or a few slices of roast beef, or a small piece roasted on purpose, after which a very plain currant pudding; or, occasionally, a little pickled pork, with pease pudding, or roast pork, with baked apples, and now and then a little salt beef, but very well boiled, with suet dumplings, and occasionally, for change, either bread, vermicelli, or tapioca puddings; in case of illness, and with the approbation of the doctor, veal, mutton, or chicken-broth, sago, gruel, panada, &c., for which refer to the Receipts for Invalids.

Now the more I write the more I am convinced that for the method of preparing certain articles for the children's dinners, we must refer to the kitchen department of Receipts and Receipts for Invalids, especially as regards broth, meat, puddings, &c., or otherwise we should have too many repetitions; so that it will be better upon the completion of the journal, to make references, either by numbers of receipt or page, more intelligible, and less confused.

Many people may, perhaps, imagine that there is too much variety of food for children; but it is quite the contrary; for change of food is to the stomach what change of air is to the general health, and, of course, with children, these changes must be effected with judgment, and their food administered in small quantities; for you must observe when children are well brought up with regard to their meals, they possess extraordinary organs of digestion, the proof of which is that they require feeding oftener than a full-grown person, and never appear to be tired of eating.

Having here terminated my remarks upon the Nursery, I shall leave this scene of romp and confusion, to walk on tip-toe to the sick-room door, and carefully enter, without noise, into the mournful abode of human suffering and captivity, in hopes that, by watching over the diet of its cccupants, my small efforts may improve their comforts, and, by proper management, assist in their restoration to health. I shall therefore proceed to give some receipts, entitled COMFORTS FOR INVALIDS.

Nothing is to me more painful than to see any food ill-prepared for sick people, whose sense of taste is partially gone; everything ordered by the doctors as food should be cooked in the greatest perfection, especially as all they require is so very simple, and easily done, it is unpardonable to do it badly, although I am sorry to say that this is too often the case, even in

many of our first hospitals and other public establishments, where they have provisions in abundance, and of the first quality.

Perhaps you may fancy I am too severe upon this delicate subject, but I can assure you that I have for years been in the habit of visiting some of these institutions for the sick, and can therefore speak with confidence. I have grieved to see it, and often wished that they would follow a system I could lay down, but there are some people who will not change their style, however bad, for a better one, for the world.

Now I must here claim all your intelligence, for pointing out those receipts the accomplishing of which is most plain, and will insure success to those who may try to do them, and cause them to persuade others to follow their example. I therefore inclose the following. Yours, &c.

HORTENSE.

COMFORTS FOR INVALIDS.

57. MEAT. The best meat as food for invalids is, in fact, that which is principally used, mutton and beef, lamb, if not too young (sweetbreads, I consider, ought oftener to be introduced), and calves' feet or head, scalded and boiled until tender, are very nutritious; chickens, pigeons, partridges, are also very inviting. All the above-mentioned articles are easy of digestion, excepting perhaps the beef, which may require to be gently stewed until tender, if for a delicate stomach just ordered to take meat after a serious fit of illness.

58. PLAIN MUTTON BROTH.-Get one pound of scrag of mutton, break the bone with a chopper, without separating the meat, then put it into a stewpan with three pints of water and a salt-spoonful of salt; boil gently two hours, carefully removing all the scum and fat, which is easily done by allowing it to simmer slowly by the side of the fire; it will be by that time reduced to about one quart, and is then ready to serve. This broth cannot be expected to drink very palatable, being deprived of vegetables and seasoning, it is in fact more like a beverage

than a soup: at the commencement of convalescence more strength may be given if ordered by the doctor, by reducing the original quantity to one pint. This broth is often administered by a spoonful only at a time.

