A governess, influenced by these practices and principles, will entitle herself to live on a footing with a family, when there are no special parties; and she must possess good sense enough not to intrude on that domestic privacy, and personal independence, which, without offence, is often desirable. Her own apartment, or that of her pupils, ought to be at once the scene of her pleasure and amusement, and if she mingles with the parties of the families, she must, of course, not make herself too familiar with the domestic servants. Thus conducting herself with propriety, and identifying herself with the growing minds and affections of her pupils, she may secure their personal friendship to the end of their mutual lives, and if their moral feelings are not blunted, she may calculate on their gratitude in her old age, or if she survive them, in their last will. THE UPPER HOUSE MAID. In large families, where there is much work, two or more house maids are kept, but as the Upper House Maid has generally the superintendence and responsibility of all, we shall include their principal labours under one general head. The UPPER HOUSE MAID should be fully competent to undertake the management of all the household business of a gentleman’s family; and to be perfectly qualified for her situation, she ought to have been previously initiated in the capacity of _Under House Maid_. In most families she has the care of all the household linen, bed and table linen, napkins, towels, &c. which she also makes and keeps in repair, and besides cleaning the house and furniture, and making the beds, she washes her own clothes, and has sometimes to assist the laundry-maid in getting up the fine linen, washing silk stockings, &c. instead of the lady’s maid; but these latter are considered as rather _extra_ labours, and are not, in all families, deemed a necessary part of the house maid’s business. She also cleans all the coal skuttles in use above stairs, and all the kettles used for warming water in the dressing-rooms, &c. When there are dinner parties the house-maid washes up the plate and china.