THE VALET.
The duties of this servant are not so various nor so important as those of the footman; indeed, they are very frequently, and particularly in small families, a part of the business of a footman. The particular province of the valet is to attend to the personal accommodation of his master. He waits on him when dressing and undressing, has the care of his wardrobe, brushes and keeps his clothes in good order and ready to put on when wanted. For this purpose every garment or other article of wearing apparel, should be carefully examined, cleaned or brushed on the first opportunity that offers, and then put away in its proper place.
He should chuse the earliest part of the morning to clean the boots and shoes, unless it be otherwise arranged, and brush the clothes, and to do all such work, so as to be able to get to his master’s dressing-room time enough to make the necessary arrangements there before he expects him to rise. He will see that the housemaid has lighted the fire, and cleaned out and dusted the rooms; will prepare the washing-stand, fill the ewer with clean soft water, and the caroft with fresh spring water.—The basin and towels, the hair, nail, and tooth-brushes clean, and in their proper places; hot water, and all the necessary apparatus for shaving, quite ready; his dressing-gown and slippers airing before the fire; and his clean linen perfectly well aired by himself, before it be considered as fit to be put on. The coat, trowsers, &c. intended to be worn must be taken out and placed at length across the backs of chairs, the sleeves and outsides turned inward, with a clean linen or brown Holland wrapper thrown over them, to save them from dust. Having once ascertained the way in which these things are to be done, he will find it easy in future, and will be sure to please. The best way to hang up a coat is, to fold it once at full length, with the inside outward, the sleeves put straight, and the two fronts together, and then hang it on a cloak-pin by the inside of the shoulder.
If the wardrobe be sufficiently large to hold each kind of garment separately, it will be so much the better, as the coats and other articles may then be laid in smoothly and at length, as soon as they are brushed and cleaned, and a brown Holland cloth may be spread over each drawer or shelf, to preserve them from the dust.
Gentlemen who shave themselves, usually strop their own razors immediately after the operation, whilst the metal is yet warm, which is the best way: but if it be left to the valet to do, the razor must be dipped in warm water and wiped dry with a clean cloth or rag; then laying it flat on the strop, draw it diagonally, from the heel to the point, the whole length of the strop, turning the elbow in and out every time the razor is turned; half a dozen or half a score strokes backwards and forwards, as often as it is used, will keep it in good order for a considerable time. Good razors are made concave, or hollow, between the back and the edge, on both sides, for the greater security in shaving, and for the purpose of giving them a better edge in setting or stropping.
Having attended his master while dressing, combed his hair, &c. the valet will take the first opportunity, after he is gone, to set the room in order, by looking over his things, folding away his night clothes, washing the brushes and combs occasionally, when necessary, with warm water and soap, wiping them clean, and drying them at an easy distance from the fire, and then putting them away in their places.—The dressing-stand must be wiped clean and dry, the basin washed and wiped, the ewer and caroft rinsed out and filled again with clean water, the towels taken away and replaced with clean ones, the fire stirred, the room dusted, and every thing put in order, as if immediately to be used again. This must always be done as soon as possible after his master is dressed or re-dressed, and every garment or other article that has been taken off, must be brushed, folded, and put away in its proper place.
In case of the master’s coming home wet from a ride, or otherwise, an immediate change of warm dry clothes must be provided, and the wet or damp things taken away and dried at a proper distance from the fire; after having wiped the coat, or other woollen garments, with a sponge, the way of the nap, or, if only spotted, with a silk handkerchief, in the same manner, which will effectually smooth the grain of the cloth, and remove all the spots.
When preparing for a journey, care should be taken to ascertain the probable time of absence, that sufficient change of linen, &c. may be provided—nor must the shaving and dressing apparatus be forgotten. When arrived at an inn, or visiting place, all his master’s things must be carried into his dressing-room, and set in order for dressing, or for the night, as nearly as possible in the same order as at home. If the footman be not there, the valet will have to attend to his master’s accommodation below stairs also.
