412 MORE POT-POURRI 



of ten feel her youth or the writer's age. There is no 

 word of religion. Love terrestrial is the moving power 

 throughout. The motive for life suggested in it is not 

 exactly happiness, which none can command, but the 

 regulating of one's life, with ambition as an object. 

 The incorporation of eastern ideas into the West is re- 

 sponsible for much of that spirit which attributes all 

 evils to the will of God, as trials to be accepted with 

 resignation rather than difficulties to be fought against 

 and overcome, and, if possible, provided against before- 

 hand. 'Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof is a 

 saying that has, I think, been twisted into many senses 

 never intended. 



Advice, however, may be offered too young, and 

 bear no fruit. I once heard a kind grandmother 

 preaching unselfishness to a little boy of four or five : 

 ' No one loves selfish people ; you won't be happy if 

 you are selfish.' And he, the rosy -faced little rascal, 

 looked up and said, earnestly : 'Oh ! but, gran, that is 

 not quite true ; for I am so selfish and so happy ! ' 



Many mothers prefer to remain in ignorance rather 

 than find out that the tastes and views of their 

 daughters are different from their own. If, as is 

 sometimes thought, this difference is greater now than 

 it used to be, I cling to my opinion that it is largely 

 due to sending girls away from home for educational 

 purposes. Freedom and a good education have many 

 advantages, but the corresponding disadvantages should 

 be faced when the plan is originally decided upon. 



Some years ago there came out a book, ' Le Journal 

 de Marie Bashkirtseff,' which made a considerable sen- 

 sation at the time, and raised — so far as I could judge 

 — a good deal of anger and irritation amongst English 

 mothers of the day. It was accused of being strained, 

 exaggerated, and morbid ; and so perhaps it is. One 



