The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-01 00:00:00

LITERATURE

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THE MODERN HOUSEWIFE OR ME-1
NAGERE ; comprising nearly One Thousand
Receipts for the Economic and Judicious Preparation
of every Meal of the Day, with those of the Nursery
and Sick Room, and Minute Directions for Family
Management in all its Branches. Illustrated with
Engravings, including the Modern housewife's
Unique Kitchen and Magic Stove. By Alexis
Soyer, Author of " The Gastronomic Regenerator,"
( Reform Club).
The great chief of the Reform Club having, by the
publication of his " Gastronomic Regenerator," car-
ried the science of gastronomy to a degree of perfec-
tion which had been heretofore undreamed of, and
having thus made it a most important adjunct to,
if not a rival, of the science of diplomacy (none
know better than the French diplomatists the value
of a French Chef de. Cuisine in bringing an im-
portant treaty to a satisfactory conclusion), and
having in his cheap cookery for the poor shown
the needy how they may procure a wholesome,
nutritious, and comfOrtable meal from materials which,
until he enlightened them by bringing the science of
chemistry to bear on the practice of cookery, they
were unable to obtain,—M. Soyer having thus opened
for the rich and for the poor the arcana of gustatory
science, he has now done the same good work for
the middle classes, and in this his " Modern
Housewife" has " taught us.how to live." He begins
with the beginning—breakfast, and having initiated
us into the mystery of egg boiling, ham and bacon
cooking, fish cooking, bread and butter cutting, toast
making (a more difficult operation than the purveyors
of that leathern commodity with which, under the
name of toast, many a brer-kfast• table is loaded, ima-
gine), tea-brewing and coffee-making, he proceeds to
discuss the subject of luncheons, nursery dinners,
cookery for invalids, dinners, from the simplest
family dinner up to the most ceremonious solemnity,
desserts, and refreshments for evening parties. The
receipts are all written in plain and understandable
language, and M. Soyer's " Housewife" is indeed
and in truth The Cookery Book for the Million. The
work concludes with a chapter on " Anti-Cholera Diet,"
which is especially worthy of study at the present
time. We understand that the members of the
Board of Health, and several of our most eminent
medical men, have expressed their high approval of
M. Soyer's suggestions. The " Magic Stove " is a
perfect wonder of invention. By its means the
breakfast may be cooked upon the breakfast table
itself. All who wish to enjoy a cutlet in perfection
should cook it themselves by the magic stove.

TION

THE BANKRUPT LAW CONSOLIDA
ACT, 1849 (12 and 13 Vict., cap. 106), with In-
troduction, Explanatory Notes, Forms, and a very
copious Index, By Edward Wise Esq., of the
Middle Temple, Barrister-at-Law.
This is a uset edition of a most important Act of
Parliament. The explanatory notes are clear, full,
and understandable, and follow each section in the
body of the Act itself, being printed in a smaller
type. This is an improvement upon the old system
of foot-notes, and upon the still more inconvenient
plan of collecting all the notes in a mass at the end
of the volume. The appendix contains all parts of
previous statutes which are left unrepealed, or which
are embodied in the present law ; and also the report
of the London Committee, to whose unremitting
exertions the passing of the Act was mainly owing.

THE MAY OR'S DINNER AT