Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million Containing Four Thousand Five Hundred and Forty-five Receipts, Facts, Directions, etc. in the Useful, Ornamental, and Domestic Arts

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  Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
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  MRS. HALE'S

  RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION:

  CONTAINING

  FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE

  Receipts, Facts, Directions, etc.

  IN THE

  USEFUL, ORNAMENTAL, AND DOMESTIC ARTS,

  AND IN THE CONDUCT OF LIFE.

  BEING A

  COMPLETE FAMILY DIRECTORY.

  RELATIVE TO

  Accomplishments,|Economy,         |Ladies' Work, |Phrenology,
                  |                 |              |
  Amusements,     |Etching,         |Feather Work, |Potichomanie,
                  |                 |              |
  Beauty,         |Etiquette,       |Manners,      |Poultry,
                  |                 |              |
  Birds,          |Flowers,         |Marriage,     |Riding,
                  |                 |              |
  Building,       |Gardening,       |Medicines,    |Swimming,
                  |                 |              |
  Children,       |Grecian Painting,|Needlework,   |Surgery, Domestic
                  |                 |              |
  Cookery,        |Health,          |Nursing,      |Temperance,
                  |                 |              |
  Courtship,      |Home,            |Out-Door Work,|Trees, etc.
                  |                 |              |
  Dress, etc.     |Housekeeping,    |Painting,     |Women's Duties,

                      Words of Washington, etc.

  BY MRS. SARAH JOSEPHA HALE.

  Philadelphia:
  T. B. PETERSON, NO. 306 CHESTNUT STREET.




  Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by

  SARAH JOSEPHA HALE,

  In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in
  and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.




PREFACE.


"_All the labor of man is for his mouth,_" says Solomon. If this
proverb be understood, as it was undoubtedly meant--that the chief
aim and purpose of all human labor are to make the homes of mankind
places of enjoyment, we see how important the art of household
management becomes.

While preparing my "New Cook Book," I was naturally led to examine
the subject, and the result was a deep conviction of the need of
another work on domestic economy, or directions how to guide the
house. This led me to prepare the present treatise, embodying rules
and receipts, such as never before have been brought together for the
help and instruction of a household.

"_Knowledge is power_" always; knowledge used for good purposes is
wisdom. Knowledge, like gold, must be gained by personal effort; and
usually, in small quantities, and by continued exertions, both wisdom
and gold are accumulated.

It has been by washing the sands of common experience and gathering
the small bits of science and art found here and there on the mining
ground of common knowledge, that this large work, containing the pure
gold of truth, applicable to all the needs of common life, has been
made. A few _nuggets_ will be seen, such as the collected maxims of
Franklin, and the "Words of Washington," never before placed within
the reach of the popular mind.

In the economy and well-being of the family, personally and
individually, improvement should be sedulously kept in view. It is
not enough that woman understands the art of cookery and of managing
her house: she must also take care of herself; of children; of all
who will be dependent on her for direction, for health, for happiness.

Personal appearance is important; the art of beautifying a home is
important; the knowledge of ways and means by which the clothing
of a family may be kept in good order, with the least expense of
time and money, is important; some knowledge of plants, flowers,
gardening, and of domestic animals, is of much benefit, particularly
to those who live in the country; and more important than all, is a
knowledge of the best means of preserving or restoring health. Then
there is the very important matter of home happiness to be kept in
view. Amusements, accomplishments, elegant arts, manners, modes of
conduct in society; all these are necessary knowledge. And to crown
the whole, those indispensable rules and maxims of moral improvement,
which are the foundation of good in the character and life of
rational, immortal beings, must be made familiar. All this has been
attempted in "Receipts for the Million," as every person may see by
examining "The Table of Contents" and the "Index."

The aim of both my works on domestic matters has been to awaken
the attention of my own sex to these subjects, belonging, so
unquestionably, to woman's department. _The home administration_
is in her hands; how salutary and powerful this may be made in its
influence on humanity is yet hardly imagined, even by the most
sagacious and earnest advocates of woman's elevation.

Would that those of my sex who are urging onward, into the industrial
pursuits, and other professions appropriate for men, might turn
their attention to improvements in domestic economy.