,,letters ,,to ,a ,,daughter ,,and ,a   
,,little ,,sermon ,,to ,,school-,,girls4
   ,,by ,,helen ,,ekin ,,starrett1      
,author of ,the ,future of ,educated    
,women1 etc4  ,,chicago3 ,,jansen1      
,mc,c,l,u,r,g1  ,,company4 #ahhf4       
,,copyright1 ,,by ,,jansen1 ,,mcclurg1  
,,co4 ,a4,d4 #ahhe4     ,,contents4     
,,letter ,i4     ,,behavior ,,and       
,,manners            #e ,,letter ,,ii4  
,,self-,,control ,,and ,,self-,,culture 
#af ,,letter ,,iii4   ,,aims ,,in ,,life
                   #bg ,,letter ,,iv4   
,,personal ,,habits                #ce  
,,letter ,v4                            
,,society--,,conversation          #df  
,,letter ,,vi4    ,,associates ,,and    
,,friends         #ei ,,letter ,,vii4   
,,tact--,,unobtrusiveness          #ga  
,,letter ,,viii4  ,,who ,,are ,,the     
,,cultivated8        #ha ,,letter ,,ix4 
,,religious ,,culture ,,and ,,duty      
#hh  ,a ,,little ,,sermon ,,to          
,,school-,,girls             #aja       
,,letters ,,to ,a ,,daughter4  ,,letter 

,i4  ,,behavior ,,and ,,manners4   ,my  
,dear ,daughter3--,one of the greatest  
blessings ,i could wish for you1 as you 
pass out from the guardianship of home  
into life with its duties and trials1 is
 that you should possess the power of   
winning love and friends4 ,with this    
power1 the poor girl is rich2 without   
it1 the richest girl is poor4 ,in the   
main1 this power of winning friends and 
love depends upon two things3 behavior  
and manners4 ,between these there is an 
important distinction1 but one is the   
outgrowth of the other4 ,the root of    
good manners is good behavior4 ,consider
 with me for a little what each implies4
  ,behavior is a revealer of real       
character4 ,it has especially to do with
 the more serious duties and relations  
of life4 ,its greatest importance is in 
the home4 ,how well do ,i remember a    
visit1 made in my youth1 to a school    
friend whom ,i had learned to admire    
greatly for her superior intellect1     
quick wit1 power of acquiring knowledge1

 and ability to recite well in class4   
,in her home she was rude and           
disrespectful and even disobedient to   
her parents2 cross and sarcastic with   
her brothers and sisters2 selfish and   
indolent in all matters pertaining to   
the work of the household4 ,what a      
disenchantment was my experience6 ,that 
great and good man1 who has written so  
many noble precepts about the conduct of
 life1 ,mr4 ,emerson1 in speaking of and
 praising a noble citizen1 says3 ,never 
was such force1 good meaning1 good      
sense1 good action1 combined with such  
lovely domestic behavior1 such modesty1 
and persistent preference for others4   
,this was what was lacking in my school 
friend3 lovely domestic behavior4       
,nothing could compensate for this      
deficiency4  ,what was needed in this   
young girl in order that she might have 
exhibited in her daily life a lovely    
domestic behavior8 ,an almost total     
reconstruction of character2 such a     
cultivation of the moral sense as would 

have made it a matter of conscience with
 her to honor her father and mother1 to 
be respectful to them and desirous of   
pleasing and serving them4 ,selfishness 
was the main cause of her ill-treatment 
of her brothers and sisters1 as it was  
of her indolence1 and her indifference  
to the performance of her share of the  
household duties4 ,her behavior in the  
home was such that she repelled1 rather 
than attracted1 affection4 ,her own     
personal preference1 mood1 feeling1 were
 constantly allowed to control her      
conduct2 and the deep underlying        
deficiency in her character was lack of 
a tender conscience and of a sense of   
duty4  ,lovely domestic behavior is the 
natural outgrowth and expression of a   
beautiful1 harmonious1 and lovely       
character ,in order to behave           
beautifully1 we must cultivate          
assiduously the graces of the spirit4   
,we must persistently strive against    
selfishness1 ill-temper irritability1   
indolence4 ,it is impossible for the    

selfish or ill-tempered girl to win love
 and friends4 ,generosity1 kindness1    
self-denial1 industry--these are the    
traits which inspire love and win       
friends4 ,these are the graces that will
 make the humblest home beautiful and   
happy1 and without which the costliest  
mansion is a mere empty shell4  ,one    
more point in regard to behavior ,i wish
 to impress upon your mind as of very   
great importance1 although it relates   
less to the home and more to general    
society4 ,i mean that of modest behavior
 as distinguished from forwardness and  
boldness4 ,one of the greatest charms of
 young girlhood is modesty2 one of the  
greatest blemishes in the character of  
any young person1 especially of any     
young girl or woman1 is forwardness1    
boldness1 pertness4 ,the young girl who 
acts in such a manner as to attract     
attention in public2 who speaks loudly1 
and jokes and laughs and tells stories  
in order to be heard by others than her 
immediate companions2 who dresses       

conspicuously2 who enjoys being the     
object of remark2 who expresses opinions
 on all subjects with forward           
self-confidence1 is rightly regarded by 
all thoughtful and cultivated people as 
one of the most disagreeable and        
obnoxious characters to be met with in  
society4 ,modesty is one of the         
loveliest of graces1 and should be      
constantly cultivated4  ,and now you    
will see what ,i mean by saying that the
 root of good manners is good behavior4 
,in other words1 good manners have their
 time and living root in moral qualities
 and the ,christian graces4 ,there is a 
certain surface display of manners which
 may be acquired and which may deceive  
and pass with those who do not know us  
intimately2 but there is all the        
difference between such superficial good
 manners and those which are real1 that 
there is between the cut bouquet of     
flowers which delights for an hour or   
two and then withers away1 and the      
living1 growing plant which constantly  

delights us with fresh beauty and bloom4
  ,what are the characteristics of the  
agreeable and beautiful manners that are
 the ornament and charm of the          
well-behaved girl8 ,first we should     
place gentleness1 quietness1 and        
serenity or self-possession4 ,it has    
been well said by an observing social   
critic1 that the person who has no      
manners at all has good manners4 ,what  
is meant by this1 and there is a deep   
truth in it1 is that gentle and quiet   
manners do not attract attention at all4
 ,their greatest charm is their         
unobtrusiveness1 just as the charm and  
distinguishing mark of a well-dressed   
person is that the dress is not striking
 or obtrusive4 ,you can infer from this 
how inconsistent with good manners is   
heat and exaggeration in conversation4  
,it is a just complaint among refined   
and cultivated people that many1 even of
 the well-educated young women of the   
present day1 talk too loudly and        
vehemently2 are given to exaggeration of

 statement and slang expressions4 ,the  
greatest blemish of the conversation and
 manners of the young people of to-day  
is obtrusiveness and exaggeration4 ,by  
obtrusiveness ,i mean a style of speech 
and manners that attracts attention and 
remark2 by exaggeration ,i mean the too 
constant use of the superlative in      
conversation1 and a certain incongruity 
and inappropriateness of expression     
which is very offensive to the          
cultivated taste4 ,such expressions as  
perfectly awful1 perfectly beautiful1   
too lovely for anything1 hateful1       
horrible1 may constantly be heard in    
conversation upon trivial and           
unimportant subjects in companies of    
young people whose educational          
opportunities and social advantages     
would lead us to expect a very different
 style of conversation4 ,so of          
incongruous and inappropriate           
expressions4 ,my grandfather and        
grandmother died on the same day of the 
year8 wasn't it funny8 said a young miss

 to a companion ,she meant that it was a
 strange circumstance or coincidence4   
,it was the wise remark of a great man  
that culture kills exaggeration4 ,true  
and careful culture should also weed out
 from our beautiful and expressive      
,english language all such incongruities
 and blemishes of speech as ,i have     
indicated4  ,referring once more to what
 ,i have said about obtrusiveness1      
forwardness1 or boldness1 being an      
unpleasant characteristic of the manners
 of many young people of the present    
day1 ,i want to impress upon you that   
much of this boldness arises from lack  
of deference or reverence for parents1  
teachers1 and older people4 ,this lack  
of deference is a great defect of       
character in any young person4 ,it is   
painfully noticeable in many homes where
 children never seem to think of paying 
any respect to the presence of their    
parents or older people2 where they will
 monopolize conversation at table1      
interrupt their parents and guests to   

ask irrelevant questions or relate      
irrelevant incidents1 enter a room      
abruptly1 and1 without waiting to learn 
whether any one is speaking1 at once    
begin to speak of something pertaining  
to their own affairs4 ,all this is bad  
behavior and bad manners4 ,it is morally
 wrong as well4 ,god has commanded that 
we shall honor our father and mother2   
and one beautiful precept of scripture  
is1 ,thou shalt rise up before the hoary
 head and honor the face of the old man4
  ,to sum up in the short space of one  
letter the more important truths ,i     
would impress upon your mind in regard  
to behavior and manners1 let me say     
this3 ,there are good manuals of        
etiquette and social form which should  
be read and studied by all young people4
 ,there are1 also1 constant             
opportunities for observation of the    
conduct and manners of polite people1 by
 which young people may and should      
profit and learn to observe the outward 
forms of society4 ,these are easily     

learned and practiced2 but the finest1  
best1 most genuine good manners can     
never be acquired except as they become 
the natural expression of gentleness1   
kindness intelligence1 respect for      
parents and elders1 and an earnest      
desire to do good to our fellow beings4 
,strive1 my dear child1 to cherish these
 graces in your heart1 and good behavior
 and good manners will naturally follow4
     ,,letter ,,ii4  ,,self-,,control   
,,and ,,self-,,culture4   ,my ,dear     
,daughter3--,one great and difficult    
lesson is given to each of us to learn  
in this life1 which must be learned if  
we ever hope to live happy or useful    
lives4 ,it is the lesson of             
self-control4 ,parents and teachers and 
circumstances may help or hinder in the 
learning of this lesson2 but it depends 
mainly upon yourself1 upon your own     
individual will1 whether you shall learn
 it or not4 ,it is the first lesson     
which wise parents and teachers strive  
to teach a child4 ,it is the            

fundamental1 the all-important lesson of
 life4 ,it extends to every department  
of our nature and affects every act     
and-event of our lives4 ,take notice    
with me how the possession or           
non-possession of the power of          
self-control affects the lives of young 
people in a few particulars4  ,certain  
self-evident duties are imposed upon    
every rational being4 ,one of the first 
of these is the duty of being usefully  
employed a large portion of our time4   
,it is probable that nearly all young   
people have a certain dislike for work1 
and self-control must come in to help   
them do the work that belongs to them to
 do4 ,it may help you in acquiring this 
self-control to reflect often what a    
really great thing it is to be able to  
compel yourself to do from a sense of   
duty what you are naturally disinclined 
to do8 also what an unworthy and1       
indeed1 contemptible thing it is not to 
be able to make yourself do what you    
know you ought to do4 ,you are perhaps  

disinclined1 for instance1 to rise when 
you should in the morning4 ,you feel    
disposed to indulge your ease and       
comfort1 and to lie in bed when you know
 you should be awake and preparing for  
the day4 ,here is one of the very       
instances in which if you will learn to 
control and compel yourself you will    
soon reap substantial reward4 ,the more 
you indulge yourself1 the harder does   
the task of rising and getting ready for
 the day become4 ,but say to yourself1  
,i will waken right away1 rise and walk 
around a little1 and you will be        
surprised to find how soon the habit of 
prompt rising will become easy4 ,you    
have your morning duties to perform1 or 
your lessons to learn4 ,if you say to   
yourself1 when it is time you should    
begin1 ,i will not loiter1 but          
immediately set about my work or study1 
you will find in the very act and       
determination a help and strength1 and  
pleasure even1 which you can never      
imagine before you have experienced it4 