59. SEASONED MUTTON BROTH.-Put the same quantity of mutton and water into your stewpan, add two salt-spoonfuls of salt, and a half one of brown sugar, a small-sized onion, very little celery, and one ounce of turnip; set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil draw it to the side; let it simmer gently two hours; skim off all the scum and fat, pass it through a sieve, and use it when required. When finished, there ought to be about a quart of broth remaining; but if by neglect it has boiled too fast, add more water, and set to boil for a quarter of an hour longer. When the patient is getting better, the medical man will probably order a little of the meat, or even turnips, to be eaten, in which case serve them on a plate separately; should the meat not be required by the patient, it is very excellent for a healthy person, with a few spoonfuls of onions or caper sauce, or even plain. If pearl-barley is required to be taken with the broth, put a tablespoonful of it in with the water when you first put it upon the fire, the whole will then be done together; if the barley is to be eaten by the patient, take out the meat and vegetables, and skim off every spot of grease; but if the barley is not required, pass the broth, as before, through a sieve.

60. MUTTON BROTH, (WITH VARIATIONS.)-With Vermicelli. Having made your broth, and passed it through a sieve, as before, put the meat and vegetables upon a plate, and the broth back into the same stewpan; when boiling, if about a quart, add one or two tablespoonfuls of

vermicelli, depending upon the strength of the patient's stomach; ten minutes' boiling will be sufficient to cook vermicelli.

61. With Rice.—One spoonful of best rice in the stewpan, with mutton and water the same as the barley, as it is better for the rice to be in pulp than underdone.

62. With Semoulina.-Semoulina is very delicate and glutinous, and I am quite confident that the faculty would approve of it after a trial or two; it is good in any kind of broth or milk for invalids, of very easy digestion, and having also the advantage of being tolerably cheap and quickly cooked; proceed as directed for vermicelli.

63. With Arrow-root.-After having passed your broth, place it again into the stewpan to boil; when boiling, put two teaspoonfuls of arrow-root into a cup, which mix smoothly with a gill of cold broth, or half ditto of water; then pour it into your boiling broth, which keep stirring with a spoon; let it simmer ten minutes, and it is ready for use.

64. VEAL BROTH, (French method.)-The following is much recommended by French physicians:-Put one pound of veal from the knuckle, with but very little of the bone, into a stewpan with three pints of water and a saltspoonful of salt, place it over the fire to boil; when boiling, take off all the scum; then add a small cabbage-lettuce and a few sprigs of chervil, if handy (this herb is now in greater use than ever, and may always be had for a trifle at Covent-garden Market); let simmer slowly for two hours, it will then be reduced to about a quart; pass it

through a sieve, letting the meat drain, and it is ready to

serve.

65. ANOTHER WAY, (more palatable.)-Take the same quantity of veal as before, which cut into small dice (as you should cut all meat, if possible), put it into the stewpan, with a small pat of butter, half an onion, about the same quantity of carrot and turnip, a little celery, and a teaspoonful of salt; set the stewpan upon the fire, keeping the contents stirred, for about ten minutes, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a whitish glaze, then add three pints of hot water; let the whole simmer one hour at the corner of the fire, skim well, pass it through a sieve, and use when required. This broth is most palatable and very digestible, but of course only to be given to the convalescent; it may be served with vermicelli, rice, arrow-root, and semoulina, as directed for mutton broth.

66. ANOTHER WAY, (very Refreshing and Strengthening.)-Put two pounds of knuckle of veal into a stewpan, with a calf's foot split, the bone taken out and chopped up, add three quarts of water, a good-sized onion, one leek, a piece of parsnip, and two salt-spoonfuls of salt (if allowed by the doctor, if not, the salt must be omitted), set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil, skim, and let it simmer at the corner of the fire four hours; twenty minutes before passing, again skim off all the fat, and add ten large leaves of sorrel, or twenty small, one cabbagelettuce, and a handful of chervil; when done pass it through a sieve; it is then ready for use. This broth is very cooling and nutritious when taken cold, as it is then quite a jelly; vermicelli, rice, &c., may be added when