-as you do in your timid waythat it is unfeminine or unladylike for a girl or a woman to take, to a certain extent, an active part in life. I have no desire to be a doctor or a lawyer; and I thank Heaven that I have no need to be a governess, or a housemaid, or a needle woman, or anything of that kind-to say nothing of so dismal a position as that of a professional companion.' I don't want a vote; though if I held property in my own right, in the position of a spinster or a widow, I should consider myself entitled to such influence in the representation of the country as that property would give me were I man. And this just claim, papa tells me, is certain to be conceded before long. For the rest, I consider Mr. Stuart Mill an embodiment of conscientiousness gone crazy, and his sentimental ideas of woman's rights as so much moonshine. You see I am rather decided in my views; and I look forward to the day-after your promised visit to us in Park Lanewhen you will agree with me.

At present you have not recovered from the effects of the absurd training we both experienced at 'Pallas House, Establishment for Young Ladies.' I don't mean to say you are quite what that odious Miss Parallelogram meant to make you. She had the prejudice still common among her class, and had an idea that to be feminine and ladylike was to have nothing but negative characteristics, and to be thoroughly useless to every body, including ourselves. We could not help getting a little education of a certain kind,

in which what they call accomplish ments played the principal part; but anything like ideas was out of the question. And to what a dreary dead level of mental as well as physical deportment did the system threaten to bring us! Miss Parellelogram seemed to consider that every lady ought to be like every other lady, and reduced to as rigorous a modification of mind as of manner and voice. It is unfeminine, she considered, to have decided opinions upon any subject, and even more unladylike to express them; and as for the voice, it must now only be low -that to a certain extent is proper enough-but the language must be minced so as to be scarcely intelligible. I believe that her ideal of a thorough lady resembles those beautifully-dressed dolls in the fashion books who stand upon terraces in ball costumes or pay one another morning visits, holding their parasols as if they were pens, and who always seem to be saying to one another, 'That is a sweet toilet of yours today,' or, 'What a charming ball that was last night at the duchess's!' I am sure she thinks that it is not feminine to have feeling or lady-like to have heart; and I suspect that she values her religion principally because it is respectable, induces decorous habits in public, and keeps the common people in order.

To be feminine and lady like-how I learned to detest those two words! -a girl, according to Miss Parallelogram, must not only forbear from the exercise of her independent intelligence, and be thoroughly helpless in all relations of life apart from conventional society, but must positively not allow herself to appear in too vigorous a state of health. To look very healthy is to look vulgar, according to her idea-'as if one were a farmer's daughter,' as she said one day to me, with a little affected shudder at the bare notion. To look pale and interesting she conceived to be the first qualification for being feminine and ladylike;

and I can quite fancy that being feminine and ladylike in her way must be quite incompatible with a physical state of health. I suppose it was to modify our sanitary condition, like everything else belonging to us, that she kept us so much shut up, and allowed us nothing more than the gentlest exercise when we went out of doors. It is true that we had our dancing days-and very glad we were, as I need not tell you, when they came round; and those who so desired, you may remember, went through a little mild calisthenics. But with these exceptions we took our most violent exercise when we practised the proper manner of getting in and out of a carriage-by means of that old rattletrap which was kept in the garden for the purpose.

Miss Parallelogram's ideas of what a lady ought or ought not to do are, in fact, very much like those of the common people themselves; and I met with an illustration of this the other day. A housemaid of ours heard a man in the street singing some old song about Under the walnut tree, dance with me' and so forth. It was dreadful drivel, but her objection to it was upon a different ground. Like his impudence,' she was heard to say; 'as if any lady would dance under a walnut tree.' I was greatly amused, too, at a remark made by the same girl, when she was sent to some people a few doors off, to see if a parcel for us from Marshall and Snelgrove's had been left at their house by mistake. They are strange kind of people, and would not attend to a message, but told Jane that if her mistress 'would call round' they would answer her. So I told her, of course,' added Jane, 'that my mistress would not lower herself by going out in the fog.' Really Miss Parallelogram's sentiments were not much less ridiculous than these.

But I am digressing from my main purpose in writing to youand I was coming to the point just now, when referring to the preposterous idea that it is not feminine or ladylike to be healthy and active. There is a growing protest against this absurdity in London just now

and of course I do not suppose that you, in the country, can have carried out Miss Parallelogram's principles to this extent. You have, of course, your regular out-of-door recreations; but you are not likely to be taking to systematic exercises for physical development, such as promise to become general here-and of these I intend giving you some account.

