The advice on diet and medicine was a mixture of the sound and the completely inaccurate. One of the more popular features was the inclusion of serialized novels, most of which concerned women and were essentially morality tales. One such was 'Katharine, a Tale of Women's Trials,' by Mrs Burbury (no, 1, vol 7, 1854). Also popular were sentimental poems accompanied by engravings, often of ruined abbeys and castles. The Family Friend gives insight into the general tone of Victorian households' interests and activities, and is an accurate source for authors and filmmakers of costume design and other period details. [citation: WIKI]