SIMPLIFYING LIFE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 11

SIMPLIFYING LIFE.

,* If the. crazb-of the moment, for/simple food and cold water continues to grow,' I wonder what, the Christmas dinner of 1925.. will, be/composed.'of EllaHepworth Dixon, in -an English/paper). Possibly,-by theivwe shall have abolished what Lady'. Prances Balfour calls. ,ihb' "barbarous custom, inherited from our. remote ancestors, of. munching; food : in. .largo companies, to. celebrate"' festive events." - Twenty-five; years / hence.. we shall probably nastily consume.: a. few potent .tabloids as- we are .'dressing, and then proceed.to ,tho scene.of hospitality, -which..will take the ..form /of. beautiful m,nsio provided'-for,our; delectation, the recitation of exquisite prose ;or, verse,} or .the performance of. some famous! *dancer. ; By that time,-no -doubt, diflin'g-rooms will be abolished, as: unnecessary- apart-; :ments, .and. tho- place - of. entertainment mil be 'a roomy. chamber. surrounded by divans, with;festal garlands on tho walls, 'and an invisible .orchestra. The.money .which: is at .present lavished .on ..costly food.and, precious -vintages will 1 be-avail-ablo to more; delicate,'; pleasures,- and 'poets: and singers will ■ffqurish, - though pastry-cooks be -. abolished. .' This; generation yet unborn will,'.perhaps,, look' back upon us- as persons with 'bestial ,appetites, given .to the /consumption, of '.underdone, meat, over-kept game, and powerful .wines, and;will: marvel that, we,ever accomplished;■ anything/, of ,-a/high: -or spiritual;,nature. .'.<, ■;."„."-'..-. '

■But seriously, -the movement / for -simpler and -shorter, meals goes oii, and today; we;,consiim'e : at dinner-parties, about one-quarter,ofithe.food and.wino which was consumed on festal occasions by our grandparents. /:. The table; which:; old-' 1 fashioned novelists'described as "/'groan-' 'ing V :(an the'.'forihid-'.-I able .array of .'.dishes,-'alreadywears/a bare and.-;chastened 'air, with • its-.sweep of\.plain -damask,.;its I ,..delicate-stemmed glasses, and its reticence : in- tho.. way. 'of' ornaments. ■ Sovaiistare 'are .-we at our tables that even a too lavish'dis/ play of.•flowers ; iis''considered - in'"-,bad' taste'nowadays by. fastidious hosts' and hostesses. •• •;V ■:■'-'■;■■ : '-:. ■'-:,.- ■"/■■''.'.■: '.-,"

... We; are' well on the way. .to the iperiod' when we'shall be:like Lord' Byron's ideal woman;- never to'vbe, seen eating in-. public. 'The .food which;we-shall probably ■be 'living 'on '. then : will .be -sour 'milk, either in" condensed. or -liquid: form, or some pfeparation •of oatmeal.".-'. /•Mora'.' and more- are - questions ; of;'food and i education' occupying a' 'prominent position in people's minds. ' Middle-class girls, are taking' to. the 'kitchen' with somntific' enthusiasm,- and, often-enough nowadays, if yoninquire'after'some beautiful; young: thing.of nineteen ■ summers, yon;, are told; that she' is- taking a" threo;months' course at'a:training, college at a' high; fee, 'or. ; .is.-at/present swabbing passages or' polishing \ copper: pans. /For' the -girls 'of .'the present day, whatever they; take'.iup,. /whether,.'it. cooking, nursing;: gardening, ■;or'' public-speaking,', arc;-all amazingly thorough/and' alarm- ■ ingly efficient, v ■ - ■ , .'-

:. -Ito women, of; tie nineteenth century : often failed, in art,: trade; and the professions because they were untrained and -unbusinesslike;-.'This;is a Teproach which cannot be made against' the level-headed young person, of."the' Edwardian '■ age. Moreover, science' is going .to be applied remorsely to everything, which;concerns the .home, and 'soon'.'wo shall live,-it: is thbo presumed, under ideal'hygienic conditions. ~-■ Art—or: so-called ,! Art"—was rampant . iri. the .-home :in the last decades ,pf, the". last century, ; to. the'destruction. of/taste and, beauty; -it s'remains to be seen science-will' 1 have :a more -elevating effect on our intimate surroundings., '--■■■':■■■. ■ " / .-.■... .-■■...