230 FISH CULTURE. 



What ensues from that dirty-drab practice, begot 

 by unions and pauperism, of putting a pinch of tea 

 in the pot and serving that debilitating wash out to 

 the labourer, instead of a good, wholesome, cheap, 

 and strengthening bouilli for his dinner? 1 Why, as 

 it saves trouble and aids gossip, it saves the woman 

 the only opportunity of a healthful use of the small 

 amount of brains she does possess, in the study of 

 how she can best provide something answering the 

 above description for her husband's, son's, or brother's 

 dinner : it results in the ignoring of the art of cookery, 

 and the necessity of practising or performing any 

 duties at all : it results in fearful waste of our re- 

 sources. It drives the husband to the beer-shop, and 

 often the wife too, to supply, by an artificial, unsus- 

 taining, and poisonous stimulus, the absence of what 

 should be supplied by food judiciously prepared. It 

 must proceed eventually to the destruction of social 

 womanly respect and functions, of manly gratitude 

 for pains bestowed — to the breaking up of all home 

 feelings, ties, and virtues. It must debase mankind 



1 Even supposing that, by way of strengthening himself, he takes 

 beer — what is that beer ? Granting, at the very best, that it be 

 made from malt and hops, it is a very bad substitute ; but granting 

 it to be what publichouse beer in the country usually is, it is 

 practically gout, gravel, stone, dropsy, or any other disease which 

 poisons are most likely to generate. 