The valet is to be always in attendance, in case of his master’s coming home unexpectedly—and he is to assist in waiting at table at all meal-times.
As the valet is much about his master’s person, and has the opportunity of hearing his off-at-hand opinions on many subjects, he should endeavour to have as short a memory as possible, and, above all, keep his master’s council; and he should be very cautious of mischief-making or tale-bearing, to the prejudice of other persons, as calculated to involve his master in disputes, and ruin himself, if by chance he is incorrect.
The usual salary is from 30l. to 60l. per annum, but in some situations much more. Perquisites, his master’s cast-off clothes.
TO CLEAN GOLD LACE.
Rub it with a soft brush dipped in roche alum burnt, sifted to a very fine powder.
TO REMOVE STAINS FROM MOURNING DRESSES.
Boil a good handful of fig-leaves in two quarts of water till reduced to a pint. Bombazine, crape, cloth, &c. need only be rubbed with a sponge dipped in the liquor, and the effect will be instantly produced.
NEW MODE OF SHAVING.
Mix up with the brush, in prepared lather, one tea-spoonful of finely pounded best lump whiting, without the smallest danger to the razor’s edge or the surface of the chin. Perhaps the very best edge may be given to the razor also, by throwing a pinch of whiting on a moderately oiled or soaped strop.
TO CLEAN GILT BUCKLES, CHAINS, &C.
Dip a soft brush in water, rub a little soap on it, and brush the article for a minute or two, then wash it clean, wipe it; place it near the fire till dry, and brush it with burnt bread finely powdered.
TO MANAGE RAZOR STROPS.
Keep them moderately moist with a drop or two of sweet oil; a little crocus martis and a few drops of sweet oil, rubbed well in with a glass bottle, will give the razor a fine edge; pass it afterwards on the inside of your hand when warm, and dip it in hot water just before using.
TO SCOUR CLOTHES, COATS, PELISSES, &C.
If a black, blue, or brown coat, dry 2 ounces of Fuller’s earth, and pour on it sufficient boiling water to dissolve it, and plaster with it the spots of grease; take a pennyworth of bullock’s gall, mix with it half a pint of stale urine; and a little boiling water; with a hard brush, dipped in this liquor, brush spotted places. Then dip the coat in a bucket of cold spring water. When nearly dry, lay the nap right, and pass a drop of oil of olives over the brush to finish it.
If grey, drab, fawns, or maroons, cut yellow soap into thin slices, and pour water upon it to moisten it. Rub the greasy and dirty spots of the coat. Let it dry a little, and then brush it with warm water, repeating, if necessary, as at first, and use water a little hotter; rinse several times, in warm water, and finish as before.
TO CLEAN GLOVES WITHOUT WETTING.
Lay the gloves upon a clean board, make a mixture of dried fulling-earth and powdered alum, and pass them over on each side with a common stiff brush: then sweep it off, and sprinkle them well with dry bran and whiting, and dust them well; this, if they be not exceedingly greasy, will render them quite clean; but if they are much soiled, take out the grease with crumbs of toasted bread, and powder of burnt bone: then pass them over with a woollen cloth, dipped in fulling-earth or alum powder; and in this manner they can be cleaned without wetting, which frequently shrinks and spoils them.
FULLER’S PURIFIER FOR WOOLLEN CLOTHS.
Dry, pulverize, and sift the following ingredients:
6 lbs. of fuller’s earth,
1 lb. of pipe-clay, and
4 oz. of French chalk.
Make a paste of the above with the following:—
1 oz. of rectified oil of turpentine,
2 oz. of spirit of wine, and
1½ lbs. of melted oil soap.
Make up the compound into cakes, which are to be kept in water, or in small wooden boxes.
TO DRIVE AWAY, OR PREVENT THE APPROACH OF MOTHS.
