" Home Needlework," " The Art of Dressmaking," " Fancy Needlework," and "Art Needlework," are then fully explained; and, last of all, we have given a section containing full particulars as to the most profitable and amusing way of spending our Leisure Hours.

The various departments of our work have been arranged with a view to clearness and method, and every care has been taken to render the information accurate and trustworthy. We have been favoured with the assistance of several writers, the first in this line of literature, and the instructions given by them are in all cases the result of personal knowledge and actual discovery and handiwork.

The illustrations introduced throughout the work will, we hope, be /ound to add greatly not only to its attractiveness, but to the clearness of its information.

No labour has been spared in making our book worthy of a place in every home, and the housekeeper who possesses it and the companion work, " Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management," will, so far as we can judge, have a library by whose aid everything will go well, and family life be happier and more prosperous every day.

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Contents

THE HOUSE AND ITS FURNITURE.

CHAP. PAGE

i. The Different Classes of Dwelling Houses —