A Treatise on Domestic Economy | Page 6

Charity. First
Consideration;--Object for which we are placed in this World. How to

be perfectly happy. Self-denying Benevolence. Important Distinction.
Second Consideration;--Natural Principles not to be exterminated, but
regulated and controlled. All Constitutional Propensities good, and
designed to be gratified. Their Abuses to be guarded against. Third
Consideration;--Superfluities sometimes proper, and sometimes not.
Fourth Consideration;--No Rule of Duty right for One and not for All.
The Opposite of this Principle tested. Some Use of Superfluities
necessary. Physical Gratifications should always be subordinate to
Social, Intellectual, and Moral Advantages. Difficulties in the Way.
Remarks upon them. Plan for Keeping an Account of Necessaries and
Superfluities. Untoward Results of our Actions do not always prove
that we deserve Blame. Examples of Conformity to the Rules here laid
down. General Principles to guide in deciding upon Objects of Charity.
Parable of Good Samaritan. Who are our Neighbors. Those most in
Need to be first relieved. Intellectual and Moral Wants more necessary
to be supplied than Physical. Not much Need of Charity in supplying
Physical Wants in this Country. System of Associated Charities, in
which many small Sums are combined. Indiscriminate Charity--Very
injurious to Society, as a General Rule. Exceptions. Impropriety of
judging of the Charities of Others, 167
CHAPTER XVI.
ON ECONOMY OF TIME AND EXPENSES.
Economy of Time. Value of Time. Right Apportionment of Time. Laws
appointed by God for the Jews. Proportions of Property and Time the
Jews were required to devote to Intellectual, Benevolent, and Religious
Purposes. The Levites. The weekly Sabbath. The Sabbatical Year.
Three sevenths of the Time of the Jews devoted to God's Service.
Christianity removes the Restrictions laid on the Jews, but demands all
our Time to be devoted to our own best Interests and the Good of our
Fellow-men. Some Practical Good to be the Ultimate End of all our
Pursuits. Enjoyment connected with the Performance of every Duty.
Great Mistake of Mankind. A Final Account to be given of the
Apportionment of our Time. Various Modes of economizing Time.
System and Order. Uniting several Objects in one Employment.

Employment of Odd Intervals of Time. We are bound to aid Others in
economizing Time. Economy in Expenses. Necessity of Information on
this Point. Contradictory Notions. General Principles in which all agree.
Knowledge of Income and Expenses. Every One bound to do as much
as she can to secure System and Order. Examples. Evils of Want of
System and Forethought. Young Ladies should early learn to be
systematic and economical. Articles of Dress and Furniture should be
in Keeping with each other, and with the Circumstances of the Family.
Mistaken Economy. Education of Daughters away from Home
injudicious. Nice Sewing should be done at Home. Cheap Articles not
always most economical. Buying by wholesale economical only in
special cases. Penurious Savings made by getting the Poor to work
cheap. Relative Obligations of the Poor and the Rich in Regard to
Economy. Economy of Providence in the Unequal Distribution of
Property. Carelessness of Expense not a Mark of Gentility. Beating
down Prices improper in Wealthy People. Inconsistency in American
would-be Fashionables, 180
CHAPTER XVII.
ON HEALTH OF MIND.
Intimate Connection between the Body and Mind. Brain excited by
improper Stimulants taken into the Stomach. Mental Faculties then
affected. Example of a Person having lost a Portion of his Skull. Causes
of Mental Diseases. Want of Oxygenized Blood. Fresh Air absolutely
necessary. Excessive Exercise of the Intellect or Feelings a Cause of
Derangement. Such Attention to Religion, as prevents the Performance
of other Duties, wrong. Teachers and Parents should look to this.
Unusual Precocity in Children usually the Result of a Diseased Brain.
Parents generally add Fuel to this Fever. Idiocy often the Result, or the
Precocious Child sinks below the Average of Mankind. This Evil yet
prevalent in Colleges and other Seminaries. A Medical Man necessary
in every Seminary. Some Pupils always needing Restraint in Regard to
Study. A Third Cause of Mental Disease, the Want of Appropriate
Exercise of the Various Faculties of the Mind. Extract from Dr. Combe.
Examples of Wealthy Ladies. Beneficial Results of active Intellectual

Employments. Indications of a Diseased Mind, 195
CHAPTER XVIII.
ON THE CARE OF DOMESTICS.
No Subject on which American Women need more Wisdom, Patience,
Principle, and Self-control. Its Difficulties. Necessary Evils. Miseries
of Aristocratic Lands. Wisdom of Conforming to Actual Circumstances.
How to judge correctly respecting Domestics. They should be treated as
we would expect to be under similar Circumstances. When Labor is
scarce, its Value is increased. Instability of Domestics; how it may be
remedied. Pride and Insubordination; how remedied. Abhorrence of
Servitude a National Trait of Character. Domestics easily convinced of
the Appropriateness of different Degrees of Subordination. Example.
Domestics may be easily induced to be respectful in their Deportment,
and appropriate in their Dress. Deficiencies of Qualifications for