# Household words, No. 7, May 11, 1850

Author: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 [Editor]

Genre: English literature -- Periodicals

Language: English

License: Public domain

Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78172

Amazon editions: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Household+words%2C+No.+7%2C+May+11%2C+1850+Dickens&tag=cyberlibrar00-20

## Summary

Earth, Air, and Water are necessary conditions of human life; but Fire is the first great element of civilisation. Fire, the first medium between the ‘cooking animal’ and the wild root and raw-flesh-devouring savage; fire, the best, because the most useful of servants, and, according to the old proverb, the worst, because the most tyrannical of masters; fire, the chief friend of man in creations of nature and of industrial art, yet the most potent of all enemies in destruction; fire, the most brilliant and magnificent object on the earth, yet the most frightful and appalling when once it obtains dominion over man and man’s abodes;—to subdue, and render docile to all needs, this devouring...

## Chapters

- [Part 3](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/household-words-no-7-may-11-1850-78172/chapters/3/index.md)
- [Part 1](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/household-words-no-7-may-11-1850-78172/chapters/1/index.md)
- [Part 5](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/household-words-no-7-may-11-1850-78172/chapters/5/index.md)
- [Part 2](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/household-words-no-7-may-11-1850-78172/chapters/2/index.md)
- [Part 4](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/household-words-no-7-may-11-1850-78172/chapters/4/index.md)
- [Part 6](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/household-words-no-7-may-11-1850-78172/chapters/6/index.md)