,god has so made us that in the very    
performance of duty1 however trivial1   
there is a reward and strength and a    
very high kind of pleasure4 ,but we need
 firm self-control to compel ourselves  
thus to do our duty4 ,i shall rejoice if
 any words of mine lead you to test for 
yourself the truth of what ,i have said4
  ,self-control should extend to our    
speech1 temper1 and pleasures4 ,to be   
able to control the tongue is rightly   
esteemed one of the greatest of moral   
achievements4 ,you remember what the    
apostle ,james says1 that if any man    
offend not in word1 the same is a       
perfect man1 and able also to bridle    
control the whole body4 ,it is so easy  
to say cross or unkind words2 so easy to
 make slighting or gossiping remarks    
about companions or friends2 so hard to 
efface the painful effects of such hasty
 or ill-considered speech4 ,it is so    
easy to make a petulant or disrespectful
 reply to parents or teachers when they 
reprove2 so much harder1 yet so much    

better1 to acknowledge a fault and feel 
and express sorrow for wrong-doing4     
,your own conscience and consciousness  
tell you how much happier you feel when 
you have done the latter4 ,yet you need1
 over and over again1 to fortify        
yourself against temptation to hasty or 
ill-natured or improper speech by       
determining beforehand that you will not
 give way to the temptation2 that you   
will control yourself4 ,and whenever you
 have allowed yourself to be overcome by
 such temptation you should make it the 
occasion of serious reflection and      
earnest resolve to be more guarded in   
future4 ,you will have attained a great 
deal in the direction of high and noble 
character when you have learned to      
control your speech4 ,it is the same in 
regard to controlling your temper4 ,but 
there is one truth of which ,i can      
assure you3 ,if you will learn to be    
silent and not speak at all when you    
feel that your temper is getting or has 
gotten the better of you1 you will soon 

get the better of your temper4 ,there is
 no such efficient discipline for a     
hasty temper as determined1 self-imposed
 silence4 ,then1 too1 there is a dignity
 about silence under provocation that is
 impressive and effective4 ,the greatest
 disadvantage at which any person can be
 placed in the eyes of companions and   
friends is that of losing control of    
one's tongue as well as of one's temper4
 ,in nearly every case where we receive 
provocation or affront1 speech may be   
silver1 but silence is golden4 ,the     
person who keeps control of his temper  
controls everyone4  ,self-control1 once 
acquired1 will be the most important    
factor in helping to shape your life    
rightly in every direction ,it will keep
 you from hurtful indulgence in mere    
pleasure2 from harmful indulgence in    
rich or improper foods2 from too much   
dissipation of time and thought in      
social enjoyment ,it will help you to   
leave the society of companions and     
other pleasures in order to put your    

mind upon your studies or your tasks2   
help you1 when you find lessons hard and
 long1 and that earnest work is required
 to learn them1 to perform that long and
 earnest work2 help you1 when you feel  
disposed to give way to indisposition or
 indolence1 to hold steadily on till    
your tasks1 no matter what they are1 are
 accomplished4  ,and as good behavior is
 the root of good manners1 so           
self-control is the root of all true    
self-culture4 ,we hear a great deal     
now-a-days about culture1 cultured      
people1 cultivated society1 etc41 and it
 is a good and natural wish to possess  
culture and to be classed among cultured
 people4 ,intelligence and good manners 
are the only passport into the charmed  
circle4 ,self-control will enable us to 
become possessed of both4 ,it will      
enable us to restrain ourselves from all
 rude1 loud1 hasty1 ungentle speech and 
action1 help us to modulate our voices1 
and even cultivate our laughter4 ,it    
will also enable us1 through mental     

application and effort1 to acquire      
knowledge4 ,so abundant are the         
intellectual treasures now brought      
within the reach of everyone by the     
cheapness of standard educational works 
of every kind1 that the young person who
 is not intelligent through reading and 
study has only himself or herself to    
blame4 ,self-control will help you to   
study and learn faithfully when you are 
in school2 it will help you to decide   
upon and carry out some useful course of
 reading and study if you are not in    
school2 and this1 even though you have  
many other duties to perform4 ,in every 
town and village may be found persons   
competent to advise and direct courses  
of study and reading for those who have 
the energy to pursue them4 ,you will    
have no excuse at any period of your    
life for failure to progress and improve
 intellectually1 except your own        
inability to compel yourself to make use
 of the opportunities that lie all      
around you4  ,it is hardly necessary for

 me to remind you of what you know so   
well1 that in reading you should choose 
only the best books4 ,we may without    
harm divert the mind for a little each  
day by light miscellaneous reading1 but 
young people especially need to be      
warned against indiscriminate novel or  
story reading4 ,here again the virtue of
 self-control comes in to help do the   
right and avoid the wrong4 ,if you      
discover that your taste is more for the
 improbable highly-wrought pages of     
fiction than for such works as are known
 to everyone as standard and improving1 
let it be a sign to you that you should 
summon your self-control and compel     
yourself to a different sort of reading4
 ,if you find that you cannot relish or 
fix your mind upon standard works of    
history biography1 travel1 or any of the
 many excellent books written to bring  
scientific knowledge within the         
comprehension of the general reader1    
then you may conclude rightly that your 
mind is in a very uncultivated state4   

,your own efforts and determination--in 
other words1 your power of              
self-control--alone can effect anything 
worthy in self-culture4 ,to attain the  
power of self-control in a high degree  
is one of the greatest and most         
important aims we can set before us in  
life4 ,i do not believe it can ever be  
attained in our own strength4 ,to       
rightly control temper and speech and   
conduct requires help from the divine   
,spirit which is always around and over 
us1 and within us1 if we will but let   
our hearts be receptive to its          
influences4 ,the greatest possible help 
to self-control is to learn in the      
moment of temptation to lift the heart  
to ,god in earnest aspiration for ,his  
help and guidance4 ,a sense of the      
presence of ,god is always a strength1  
and help when we are conscious of       
earnest effort to do right4 ,the ,bible 
says3 ,it is ,god that worketh in you   
both to will and to do of his good      
pleasure4 ,it is one of the great       

mysteries and yet one of the most       
evident truths of life1 that we must    
work ourselves1 and that ,god works in  
and with us1 to accomplish any good     
thing4 ,that you may know and realize   
this truth1 and learn to find for       
yourself the comfort and support and    
strength of soul that comes from seeking
 after ,god1 is my most earnest hope and
 prayer for you4     ,,letter ,,iii4    
,,aims ,,in ,,life4   ,my ,dear         
,daughter3--,there is no disputing the  
fact that in making plans for life very 
different motives and aims influence    
young girls from those which influence  
young men4 ,every right-minded and      
affectionate-natured young girl looks   
forward to1 and hopes most of all to    
have1 a home of her own1 which it shall 
be her life-work to keep and guide4 ,to 
prepare herself rightly to fulfill all  
the duties that belong to the mistress  
of a home1 should be the one            
all-embracing aim of any young girl's   
life2 but with this should be other     

aims1 which may help to prepare her for 
vicissitudes1 emergencies1 or disasters1
 and also give her worthy occupation and
 interest in life should she never be   
called to the duties of a wife and      
mother4  ,to speak first of preparation 
to become the mistress of a home1 should
 ,providence have such a future in      
store4 ,what qualities are needed to    
insure that a woman shall be a happy    
home-keeper8 ,certainly1 a good temper1 
a cheerful disposition1 a willingness to
 give time and thought to the details of
 home-keeping1 commonly called domestic 
cares1 habits of order and neatness1 and
 good health1 so that one may both give 
and receive pleasure while discharging  
the duties of the home4  ,this thought  
of a possible future home1 the abode of 
love and happiness1 should be the       
greatest safeguard to every young girl  
in her acquaintance and association with
 young men4 ,a high ideal of the        
exclusiveness of that affection which   
must be the foundation of every true and

 happy home1 should constrain every     
young girl to exercise the greatest     
possible caution in regard to the       
advances of acquaintances of the        
opposite sex4 ,not that there should be 
a prudish self-consciousness of manner1 
or a disposition to suspect matrimonial 
intentions in every young gentleman who 
is friendly and polite to her1 but that 
all young men should be firmly prevented
 from coming into any intimacy of       
acquaintance or relationship that might 
cause unhappy and mortifying reflection 
in after-time4 ,treat all young men     
kindly and respectfully1 if they are    
polite and respectful to you4 ,scorn to 
encourage any to make advances which you
 know you will one day repel4 ,but in   
discouraging such advances1 be kind and 
respectful4 ,never do or say anything   
wilfully to wound and give pain to the  
feelings4 ,remember that the sharpest   
grief of life1 as well as its greatest  
happiness1 is connected with the        
love-making period in the life of all   

good young people1 and never treat with 
frivolity or rudeness any earnest       
feeling on the part of anyone4 ,the     
young girl who can rudely repulse the   
sincere advance of any honorable young  
man has some defect in her moral and    
affectional nature ,and as for any      
advance by a gentleman1 young or old1   
that is not respectful or sincere1 a    
young girl is much to blame if it ever  
happens more than once4 ,chaffing and   
teasing about beaux and courtship and   
marriage are very unbecoming1 and blur  
that delicacy of feeling which is the   
greatest charm in the relation between  
young people of opposite sexes4         
,cherishing as the happiest ideal of    
life the possible future home of your   
own1 you should still remember that it  
may never be yours1 and should make such
 other provision for living your life as
 shall help you to the next best thing4 
,the first and highest good1 next after 
a home of your own1 is to be able to    
render to the world some service for    

which it will pay you1 thus making you  
independent and enabling you to shape   
your life as you wish4 ,you and all     
young girls of the present generation   
are happy in having avenues of useful   
remunerative occupation open to you on  
every hand1 and society smiles and      
approves if you work at something to win
 independence and make money4 ,it is    
scarcely necessary to remind you that in
 order to do effective paying work you  
must choose some specialty and acquire  
skill in its exercise before you can    
hope to earn any considerable wages or  
salary4 ,while perfecting yourself in   
the specialty you will have abundant    
opportunity to observe that it takes    
patience1 perseverance1 and             
determination1 to do any kind of work   
well4 ,one great reason why so many fail
 of making any success in life is that  
they have not the power of sticking     
steadily to their work4 ,they get tired1
 and want to stop2 whereas the true     
worker works though he is tired--works  

till it doesn't tire him to work2 works 
on1 unheeding the numerous temptations  
to turn aside to this or that diversion4
 ,there are now so many fields of       
honorable and profitable employment open
 to young girls that it is only         
necessary for you to choose what you    
will do4 ,but make a choice to do       
something useful and worthy of your     
powers4 ,you will be happier1 and you   
will be a better and nobler woman1 for  
so doing4 ,you will be spared the       
discontent and restlessness of spirit   
which characterize the girl with nothing
 in particular to do1 and who often     
becomes on this account a nuisance to   
all earnest people around her4  ,in     
order to fulfill aright the duties of   
any relation of life1 the first         
requirement the greatest necessity1 next
 to a firm resolution and will1 is good 
health4 ,without good health there is no
 substantial foundation for anything    
earthly4 ,good health is the fountain of
 human enjoyment and the greatest of    

earthly riches4 ,it is the great        
beautifier2 it is the great preservative
 of good looks4 ,how strange1 then1 that
 so many girls are so careless1 so      
provokingly careless1 of this priceless 
blessing6 ,how strange that they will   
wear clothing that they know tends to   
break down their health2 tight corsets  
that compress the lungs and spoil the   
natural shape of the body2 tight shoes  
that interfere with the circulation of  
blood1 and make their noses and hands   
red1 and give them predisposition to    
colds and coughs and nervous headaches1 
all of which put to severe tests the    
patience and affection of those around  
them4 ,good health is always attractive2
 ill-health1 invalidism1 nervousness1   
are very apt to be repellant4 ,better   
good health than beauty1 if one were    
obliged to choose--which one is not1 for
 good health is one of the chief        
elements of beauty4  ,so1 if you aim    
first to be good and kind and           
intelligent and industrious and         

skillful1 so that you may be fitted to  
guide and adorn a home should you be    
blessed with one1 or to be fitted to    
shape your life to usefulness and       
independence if you never have a home of
 your own1 and if in connection with    
these aims you seek to obtain and       
preserve good health1 you will1 so far  
as this life is concerned1 be thoroughly
 furnished unto all good works4 ,you    
will become a noble woman1 whose        
adorning will be not alone of the       
outward appearance1 but of the inner    
life and of the soul--an adorning which1
 according to ,st4 ,paul1 is in the     
sight of ,god of great price4           
,,letter ,,iv4  ,,personal ,,habits4    
,my ,dear ,daughter3--,the power of     
winning love and friends1 which is such 
a precious possession to all young      
people especially to young girls1 will1 
in connection with good behavior and    
good manners1 depend very largely upon  
certain personal habits1 chief among    
which are order1 neatness1 promptness1  

and cheerfulness4  ,the girl or woman   
who is personally disorderly and untidy 
in her room and dress puts a great      
strain upon the patience and affection  
of all those associated with her who are
 possessed of refined and cultivated    
tastes4 ,in fact1 ,i believe there is   
nothing so disenchanting1 so contrary to
 ideal young womanhood as a lack of     
neatness and tidiness in person and     
dress4 ,this wonderful physical organism
 with which we have been endowed depends
 for its perfection and health and      
attractiveness upon the care we give it4
 ,the teeth1 the hair1 the complexion1  
are all dependent for their beauty--and 
it is quite right that we should strive 
to make them beautiful--upon constant   
attention to those conditions which     
insure their health and perfection4 ,and
 the most important of these conditions 
is cleanliness4 ,at the present time1 no
 young girl can hope for recognition or 
welcome in refined and cultivated       
society1 upon whose teeth tartar and    

other discoloring deposits are allowed  
to accumulate2 whose breath is not pure 
and sweet2 whose hair is muggy and      
untidily kept2 whose finger nails are   
neglected and dark at the edges4 ,these 
things may seem trifles1 but they are   
not1 for they are the outward expression
 of an inward grace2 all these marks    
really reveal character4 ,an untidy girl
 may be talented and good-tempered1 but 
she lacks one of the most essential     
qualities for gaining and retaining     
respect and affection4  ,the room of any
 young girl is a great revealer of      
character in respect to real refinement 
and purity of taste1 especially if one  
comes upon it somewhat unawares4 ,not   
very long since1 ,i was called by       
unexpected circumstances to spend a day 
or two at the house of a friend1 where1 
owing to the severe illness of two      
members of the family1 the spare rooms  
were not available and ,i was without   
delay or warning shown to the private   
room of a young lady member of the      

