Water-Soochy.
Wines, boiled.
Wines, fermented.
Wines, to help, by Sugar.
Wines, of _St. Helena,_ reform'd.
Woodcocks, to roast.
* * * * *
TO THE
LADIES
OF
_GREAT BRITAIN, &c._
_The Reason which induces me to address the following Piece to the Fair
Sex, is, because the principal Matters contained in it are within the
Liberty of their Province. The Art of Oeconomy is divided, as Xenophon
tells us, between the Men and the Women; the Men have the most dangerous
and laborious Share of it in the Fields, and without doors, and the Women
have the Care and Management of every Business within doors, and to see
after the good ordering of whatever is belonging to the House. And this, I
conceive, is no less the Practice of these Days, than it was in the time of
that great Philosopher; therefore it may seem necessary that I make some
Apology for the Work I now publish, which, for the most part, falls within
the Ladies Jurisdiction: but I hope I am the more excusable, as my Design
is rather to assist, than to direct. I may call myself rather their
Amanuensis, than their Instructor; for the Receipts which I imagine will
give the greatest Lustre or Ornament to the following Treatise, are such as
are practised by some of the most ingenious Ladies, who had Good-nature
enough to admit of a Transcription of them for publick Benefit; and to do
them justice, I must acknowledge that every one who has try'd them, allow
them to excel in their way. The other Receipts are such as I have collected
in my Travels, as well through_ England, _as in foreign Countries, and are
such as I was prompted to enter into my List, as well for their Curiosity
as for their extraordinary Goodness._
_I could have launched much further in this Attempt, but that I confined
myself to publish only such as were necessary for the Use of a Farm; or, in
other terms, for the good ordering of every thing which is the Produce of a
Farm and Garden: And especially I am induced to publish a Tract of this
nature for two Reasons, which I think carry some sway with them._
_The first is, that I find many useful things about Farms, and in Gardens,
whose Goodness is so little known, or understood, that they are seldom
reckon'd of any account, and in most places are looked upon as
Incumbrances; such as Mushrooms, Lupines, Brocoly, Morilles, Truffles
Skirrets, Scorzonera, Salsifie, Colerape, Charddones, Boorencole, and many
other such like things, which are excellent in their kind, when they are
well dress'd, and admired by the greatest Epicures._
_The other Reason which has induced me to publish this Piece, is, the
Difficulties I have undergone in my Travels, when I have met with good
Provisions, in many Places in England, which have been murder'd in the
dressing._
_I could mention many Instances as bad as the common Story of Bacon and
Eggs strewed with brown Sugar: But as this was done through Ignorance, as
the Story relates, I hope I need make no further Apology, or have occasion
to give any other Reason for making this Treatise publick, but that it may
improve the Ignorant, and remind the Learned how and when to make the best
of every thing: which may be a means of providing every one with a
tolerable Entertainment founded upon Practice and Fashion; which can never
fail of Followers, and of making us fare much better upon the Roads in the
Country than we were used to do._
* * * * *
THE
Country Lady's
DIRECTOR
* * * * *