master in high estimation, and to make his whole household comfortable and happy.

For further hints respecting servants we refer to the Address to the Mistresses of Families, in the dedication, p. 10, 11, and 12; and to those given to the Housekeeper, p. 52, 53, and 54.

Ability to provide for the family in the best manner, is another qualification indispensably necessary in the House Steward. He is expected to be a competent judge of the nature and qualities of provisions, their comparative values, the best seasons for purchasing the several articles, and the cheapest and most economical markets or places to attend. The best way to go to market is with ready money; or to deal with tradesmen of probity, and to settle their accounts early and at regular and stated periods, but never to disappoint them, at the expected times, which makes his custom nearly equivalent to cash, and he will consequently be served with the best articles and on the lowest terms. A conscientious and honest discharge of his duty in this respect, will tend greatly to the satisfaction of his employers, and redound to his own credit. Other hints on the subject will be found under the head Housekeeper, p. 54 and 55; and directions for marketing, which may afford some hints, even to an expert and an adroit practitioner, may be found p. 75 to 88.

The abilities of the House Steward, as an accountant, are not required to be very considerable. He is merely to keep an account of monies received by him, on one page, and of monies paid or disbursed by him, on the opposite page; and these two pages being cast

Q

up, and the amount of one side being deducted from the amount of the other, will, if the account has been correctly kept, shew at once the exact balance, belonging to his employer, remaining in his hands. It will be the business of the housekeeper to examine, weigh, and compare the several articles, as they are brought in, with the tickets sent with them by the respective tradesmen, and these tickets, so examined and signed, will enable the Steward to check the tradesmen's bills when brought in, previously to their being paid. An upright and trust-worthy Steward will discharge this part of his duty, as well as every other, with zeal, fidelity, impartiality, and integrity; bearing for ever on his mind this pleasing truth, that, every man's station is honourable or otherwise, as his own conduct makes it."

66

Salary from 1001. to 2501. and upwards.

THE STEWARD'S ROOM BOY.

THERE is seldom a lad of this description kept, except in families where there is a house steward, or comptroller of the household, when the servant is appointed to attend on him, run on errands, carry messages, &c. He waits at table, or makes himself otherwise useful in the steward's-room; trims the lamps that are in use below stairs, and cleans the servants' boots and shoes. Wages from 81. to 121. per annum.

THE BUTLER.

Ar first rising, it is the duty of the Butler, where no valet is kept, to manage and arrange his master's clothes, and carry them to his dressing-room, his boots and shoes being cleaned by the footman or under butler.

It is his proper business to see that the breakfast is duly set, the under butler or footman carrying up the tea urn, and the butler the eatables; he, or the under butler waiting during breakfast.* On taking away, he removes the tea-tray, and the under butler or footman the urn, cloth, &c.

The breakfast things being taken away, and the plate, &c. cleaned and put away under his directions, the Butler then gets his own breakfast with the housekeeper, unless the servants all breakfast together at an earlier hour.

If no valet is kept, he then attends in his master's dressing-room, sets it in order, carries down his clothes to be brushed by the under butler or footman, and attends to every thing connected with his master's clothes, linen, &c. or sees that what is wanted is done by others.

He now cleans himself to attend company

*The Footman lays the green cloth on the table, then the table cloth, and sets the tea things, plates, knives and forks, the urn rug, &c. The Butler places the tea urn and such other things as may be ordered during breakfast, and takes all things off also; the Footman bringing and carrying them away.

or visitors at the door, which he is to answer, receive cards, deliver messages, &c.

At luncheon time, the cloth being laid by the under butler or footman, it is the duty of the Butler to carry in the tray, or arrange the table, and when there is company, he waits in the room assisted by the other servants.

If wine is wanted for the luncheon, it is his duty to fetch it from the cellar; and if ale, to draw or bring it up when wanted.

The keys of the wine and ale cellars are specially kept by him, and the management of the wine, the keeping the stock book, and also of ale in stock, or in brewing, are in his particular charge. This duty he generally performs in the morning before he is drest to receive company, and he then brings out such wine as is wanted for the day's use. It is his duty to fine wine as it comes in the pipe, and to superintend the bottling, sealing it himself, and disposing it in binns so as to know its

age and character. While these duties and those of brewing are in hand, he leaves the parlour and waiting duties to the under butler and footman.

Where no steward is kept, he pays all bills for wine, spirits, ale, malt, coals, and in general, all bills not in the housekeeper's or kitchen department. Sometimes, also, he pays the other male servants.

At dinner time, the under butler or footman lays the cloth, and carries up the articles wanted, under the direction of the Butler, who gives out the necessary plate, kept by him under lock, and generally in an iron chest.

He sets and displays the dinner on the table, carrying in the first dish, waits at the

side-board, hands wine round or when called for; removes every course, and sets and arranges every fresh course on the table according to his bill of fare, which is placed on the sideboard for reference; and does not leave the dinner room till the dessert and wine have been placed on the table by him or under his direction.*

It is then his business to see that the plate, glasses, &c. are carried to the pantry, cleaned, and wiped by the under butler and footman, and the whole carefully put in their proper places.

Having taken his own dinner with the other servants out of livery, generally at one o'clock, he gets his tea while the family in the parlour are taking their wine and dessert, and in the mean time, the under butler or footman prepares the tea things for the parlour.

If the bell rings during the dessert, the Butler answers, and does the same for the remainder of the evening.

The under butler is now engaged in cleaning the plate and arranging the pantry.

The tea tray is carried up by the Butler, assisted by the footman; and in waiting at tea, the Butler hands round the cups on the tray, the footman assisting with the eatables. The

* Lose not a moment of time in placing the dinner on the table in proper order, and let not only every dish be as hot as possible, but every plate also, else the whole dinner will be spoiled. The cook's labour will be lost if the cloth be not laid in the parlour, and all the paraphernalia of the dinner table completely arranged an hour before dinner. An invitation to dinner at five generally means six-at five precisely, half past five-and not later than five, five o'clock exactly, so that the dinner may be served up a few minutes after.