Early rising is indispensable, if a servant would do her duty; it is not possible that the rooms can be dusted, the fires lit, the breakfast got ready, and all the little incidental trifles done, unless a servant is down stairs at least two hours before breakfast-time. We should fix six o’clock as the proper hour at which work should begin all the year round; for in winter even more has to be done than in summer, and few things are more unpleasant than to have servants muddling about their work all day, instead of getting through the chief and dirtiest part of it in the morning hours. If we make a call, which gives us the most favourable impression of the family,—to see a tidy-looking, clean servant, answer the door; or to have it opened by one who looks as if she had deemed it necessary when blacking the stoves to black her own person also? A servant should be trained to rise about half-past five, throw open her bed, and her window, too, when the weather permits; unclose the shutters of the staircase and dining-room, open the windows of this latter to air it; pass into the kitchen, and open the shutters and windows there; light the kitchen fire; well rinse the kettle, and fill it with fresh water; see that the boiler is well supplied with water, and then proceed to prepare the room required for breakfast. The rug must be folded up and removed, and the proper cloth laid down in front of the fire-place before the grate is touched (we are supposing that it is winter); the box containing the black-lead and brushes for a black stove, or the emery paste, and leather, brushes, cloth, &c., for a polished stove, and the scuttle containing coals, wood, &c., must be brought up. Once a week, at least, the soot should be gently swept down from the chimney into a shovel, as it otherwise gathers all round the lower ledges, and is very apt to take fire; the stove must be polished with a brush or a cloth, according to its nature, every morning, and thoroughly cleaned at least once a week. The fire may then be laid and lighted, and in doing this there is some art. Where one girl will light and re-light the same fire three or four times over, consuming in each attempt a quantity of wood and paper, another will, with a quarter of a bundle of common wood, or one wheel of the patent wood, kindle a brisk fire at once. Success lies in obtaining a perfect draught of air through the pile of materials, and placing those in juxta-position which are most combustible in nature. Where this is properly done there will be little smoke, and great saving of fuel; but fire-lighting requires the use of one’s senses and some skill, common-place a matter as we may think it.