Wrap up yellow or turpentine soap in paper, or place an open bottle, containing spirits of turpentine within the wardrobe. But as the smell of the latter may be unpleasant, sprinkle bay leaves, lavender, or walnut-leaves, black pepper in grains, or Russia leather shavings.
TO REVIVE FADED BLACK CLOTH.
Having cleaned it well, boil two or three ounces of logwood for half a hour. Dip it in warm water and squeeze it dry, then put it into the copper, and boil half an hour. Take it out and add a small piece of green copperas, and boil it another half hour. Hang it in the air for an hour or two, then rinse it in two or three cold waters, dry it and let it be regularly brushed over with a soft brush, over which a drop or two of oil of olives has been rubbed.
TO DRY-CLEAN CLOTH.
Dip a brush in warm gall, apply it to greasy places, and rinse it off in cold water; dry by the fire, then lay the coat flat, strew damp sand over it, and with a brush beat the sand into the cloth; then brush it out with a hard brush, and the sand will bring away the dirt. Rub a drop of oil of olives over a soft brush, to brighten the colours.
TO MAKE BREECHES BALL.
Mix 1 pound of Bath brick, 2 pounds of pipe-clay, 4 ounces of pumice stone powder, and six ounces of ox gall; colour them with rose pink, yellow ochre, umber, Irish slate, &c. to the desired shade.
CLOTHES’ BALL.
Mix 2 pounds of pipe clay, 4 ounces of Fuller’s earth, 4 ounces of whiting, and a quarter of a pint of ox galls.
TO TAKE GREASE OUT OF LEATHER BREECHES.
The white of an egg applied to the injured part, and dried in the sun, will effectually answer this purpose.
Another Method.
To two table spoonsful of spirit of turpentine, put half an ounce of mealy potatoes, add some of the best Durham mustard, with a little vinegar; let them dry, and when well rubbed, the spots will be entirely removed.
TO CLEAN LEATHER.
Take of French yellow ochre, 1 lb.
sweet oil, a dessert spoonful
Mix well together, so that the oil may not be seen: then
take of pipe-clay, 1 lb.
starch, ¼ lb.
Mix with boiling water, when cold, lay it on the leather; and rub and brush it well when dry.
TO MAKE SCOURING BALLS.
Portable balls for removing spots from clothes, may be thus prepared. Fuller’s earth perfectly dried, (so that it crumbles into a powder,) is to be moistened with the clear juice of lemons, and a small quantity of pure pearl-ashes is to be added. Knead the whole carefully together, till it acquires the consistence of a thick elastic paste: form it into convenient small balls, and dry them in the sun. To be used, first moisten the spot on the clothes with water, then rub it with the ball, and let the spot dry in the sun; after having washed it with pure water, the spot will entirely disappear.
TO CLEAN GOLD LACE AND EMBROIDERY.
For this purpose alkaline liquors are not to be used; for while they clean the gold they corrode the silk, and change or discharge its colour. Soap also alters the shade, and even the species of certain colours. But, spirit of wine may be used without any danger of its injuring either colour or quality; and, in many cases, proves as effectual for restoring the lustre of gold, as the corrosive detergents. But, though spirit of wine is the most innocent material employed for this purpose, it is not in all cases proper. The golden covering may be in some parts worn off; or the base metal, with which it has been alloyed, may be corroded by the air, so as to leave the particles of gold disunited; while the silver underneath, tarnished to a yellow hue, may continue a tolerable colour to the whole: so it is apparent that the removal of the tarnish would be prejudicial, and make the lace or embroidery less like gold than it was before.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF SCARLET CLOTH.
Take soap wort, bruise it, strain out the juice, and add to it a small quantity of black soap; wash the stains a few times with this liquor, suffering it to dry between whiles, and in a day or two they will disappear.
TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF BLACK CLOTH, SILK, CRAPE, &c.
Boil a large handful of fig-leaves in two quarts of water until reduced to a pint. Squeeze the leaves, and put the liquor into a bottle for use. The articles need only be rubbed with a sponge in the liquor, and the stains will instantly disappear.