Here, again, a little furniture tastefully arranged, is far better than a crowd of articles; besides, in one’s course through life, furniture accumulates gradually, and if it is necessary to sell one thing in order to make way for another, that is a very unprofitable business. We now come to the kitchens, where the wants are multifarious, for here must be accumulated means of feeding, and cleaning, and keeping in order the whole house. Of course we can give no detailed account of what will be required, as all depends upon the extent and style of the household; all we can do, therefore, is to make one or two general remarks on the durability of different wares. As few copper cooking utensils as possible should be had, and those few should be most thoroughly tinned in the inside, and always carefully cleaned and dried before being put away. For ourselves, we prefer block tin to anything else for saucepans, pots, and kettles generally. Iron does not so quickly or plainly tell any tale of dirt or neglect; cast-iron is very brittle, and cannot be repaired when broken; and copper is so likely to harbour verdigris. A good double block tin saucepan should always have the cover, the handle, and the back, kept bright as silver, and the top, spout, front, and handle of the kettle, should also be kept bright; for, besides that a polished surface maintains heat better than an uneven, blackened one, it looks wonderfully better; and if the smoke is never allowed to gather on these parts, it is easy to keep the utensils as bright as they were at first. For stewpans, iron tinned on the inside is most useful. Candlesticks for common house or kitchen use should be of tin or brass, and large enough to prevent grease spots. There is no wear in japan. Wooden bowls for washing glass and china, and block tin or zinc hand-bowls, will be found most serviceable. All utensils for the conveyance of water about a house should be of metal, as water-cans of different sizes, hot water jugs with covers, shaving-mugs, &c., since thereby much breakage will be saved; and these, if bought good at first, will, with ordinary care, last a very long time. The same remark applies to foot-baths. Very pretty toilet sets for the wash-stand are now also made in zinc, and beautifully painted or japanned. Sarcophagus, and other extraordinarily shaped coalscuttles, are to be avoided as most troublesome and awkward affairs, out of which it is next to impossible to extract coals conveniently. In the “Housewife’s Reason Why,”[1] the advice which is here given arbitrarily, is supported by the explanation of principles, or _reasons_, with which every Housewife should be acquainted, and a knowledge of which will impart a quickening interest to every duty she is called upon to perform. [1] London: Houlston & Wright. CHAPTER III.