A married woman should always be very careful how she receives personal compliments.  She should never court them, nor ever feel flattered by them, whether in her husband’s presence or not.  If in his presence, they can hardly fail to be distasteful to him; if in his absence, a lady, by a dignified demeanour, may always convince an assiduous admirer that his attentions are not well received, and at once and for ever stop all familiar advances.  In case of insult, a wife should immediately make her husband acquainted therewith; as the only chance of safety to a villain lies in the concealment of such things by a lady from dread of consequences to her husband.  From that moment he has her at advantage, and may very likely work on deliberately to the undermining of her character.  He is thus enabled to play upon her fears, and taunt her with their mutual secret and its concealment, until she may be involved, guilelessly, in a web of apparent guilt, from which she can never extricate herself without risking the happiness of her future life.

Not the least useful piece of advice—­homely though it be—­that we can offer to newly-married ladies, is to remind them that husbands are men, and that men must eat.  We can tell them, moreover, that men attach no small importance to this very essential operation, and that a very effectual way to keep them in good-humour, as well as good condition, is for wives to study their husband’s peculiar likes and dislikes in this matter.  Let the wife try, therefore, if she have not already done so, to get up a little knowledge of the art of ordering dinner, to say the least of it.  This task, if she be disposed to learn it, will in time be easy enough; moreover, if in addition she should acquire some practical knowledge of cookery, she will find ample reward in the gratification it will be the means of affording her husband.

Servants are difficult subjects for a young wife to handle:  she generally either spoils them by indulgence, or ruins them by finding fault unfairly.  At last they either get the better of her, or she is voted too bad for them.  The art lies in steady command and management of yourself as well as them.  The well-known Dr. Clark, who was always well served, used to say, “It is so extremely difficult to get good servants, that we should not lightly give them up when even tolerable.  My advice is, bear a little with them, and do not be too sharp; pass by little things with gentle reprehension:  now and then a little serious advice does far more good than sudden fault-finding when the offence justly occurs.  If my wife had not acted in this way, we must have been continually changing, and nothing can be more disagreeable in a family, and, indeed, it is generally disgraceful.”

An observance of the few following rules will in all probability ensure a life of domestic harmony, peace, and comfort:—­

To hear as little as possible whatever is to the prejudice of others; to believe nothing of the kind until you are compelled to admit the truth of it; never to take part in the circulation of evil report and idle gossip; always to moderate, as far as possible, harsh and unkind expressions reflecting upon others; always to believe that if the other side were heard, a very different account might be given of the matter.