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KIBE'S OWN JOURNAL. 



toil of his daily avocations : or worse, from 

 his luxurious club and gay associates, dis- 

 contented with the contrast of his humble 

 dwelling, — far better is school than home for 

 a child. 



Tf the heart of the child be not light, 

 neither will be that of the woman ; and the 

 habitual melancholy thus created, is not the 

 frame of mind best suited to fulfil duties to 

 herself or others. Even where such serious 

 drawbacks do not exist, the child is alone. 

 Its instinct is unerring. As soon as it per- 

 ceives the joining in its games is a condescen- 

 sion, — a duty to be discharged, all possibility 

 of amusing it is out of the question. It will 

 rather take a book, and muse quietly alone ; 

 looking enviously on the play of other chil- 

 dren, but not daring to join. It does not 

 know how to "play." If of imaginative 

 temperament, it will create for itself another 

 existence, at first undefined, and exerting no 

 serious influence over the character ; but in 

 time, its thoughts will take a definite shape. 

 The actual life will become distasteful ; the 

 real cause being unsuspected, it will meet 

 reproof for inattention, giddiness, ill-humor; 

 all this will only drive it back with deeper 

 love to its ideal world. The conversation of 

 school-girls is said to be especially frivolous, 

 — " dress and riches ; lovers and weddings," 

 with the elder. Cannot the teacher, whose 

 pleasant study it should be to win the affec- 

 tions of the pupils, guide their minds to other 

 subjects, without unpleasing exercise of au- 

 thority ? Were it not better to show them 

 life as it is — heavy in its task of suffering, and 

 tricil, and sacrifice, instead of (as youth is so 

 apt to imagine it) crowned but with flowers ? 

 It were better they looked beyond the bridal 

 wreath ; and learnt that in assuming it, they 

 at the best cast youth away, and enter upon 

 a series of grave duties, of heavy responsibili- 

 ties, of constant self-abnegation. 



One great cause of the inanity of school-girls' 

 conversation is, I think, that arts are taught, 

 but not the love of art. Study is considered as 

 a necessary task, or a means of ■ - showing off," 

 — seldom as an unfailing and an increasing 

 source of pure and refined enjoyment. Were 

 it otherwise, there would be less frivolous 

 conversation out of school- hours, and the 

 "genus tabby" you have signalised, Mr. 

 Editor, would become extinct. 



It has also been remarked, that " there is a 

 sort of information not to be acquired from 

 books, and never learnt at school, and without 

 which a woman cannot share in her husband's 

 pursuits." I cannot refrain from quoting the 

 passage, which has appeared in a deservedly 

 popular Magazine. " A young lady in the 

 first month of her introduction to the society 

 of an intelligent home and well-informed men, 

 will hear of taxes, grand juries, customs, 

 mortgages, unions, insurances — which will 



be to her an unknown tongue." In this 

 comprehensive view, it would seem desir- 

 able that Muller, Vauban, Naval Tactics, 

 Blackstone's Commentaries, Hawker's In- 

 structions to Young Sportsmen, &c, should 

 be included in the course of study. In an 

 age where so much is sacrificed to the " Idol 

 of Gold," I do not think it is to be lamented 

 that a girl should at least leave school with- 

 out such premature wisdom. It is desir- 

 able that women should, in their own inter- 

 est, possess a clearer idea of business-trans- 

 actions than they generally do ; but I cannot 

 consider it in all cases desirable they should 

 share their husbands' pursuits. Some men, 

 I think, seek at home a relief from mercenary 

 considerations ; a change from, and a contrast 

 to, the more serious and laborious portion of 

 their existence. I am borne out in this by 

 an opinion for which I entertain the highest 

 respect, — as will all your fair readers, Mr. 

 Editor. It was that of a gentleman who, 

 from a very inferior position, raised himself 

 by probity and intelligence to one of high 

 standing, and was to the effect " that gentle- 

 men should make money, and ladies spend it." 

 Without going quite the length of this gal- 

 lant assertion, it seems to me that the art of 

 judiciously disposing of money is more in a 

 lady's province, than that of acquiring it. I 

 have observed that girls brought up exclu- 

 sively at home, when absent from their habi- 

 tual guardians, or even otherwise, fall easily 

 a prey to the designing, — disappointing their 

 parents, and plunging themselves in live- 

 long wretchedness ; this, not from wilfulness 

 or want of reflection. Such girls will talk 

 shrewdly enough of the concerns of others, 

 but are mere infants where personally interest- 

 ed ; they will avoid the errors of the more 

 thoughtless, but see not the pit -fall yawning 

 at their feet, and become victims of the 

 grossest deception — merely, it may be said, 

 from its very grossness, mistaking " the 

 reverse of wrong for right." There are in- 

 stances of girls accustomed to military so- 

 ciety ; to the so often irresistible fascina- 

 tions of a red coat ; who have made an un- 

 happy choice, where neither that prestige nor 

 any other (obvious at least to indifferent eyes) 

 existed. 



Let me here beg your patience, while I 

 relate a circumstance which early led me to 

 doubt the general judiciousness of home- 

 education. — The parents of Ellen S. left their 

 country home for a residence in the Metro- 

 polis. Where else could competent teachers 

 for herself and sisters be found ? To schools, 

 there was an objection. Some months after 

 taking possession of their new abode, a 

 party of friends met to celebrate Ellen's 

 birthday; and on that occasion, the second 

 sister, who lived with an aunt in the country, 

 joined the circle. It was amusing to observe 