family4 ,it was a low attic room with a 
deep dormer window1 and1 seen           
unfurnished1 might be regarded as       
unattractive in size and shape4 ,but the
 impression it made as ,i entered and   
surveyed it was of refinement1 beauty1  
repose1 and purity4 ,the furniture was  
plain1 but the bed was made up so       
beautifully1 and looked so inviting in  
its snowy covering that ,i did not      
notice whether the bedstead was fine or 
plain4 ,the carpet and papering of the  
room were of light neutral tints1 and   
the broad sloping walls which made the  
sides of the dormer window were         
ornamented1 the one with a long branch  
of dogwood blossoms1 the other with     
graceful groupings of poppies and swamp 
grass1 painted thereon by the occupant  
of the room herself4 ,a wicker          
rocking-chair had a cushion of          
bright-colored satine firmly tied in1   
and matching the ribbons which were     
drawn through the bordering interstices 
of the chair4 ,a small table1 another   

chair1 a footstool1 and two or three    
simple pictures on the walls1 along with
 wash-stand and bureau1 completed the   
furnishing of a room that instantly     
attracted and delighted the beholder4   
,but the impression above all others    
that the room gave was of perfect purity
 and sweetness and health2 and this was 
due to the beautiful tidiness and       
cleanliness everywhere apparent4        
,wash-stand and bureau were in perfect  
order1 with their white mats1 clean     
towels1 and every accessory of a refined
 lady's toilet4 ,the wide deep closet   
was filled with the appurtenances of a  
young lady's wardrobe1 but was          
strikingly neat and attractive4 ,shoes  
and slippers were laid neatly in a      
certain place on the shelves2 articles  
of clothing that are usually difficult  
to dispose of in an orderly manner1 all 
had an appropriate place1 and so neatly 
and tidily was everything arranged that 
one felt sure the purity and order      
extended to the most secret recesses of 

every place in the room4 ,there was no  
danger in any direction of coming upon  
anything that was not in keeping with   
the room of a refined and delicate young
 girl4 ,the drawers of bureau and       
wash-stand1 as ,i happened to have      
opportunity to observe them1 were as    
sweet and clean and orderly as the rest 
of the room4 ,i felt better acquainted  
with the character of that young girl   
after two days occupation of her        
beautifully kept and appointed room than
 a year of ordinary acquaintance would  
have given me4  ,and while ,i am on the 
subject of an orderly and daintily kept 
room1 let me tell you that the modern   
bane of order and neatness in a house is
 too many trivial and useless things1   
intended perhaps for ornament1 but      
confusing to the eye1 offensive to good 
taste1 and more effective for catching  
dust than for anything else4 ,the       
multiplication of cheap picture-cards1  
wall-pockets1 brackets1 and all sorts of
 little useless knicknacks1 has helped  

on this confusion1 till one is almost   
tempted to regard them as nuisances4 ,a 
few of these ornamental trifles1        
arranged with an eye to a certain unity 
of design1 may do very well2 but1 as    
,william ,morris1 the great apostle of  
true decorative art in ,england1 has    
said1 ,better pure empty space than     
unworthy and confusing ornament4 ,you   
may have heard it related of the great  
naturalist1 ,thoreau1 that he made a    
collection of stones during his rambles1
 and placed them on his writing-table2  
but when he found he had to dust them   
every day1 he threw them away4  ,this   
same general principle applies to dress4
 ,too many little trivial ornaments will
 destroy the character and dignity of   
any costume4 ,better one or two         
ornaments of good quality1 or better    
none at all1 than half a dozen of poor  
quality4 ,and in regard to a young      
girl's wardrobe1 the same fundamental   
rule prevails3 if every article of      
apparel is not daintily clean1 it is    

unbecoming and unworthy a refined       
personality4 ,soiled laces and soiled   
ribbons are to be shunned2 but better   
untidiness and soil of the outward      
apparel than of that which we know by   
the general name of underwear1 which is 
far more personal and important than the
 outward costume4 ,the more refined the 
character and taste of any young girl1  
the more particular will she be in the  
matter of all articles of apparel that  
are private to herself1 that they shall 
at least be daintily neat and clean4 ,i 
need not say to you how disenchanting it
 is to see a young lady's foot with a   
shoe half buttoned because half the     
buttons are gone2 or to see a slipper   
slip off and disclose neglected and     
untidy hose4 ,no young girl of proper   
self-respect or refinement will ever    
tolerate any such blemishes in her      
wardrobe4  ,next in importance to habits
 of order and personal neatness comes   
the habit of promptness4 ,the girl who  
loiters and dawdles and keeps people    

waiting1 who is behindhand with her work
 as well as in keeping her appointments1
 who is never ready at meal-time1 but   
who is always ready with some excuse for
 such annoying conduct1 is a household  
nuisance1 a really painful trial to all 
who are brought into intimate relations 
with her4 ,how often have ,i wished it  
were possible to arouse the             
consciousness of daughters in           
comfortable homes to the pain and       
inconvenience they give their parents   
and friends by a habitual lack of       
promptness6 ,for my own part1 ,i        
remember how my conscience was first    
aroused1 in my youth1 on this point4 ,i 
was reading a book written for young    
girls by ,jane ,taylor--a writer ,i wish
 were in print now--when ,i came across 
this instruction3 ,when you hear the    
bell ring for meals1 rise immediately1  
leave whatever you are doing1 and at    
once go to the table4 ,just as ,i was   
reading this sentence the bell rang1 and
 ,i immediately obeyed the summons4 ,i  

noticed that my mother needed my help in
 seating the younger children at the    
table and attending to their wants1 and 
,i gave her my assistance4 ,somehow the 
meal seemed to pass off more pleasantly 
than usual1 and ,i felt my conscience   
prick me that ,i had so often given my  
mother trouble by loitering and delaying
 at meal-time4 ,i resolved that         
henceforth ,i would be promptly on hand 
to help her4 ,from that time there was a
 marked change for the better in the    
ease with which our family meals were   
served1 and all because ,i was always   
promptly on hand to help my mother4 ,i  
do not know that she or any of the      
family knew or noticed the reason1 but  
,i was very well aware of it4 ,it was   
really a kind of turning-point in my    
habits of life and usefulness at home4  
,to this day ,i never hear a bell ring  
for meals1 without the injunction of    
,jane ,taylor coming into my mind3 ,rise
 immediately1 leave whatever you are    
doing1 and go at once to the table4 ,i  

can assure you1 my child1 it would add  
greatly to the comfort and happiness of 
many houses1 and greatly relieve many an
 overtaxed mother1 if this good         
old-fashioned direction were heeded not 
only by daughters but by other members  
of the family also4  ,and if now1 in    
addition to these good habits1 you      
cultivate the habit of cheerfulness and 
earnestly guard against temptation to   
fretfulness1 moroseness1 or impatience1 
you will be well started on the way     
towards a useful and lovely womanhood4  
,a good daughter in a home is a         
well-spring of joy1 an ever-fresh source
 of delight and consolation to her      
parents4 ,especially is she the stay and
 support and strength of her mother1 the
 happiness of whose life depends so     
largely upon the respectful and         
affectionate conduct and attentions of  
her children4     ,,letter ,v4          
,,society--,,conversation4   ,my ,dear  
,daughter3--,to give and receive        
pleasure in those pleasant assemblages  

and meetings of acquaintances and       
friends known by the general name of    
society1 is one of the worthy minor aims
 of life4 ,it is one of the marks of an 
advancing state of intelligence and     
culture1 when an assemblage of gentlemen
 and ladies can pass delightful hours in
 the mere interchange of thought in     
conversation4 ,and while games and other
 amusements may serve for a temporary   
variety 7always excepting games known as
 kissing-games1 which should be promptly
 tabooed and denounced1 and ever will be
 in truly refined society71 yet animated
 and intelligent conversation must      
always hold the first place in the list 
of the pleasures of any refined society 
circle4  ,how shall a young girl fit    
herself to enjoy and to afford enjoyment
 in general society8 ,certainly the     
first requisites are intelligence1 a    
good knowledge of standard literature1 a
 general knowledge of the more important
 events that are taking place in the    
world1 and such a knowledge of the best 

current literature as may be obtained   
from the regular reading of one or two  
of the standard monthly magazines4  ,and
 here it may help you if ,i             
particularize a little in regard to a   
knowledge of important events of the day
 and also of general and current        
literature4 ,of course the main source  
of knowledge of the more important      
events that are going on in the world is
 the daily or weekly newspaper2 and yet 
there is scarcely any reading so utterly
 demoralizing to good mental habits as  
the ordinary daily paper4 ,more than    
three-fourths of the matter printed in  
the great city dailies is not only of no
 use to anyone1 but it is a positive    
damage to habits of mental application  
to read it4 ,it is a waste of time even 
to undertake to sift the important from 
the unimportant4 ,the most that any     
earnest person should attempt to do with
 a daily paper is to glance over the    
headlines which give the gist of the    
news1 and then to read such editorial   

comments as enable the reader to        
understand the more important events and
 affairs that are transpiring in the    
world so that reference to them in      
conversation would be intelligent and   
intelligible4 ,but if one should never  
see a daily paper1 yet should every week
 carefully read a digest of news        
prepared for a good weekly paper1 one   
would be thoroughly furnished with all  
necessary knowledge of contemporaneous  
events1 and the time thus saved from    
daily papers could be profitably        
employed in other reading4  ,the field  
of literature is now so vast that no one
 can hope to be well acquainted with    
more than a small portion of it4 ,yet   
every well-informed young person should 
know the general character of the       
principal writers since the time of     
,shakespere1 even though one should     
never read their works4 ,you may        
remember how1 in the recently finished  
novel of ,the ,rise of ,silas ,lapham1  
the novelist1 with a few sentences1     

shows how ridiculous a really beautiful 
and amiable girl with a high-school     
education may make herself in           
conversation by her lack of knowledge of
 standard literature4 ,she was telling a
 young gentleman where the book-shelves 
were to be in the splendid new house    
being built by her father1 and          
suggesting that the shelves would look  
nice if the books had nice bindings4    
',of course1 ,i presume1' said ,irene1  
thoughtfully1 'we shall have to have    
,gibbon4'  ',if you want to read him1'  
said ,corey1 with a laugh of sympathy   
for an imaginable joke4  ',we had a good
 deal about him in school4 ,i believe we
 had one of his books4 ,mine's lost1 but
 ,pen will remember4'  ,the young man   
looked at her1 and then said seriously1 
',you'll want ,green1 of course1 and    
,motley1 and ,parkman4'  ',yes4 ,what   
kind of writers are they8'  ',they're   
historians1 too4'  ',oh1 yes2 ,i        
remember now4 ,that's what ,gibbon was4 
,is it ,gibbon or ,gibbons8'  ,the young

 man decided the point with apparently  
superfluous delicacy4 ',gibbon1 ,i      
think4'  ',there used to be so many of  
them1' said ,irene1 gaily4 ',i used to  
get them mixed up with each other1 and  
,i couldn't tell them from the poets4   
,should you want to have poetry8'       
',yes4 ,i suppose some edition of the   
,english poets4'  ',we don't any of us  
like poetry4 ,do you like it8'  ',i'm   
afraid ,i don't1 very much1' ,corey     
owned4 ',but of course there was a time 
when ,tennyson was a great deal more to 
me than he is now4'  ',we had something 
about him at school1 too4 ,i think ,i   
remember the name4 ,i think we ought to 
have all the ,american poets4'  ',well1 
not all4 ,five or six of the best2 you  
want ,longfellow1 and ,bryant1 and      
,whittier1 and ,emerson1 and ,lowell4'  
',and ,shakespere1' she added4 ',don't  
you like ,shakespere's plays8444 ,we had
 ever so much about ,shakespere4        
,weren't you perfectly astonished when  
you found out how many other plays there

 were of his8 ,i always thought there   
was nothing but ,hamlet1 and ,romeo and 
,juliet1 and ,macbeth1 and ,richard     
,,iii41 and ,king ,lear1 and that one   
that ,robson and ,crane have--oh1 yes1  
,comedy of ,errors6'  ,so you see how   
ridiculous this young girl1 by the      
betrayal of such ignorance1 made herself
 in conversation with a cultured young  
gentleman whose good opinion she was    
most anxious to win4 ,and yet1 to talk  
too much about books is not well2 it    
often marks the pedantic and egotistic  
character4 ,it is safe to say that      
unless one happens to meet a very       
congenial mind among conversers in      
general society1 to introduce the       
subject of books is liable to be        
misconstrued4 ,it is not very long since
 another popular modern novelist held up
 to scorn and ridicule the young woman  
whose particular ambition seemed to be  
to let society know what an immense     
number of books she had been reading4   
,nevertheless1 one must have a good     

