HOME-MADE WINES,
PICKLING,
POTTING,
PRESERVING,
RULES OF HEALTH,

AND EVERY OTHER SUBJECT CONNECTED WITH

DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

BY MRS. MARY EATON.

_EMBELLISHED WITH ENGRAVINGS._

BUNGAY:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. AND R. CHILDS.

1823.

INTRODUCTION.

NOTHING is more obvious, than that experience purchased by the sacrifice
of independence is bought at too dear a rate. Yet this is the only
consolation which remains to many females, while sitting on the ashes of
a ruined fortune, and piercing themselves with the recollection of the
numerous imprudencies into which they have been led, simply for the want
of better information. Not because there is any want of valuable
publications, for in the present age they abound; but rather because
they contain such a variety of superfluous articles, and are too
indiscriminate to become generally useful. A young female, just returned
from the hymeneal altar, is ready to exclaim on the first perusal, as
the philosopher did who visited the metropolis, 'How many things are
here which I do not want!' The volume when purchased is often found to
contain what is only or chiefly adapted to those who live in "king's
houses," or "who fare sumptuously every day."

Indeed, it has been the failing of most works of this nature, that they
have either been too contracted, or too diffuse; detailed what was
unnecessary, or treated superficially what was in fact of most
consequence to the great bulk of mankind. If it be objected to the
present work, that it exhibits nothing new; that the experiments are
founded upon the simplest rules of nature; that most of the things have
been rehearsed in various forms; it is not necessary to deny or to
conceal the fact, every other consideration having been subordinated to
one leading object, and that is GENERAL UTILITY. It is but justice
however to add, that many of the articles are perfectly ORIGINAL, having
been extracted from a variety of unpublished manuscripts, obligingly and
expressly furnished in aid of the present undertaking. A great number of
outlandish articles are intentionally omitted, as well as a farrago of
French trifles and French nonsense, in order to render the work truly
worthy of the patronage of the genuine English housekeeper.

It may also fairly be presumed, that the superior advantages of the
present work will immediately be recognized, not only as comprehending
at o