This publication is a humble endeavour to afford some assistance to ladies in the daily difficulty of what to order for dinner, and how to describe it.

Cooks are not generally gifted with fertile imagina-tions, and are inclined to get into a routine which is a source of annoyance to those who desire a variety of dishes, if not for themselves, at least for their friends. Ladies often wish to be ready with suggestions of a change in the proposals of the cook, and even when in some measure provided with these, a second difficulty arises - What are these dishes to be called ? What are the correct technical names for them ?

The French of cookery is a language of itself, and those who are not learned in it are often entirely at a loss when suddenly called on to write out a correct French menu with no other assistance than that of a dictionary. In carrying out this idea, lists of various dishes have been given, arranged in courses, with the French names, as well as the English equivalents or descriptions.

Dishes of a very elaborate character have, for the most part, been rejected. They are often merely what a gardener would term "sports" from well-established originals, differing from them, perhaps, only in some details of fantastic decoration, the fashions of which are very short-lived, and are quickly succeeded by some newer fancy.

With regard to decoration, it is suggested that very fanciful effects should be avoided. In a zeal for originality in this respect, the object of all decoration - viz. to render the dish attractive - seems occasionally to be forgotten, and a contrary effect is produced. Dishes are presented more fit to adorn a confectioner's window than to appear at a gentleman's table.

Compounds of preserves and ices have actually been made to represent, with painful accuracy, boiled legs of mutton, boars' heads, etc., etc.

It is a mistake, too, to give fantastic names to the dishes. A menu is intended to convey information, not to mislead or confuse; and few people care to bestow sufficient attention on the subject to enjoy a succession of "surprises."

Neither is a dish more generally appreciated for bearing an extravagant name - even when under such a title as Sastartees a la Malay are revealed the homely aspects of curried veal! The rule that fine feathers make fine birds is not without exceptions.

Names given to quenelles, creams, etc., often have reference to the fancy moulds in which they are dressed. For instance, Petites crimes au Chevalier are creams steamed or set in moulds made to represent little horseshoes. So petites cignes, petits chevaux, papillons, etc., refer to the moulds.

Even petites langues, petits jambonneanx, petits poulets, do not necessarily imply something made of tongue, ham, or chicken.

Very few such names are introduced in these pages. They are obviously only the passing fashion of the moment, and do more credit to the skill of the ironmonger than to that of the cook.

From the number of dishes described, it is hoped that it will be found easy to select such as shall be suited to the occasion for which they are required, whether for homely dinners, or for more elaborate entertainments. Complete menus of the former class will be found in the author's "Daily Dinners," which, with the assistance here given, may be enlarged or varied without difficulty.

In planning a dinner, ladies are reminded not to be content with dishes individually excellent, without regard to the contrast they bear one to another.

Variety is required, not only in the material, but also in the style of dressing, and in the accompanying sauces and garnishes.

Light and dark dishes should as far as possible succeed one another. The same sauce should not appear twice. Several sorts of pastry should be avoided. When cold dishes form part of the menu, they should be interspersed judiciously among the others.

It is not intended to give recipes, such as would be adequate for the preparation of the dishes in the kitchen; the dishes are only so far described as to enable the mistress to recognize them, giving a general idea of their ingredients and of their appearance when sent to table.

The descriptions will probably be sufficient, in most cases, to suggest directions which a fairly competent cook may carry out without the aid of a detailed recipe. But should they be found insufficient, recourse may always be had to some of the excellent cookery-books now published.