have been impossible or unintelligible in 1700. Two Mutton Peyes' cost one shilling: reasonably large one hopes; but if of the modern mutton pie dimensions, very dear. 'Cinement,' which I take to be cinnamon, comes in very rarely: no quantity is given, but it cost one penny. Two Moopes,' presumably mops, cost two shillings, that is one shilling each. 'A Pound of Mackerones,' macaroons, cost one shilling and twopence. 'For Backeing (baking) y Pasty,' she had to pay a shilling. In December 1700, 'A Lemmon' was again at a high price, threepence; which is rectified after a few entries, before the end of the year, by three Lemmons, threepence. A turkey in that month cost three shillings and sixpence. A Beafes Heart,' a shilling. Two Tounges,' three shillings and sixpence. 'Six Oringes and Six Lemmons,' together, eighteenpence. A very odd entry occurs more than once, 'For Changeing of Candells.' After some consideration, I conclude that it means an exchange of kitchen fat against candles supplied by the chandler. The transaction is marked as costing the lady three shillings and eightpence. This was in January 170, or, as she writes it, 170. It occurs again in March, 'For change of Candells;' and this time costs two shillings and sixpence. A Pinte of Oyle' costs one shilling and threepence. In March 170, 'Five Pounds and a quarter of Shuger' cost six shillings and sixpence, and 'Patatahs' are still a penny a pound. Twelve whitings were bought for half a crown. In April there was a balancing between the lady and her brother; the process not recorded. But the result is summed up, Thus farr Counted for with my Brother, Appr: the 2. 1701.' And a new start is made on the top of the next page. 'Here begins my new account with my Brother Will: seence I made up yo account in Appr: 2 1701.'

A few more entries shall once more close this lady's account. 'Wigges' get into the book at curious amounts. December 14, 1700, 'Wigges' one shilling. March

15, 170, 'Wigges' two shillings and four pence. March 27, 'Wigges' two shillings. April 16, Wigges' one shilling and ninepence. This, I suppose, was for dressing the wigs of the brother and sister. 'A Lobster' cost eighteenpence in May. Three hundred of Sparrow Grass cost one and sixpence. Four 'challdron of Coales' cost six pounds. 'A Quarter of A Pound of Coffey cost ninepence in January, and in October, a Pound of Coffey' cost three shillings and fourpence. In June 'a Creame Cheese' cost one shilling and fourpence: 'Cowcombers' sixpence: 12 Hartychoakes' one shilling and sixpence: a Potell of Strawberrys' fourteenpence. In July 'A dosson (dozen) of Candells' cost five shillings and fourpence: 'six quartes of Beans' one shilling 'halfe a Peecke of French Beans' eightpence: 2 Bottells of Renish four shillings, and 2 Quarts of Claret'-observe, not quart bottles— three shillings. It would look odd to see in an account book of September 1865, such a collocation as the lady gives in September 17, 1701. 'For Nutts and 2 News Papars,' twopence halfpenny in all. Letters were rare luxuries, at least by post. No doubt many others passed by hand. But on February 26, 170, the lady charged 'For Letters' sixpence: and until October 21 I see no more charged: then 'A Letter,' fourpence. At the bottom of page one hundred and twenty-one of these and similar entries comes, 'For a Shine of Beafe,' one shilling. And then the hundwriting stops for ever.

The book was not more than half filled. A little loose paper still lying among the leaves shows memoranda of the coming and payment of servants, from 1685 to 1689. During these portentous years one reads how Abraham came, and Jane, and Ned, and Mosses, and Sussan, and Jacke and Gyles (not Jyll), and Mary Cooke, who, with change of Christian name, appears to have been, even at that remote period, greatly subject to change of place. So we close the page on mistress, man, and maid.

But the book was tenacious of

housekeeping, and had a future. Considering how they are at this moment employed, my readers have the best reason for acknowledging its persistent vitality. It lay by quietly, with that last Shine of Beafe, one shilling,' on its mind, for nearly six-and-forty years: when, the daughter of my brother Will- having married a gentleman of great name, the book, and the new lady, appear to have passed to him by one transfer. The gentleman, following the tradition of the book, does not write his name-though I know it-but starts, in a very different handwriting to the good aunt's, with 'Housekeeping at begun April 3d, 1747.' I will give a few of his entries. But his use of the book does not supply so many things worthy of a note. In April 1747, the 'Sparrow Grass' of 1701, has fined itself into Asparagrass.' In March 1748 three chaldrons and a half of coales cost two pounds fifteen, in a coal country: and three quarters of 'oates' one pound sixteen shillings. A joiner is called a Wood Joiner.' Newspapers had risen in importance by June 1756, when I find the gentleman charging 'Newspapers' one pound fourteen shillings and sixpence. His son is to be traced through a great school, to Oxford. In 1754 and after, boys wore wigs. April 18, 1754, furnishes an entry for 'Tommy's wig,' twelve shillings. And again, on March 5, 1755, 'Tommy's Wigg cost twelve shillings. This was before he went to the school, and while he was there. Here are some entries of his school expenses. May 1755, 'Tommy's Bills at

Two pounds, seventeen and eightpence. June 1755, 'Tommy's Bills at School,' Fifteen guineas. January 1756, Tommy's Bills,' Fifteen pounds, fourteen and sixpence. May 1756, 'Tommy's Bills,' Eleven pounds fourteen and tenpence half

penny. But May 1759 takes the young man to Oxford; and then Tommy's Bills at Oxford and Quarterage,' show seventy-one pounds.

The book ends in February 1761, Apparently, the gentleman got tired of it: for the leaves which are torn out have so much of them left as to show that they had not been written on. Very likely the new way of entering figures which begins to show itself in his later entries, determined him to have a new book. All the lady's entries, and all the gentleman's early entries, beginning with 1747, are made with a o in the place of the tens where the sum consists of any amount below ten. Thus, one shilling is entered 'oI: 00.' But in some entries of wages at the end of the year 1747, apparently for the year 1748, the o is left out. It goes on, however, pretty regularly for some years, but decreases in frequency, till, in 1760, it is reduced to a small minority. On the last page it ceases to appear: under the year 1761. This is worth noting.

I must close the book once more. The son went to Oxford; his son went to Oxford; the next generation, and the next, did not. The race flourishes still, in honour and plenty. Long may they do so. But I confess the old housekeeping book gives some reflections beyond marketing, and asserts facts more interesting, though not less common, than strawberries, 'oringes,' and 'shines of beafe.' Tempus edax rerum, goes to market with us all in a grand way. The lady, and her brother, and her pleasant niece, and the new husband, and then the boy Tommy, and the men and maids, and the basket women, have all been disposed of by him. Even the versatile 'cooke' has, by his intervention, one more change added to the many previous changes arranged between her and my lady. I shut up my old Vellum Book.