groundwork of knowledge of books in     
order to avoid mistakes such as poor    
,irene made in talking with young       
,corey4  ,directions and suggestions for
 aiding young people to become agreeable
 and pleasant conversers must           
necessarily be mainly negative4 ,taken  
for granted that a young person         
possesses animation good sense1         
intelligence1 and a genuine interest in 
her companions and the world around her2
 is observing1 and can speak            
grammatically without hesitating2 knows 
the difference between you and ,i and   
you and me 7which ,i am sorry to say a  
great many young girls of my            
acquaintance do not1 for ,i constantly  
hear them saying1 ,he brought you and ,i
 a bouquet1 or1 ,you and me are invited 
to tea this evening71 she can almost    
certainly be a pleasant and entertaining
 converser if she avoids certain things1
 as1 for instance3  #a4 ,she must avoid 
talking about herself1 her exploits1 her
 acquirements1 her entertainments1 her  

beaux1 etc4 ,especially should she avoid
 seeking to make an impression by       
frequent mention of advantageous friends
 or circumstances4 ,the greatest        
observer and commentator upon manners   
that ever wrote was ,mr4 ,emerson4 ,in  
one of his essays he says3 ,you shall   
not enumerate your brilliant            
acquaintances1 nor tell me by their     
titles what books you have read4 ,i am  
to infer that you keep good company by  
your good manners and better            
information2 and to infer your reading  
from the wealth1 and accuracy of your   
conversation4  #b4 ,she must avoid a    
loud tone of voice1 and also avoid      
laughing too much and too easily4 ,to   
laugh aloud is a dangerous thing1 unless
 all noise and harshness have been      
cultivated out of the voice1 as ought to
 be done in every good school4 ,the     
culture of the voice is one of the most 
important elements in making a pleasant 
converser4 ,american girls and women are
 accused by cultivated foreigners of    

having loud1 harsh1 strident voices2 and
 there is too much truth in the         
accusation4 ,nor is there any excuse for
 unpleasant1 harsh1 rough1 nasal tones  
of voice in these days when in every    
good school instruction is given in the 
management of the voice for reading and 
conversation4 ,the cause of harshness   
and loudness is often mere carelessness 
on the part of young people4 ,but       
talking in too loud a tone is scarcely  
less unpleasant to the listeners than   
the use of too low a tone1 which is     
generally an affectation4  #c4 ,she must
 avoid frequent attempts at wit2 avoid  
punning1 which is the cheapest possible 
form of wit2 and avoid sarcasm4 ,the    
talent for being sarcastic is a most    
dangerous one4 ',no one ever knew a     
sarcastic woman who could keep friends4 
,the temptation to be bright and        
interesting and to attract attention by 
the use of sarcasm is very strong1 for  
nearly all will be interested in it and 
enjoy it for a little4 ,but were ,i     

obliged to choose between sarcasm and   
dullness in a young girl1 ,i should     
prefer dullness4 ,happily1 this is not a
 necessary alternative4  #d4 ,she must  
avoid a kind of joking and badinage that
 should never be heard among well-bred  
young people in society--that about     
courtship and marriage4 ,much harm1 much
 blunting of fine sensibilities1 much   
destruction of that delicate modesty    
which is the priceless dower of young   
girlhood1 comes of such jesting and     
joking where it is permitted without    
restraint or reproof4 ,a young girl may 
not be called upon to reprove it1 but   
she certainly can shun the company of   
those who are given to such vulgarity   
7for no other term will rightly describe
 it71 and she can certainly refrain from
 joining in any conversation of this    
description4  ,always remember that to  
be a good converser you must be a good  
listener4 ,very often people acquire a  
pleasant reputation and popularity in   
society by the exercise of this talent  

alone--that of listening with attention 
and interest to what other people say4  
,be especially careful to avoid         
interrupting one who is speaking4 ,many 
a fine and noble thought1 many an       
interesting discussion1 is broken off   
and lost by the irrelevant interruption 
of some thoughtless person4 ,one reason 
why the art of conversation has so      
degenerated in these days is that so few
 have a real interest in hearing the    
fine thoughts of good thinker and       
talkers4 ,so many people want to talk   
about themselves1 or their affairs1 that
 it is in many circles almost an        
impossibility to maintain a high and    
elevating conversation4 ,until years and
 experience1 as well as wide reading and
 information1 have given you the right  
to express freely your opinions in      
society1 it will be well to listen a    
great deal more than you speak1         
especially when in the company of your  
elders4 ,avoid all sentimentality1 or   
the discussion of subjects that would   

expose the private and sacred feelings  
of the heart4 ,do not quote poetry2 do  
not ask people's opinions on delicate   
and individual questions4 ,i have heard 
a young boarding-school graduate        
embarrass a whole room-full of excellent
 and educated people by asking a young  
gentleman if he did not think           
,longfellow very inferior to ,lowell in 
his love poems4 ,among those of your own
 age let what you have to say relate to 
everything more than to the doings or   
sayings of other people4 ,in this way   
you will avoid that bane of social      
conversation--gossip4 ,in all social    
relations strive to throw your influence
 for that which is faithful1 sincere1   
kind1 generous1 and just4 ,have a       
special thought and regard for those who
 may labor under disadvantages8 be      
especially kind to the shrinking and    
timid1 to the poor and unfortunate4     
,strive to be worthy of the confidence  
and respect and love of your associates1
 and all your relations to society will 

be easily and naturally and happily     
adjusted4     ,,letter ,,vi4            
,,associates ,,and ,,friends4   ,my     
,dear ,daughter3--,when ,i was a young  
girl1 ,i well remember that my parents  
judged who were and who were not        
desirable and proper associates for     
their children1 chiefly by reference to 
the parents and family of our young     
companions4 ,it was taken for granted   
that the children of good1 honorable1   
,christian people1 who strove to train  
their children to obedience and a       
conscientious life1 would be suitable   
companions for us2 and this criterion in
 nearly every instance proved to be a   
true one4 ,in only one instance1 indeed1
 did it fail2 and ,i well remember the  
shock it gave a whole circle of young   
people1 when a young companion1 the son 
of an eminent clergyman1 was sent home  
on account of his language and conduct  
after one week's visit among friends1   
when it had been expected by all that he
 would stay two or three months4  ,but  

in these days this criterion of family  
and parentage is insufficient2 for1 sad 
as it may seem1 the children of really  
excellent parents are often so derelict 
in duty1 so lacking in                  
conscientiousness1 so idle and aimless  
and frivolous that their companionship  
should be dreaded for susceptible young 
people especially for young girls4 ,one 
thing is very certain3 that in these    
days young people1 when out of sight of 
their parents1 often act and talk in a  
way which they certainly would not do in
 their parents' presence4 ,and that is  
truly a distressing fear which often    
comes to the hearts of excellent and    
faithful parents1 that the conduct of   
their children when out of their sight  
and restraint may be totally at variance
 with all they have been taught in      
regard to right and proper conduct4     
,now all people1 old or young1 are      
influenced in conduct somewhat by their 
associates and friends2 but young people
 especially are susceptible to the      

influence of example4 ,and it is a      
painful but well known fact that young  
people are much more easily and quickly 
influenced by bad example than by good4 
,one frivolous1 vain1 forward1 pert     
young girl1 coming for a season into    
association with a company of young     
people1 may in a few short weeks make   
her impress on the manners and          
conversation of the whole of them4 ,her 
slang expressions will be adopted2 her  
loud manners and eccentricities of dress
 will be imitated2 her frivolity and    
dislike for any of the serious duties of
 life will prove contagious4  ,for you1 
and for any young girl1 ,i would        
consider dangerous and harmful intimate 
association with3  #a4 ,the young girl  
who1 either from circumstances or       
natural disposition1 does not compel    
herself1 or is not compelled to do      
something--to study her lessons and take
 some useful share in every-day duties4 
,nothing to do is worse than nothing to 
eat1 said a great man1 ,thomas ,carlyle2

 and observing parents or teachers know 
this to be especially true of young     
people4 ,it makes no difference that    
they don't want to do anything or to    
exert themselves4 ,the very absence of  
exertion makes them weak and indisposed 
to effort4 ,it is a lamentable lack at  
the present time among a large          
proportion of the daughters of          
comfortable and refined homes1 that they
 have small physical strength and no    
qualities of endurance at all4 ,they are
 all tired out if they sweep and dust or
 do housework for an hour or two1 or    
take a half-mile walk on an errand1 or  
sew continuously for an hour4 ,very     
likely they will want to lie down and   
rest an hour after such exertion4 ,this 
is all the result of unexercised muscles
 and mental indolence4 ,that mother was 
quite right1 who1 when her              
boarding-school daughter complained that
 it made her arms ache to sweep1        
replied3 ,well1 you must sweep till it  
doesn't make them ache4 ,mind and body  

both grow strong through exercise4      
,unexercised muscles1 of course1 will be
 weak and flabby and tire easily4 ,but  
the young girl whom it tires to work is 
most likely on the qui vive about some  
folly or other nearly all the time4     
,lack of healthful mental and bodily    
occupation and stimulus will almost     
certainly produce a craving for         
unhealthy excitement4 ,such a girl is   
apt to be constantly planning for mere  
pleasure and to have a good time4 ,and1 
oh6 what an unsatisfying1 unworthy aim  
in life is this1 and how pernicious in  
its effects6 ,pleasure and a good time  
are all very well1 but unless they are  
partaken of sparingly they produce a    
mental effect similar to that which the 
constant use of desserts and sweetmeats1
 instead of plain substantial food1     
would produce in the physical system4   
,association with the idle and the mere 
pleasure-seeker is therefore to be      
guarded against1 for their influence    
cannot but be harmful4  #b4 ,although   

perfection is not to be expected in any 
companion or associate1 yet there are   
certain defects of character which are  
so grave that parents cannot afford to  
encourage their children in associating 
with those who exhibit these in a marked
 degree4 ,untruthfulness2 the habit of  
gossiping about friends or acquaintances
 or divulging family privacies2         
sullenness and moroseness under reproof2
 rebellious and disrespectful           
expressions and conduct toward parents  
and teachers2 indifference to the good  
opinion of sensible people1 as shown by 
unusual and startling conduct in public 
places2 all such things mark the        
undesirable associate for young girls4  
,but there are young girls against whom 
none of these complaints could be made1 
who are undesirable companions because  
they are wholly absorbed in love of     
dress and display and desire to be      
admired and noticed4 ,it is generally   
among this class that we find young     
girls who prefer to an altogether       

unreasonable and unbecoming extent1 the 
society of young men to the society of  
their own sex4 ,it is among these that  
we find the young lady who does not know
 how to prevent undue familiarity in the
 conduct of young men2 who will tolerate
 without disapprobation or protest1 rude
 conduct on the part of young men4 ,this
 over-eagerness for their society1 and  
easy toleration of too familiar conduct 
and conversation1 young men1 who are    
quick discerners in such matters1 are   
very apt to take advantage of4 ,only the
 best and most high-principled among    
them will refrain from doing so4  ,i    
have spoken of the influence that a     
frivolous1 vain1 selfish companion will 
be sure to exercise over those with whom
 she is intimately associated4 ,for you1
 as for any young girl1 ,i would seek to
 prevent such associations4 ,on the     
other hand1 ,i should rejoice to see you
 form friendships with good1            
high-minded1 intelligent1               
gentle-mannered girls of your own age1  

and should hope that you would mutually 
emulate and stimulate each other in all 
worthy aims and ambitions4 ,such        
friendships1 however1 are seldom hastily
 formed4 ,the gushing and violent       
attachments that sometimes spring up    
between young girls are sure to be of   
mushroom growth and duration1 unless    
there is genuine character and merit in 
both4 ,during the period of the         
continuance of such friendships1 a great
 deal of selfishness for two is often   
developed and manifested4 ,very often   
when young people are visiting together 
their attentions to each other seem to  
make them forget their duties and the   
attentions due to other people4 ,here is
 one of the best tests of the true      
character of a young girl3 her conduct  
in the house where she is a visitor4 ,if
 she is truly well-mannered and         
kind-hearted she will certainly be on   
her guard to conform to the hours and   
habits of the household where she is a  
guest2 she will avoid making any demands

 upon the time of her friend that would 
cause that friend to neglect her daily  
duties or put to inconvenience the other
 members of the family4 ,she will divide
 her attentions with all the members of 
the family1 having special regard for   
the very young or the very old4 ,she    
will1 above all things1 be prompt and   
punctual at meal-time4 ,her own tact and
 judgment will enable her to judge how  
much assistance she should offer1 if    
any1 to the friends she visits--a matter
 which must always be determined by     
circumstances4 ,in some families and    
under some circumstances it might be a  
breach of decorum and an act of         
officiousness on the part of a visitor  
to make any offer of assistance in the  
matter of the daily household           
arrangements4 ,in other families and    
under other circumstances it might be an
 act of the kindest and best politeness 
to undertake every day during her visit 
a portion of the daily home-duties4     
,that which a young girl who is a       

visitor in any family should first of   
all observe1 is the wishes and          
convenience of the older people of the  
household4 ,if the friend she is        
visiting should show too much           
disposition to make everything about the
 house bend to the occasion of the      
visit1 the visitor should deprecate     
this1 both by word and example4 ,every  
mother of young daughters knows the     
difference between visitors who are     
thoughtful and deferential and helpful1 
and those whose overweening interest in 
self and selfish plans makes them       
oblivious to the convenience and wishes 
and preferences of their hostess and    
other members of the family4  ,if one   
wished thoroughly to understand the     
character of any young girl1 no better  
test could be applied than to invite her
 to a three weeks' family visit4 ,by    
daily observation one could then learn  
how near in character and disposition1  
in habits and manners1 she approached   
that beautiful ideal of the poet ,lowell

 which ,i wish every young girl might   
constantly strive to imitate and attain 
to3      ,in herself she dwelleth not1  
,although no home were half so fair2    
,no simplest duty is forgot1     ,life  
hath no dim and lowly spot       ,that  
doth not in her sunshine share4         
,she doeth little kindnesses            
,which most leave undone or despise2    
,for naught that sets our heart at ease1
     ,and giveth happiness or peace1    
,is low esteemed in her eyes4      ,she 
hath no scorn of common things1         
,and1 though she seem of other birth1   
,round us her heart entwines and clings1
     ,and patiently she folds her wings 
,to tread the humble paths of earth4    
,blessing she is2 ,god made her so1     
,and deeds of week-day holiness         
,fall from her noiseless as the snow1   
,nor hath she ever chanced to know      
,that aught were easier than to bless4  
,she is most fair1 and thereunto        
,her life doth brightly harmonize2      
,feeling or thought that was not true   

