Choice of a House.-The first and most important requisite in domestic life is a house to live in.

You may either build, purchase a freehold or leasehold, or rent a house. In the first case, there is some difficulty-the cost of building having considerably increased of late. But if you determine to build, settle first on the size and style of house you need. Then apply to a respectable architect and surveyor; tell him the extent of your family, number of servants, whether stables, billiard room, conservatories, hothouses, &c., are wanted, and the limit of expense to which you intend to go. The architect will submit to you a rough draft of the proposed house and its estimated cost; approved of, the plan is elaborated. Finally you obtain separate plans for each story, with elevations for the principal fronts-all accurately and carefully drawn. The next matter is to find a suitable locality. Let your new vicinity be high and well-drained. Carefully avoid the neighbourhood of graveyards, gas works, canals, factories, water reservoirs, marshes, open ditches, slaughter houses, and chemical manufactories. Endeavour to obtain a site facing the south or southeast, the very best being that site which has the diagonal line of its general plan north and south, so as to have the sun's rays on every window during some part of the day;-in other words, having no front or side point

| ing directly east, west, north or south. A gravel soil is preferable to all others, as it will not retain the water, and soon dries after rain. If you cultivate a garden, you will soon discover the advantage of this. The direct or moderate slope is always a healthy site, and sure to be well drained. Before you conclude upon building, be careful to find that the water supply and drainage of the neighbourhood are thoroughly satisfactory. Good and plentiful water and complete drainage are absolutely essential to health and comfort. Procure next from a good builder a detailed estimate of his charges. If they are satisfactory, you may order the work to be proceeded with. The thickness of walls, weight of timber employed, depth of foundations, height of chimneys above roof, party walls, &c., may safely be left to the district surveyor, whose special business it is to see that the terms of the Building Act are strictly complied with. A defect may be easily set right while the house is in course of building which would be a source of much discontent and expense if allowed to remain undetected until after the work was completed. The style and pattern of the various decorations should be personally seen to. Remember always to give the new house plenty of time to dry, and never on any account move in until you have the surveyor's assurance that the walls and roof are perfectly set. Some very

melancholy cases have occurred from persons living too soon in newlybuilt houses. Mould gets upon the furniture, and clothes and linen are constantly damp. This state of things rapidly renders the blood unhealthy, and the whole system becomes deranged. Dropsy, rheumatism, and, in some cases, paralysis, are brought on; the slightest wound or scratch speedily inflames, and existing complaints are greatly aggravated.

Every house should have a garden. The Building Act compels a certain space to be left at the back of every new tenement; but, as a matter of taste and comfort, it is as well to get as large an area as possible. Where practicable, let your garden wall back upon another garden wall, as you will thus secure a good open space between your house and your neighbour's.

Purchasing or Renting of a house already built. These means of obtaining a house are certainly preferable when your circumstances render economy necessary. The mode of purchasing house property through Building Societies offers greater facilities for buying outright than for building. Unless you are prepared to go to a cost that can only be expressed in four figures, take my advice, and don't build. Your best plan is to get the lists of properties for sale issued by respectable house-agents, who have always a number of tenements, more or less bargains, for disposal. In these lists may be found houses to suit the means and desires of all classes. You can then see them for yourself. If you consider the matter favourably, pay a second visit-this time accompanied by a surveyor or skilled friend-and if everything be satisfactory, you can commence negotiations by offering your maximum price.

You will find all necessary particulars as to agreements for leases, repairs, &c., under the section devoted to Law, as also the means of buying through Building Societies. If all go smoothly, you can dispense with the aid of a lawyer; but should you have any reasonable doubt as to the bond

fides of the vendor or his agent, immediately instruct your legal adviser to examine the titles under which the property is held, and the powers of the vendors to sell.

In nearly all cases the cost of transfer is paid by the purchaser; but it is sometimes arranged that all costs are covered by one lump sum.

In cases where you enter as a yearly, quarterly, or monthly tenant, a simple agreement is sufficient, making it obligatory on either party to give such notice of terminated occupation as may be agreed upon at the outset. This agreement should also contain a clause distinctly stating what repairs the landlord undertakes to do, and what taxes he renders himself liable to pay. Be careful not to take a house under a general agreement to pay all taxes, as this term might be made to include sewers' rates and other charges which properly belong to the landlord or owner.

Sanitary Law. The observance of the principles of cleanliness and care in the management of a house is all-important. Before these principles were understood, the rate of mortality, in large towns especially, was much higher than it is now. choosing a house or apartments, strict attention should be paid to drainage, ventilation, light, and water supply, and if these are all good, you may congratulate yourself on a fortunate selec

tion.

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Drainage is one of the great characteristics of modern building operations; for though the principle of carrying off the refuse of towns is of ancient date, the practice was, in this country, until recently, only partially carried out. See that the fall from the house-drainage to the main sewer is considerable-eight to twelve feet at the least. Avoid, if possible, drains passing through the house; and see that the kitchen and out-house drains are ample and efficient. Once during the twenty-four hours in summer, and once or twice a week in winter, the whole of the drains about the premises should be well flushed. This serves the double purpose of getting rid of the