FROM THE

EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME.

WITH

NOTICES OF ORIGINS, INVENTIONS, AND MODERN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SOCIAL ARTS.

BY THE EDITOR

OF "THE FAMILY MANUAL, AND SERVANT'S GUIDE."

WITH ENGRAVINGS.

"No money is better spent than what is laid out for domestic satisfaction."

JOHNSON.

PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG AND SON, CHEAPSIDE:

TEGG, WISE, AND CO. DUBLIN; GRIFFIN AND CO. GLASGOW;
AND J. AND S. A. TEGG, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA:

1835.

PREFACE.

THE following pages are intended to furnish the reader with Outlines and Sketches of what may be termed the Domestic History of England; her manners and customs, and her progress in the leading social arts, from the time of the Saxons to the present day. Such is their design; and how far this is worked out must be left for the candour of the reader to determine. It need not be concealed that we have some confidence in the attractive character of that portion of our history which we have chosen for illustration: for, this advantage will not extenuate any of our own imperfections. The latter are subject to popular criticism, in the most extensive sense of the phrase: for, every reader may be in some degree competent to decide upon the accuracy of some portion of the contents of this volume. In the mean time, we entreat consideration for inaccuracies, although we hope that instances will be rare, compara