,ne'er made less beautiful the blue     
,unclouded heaven of her eyes4          
,,letter ,,vii4                         
,,tact--,,unobtrusiveness4   ,my ,dear  
,daughter3--,in one of my letters to    
you1 ,i said that there were certain    
excellent manuals which contained       
important general and special directions
 concerning the forms and manners or    
etiquette of polite society1 and that   
all young people should study and profit
 by some standard works of this kind4   
,but there are a great many things      
pertaining to the conduct of life1 that 
go to make up character and affect the  
impression we make upon those around us1
 which are not set down in books and    
cannot be imparted by set forms and     
rules4 ,for instance1 one of the most   
desirable possessions for any person1   
young or old1 is tact--a power of moving
 on through life without constantly     
coming into collision with people and   
things and opinions4 ,and yet no rules  
were ever laid down by which anyone can 

learn to acquire tact4 ,it is rather the
 natural result of a disposition to make
 people with whom we are associated     
comfortable and happy1 since in order to
 do this we must constantly guard       
against arousing antagonisms or wounding
 the susceptibilities of those around   
us4  ,now1 to illustrate by some        
instances of lack of tact3 ,a lady guest
 at a table where broiled ham was the   
meat provided1 declined to take any1 and
 then added1 ,i don't think pork is fit 
food for any human stomach4 ,of course  
an embarrassment fell upon host and     
hostess and all the company1 and the    
rest of the meal-time was passed in an  
ineffectual endeavor to restore         
conversation to a harmonious basis4     
,what caused this lady to make such a   
remark8 ,simply lack of tact1 which     
means that she had not the fine         
sensitiveness that would prevent her    
from wounding the feelings of her       
friends4 ,she had no delicacy of        
perception as to the reflection she cast

 upon her host and hostess by so        
brusquely condemning something to which 
they were habituated4 ,this is one      
instance of lack of tact1 but here is   
another of different character3 ,a      
company of educated people sat down at  
table together1 and the conversation    
happened to turn on the question of the 
authorship of ,shakespeare's plays4 ,one
 lady1 who was a recent college graduate
 and supposed to be possessed of an     
unusual degree of culture1 said in a    
most positive manner3 ,i think the      
advocates of the theory that some one   
other than ,shakespeare wrote the plays 
attributed to him1 simply show their    
ignorance and shallowness4 ,an          
uncomfortable pause fell upon1 the      
company1 for two of the best informed   
people present were entirely convinced  
that some one other than ,shakespeare   
wrote the plays4 ,it was simply lack of 
tact that betrayed this lady into a     
positiveness and obtrusiveness of       
statement that made others uncomfortable

 and aroused their antagonism4 ,here is 
still another instance3 ,one lady was   
introduced to another lady who was the  
wife of a gentleman much older than     
herself4 ,after catching the name the   
lady said3 ,are you the wife of old ,mr4
 ,c----8 ,of course everybody around who
 had any sensibility was pained and     
embarrassed by such a blunt1 brusque    
question4 ,yet the lady who displayed   
this want of tact was a college graduate
 and the principal teacher in an        
important school4  ,now1 no rule or     
rules will ever prevent anyone from     
doing and saying things which show lack 
of tact4 ,nothing will do it but the    
cultivation of a spirit of sympathy     
which will enable one to realize how    
other people feel when their opinions   
and peculiarities or circumstances are  
so bluntly antagonized or alluded to4 ,i
 know an excellent and high-minded lady1
 of superior intellectual culture1 who  
often complains that she has few        
friends4 ,she says that she longs for   

the affection and esteem of her friends1
 yet1 as she expresses it1 she has no   
personal magnetism4 ,i was once present 
in a literary society of which this     
lady1 ,mrs4 ,a41 was a member4 ,another 
member1 ,mrs4 ,b41 made a statement     
about a matter under discussion in the  
society1 when ,mrs4 ,a4 arose and said1 
bluntly3 ,that is not true4 ,everybody  
was astonished1 and listened almost     
indignantly while ,mrs4 ,a4 went on to  
show that ,mrs4 ,b4 had simply been     
misinformed and was mistaken4 ,it would 
have been entirely easy and proper for  
,mrs4 ,a4 to ask permission to correct a
 misapprehension on the part of ,mrs4   
,b41 and she could have done it in such 
a way as would have wounded nobody's    
feelings4 ,mrs4 ,a41 while she complains
 that she has few friends1 frequently   
asserts that she believes in saying just
 what she thinks4 ,this is all well     
enough1 but she says it with so little  
tact as to constantly wound the feelings
 and antagonize the opinions of everyone

 around her4  ,tact is as important in  
manners as in speech4 ,the word is      
closely allied to the word touch1 and a 
person who has good tact is really one  
who can touch people gently1 carefully1 
kindly1 in all the relations of life4   
,in the animal creation no creature has 
more perfect tact than a well-bred      
kindly-treated household cat4 ,you may  
have seen one of these enter a room     
where perhaps a circle of people were   
seated around a stove or open fire4     
,puss wants her warm place in front of  
the fire or stove1 but she does not     
brusquely and rudely push her way there4
 ,no4 ,she glides gently1 purringly     
around the circle1 rubs caressingly     
against this one and that1 as though    
gently saying1 ,by your leave2 and when 
finally she reaches the desired spot1   
she lays herself down so gracefully and 
quietly and curls herself up so deftly  
that to witness the act really affords  
pleasure to the observer4 ,a creature of
 less tact and grace would only appear  

obtrusive and offend and antagonize the 
company1 and probably rightfully receive
 reproof and be ejected from the room4  
,and so ,i would wish to see you and all
 young people cultivate tact2 study how 
to speak and act so as to touch gently  
all with whom you are associated4       
,behind the best tact lies the wish to  
be kind and to make people comfortable  
and happy1 to avoid wounding and        
irritating2 and so it is true that the  
basis of true tact is1 after all1 the   
moral sentiment4  ,the young person who 
would cultivate tact in speech and      
manners will carefully guard against    
obtrusiveness4 ,this is a defect in the 
manners of so many people1 both young   
and old1 and includes such a multitude  
of things1 that it is worth while to    
particularize a little upon it4         
,quietness1 repose1 order1 are          
distinguishing marks of cultivated      
social life everywhere1 and to people   
who are habituated to these conditions  
of life it is painful to have           

incongruous or inappropriate acts or    
sounds thrust upon their attention4     
,here is a generalization that explains 
the reason why many things1 harmless in 
themselves are unpleasant to and offend 
the taste of cultivated people4 ,no     
really cultivated young girl will1 for  
instance1 open and play upon a piano in 
a hotel parlor or any other parlor at   
inappropriate times or when it is       
occupied by strangers4 ,she will never  
perform in public any of the duties of  
the toilet1 such as cleaning her nails  
or using a tooth-pick4 ,she will not eat
 peanuts or fruit or candy1 or chew gum1
 in public places4 ,in fact1 ,i cannot  
imagine a really refined young lady     
chewing gum even in the privacy of her  
own room1 so offensive is it to good    
taste4 ,she will not descant upon bodily
 ailments in the drawing-room or at the 
table4 ,she will not rush noisily up and
 down stairs or through the house1      
clashing doors and startling everyone   
with unpleasant noises4 ,she will not   

interrupt people who are conversing1 to 
ask an irrelevant question or one       
pertaining to her own affairs4 ,she will
 not slap an acquaintance familiarly on 
the shoulder1 or make special displays  
of affection or intimacy before people4 
,she will if possible suppress the      
sudden sneeze1 and use every effort to  
quiet a cough4 ,she will not go         
uninvited into the private room of      
anyone1 nor into the kitchen of her     
hostess where she is a visitor4 ,all    
such things really inflict pain upon    
sensitive people2 they offend because   
they obtrude2 and all similar actions   
and obtrusiveness are to be carefully   
avoided by everyone who desires to      
acquire a true and genuine culture of   
action1 speech1 and manners4 ,it is well
 worth your while to think earnestly and
 often upon these things2 to learn to   
understand why so many thoughtless      
actions on the part of young people are 
set down to a general lack of           
cultivation4 ,all such obtrusiveness    

must be done away with before we shall  
be able to realize the prayer of ,david1
 that our daughters may be like         
corner-stones1 polished after the       
similitude of a palace4     ,,letter    
,,viii4  ,,who ,,are ,,the ,,cultivated8
   ,my ,dear ,daughter3--,no words in   
the ,english language are so much       
bandied about in efforts to describe or 
classify society at the present day as  
are the words culture1 cultured1        
cultivated and their antitheses4 ,these 
are the terms that intimidate the vain1 
selfish1 illiterate rich2 for to be     
described as rich but uncultivated is   
regarded as a greater slur upon the     
social standing of families than to be  
reported as having gained wealth by     
dishonesty or trickery4 ,and then the   
matter is made all the harder for those 
willing to acquire a hypocritical polish
 at any expense if they can only be     
called cultivated1 from the fact that   
they do not know what true culture is1  
nor are they able to recognize it when  

they see it4 ,they are like a person    
lacking in all artistic sense1 who      
wishes to buy pictures--at the mercy of 
every impostor4  ,what1 then1 is the    
secret that lies behind the demeanor and
 manners of the cultivated man or woman1
 or the cultivated family8 ,what power  
or what sentiment modulates the voice to
 kind and gentle tones2 restrains the   
boisterous conversation or laughter2    
gives such a delicate perception of the 
rights of others as to make impossible  
the dictatorial or arrogant form of     
address the impertinent question1 the   
personal familiarity1 the curiosity     
about private affairs1 the forwardness  
in giving advice or expressing unasked  
opinions1 the boastful statement of     
personal possessions or qualities1 the  
action that causes pain or inconvenience
 or discomfort to associates or         
dependents1 all of which are the most   
common forms of transgression among the 
uncultivated8  ,in his famous address on
 ,the ,progress of ,culture1 delivered  

before a celebrated college society in  
,cambridge in #ahfg1 ,emerson summed up 
the whole matter in one sentence3 ,the  
foundation of culture1 as of character1 
is at last the moral sentiment4 ,here is
 the whole secret in a single sentence4 
,the restraining grace is at last the   
moral sentiment4 ,it is a fine genuine  
unselfishness that1 observing how all   
these things may pain and wound1        
refrains from doing any of them4 ,the   
man or woman or family who can avoid    
transgressing in these particulars can  
do so habitually only as the result of a
 fine moral sentiment underlying the    
whole nature4 ,and those who possess or 
have cultivated in themselves this fine 
moral sentiment of unselfishness1       
justice1 and considerateness1 will be   
surrounded by an atmosphere of culture  
though their dwelling-place be an       
uncarpeted cabin1 while those who lack  
this restraining grace will be          
uncultivated though their surroundings  
afford every comfort1 beauty1 and       

luxury4 ,it should be a thought of      
encouragement to us1 and an inspiration 
of hope that we may possess the true and
 imperishable riches of a cultivated    
spirit1 however poor and struggling our 
lives may be1 or however barren of      
external beauty our surroundings4       
,culture depends not on material        
possessions4 ,in fact1 the very         
abundance of conveniences and comforts  
and elegances often seems to have an    
injurious and deteriorating effect on   
individuals and families by producing in
 them a selfish love of personal ease   
and exclusiveness4 ,on the other hand1  
the painful and patient economizing of  
humble toilers often produces an        
unselfishness and patience and          
gentleness of demeanor which is in      
effect the very finest culture4  ,in    
these days of specialists and artists   
and architects and upholsterers1 anyone 
who has money can possess himself of the
 material surroundings of taste and     
culture4 ,his house may be a poem in    

