their mental powers, and rightly direct their moral nature, than many others in which they might engage?

We find that the class of workers, both men and women, having the most steady employments, are the most steady and reliable people.

There are some employments in which it is well for a man and his wife to unite, as bankers, picture restorers, house painters, &c.

There is probably as much diversity in the abilities of individual men to acquire a trade, as in those of women. We doubt not but women, generally, are as capable of acquiring a knowledge of any vocation as men, if they spend as much time and application in doing so. Could not women learn those occupations quite as thoroughly that require of men an apprenticeship of three, five, or seven years, if they could give the same time? We are confident the majority of women could, particularly those who have had equal advantages in the way of education and society with men engaged in the same pursuit.

We think the time spent in acquiring a knowledge of different occupations is not at all proportioned to the variety of work and the skill required for proficiency in each. For instance, an occupation that could be learned in six months, must have three years' labor given; while an occupation that it requires twenty years to excel in, has the usual apprenticeship of three years. By the way, could not the most of those pursuits now requiring three years' time of serving be mastered in a shorter period?

Supply and demand must ever regulate, to a great extent, the wages of women as well as men. We think, in the different departments of woman's labor, both physical and mental, there exists a want of harmony of labor done and the compensation; also, between the time given and the occupation. For instance, a gilder in a bookbindery gets $6 a week, or $1 a day of ten hours, which is equal to ten cents an hour. A girl, at most mechanical employments, receives, for her sixty hours' labor, $3 a week, which is equal to five cents an hour. A cook, who requires as much preparation as either, for ninety hours' labor will receive her board and washing, say $2, and $2 a week as wages, $4, equal to four and a half cents an hour. Confectioners' girls, in some of the best establishments in New York, spend seventeen, and some even eighteen hours, attending to their duties, and receive only $2, and board and washing, $4.50, equal to two and a half cents an hour. Some seamstresses sew fifteen hours a day, and earn but thirty cents, equal to two cents an hour, without board.

Where there are discrepancies about the seasons for any particular kind of work, as given by different parties, it will usually be found to arise from some of the number being engaged in the wholesale business, selling to people from the South and West; others selling to city traders, or retail merchants selling to city customers.

When there is a repetition of statements on the same subject, it will be observed that it arises from the information being given by different individuals.

I have used the words girl and woman indiscriminately, except when mention is made of the age of the girls.

I would take this opportunity of returning my thanks to all who have been so kind as to furnish me with any information, or directed me how to obtain it.

Some errors will no doubt be observed by persons in their special branches of labor. By writing to the author, attention will hereafter be paid to the correction of such errors.

NATURE OF THE CONTENTS.

This work contains five hundred and thirty-three articles, more than five hundred of which are descriptions of the occupations in which women are, or may be engaged—the effect of each on the health—the rate of wages paid for those carried on in the United States—a comparison