The complete servant: Being a practical guide to the peculiar duties and business of all descriptions of servants, from the housekeeper to the servant of all-work, and from the land steward to the foot-boy. With useful receipts and tablesAdams, Samuel, servant
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The complete servant: Being a practical guide to the peculiar duties and business of all descriptions of servants, from the housekeeper to the servant of all-work, and from the land steward to the foot-boy. With useful receipts and tables
Adams, Samuel, servant
Home economics; Household employees
It will be her business to _dress_, _re-dress_, and _undress_ her
lady; and, in this, she should learn to be perfectly _au fait_ and
expeditious, ever studying, so far as it depends on herself, to
manifest good taste, by suiting the ornaments and decoration of her
dress to the complexion, habits, age, and general appearance of her
person. Thus will she evince her own good sense, best serve her
lady, and gratify all those who are most interested in her welfare
and happiness. She should always be punctual in her attendance,
and assiduous in her attention. Her’s will be the care of her
lady’s _wardrobe_, and she should make that her _particular_ care;
appropriating to each article of dress its proper place, where it
always may be found when wanted. It will be her business carefully
to examine every part of her dress, when taken off, and if they have
sustained an injury, or acquired any spots or stains, immediately to
clean and repair them;[17] then fold them up neatly, and put them away.
Her first business, in the morning, will be to see that the house-maid
has made the fire, and properly prepared her lady’s dressing-room:—she
then calls her mistress, informs her of the hour, and having laid out
all her clothes, and carried her _hot water_, to wash, she retires to
her breakfast with the house-keeper and other principal servants. When
her lady’s bell rings, she attends her in her dressing-room,—combs her
hair for the morning, and waits on her till dressed; after which, she
folds and puts away her night-clothes, cleans her combs and brushes,
and adjusts her toilet-table:—she then retires to her work-room, to be
ready if wanted, and employs herself in making and altering dresses,
millinery, &c. About one o’clock the family generally take their lunch,
and the servants their dinner.—After this, she is again summoned to
attend her lady’s toilet whilst dressing to go abroad. When gone, she
again adjusts her clothes, and every thing in the room, and lays out
and prepares the several articles that may be required for her dinner,
or evening dress, and afterwards employs herself at needle-work in her
own room, or in her other avocations, till her mistress returns to
dress for dinner, perhaps about five, when she attends her for that
purpose; and having done this, it may happen that no further attendance
on her mistress’ person will be required till she retires to bed:
meanwhile she employs herself at needle-work, as in the morning[18]—or
else in the various occupations of getting up the fine linen, gauzes,
muslins, cambrics, laces, &c. washing silk stockings, taking the spots
or stains out of silks, &c. &c. for doing which the best receipts are
annexed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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