stone exteriorly1 and a symphony in     
color in its interior adornments4 ,this 
much of the products of genuine culture 
he may buy with money4 ,but no money can
 buy the pearl of great price1 the      
cultured spirit in the individual or    
family1 without which the most palatial 
mansion is but a dead and lifeless      
shell4 ,lacking this moral sentiment and
 culture1 how many a handsomely         
appointed home is the abode of rudeness1
 unkindness1 selfishness1 and misery6   
,the rude speech or cutting retort or   
selfish act are doubly and trebly       
incongruous when pictured walls and     
frescoed ceilings and luxurious         
surroundings of artistic beauty are the 
silent witnesses of the vulgarity4 ,on  
the other hand1 there is opportunity for
 the display of the best and kindest and
 most cultivated manners in the humble  
home where lack of suitable furnishings 
and dearth of conveniences puts         
everyone's unselfishness to the test4   
,i have frequently heard wise parents   

and teachers speak of the perplexity of 
spirit which they feel when they see    
that in so many instances the           
acquirement of accomplishments1 as they 
are termed1 fails to add any moral      
strength or beauty to the character of  
the young people in whose welfare and   
advancement their hearts are so entirely
 absorbed4 ,this young girl sings and   
plays beautifully1 paints and draws in a
 genuinely artistic manner1 speaks      
,french and ,german like a native1 and  
yet she is ill-tempered and shrewish if 
circumstances happen to cross her       
inclination4 ,here is a young man who is
 possessed of a fine collegiate         
education1 and who is also an excellent 
musician4 ,yet he can be rude and       
disrespectful to his mother1 insolent to
 his father1 overbearing and arrogant   
towards servants and subordinates1 and a
 perfect boor to his younger brothers   
and sisters4 ,both these young persons  
have uncultivated spirits4 ,so we see   
that the cultivation of the intellectual

 nature1 the acquirement of             
accomplishments1 the practice of any    
art1 the advantages of travel1 the      
surroundings of elegance1 may or may not
 tend to the genuine culture of the     
spirit2 and as wise and earnest parents 
and teachers perceive this truth1 they  
realize more and more that the great    
problem of culture1 alike for parent and
 teacher1 is how to develop the moral   
sentiment4     ,,letter ,,ix4           
,,religious ,,culture ,,and ,,duty4     
,my ,dear ,daughter3--,i have endeavored
 in my previous letters to give you a   
kind of outline series of directions and
 instructions in matters that pertain to
 the ordinary every day duties of life4 
,i have spoken of the motives that      
should influence your actions1 and have 
tried to show you that all truly lovely 
and beautiful conduct must have a basis 
in the moral sentiment4 ,i have reserved
 till this last letter what ,i have to  
say to you on the most important subject
 of all3 the infinitely momentous       

subject of religious culture and duty4  
,in the first place ,i must explain that
 there is a great difference between the
 methods and circumstances of religious 
instruction now and those which         
surrounded the youth of the maturer     
generation4 ,when people of the age of  
your parents were young1 the habits of  
family life were such that religious    
observances held a place of first       
importance4 ,all household affairs were 
arranged with reference to morning and  
evening worship1 which consisted of     
singing1 reading the ,bible1 and prayer4
 ,no matter how much work was to be     
done1 the family must rise in time to   
allow for the performance of this       
service4 ,children heard so much about  
,god1 and heaven1 and the life beyond   
death1 that often a morbid and unnatural
 frame of mind was induced4 ,parents and
 instructors often forgot to make       
allowance for the fact that youth       
naturally and rightly loves and enjoys  
this life1 and rightly and naturally    

dreads death4 ,so much was said about   
the other world that it seemed almost a 
sin to think about or plan much for     
this4 ,god and heaven were imagined as  
close above in the sky8 the judgment day
 was ever held threateningly before us2 
and pictures of a literal lake of fire  
and brimstone1 into which wicked people 
would be cast1 were painted for the     
imagination of children1 till1 as the   
experience of hundreds testifies1 even  
the most conscientious of them feared to
 close their eyes in sleep at night lest
 they should awake in that terrible     
place of torment4  ,from this doubtless 
too severe and harsh religious regime1 a
 reaction has taken place which has     
thrown the customs of family life and   
the religious education of the young    
people of to-day far into the opposite  
extreme4 ,the hurry and railroad rush of
 modern social and commercial life have 
shortened or even cut off entirely the  
hours for family worship4 ,in the modern
 effort to emphasize the fact that ,god 

is love1 the other fact that sin        
deserves and receives punishment has    
been thrown too far into the background1
 or is ignored altogether4 ,regular     
reading of the ,bible has become as rare
 as it formerly was universal4          
,irreverence and skepticism in regard to
 its truths and teachings permeate a    
large portion of society1 and the       
general influence of the social life of 
young people is opposed to the          
cultivation or expression of the        
religious spirit or aspiration4 ,all    
this involves the loss of a most        
valuable mental and spiritual           
discipline1 and earnest parents of      
to-day are at a loss how to supply it4  
,i will press upon your attention only  
one argument for the culture of a       
religious spirit1 and that is the       
argument of experience4 ,what is the    
universal testimony of those whose lives
 are really governed by the fear and    
love of a divine ,creator8 ,it is that  
in the consciousness of a desire to obey

 ,god and live in harmony with ,his laws
 they find their highest happiness4  ,to
 everyone who lives beyond the earliest 
period of childhood1 comes at some time 
or other sorrow1 disappointment1        
sickness1 loss1 bereavement4 ,the great 
fact of death looms up at the end of    
every pathway1 however bright and happy4
 ,the universal testimony of the human  
race1 from the earliest records of human
 experience to the present time1 is that
 only faith and hope in a beneficent    
,god ruling over all events can sustain 
and comfort the human heart through all 
the changes and vicissitudes of life1   
and reconcile to the thought of death4  
,early youth is naturally happy1 gay1   
care-free1 and indifferent to sorrows   
and fears of which it knows nothing4    
,but there comes a time to every        
sensible and earnest young heart when it
 realizes the transitoriness of all     
earthly things1 and longs for something 
on which the heart can take hold and    
rest4 ,i do not believe any young person

 fails of this experience sooner or     
later4 ,it is a hunger of the heart     
which nothing but the love of ,god can  
fill1 and if1 when it is first felt1 the
 heart only humbly and earnestly turns  
to ,god with high and firm resolve to   
seek a knowledge of ,him and ,his laws1 
to bring all actions and plans of life  
into harmony with ,his revealed will1   
the foundation of an enduring happiness 
is laid for this life1 and doubtless for
 the life to come4  ,but this desire and
 effort after a knowledge of ,god and   
obedience to ,his will do not come      
without a struggle4 ,we are strange and 
mysterious creatures1 having within us a
 nature that is most susceptible to     
temptations1 to do evil4 ,every one of  
us is conscious of a struggle constantly
 going on in our hearts and lives       
between evil and good4 ,the temptations 
to selfishness1 greed1 unkindness1      
untruthfulness1 irreverence1 indolence1 
are constant and severe until we have by
 long conflict and repeated victory     

habituated our hearts to choosing the   
right4 ,yet every victory over self and 
temptation helps us toward that         
spiritual attainment which will in time 
enable us to say1 with the sweet        
psalmist of ,israel3 ,the ,lord is the  
portion of my soul2 the ,lord is the    
strength of my heart2 the ,lord is my   
light and my salvation4  ,most usually  
the heart first turns toward ,god with  
deep earnestness through sorrow4 ,there 
are many griefs and burdens of life     
which cannot be alleviated or lightened 
in any way except by spiritual comfort  
and help4 ,and this spiritual comfort   
and help are among the deepest realities
 of life4 ,there is a strength1 a       
happiness1 a peace and a support in     
sorrow which the world can neither give 
nor take away4 ,how priceless a blessing
 to possess6 ,the saddest1 darkest1 most
 suffering life can be irradiated and   
uplifted and enriched by this spiritual 
blessing4 ,the most fortunately         
circumstanced life may be made poor by  

its absence4 ,dean ,stanley tells us of 
a sister who for perhaps forty years was
 a constant sufferer from spinal        
disease1 and during that period almost  
constantly confined to her couch4 ,yet  
her countenance was irradiated with     
cheerfulness1 and she seemed to inspire 
everyone who came near her with comfort1
 and with ardor and enthusiasm for      
goodness4 ,such examples are not rare4  
,every community knows some person or   
persons sustained in deep affliction1   
though long continued trial and sorrow  
and loss1 by this unseen spiritual      
power4 ,on the other hand1 experience   
and observation show us constantly      
recurring examples of discontent1       
peevishness1 unhappiness1 on the part of
 those who appear to be specially       
favored in the possession of the        
comforts and riches of this life4 ,lord 
,chesterfield said that1 having seen and
 experienced all the pomps and pleasures
 of life1 he was disgusted with and     
hated them all1 and only desired1 like a

 weary traveler1 to be allowed to sleep 
in the carriage until the end came4 ,but
 ,paul the apostle1 contemplating the   
close of his eventful life of sorrow and
 suffering1 said3 ,i have fought the    
good fight8 ,i have finished the course8
 ,i have kept the faith3 henceforth     
there is laid up for me the crown of    
righteousness4  ,so it seems only a     
reasonable appeal to every young heart1 
as soon as it is mature enough to       
understand and make choice among the    
realities and verities of life1 to      
choose this better part2 to keep the    
heart receptive to and expectant of this
 divine comfort and help2 to seek to    
know and obey the will of this ,god of  
all consolation4 ,but this choice is a  
purely individual matter4 ,no one can   
make another person good any more than  
he can make him happy4 ,all that anyone1
 all that the wisest and best teachers  
and parents can do1 is to present the   
arguments for and urge the choice of the
 better part4  ,but if it is chosen1 or 

if there is a desire to be enabled to   
choose it1 what a help and stimulus     
comes from the reading and study of the 
,bible1 especially of the ,psalms and   
the ,new ,testament6 ,therein are       
recorded every phase of the spiritual   
experiences of humanity in its          
aspiration after a knowledge of ,god4   
,therein are recorded the words and     
precepts of the ,great ,teacher sent    
from ,god1 who said that he and the     
,father were one1 and that he was sent  
of ,god to seek and save the lost4 ,here
 are the records of the compassionate   
expressions that fell from his lips as  
he proclaimed his message as the ,son of
 ,god4 ,whatever other opinion men may  
have of ,christ1 all must confess that  
in his words to and about sinning and   
sorrowing and suffering men and women1  
he displayed a love and sympathy such as
 earth had never known before1 and such 
as it has known since1 in kind1 only in 
the devoted followers of ,christ4 ,to   
have the memory stored with these       

expressions or teachings1 or with the   
prayers and aspirations of the psalms   
and the prophecies1 is to have a        
fountain of comfort and consolation for 
the heart1 that passes all              
understanding4 ,but this fact of human  
experience you must accept on the       
testimony of those who have experienced 
it1 until you have experienced it for   
yourself4  ,and thus1 my daughter1 while
 ,i wish for you the possession of all  
the graces and adornments of person and 
character that pertain to and are       
possible for the life that now is1 how  
infinitely more do ,i desire for you    
that you may know ,god and the comforts 
and consolations of ,his word and       
spirit4 ,to know that you had sought and
 found for yourself this knowledge1 that
 you knew and sought the help of the    
divine spirit in resisting temptation to
 do wrong1 that in disappointment your  
heart would turn to ,god for comfort1   
that in sorrow you would seek           
consolation in communion with ,god1     

would be to feel that your future       
happiness was absolutely assured4 ,in   
this seeking after ,god1 all things     
would be yours4 ,and even though you had
 made but a small and weak beginning to 
follow on and know the ,lord1 ,i should 
rejoice in the assurance that the good  
work1 having been begun1 would be       
completed unto the end4 ,and so ,i close
 these letters with the same summing up 
of all advice1 all instruction1 which   
more than four thousand years ago a     
prophet of ,god gave to his reflections 
upon the vicissitudes of human life3    
,let us hear the conclusion of the whole
 matter3 ,fear ,god and keep his        
commandments1 for this is the whole duty
 of man4     ,a ,,little ,,sermon ,,to  
,,school-,,girls4      ,be kindly       
affectioned one toward another with     
brotherly love1 in     honor preferring 
one another4      --,rom4 xii4 #aj4     
,whose adorning 444 let it be the hidden
 man of the heart1 in that     which is 
not corruptible1 even the ornament of a 

meek and quiet     spirit which is in   
the sight of ,god of great price4       
--#a ,peter1 iii4 #d4   ,wherever people
 are associated together it will always 
be found that some are more popular and 
beloved than others4 ,taking it for     
granted that all my young readers would 
wish to be lovely and beloved by those  
with whom they are associated1 ,i wish  
to make a short study of some of those  
characteristics which always distinguish
 a lovely or loveable person1 and also  
of some characteristics which tend to   
make people unlovely and disagreeable4  
,but if anyone should at the outset say1
 ,i do not care whether people like me  
or not1 ,i have no particular wish to be
 lovely or beloved1 what could ,i       
answer8 ,nothing4 ,i could only express 
my sorrow that the better and higher    
nature of such an one was so            
undeveloped1 and that the greatest      
source of true happiness was so unknown 
and unappreciated4 ,i could only hope   
that the conscience and the moral nature

