282 The Duchess of Newcastle 



complain of my education, that my mother did not 

 force me to learn to work with a needle, though she 

 found me alwayes unapt thereto; at last I pitched 

 upon making of silk flowers, for I did remember, 

 when I was a girl, I saw my sisters make silk flowers, 

 and I had made some, although ill-f avouredly ; where- 

 fore I sent for the governess of my house again, and 

 told her, that I would have her buy several coloured 

 silks, for I was resolved to imploy my time in making 

 silk-flowers. She told me, she would obey my com- 

 mands; but, said she. Madam, neither you, nor any 

 that serves you, can do them so well, as those who 

 make it their trade, neither can you make them so 

 cheap, as they will sell them out of their shops, where- 

 fore you had better buy those toyes, if you desire 

 them, for it will be an unprofitable emplo3mient, to 

 wast time, with a double expence of mony. Then 

 I told her I would preserve, for it was summer time, 

 and the fruit fresh, and ripe upon the trees; she 

 asked me for whom I would preserve, for I seldom 

 did eat sweet-meats my self, nor make banquets for 

 strangers, unless I meant to feed my houshold 

 servants with them; besides, said she, you may keep 

 half a score servants with the mony that is laid out 

 in sugar and coals, which go to the preserving only 

 of a few sweet-meats, that are good for nothing but 

 to breed obstructions, and rot the teeth. All which 

 when I heard, I conceived she spoke reason; at last 

 I considered, that I and my maids had better be idle, 

 than to employ time unprofitably, and to spend 

 mony idely; and after I had missed some time, I 

 told her, how I heard my neighbours condemned me, 

 for letting my servants be idle without employment, 

 and that my maids said it was my fault, for they were 

 wilHng to be employed in huswifry; she said, my 