Gymnastics for ladies-it is nothing less than this decided phase of physical training that I refer toare not so common in this country as on the Continent, in many parts of which they have been taught for some time past. Even in such close proximity as Boulogne-sur-Mer, where we stayed for a few days last year on our way to Paris, there is a gymnasium attached to the Etablissement de Bains de Mer-that is to say, railed off from the public part of the gardens, but by no means shut off from the view of the abonnées who may be lounging about. Here may be seen daily a number of girls, both English and French, engaged in all kinds of athletic exercises performed by means of bars and cords, and swings, and so forth. They are clad very becomingly -and I need scarcely say with every regard to decorum in costumes much resembling those worn in France for bathing. They are, in fact, as completely clothed as they would be in private life, with the difference that their garments are adapted to gymnastic exigencies, and in one particular partake of the 'knickerbocker' character. I was much struck with the sensible nature of the arrangement, and could not doubt what was told usthat the exercise was very beneficial in its results, and especially valuable to girls of weakly frames and bad physical development. I went inside the enclosure (they would not admit my brother Charles, who was with me, on any account) to see the fun. And fun it evidently was to the girls who disported themselves, under the direction of the Lady Professor, or whatever she called herself, while their mothers or governesses sat and read or did embroidery. I should certainly have gone into training myself, but we

were en route, and I had no time; but I was glad to find, on my return to London, that we are not without establishments of the same kind, though of a more private character; and one of these, in particular, I wish to tell you all about.

I first found it out through seeing the book published by Madame B-reviewed in the newspapers, which bestowed great praise upon her system, and were loud in their laudations of a gymnastic soirée which she gave last year at the Hanover Square Rooms. I went to see her establishment before getting her book, and so was able to form my opinion at first hand; and in this opinion, derived from experience, mamma cordially concurred.

The house-situate in Bruton Street-is quite a private one, and the lower part of it is devoted to the gymnasium. The course of exercises is very pretty to see. The pupils, of all ages, and attired very much like those at Boulogne, begin with a preparatory exercise, lasting for about five minutes, without any gymnastic appliance-that is to say, they engage in certain carefullyselected steps,' very slow and simple at first, but gradually quickened, and developing into 'changes' more elaborate and amusing. Their object is explained as intended to warm the frame and render it pliable for the second course of instruction.

This is commenced by exercise with the chest expander, which is also rudimentary, and, like the 'steps,' analogous to the scales which pupils play on the pianoforte. The chest expander is simply a cord of india - rubber, twenty inches long, with a handle at each end, and warranted not to break with any amount of strain. You can fancy the varied manner in which this is employed-over the head, forward, backward, &c.-for the purpose of exercise; and the movements, I should not omit to add, like all the other movements at the gymnasium, are made to the sound of a piano in an inner room, so that the effect is quite festive in character, and thoroughly enjoyable. The next exercise is per

formed with a wand, between three and four feet in length. This is a further development of the chest expander, being stronger in its effects; and the exercise is performed to slow and quick time. Then come exercises with the wand by two pupils in combination. These movements, of course, give healthy action to a great many muscles, and by contributing to the graceful carriage and development of the arms, 'enables the pupil'-I here quote from Madame B--'s book, which I have since procured-to escape that great detriment to beauty of form, a pointed elbow.'

We are next introduced to the dumb-bell exercise, or, rather, it is introduced to us. The pupils march to an adjoining room-their movements, of whatever kind, are made to music-and return with the instruments in question. Are they heavy?' I ask. The inquiry is answered with a smile, and I am invited to try one. It is only of wood, and may be borne by a baby. The principal of the establishment, I am told, would be 'shocked' at placing in the hands of young ladies heavy appliances intended only for men. One of her leading principles is that there shall be no strain upon the strength of any girl, however weak she may be. The intended objects can be gained without any such dangerous tests. The movements with the dumb-bells exhibit much variety, and the pupils go through them singly and in pairs. swinging exercise with these instruments, I should mention, is considered of especial value, as giving great freedom and elasticity to the arms and shoulders.

The

There are also exercises with the 'bar-bell' a light bar, with a dumb-bell at each end. These and the foregoing belong to one class of movements: another series is then commenced, affording peculiar opportunities for development towards more elaborate exercises.

This series begins with the 'rings,' constructed of mahogany or birchwood, and of size sufficient for two pupils to grasp freely, their respective hands being well apart. Here, again, there is much variety.

One of the most noticeable feats consists in the pupils, conjointly in pairs, making the ring to touch the ground, while keeping the lower part of the body erect; and in reference to the performance with the rings, as well as to gymnastics generally, Madame B- warns young ladies that they cannot expect to go through such exercises if they incline to the deleterious practice of tight lacing, which, you may be sure, she uncompromisingly condemns.

The club exercise comes next. You need not be startled at the sound, the clubs are quite light, and anybody can manage them. The first performance with these is very similar to that with the dumb-bells, and the swinging movement is considered particularly beneficial in increasing the flexibility of the waist

-a great help to grace, as any girl knows from her own observation. One of the prettiest exercises is that which follows, with foils. But you must not suppose that you are taught fencing. The time has not come when ladies need learn to fight, though I would not venture to say that even this may not be required one of these days. At present the movements are very similar to those employed in the game of 'Les Graces.' The development which it gives to the body would surely please Mr. Ruskin himself, who, you remember, tells the fathers and mothers of England that their first duty is to look after the physical perfection of their female offspring, if only for the object of beauty, with which health goes hand in hand.