 of such an one might be aroused and    
quickened by some good and faithful     
admonition or word of instruction4 ,and 
right here ,i wish to call the special  
attention of my young friends to this   
fact3 ,youth is a period given up       
largely to the work of obtaining an     
education2 but education is of a        
two-fold nature4 ,we have an            
intellectual nature and we have a       
spiritual or moral nature4 ,the         
intellectual powers and faculties it is 
possible to educate almost in spite of  
even the distaste or aversion of the    
pupil to receiving that education4 ,we  
can1 in a measure1 force a knowledge of 
the sciences upon even reluctant pupils4
 ,we can prove to them that three angles
 of a triangle are equal to two right   
angles1 or that an acid and an alkali   
will combine to form a salt2 but we can 
never force an antagonistic nature to   
receive a spiritual truth4 ,your parents
 or teacher may instruct you that it is 
wrong to be untruthful or unkind or     

deceitful1 but your own inner natures   
alone can receive such truths and       
assimilate them4 ,no human being can    
compel another human being to be good4  
,here is where one of the chief         
anxieties and chief sorrows of parents  
and teachers arises4 ,there is no       
anxiety so deep as the anxiety of the   
good that those they love may be good   
also2 no sorrow so poignant as the      
sorrow of the heart over the willful    
wrong-doing of those near and dear4 ,if 
at the close of your prescribed school  
course you should return to your homes1 
skilled in all the sciences1 possessed  
of extensive knowledge of literature1   
fine musicians1 fine artists1 and yet   
selfish1 ungentle1 proud or haughty in  
demeanor1 wanting in thoughtfulness for 
the rights and feelings of others1      
careless of being unkind1 the time spent
 in your education would largely have   
been spent in vain4  ,among the first   
characteristics of a person who is      
lovely and beloved1 we must place a kind

 and gentle manner toward all1 kind     
words and kind deeds1 and a restraint of
 hasty speech or action4 ,in order to   
possess these qualities1 it is not      
necessary ever to be obtrusive with our 
attentions4 ,sometimes people pain us by
 thrusting upon us attentions which we  
do not want4 ,there is a kind of        
officious attentiveness which is really 
the expression of a species of vanity4  
,it is true we ought to be observant1   
and if we see where we can really help  
others by offering kind acts or         
services1 we ought to be willing to do  
it4 ,but to young people associated     
together as schoolmates1 the opportunity
 for exercising gentleness and kindness 
towards one another comes mostly in the 
line of daily work4 ,some pupils are    
more advanced in their studies than     
others3 some have had greater advantages
 in their homes than others3 and these  
differences afford an opportunity for   
exercising toward each other a spirit of
 kindness and gentleness4 ,it is one of 

the most common occurrences in schools  
for pupils to come in who have not had  
the advantages which enable them to know
 how to conduct themselves gracefully in
 society2 how to dress themselves2 how  
to use knife1 fork1 napkin1 etc41       
properly at the table2 and while it is  
of course the duty of teachers to       
instruct them in all these things1 it is
 also the imperative duty of their      
companions to refrain from unkind       
criticism or laughing at and making     
sport of blunders which may arise only  
from lack of information4 ,very often   
these students are jewels in the rough1 
of the rarest and finest quality4 ,you  
may have heard the story of ,daniel     
,webster1 when he came in from his      
father's farm to enter upon his         
collegiate course1 and went to board    
with one of the professors who had      
several students boarding in his family4
 ,daniel had certainly never been taught
 good manners at the table1 however many
 other good things he had been taught in

 his home1 for he immediately attracted 
the attention of all the other boarders 
by sitting with his knife and fork held 
upright in each hand and resting on the 
table while he masticated his food4 ,the
 professor quelled the rising laughter  
among his fellow-students by a firm     
glance of reproof1 but said nothing to  
,daniel4 ,he had observed that the boy  
was sensitive1 and he now had the       
problem before him how he should correct
 this awkwardness in ,daniel without    
wounding his feelings2 and he took the  
following method3 ,calling one of the   
senior boarders to him before the next  
meal1 he said3 ,we want to break our    
young friend of his awkward way of      
holding his knife and fork1 and we don't
 want to hurt his feelings4 ,now ,i want
 you1 at supper to-night1 to hold your  
knife and fork the same way1 and then ,i
 will call your attention to it and tell
 you it is not the right and proper way 
to do4 ,the student agreed1 and so      
between the kind intention of the       

professor and the kind willingness of   
the student the embryo statesman was    
taught an important lesson without being
 pained and abashed by his ignorance4   
,in marked contrast with this incident  
is one which personally ,i knew to      
happen in a school4 ,a little country   
girl who had recently become an inmate  
of the school knocked at the room of her
 neighbor1 a young lady who had been    
brought up amid all the refinements of  
life1 and asked her if she would lend   
her her hair-brush4 ,two or three other 
girls happened to be in the room1 and   
this young lady replied1 ,hadn't you    
better ask me for my tooth-brush8 ,in   
this school1 hair-brushes are private   
property4 ,never did the little country 
girl forget this rude rebuke1 although  
she very shortly learned that among     
cultivated and refined people           
hair-brushes are considered private     
property4 ,but however cultivated       
externally the young lady was who thus  
rudely rebuffed even the ignorance of   

her companion1 her conduct showed a     
spirit uncultivated in gentleness and   
kindness4  ,it often happens in schools 
that some become general favorites      
because perhaps they are blessed with   
good looks1 or are able to dress with   
good taste and becomingly1 or are       
possessed of a certain piquancy of      
manner and conversational powers which  
attract and entertain4 ,there are others
 equally good and talented who are not  
blessed with comeliness1 who are not    
bright and winning in conversation1 who 
are awkward in dress and manner4 ,what  
kindness and considerateness is due from
 the more favored to the less favored6  
,how careful should school-girls1 and   
not school-girls only1 but everybody be 
to extend courtesy and kindness to those
 of their number who are apt to be      
neglected1 to be left lonely and        
forgotten while more favored ones enjoy 
special pleasures6 ,i do not mean by    
this that we are to be equally intimate 
and equally fond of all our daily       

associates1 but we ought to be equally  
kind4 ,our especial endearments and     
kindnesses and attentions to our        
particular friends ought to be in a     
measure kept for private expression1 so 
that we may not wound the feelings of   
those less attractive1 or less endowed  
with bodily and mental graces1 by       
contrast or comparison4  ,to aid us in  
cultivating this spirit of kindness1 no 
maxim is more useful than that laid down
 by ,christ3 ,whatsoever ye would that  
others should do unto you1 do ye even so
 unto them4 ,one of the best tests we   
can apply to ourselves is to imagine    
ourselves in the place of others4       
,suppose we were conscious of homely    
features1 ungainly forms and awkward    
manners1 or of lack of information or   
knowledge2 suppose we were in such      
straitened circumstances that we were   
obliged to wear coarse1 cheap1          
unsuitable or unbecoming garments how   
would we feel and how would we wish to  
be treated8 ,and if we find within      

ourselves an unwillingness to be judged 
by this standard1 or to conform our     
conduct to it1 then we should realize   
that we do wrong1 that we are wrong in  
spirit4 ,then should come the conscious 
effort to do right1 to change our spirit
 from selfishness to unselfishness1 from
 unkindness to kindness4 ,this is the   
work that no human being can do for us4 
,every individual soul must pass through
 that struggle alone4 ,whenever we are  
conscious of the necessity of a decision
 between doing right and doing wrong1   
even though we may feel indisposed to do
 the right and disposed to do the wrong1
 yet if we can will to do the right we  
have taken a step toward ,god and       
heaven2 we have begun the unfolding of  
the moral and spiritual nature4  ,now ,i
 have before said that an intellectual  
culture may be1 so to speak1 veneered   
upon us1 but a spiritual culture must   
come from within outward4 ,in botany you
 learn of two kinds of plants--those    
which grow by external accretions1 as   

bulbs1 which1 are called exogenous8 and 
plants which grow within outward1 which 
are called endogenous ,a great          
philosopher has said that man is that   
noble endogenous plant which grows1 like
 the palm1 from within outward4 ,the    
culture of the heart and the growth of  
the spiritual nature is wholly          
individual2 it depends on ourselves     
alone4 ,parents and teachers can furnish
 the surroundings and the accessories   
which they hope will most help to       
nourish this spiritual growth1 but they 
can do no more4 ,and often how bitterly 
are they disappointed when they see     
that1 in spite of admonition and        
instruction and entreaty and example1   
and every external help and incentive1  
the inner nature1 the heart1 the soul of
 child or pupil is not assimilating     
spiritual truth1 is not growing in grace
 and in the nurture and admonition of   
the ,lord4  ,and now ,i pass from the   
consideration of that experience which  
is the foundation of a lovely character 

to consider some of the forms of outward
 expression of this inward character4 ,i
 have said that we may feel indisposed  
to do right2 we may really prefer and   
like best the wrong2 nevertheless if we 
will to do what is right we have gained 
a victory4 ,so it may be a great help to
 us in gaining this inward victory to   
familiarize ourselves with rules for    
conduct or expression4 ,suppose1 for    
instance we know we are liable to give  
way to bad tempers and to speak hastily 
and harshly4 ,we may even feel that it  
is a relief to speak thus hastily or    
harshly1 but if we will to control our  
tempers we may find a great help in     
resolving never to speak in a loud or   
harsh tone of voice4 ,you all know that 
the scolding or quarreling tone of voice
 is loud and harsh4 ,if we resolve never
 to allow ourselves to use this tone1 it
 will help us to control our tempers1   
and it will also be an obedience to one 
of the rules of good manners4  ,we call 
a well-mannered person a cultivated     

person2 and this culture consists mainly
 in kindness and gentleness of manner1  
in self-restraint1 and in               
unobtrusiveness ,the real reason for    
every true rule of good manners is some 
moral reason4 ,the true reason why we   
are forbidden by good manners to do     
certain things is that the doing of such
 things gives pain or causes            
inconvenience to some one4 ,why do the  
rules of good manners forbid the        
slamming of doors1 or noisy running     
along halls or up and down stairs1 or   
loud talking or boisterous laughter8    
,because such noises inflict pain on    
those who hear them1 if they are of     
refined sensibilities4 ,for the same    
reason it is bad manners to drum on a   
piano1 or to drum on table or desk or   
chair1 or to shuffle the feet1 or to    
make any noise that distracts or        
obtrudes4 ,why is it bad manners to come
 late to meals1 to be unpunctual1 to    
keep people waiting8 ,because we inflict
 pain and inconvenience upon those who  

are in a certain measure dependent for  
their comfort on our promptness and     
punctuality4 ,why is it bad manners to  
sprawl in one's seat1 to assume ungainly
 attitudes1 to make grimaces1 or to     
munch peanuts or apples in the cars or  
in public places8 ,for the same reason4 
,we make those who witness such conduct 
uncomfortable1 and inflict pain upon    
them4  ,one very common cause of        
discomfort and pain caused by young     
people to their parents and teachers is 
want of thoughtfulness and              
consideration4 ,for one-half the faults 
for which young people need to be       
reproved the reply is1 ,i didn't think4 
,now1 while we cannot expect young folks
 to exercise the thoughtfulness and     
judgment of maturer people1 we certainly
 have a right to expect that they will  
endeavor to acquire a habit of          
thoughtfulness in regard to the         
convenience and interests of others4 ,it
 is this want of thoughtfulness that    
often betrays young people into doing   

very improper and injurious things4     
,parents and teachers are constantly    
troubled by finding that their children 
and pupils do things which they never   
thought of forbidding them to do4 ,that 
which all good and faithful teachers    
strive to do is to develop in their     
pupils such a sense of propriety and    
thoughtfulness and such a high moral    
sense as will make them a law for right 
unto themselves4 ,they want to cultivate
 and to see them cultivating in         
themselves a strong practical           
common-sense and a wise sense of        
propriety4 ,without such common-sense   
and innate sense of propriety1 the      
longest set of rules would be useless4  
,for instance1 if your teachers were to 
set about making a set of rules do you  
suppose any one of them would have      
thought of making such rules as3 ,young 
ladies are not permitted to go to the   
roof of the house and sit with their    
feet dangling over the railings of the  
balcony2 or ,young ladies must not go   

into people's pastures and catch their  
ponies to go riding2 or ,when young     
ladies are out riding in a buggy it is  
not allowable for one of the young      
ladies to ride on the horse which the   
others are driving4  ,a hundred rules   
might be gotten up forbidding the doing 
of a hundred things1 the only evil of   
which is that they are outlandish and   
unbecoming2 not modest1 or ill-mannered1
 and behind which there is no evil      
intent--only thoughtlessness4 ,the same 
endowment of common sense ought to teach
 young people to do those things which  
will promote their health1 and not to do
 those things which would injure it4    
,the greatest blessing to a young       
person1 especially to a young woman1 is 
good health2 but unless she will take   
care of it herself1 it is an almost     
hopeless task to attempt to take care of
 it for her4 ,you may have heard the    
somewhat slangy expression sometimes    
made about stupid and conceited young   
men1 that they don't know enough to come