The swing exercise introduces us to a more elaborate part of the curriculum, in which the entire frame is engaged. The swings are very elaborate affairs, and the swingers use them, holding on by their hands, sometimes with their feet in stirrups, sometimes without, and in various ways which-as the critic said of the young ladies' songs

are too tedious to mention.' I thought it capital fun, as I have since found it to be; and one advantage is that if you happen to lose your hold, you have not to fall far, and even then alight comfort

You

ably upon an elastic mattress, so that the idea of danger is absurd. 'Climbing exercises' belong to a still more advanced stage. may guess the kind of exercises these are from the nature of the appliances, which are ropes with wooden rings at intervals, rope ladders, and ropes with stirrups. The young ladies, I need scarcely say, do not climb poles, like a sailor or a monkey; and in these, as in other exercises, precision is secured, and safety therefore increased, by the movements being gone through in musical time. The same may be said of the 'jumping, leaping, and trapeze exercise, which conclude the series. These sound rather alarming, and suggest the idea of female Blondins, and so forth. But there is nothing in them that need scare anybody who has gone through the preceding part of the curriculum, and of course no young lady is obliged to go through any exercise to which she may object. Pupils stand out whenever they please, and 'skip' whatever they please-that is to say, what does not please them.

The word 'skip' reminds me that in an early stage of the exercises the girls skip in reality-with a skipping-rope. This is very pretty to see, and not very easy to do, considering that the piano is going all the while, and that 'time' waits for nobody. The same remark applies to battledore and shuttlecock, which are practised in a similar way, and also to the hoop exercise. The latter is used to make the girls walk well, and marching, with a hoop to manage, to the sound of music, must effect this purpose if anything can. You would laugh to see these juvenile games, conducted with all the order and discipline here displayed, and with a thorough sense of enjoyment, as is evident to the observer.

I should not forget one use to which the gymnastics are put. There is a special exercise for weak pupils, or those with deformed spine-patients I suppose I must call them in this case. The appliances are adopted from the National Orthopædic Hospital in Great Portland Street, and of course have the sanc

tion of that Institution. Madame B- has found them to be highly successful in two cases to which she especially refers.

There is one point, however, that I particularly like in Madame

B's professions, as contained in her book-she does not profess too much. She is all for gentle and progressive means. It is not practicable, she says, to strengthen weakness, and restore the balance of the human frame, by precipitate action-by any storming of the enemy's camp, in fact. The means taken to gain the end are: First, the avoidance of fatigue as to the exercises themselves; second, the recognition of amusement in connexion with these exercises. So long, and so long only, says Madame B- frankly, as gymnastics can be made a pleasure to all who practise them, have they any value. How pleasant it is to have enlightened sentiments like these, as opposed to Miss Parallelogram, who imposed that dreadful backboard,' supposed to do us good— as a punishment for misconduct! But worse things than the backboard are advocated by cleverer persons than Miss Parallelogram. Thus, we are told, a writer on the subject has advocated-fancy this for young ladies !-the wearing of an iron crown, of from three to a hundred pounds in weight, as a specially important means of educating the pupil into dignity and uprightness of carriage. As an additional recommendation, it seems, this sublime invention is spoken of as conveniently and comfortably padded, besides being charmingly painted and filigreed, to suit the taste of the unhappy wearer! Padded or filigreed, or not, the device is simply diabolical, and no doctor would doubt its injurious effect upon the brain. I suppose the idea has been derived from pictures of Indian women, who gain so much of the grace which belongs to their movements from the habit of carrying water jars on their heads. But the water jars are far from heavy, and any good they do in this way may be best effected by the lightest possible objects. The effect is pro

duced-as papa says, who has seen hundreds of such girls in India-not by the weight, but from the balancing of something, whatever it be, upon the head, which undoubtedly conduces to the graceful carriage of the body. But there is really no need for any influence of this kind, which is after all only an indirect one, and cannot be supposed to bring the body into actual exercise. It does not appear that the carrying of anything on the head-even so mild an object as a teapot-enters into the gymnastic curriculum referred to, which seems to me, and to mamma also, complete without any such adjuncts. A leading principle which it exhibits is in prescribing a special class of exercises for ladies, who cannot be expected to go through the feats performed by men, even were it desirable that they should do so, and in making a distinction between ladies and ladies as regards their physical capacities and requirements. Exercises which may suit one girl may not suit another, and individuals are separately provided for here in Bruton Street, as well as the sex generally. I need scarcely add that the gymnasium belongs to ladies alone, and that you are not likely to meet a man on the premises unless he happens to be a doctor.

There, my dear Clara, I have told you all I know-or, at least, all that is essential-concerning the latest practical development of the ideas concerning the physical education of girls which have been for years past urged by Mr. Ruskin and others. It is difficult to get people who do not make themselves acquainted with the practice, to agree even to the theory of the matter. But some are of course enlightened, like myself and mamma, for instance, and the other patrons of the gymnasium; and foolish people, in this respect, are becoming sensible by degrees. Some persons still seem to think the exercises unfeminine and unladylike-they cling to the pet words of Miss Parallelogrambut upon what grounds? To put an analogous case. There is no prejudice against young ladies riding