 in when it rains4 ,it is1 however1 an  
almost just complaint of many a pretty  
and otherwise sensible young woman that 
she apparently doesn't know enough to   
put on overshoes when it rains1 or to   
change thin clothing for thick when it  
grows cold4 ,there is needed among young
 girls everywhere such a development of 
common-sense as will prevent this       
senseless and thoughtless conduct4  ,and
 now let us consider some of the rewards
 that will come to those who give       
attention to the culture of the spirit4 
,emerson says that it is our manners    
that associate us1 and this is one of   
his truest observations4 ,we all wish1  
or we all should wish1 to become fitted 
for association with the good1 the      
refined1 the intelligent1 the           
cultivated1 with those who have a noble 
purpose in life4 ,into such society     
there is but one passport--intelligence1
 and gentle1 quiet1 cultivated manners1 
coupled with a like noble and earnest   
purpose4 ,possessed of these1 any person

 may be sure of a welcome in the best   
society1 however plain in appearance or 
dress4 ,wanting in these1 good looks and
 fine dress are of no avail to secure   
the coveted association4 ,remember ,i am
 now speaking of the society of         
intellectual1 refined1 and cultivated   
people1 and not of mere fashionable     
society4 ,but to gain friendly and equal
 access to this best society1 the       
culture of heart and mind must be       
genuine2 it must be thorough1 deep1     
sincere4 ,the young person whose        
education of mind and heart is shallow  
and superficial1 who has no definite aim
 in life1 may well fear to submit to the
 critical tests sure to be applied by   
such society4  ,i cannot better         
illustrate my meaning than by relating  
to you two incidents that have come     
under my own personal observation4 ,you 
all know that in our old ,eastern       
cities1 which have so long been the     
homes of wealth and learning1 is to be  
found a society almost unequalled for   

its high standard of intellectual       
culture and refined manners as well as  
for beneficent actions4 ,two young      
,western women whom ,i have known1      
aspired to gain access to and meet with 
recognition in a certain famous circle  
of such people in one of these ,eastern 
cities4 ,both young women were graduates
 of ,western universities1 and had had  
really exceptional advantages for       
acquiring a thorough collegiate         
education4 ,one had been surrounded by  
every possible helpful condition4 ,fond 
parents1 possessed of abundance of this 
world's goods1 and admiring friends1 had
 done everything in their power to      
secure for her freedom from all other   
cares while she was pursuing her        
studies4 ,being thus helped and petted  
and praised and encouraged she seemed to
 feel that all circumstances and        
everybody's convenience and comfort must
 give way for her plans and interests4  
,the other young girl was the eldest    
daughter of a poor widow4 ,she struggled

 through the university by teaching in  
vacation2 renting a poor little room in 
the town where the university was       
situated1 and cooking her own food1     
doing her own washing and ironing1      
living in the plainest way1 wearing     
cheap clothing1 and eating the plainest 
food1 while she was pursuing her        
studies4 ,her struggles with poverty and
 bitter circumstances taught her        
sympathy and kindness and helpfulness2  
and though she was plain1 very plain1 in
 face and figure1 the gentle kindness of
 her spirit was apparent to all4 ,as    
time passed on after their graduation1  
both of these young women gained the    
goal of their hopes and ambitions3 an   
introduction to this brilliant and      
cultivated circle of people through     
certain literary clubs4 ,and            
furthermore1 both secured an invitation 
to read a paper before the same literary
 society during the same winter4 ,the   
first-named young lady was visiting     
friends1 while the second had secured a 

position as teacher4 ,when the first    
young lady appeared before the society1 
her dress of velvet1 point lace1 and    
diamonds1 was so striking as to be      
obtrusive4 ,her paper was fairly good1  
but contained nothing of any permanent  
value4 ,her self-consciousness and      
evident desire to be conspicuous had the
 effect of repelling the earnest and    
thoughtful men and women who composed   
the society4 ,her essay and herself were
 alike quietly dropped2 and to this day 
she cannot understand why4 ,she calls   
the members of the society proud1       
haughty1 and exclusive1 and denounces   
the city where these people live as     
pedantic1 disagreeable1 and unsocial4   
,before this same club came our quiet1  
unostentatious1 plain young friend of   
the toilsome life4 ,her dress was as    
plain as her face1 but her paper was    
rich in information and filled with the 
results of a deep and earnest           
observation4 ,around her gathered the   
good men and women who knew how to      

appreciate such a spirit1 and from      
thenceforward she was one of them4      
,every winter since the reading of her  
first essay ,i have found her name among
 the list of those who are leaders in   
the world of thought and of benevolent  
action4 ,with pride in the success1 of a
 genuine ,western girl1 ,i have often   
observed her name among the invited     
guests present at receptions given to   
distinguished authors and               
philanthropists both of our own country 
and of ,europe4 ,why did she succeed    
against such odds1 when the other failed
 with all her advantages8 ,simply       
because she was possessed of the true1  
deep1 thorough genuine culture1 both of 
mind and heart1 which alone associates1 
the best people together4 ,to her1 plain
 living and high thinking was a         
life-long practice1 and she was at home 
and happy with the good and the learned4
  ,would you be prepared to attain a    
like reward8 ,cultivate her spirit2     
imitate her example4     ,,we ,,two     

,,alone ,,in ,,europe4  ,by ,,mary ,l4  
,,ninde4 ,illustrated from ,original    
,designs4  #ab,,mo41 #cdh ,,pages4      
,,price #a4ej4   ,the foreign travels   
which gave rise to this volume were of a
 novel and perhaps unprecedented kind4  
,two young ,american girls started for  
the grand tour with the father of one of
 them1 and1 he being compelled to return
 home from ,london1 they were courageous
 enough to continue their journeyings   
alone4 ,they spent two years in         
travel--going as far north as the ,north
 ,cape and south to the ,nile1 and      
including in their itinerary ,st4       
,petersburgh and ,moscow4 ,miss ,ninde's
 narrative is written in a fresh and    
sprightly but unsensational style1      
which1 with the unusual experiences     
portrayed1 renders the work quite unlike
 the ordinary books of travel4   ,in    
these days when letters and books about 
travels in ,europe have become generally
 monotonous1 to say the least1 it is    
absolutely refreshing to get hold of a  

bright1 original book like ',we ,two    
,alone in ,europe4' 444 ,the book is    
especially interesting for its fresh1   
bright observations on manners1 customs1
 and objects of interest as viewed      
through these young girls' eyes1 and the
 charming spice of adventure running    
through it4  --,home ,journal1 ,boston4 
,it is filled with so many interesting  
glimpses of sights and scenes in many   
lands as to render it thoroughly        
entertaining4  --,congregationalism     
,boston4   ,as the work of a bright     
,american girl1 the book is sure to     
command wide attention4 ,the volume is  
handsomely bound and copiously          
illustrated with views drawn1 if we     
mistake not1 by the author's own fair   
hands1 so well do they accord with the  
vivacious spirit of her narrative4      
--,times1 ,troy1 ,new ,york4   ,sold by 
all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt  
of price1 by ,,jansen1 ,,mcclurg1       
,,co41 ,,publishers1 ,,cor4 ,,wabash    
,,ave4 ,,and ,,madison ,,st41 ,,chicago4

     ,,biographies ,,of ,,musicians4    
,,life ,,of ,,liszt4 ,with ,portrait4   
,,life ,,of ,,haydn4 ,with ,portrait4   
,,life ,,of ,,mozart4 ,with ,portrait4  
,,life ,,of ,,wagner4 ,with ,portrait4  
,,life ,,of ,,beethoven4 ,with          
,portrait4  from the ,german of ,dr4    
,louis ,nohl  ,in cloth1 per volume     
#a4jj ,the same1 in neat box1 per set   
#e4jj ,in half calf1 per set            
#ab4ej  ,of the ,life of ,liszt1 the    
,herald 7,boston7 says3 ,it is written  
in great simplicity and perfect taste1  
and is wholly successful in all that it 
undertakes to portray4  ,of the ,life of
 ,haydn1 the ,gazette 7,boston7 says3   
,no fuller history of ,haydn's career1  
the society in which he moved1 and of   
his personal life can be found than is  
given in this work4  ,of the ,life of   
,mozart1 the ,standard says3 ,mozart    
supplies a fascinating subject for      
biographical treatment4 ,he lives in    
these pages somewhat as the world saw   
him1 from his marvellous boyhood till   

his untimely death4  ,of the ,life of   
,wagner1 the ,american 7,baltimore7     
says3 ,it gives in vigorous outlines    
those events of the life of the tone    
poet which exercised the greatest       
influences upon his artistic career4    
,of the ,life of ,beethoven1 the        
,national ,journal of ,education says3  
,beethoven was great and noble as a man1
 and his artistic creations were in     
harmony with his great nature4 ,the     
story of his life is of the deepest     
interest4  ,sold by all booksellers1 or 
mailed1 on receipt of price by ,,jansen1
 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g1  ,,co41 ,,publishers1   
,,cor4 ,,wabash ,,ave4 ,,and ,,madison  
,,st41 ,,chicago4     ,,short ,,history 
,,of ,,france1 ,,for ,,young ,,people1  
,by ,miss ,e4,s4 ,,kirkland1 author of  
,six ,little ,cooks1 ,dora's            
,housekeeping1 etc4  #ab,,mo41 ,,extra1 
,,cloth1 ,,black ,,and ,,gilt1 #a4be4   
,the narrative is not dry on a single   
page1 and the little history may be     
commended as the best of its kind that  

has yet appeared1  --,bulletin1         
,philadelphia4   ,a book both           
instructive and entertaining4 ,it is not
 a dry compendium of dates and facts1   
but a charmingly written history4       
--,christian ,union1 ,new ,york4        
,after a careful examination of its     
contents1 we are able to conscientiously
 give it our heartiest commendation4 ,we
 know no elementary history of ,france  
that can at all be compared with it4    
--,living ,church4   ,a spirited and    
entertaining sketch of the ,french      
people and nation1--one that will seize 
and hold the attention of all bright    
boys and girls who have a chance to read
 it4  --,sunday ,afternoon1 ,springfield
 7,mass474   ,we find its descriptions  
universally good1 that it is admirably  
simple and direct in style1 without     
waste of words or timidity of opinion4  
,the book represents a great deal of    
patient labor and conscientious study4  
--,courant1 ,hartford 7,conn474   ,miss 
,kirkland has composed her ',short      

,history of ,france' in the way in which
 a history for young people ought to be 
written2 that is1 she has aimed to      
present a consecutive and agreeable     
story1 from which the reader can not    
only learn the names of kings and the   
succession of events1 but can also      
receive a vivid and permanent impression
 as to the characters1 modes of life1   
and the spirit of different people4     
--,the ,nation1 ,new ,york4   ,sold by  
all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt  
of price1 by ,,jansen1 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g1   
,,co4 ,,publishers1 ,,cor4 ,,wabash     
,,ave4 ,,and ,,madison ,,st41 ,,chicago4
     ,,familiar ,,talks ,,on ,,english  
,,literature4 ,a ,manual embracing the  
,great ,epochs of ,english ,literature1 
from the ,english conquest of ,britain1 
#ddi1 to the death of ,walter ,scott1   
#ahcb4 ,by ,,abby ,,sage ,,richardson4  
,fourth edition1 revised4 ,price #a4ej4 
,,the ,,boston ,,transcript ,,says3     
,the work shows thorough study and      
excellent judgment1 and we can          

warmly recommend it to schools and      
private classes for reading as an       
admirable text-book4   ,,the ,,new      
,,york ,,evening ,,mail ,,says3         
,what the author proposed to do was to  
convey to her readers a clear     idea  
of the variety1 extent1 and richness of 
,english literature4444     ,she has    
done just what she intended to do1 and  
done it well4   ,,the ,,new ,,york      
,,nation ,,says3      ,it is refreshing 
to find a book designed for young       
readers which     seeks to give only    
what will accomplish the real aim of the
 study3     namely1 to excite an        
interest in ,english literature1        
cultivate a     taste for what is best  
in it1 and thus lay a foundation on     
which     they can build after reading4 
,,prof4 ,,moses ,,coit ,,tyler ,,says3  
,i have had real satisfaction in looking
 over the book4 ,there are     some     
opinions with which ,i do not agree2 but
 the main thing about     the book is a 
good thing2 namely its hearty1 wholesome

 love of     ,english literature1 and   
the honest1 unpretending1 but genial and
     conversational1 manner in which    
that love is uttered4 ,it is a          
charming book to read1 and it will breed
 in its readers the appetite     to read
 ,english literature for themselves4    
,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on 
receipt of price1 by ,,jansen1          
,,mcclurg1  ,,co41 ,,publishers1 ,,cor4 
,,wabash ,,ave4 ,,and ,,madison ,,st41  
,,chicago4