OUTDOOR AND INDOOR GAMES.

31

the two. Keep each in its proper place and time, and you will come fresh to each, and each will profit you to the uttermost. When you shut up your books, close your mind to all thought of them until the play-hour is over; and when the recreation is at an end, take care that no distracting reminiscences of it impair and distract your studies.

Now, Games naturally resolve themselves into Outdoor and Indoor, and under each of these heads I put down what seem to be the most popular :

There are other Outdoor Pastimes which are available only under favourable circumstances, such as not every girl can command. They necessarily depend very much on the girl's position in life, and whether she dwell in the town or in the country. Driving, Swimming, Boating, and Skating seem to belong to a country girl's life, though it is not impossible or infrequent for town girls to gain a share in these pleasures. Certainly we rarely hear of girls driving alone and unattended even in the suburbs. Their participation in this is limited to the daily drive in the Parks or the morning's shopping expedition, accompanied by mamma or some other responsible person. Nor do we often see girls in town handling the ' ribbons.' The staid John or Thomas is almost invariably in attendance, and they have nothing more to do than to watch the passers-by. In the country all is changed. Nothing is more usual than to see a young girl driving her own pretty phaeton along the lanes and through the High Street of the village on her way to the post-office, the florist's, or to visit some friend. Indeed, this forms one of her principal amuse

See also p. 37.

32

RIDING AND SWIMMING.

ments, sanctioned by the approval of her parents or guardians. Visiting the poor is another element in her life in which the phaeton takes a prominent place, being requisite to enable her to carry the jellies and other nourishing dainties which kind hands have prepared for some sick factory girl or poor cotter's wife. Happy is the girl some of whose leisure hours are thus employed, combining so much real good with her pleasures.

One of the most delightful recreations is Riding, a pleasure available to both town and country girls, though I must admit the latter have the advantage here, as in many other things. For them there are wide stretches of purple moors, breezy downs, shady lanes, fields, hedges, ditches, where they may gallop free and unfettered as the fresh air, fanning their heated brows, and tossing their hair in picturesque confusion. True, the town girl has the Parks in which to exercise her horse, but these are usually crowded, and permit only a quiet canter, while hedges and ditches are out of the question.

Country girls who cannot obtain horses, occasionally may be seen driving a pair of donkeys, sometimes even riding one, but this is of course impracticable in town after the stage of childhood is past. To all girls who live in large towns, and who possess the needful accessories for riding, I strongly recommend the early morning hours for this recreation. The air is then at its purest and freshest, the Parks are less frequented, and the roads most accessible. It is then that a real gallop may be enjoyed, sending the rider home with a keen appetite and blooming face. It is Nature's own cosmetic, than which nothing can be finer.

Swimming is an art which every girl should make a point of mastering. If not regularly indulged in as a pastime, it should at least be followed long enough to allow of a certain proficiency. It is not always possible to guard against such calamities as railway accidents, or fires, but death by drowning has been averted many times by a knowledge of swimming. It is moreover a most pleasurable exercise, and a great promoter of health.

SKATING AND BOATING.

33

Boating is another deservedly popular recreation among our Girls. To send the light skiff bounding over the waters, or, having shipped the oars, lazily to float down the stream on a golden summer's day, fanned by the wooing breeze, lulled by the ripple of the eddies, what can be more dreamily poetic? At every turn of the head some fresh beauty greets the eye, in the vanishing landscape, or sun-flecked trees, the blue sky above, or the clear sparkling waters below.

A word on Skating. Who that has tried this exhilarating exercise does not count it as one of the most enjoyable? How often in winter do we hear the magic whisper, 'It is freezing !' Instantly a smile brightens the face of every skater, while dismal frowns portend the slightest symptoms of a thaw. What a graceful healthy exercise it is! I need say nothing to enforce its practice. The crowded ponds and lakes, and eager demands for skates, sufficiently show the popularity it bears. The only fault ever found with it is that there is never enough of it, and consolation for its loss must be sought at the Rink. Rinking has its enjoyments when Skating is entirely out of the question, but few, I think, who have tried both would desert the ice, or patronise the rink, while the water remains in a sufficiently solid condition to uphold them. I have seen some very clever waltzing and figure-skating among our Girls, though this last is certainly more the province of Boys. A quadrille, or set of lancers on the ice, when the performers keep good time, and are expert skaters, is a graceful and charming sight.

Reading and Walking fill up a great many of our Girls' leisure hours, but as these are exhaustively dealt with in another place, I will content myself here with merely mentioning them.

Dancing may fitly be regarded as an Indoor Pastime, though, to be sure, it is included in the curriculum or educational course of every ‘Ladies' School,' and even every 'High School for Girls,' and rightly so, if we look upon Physical Culture as a source of Education, Thus the sources of recreation open to

་

34

MODERATION IN AMUSEMENT.

our Girls are numerous enough to suit every taste and every capacity, and I have nothing to do but to let them enjoy themselves at fitting times and in fitting places, while they remember the sage caution of Shakespeare:

'It will be pastime passing excellent,
If it be husbanded with modesty.'

CHAPTER III.

THE GIRL AT SCHOOL-THE GIRL AND HER FRIENDS.

'I have had playmates, I have had companions,
In my days of childhood, in my joyful school-days.'
CHARLES LAMB.

'But this bright thread of unadulterate ore-
Friendship-will last, though Love exist no more;
And though it lack the fragrance of the wreath-
Unlike the flowers, it hides no thorns beneath.'

SIR NOEL PATON.

Poverly of Literature extant concerning the Girl at School-Wanted, a Companion Volume (for Girls) to 'Tom Brown's School-Days Characters to be reprobated-The Bully-The Sneak-The ToadyBackbiting a serious Fault-Types of Girls-A String of MoralitiesThe Golden Time of School-Days-Good Use must be made of its Opportunities-Duties must not be neglected-Charles Kingsley's Lines -Goethe quoted-What Duty is-Pleasure of Honest Work-Life a Burden to the Inactive-Self-Culture lies in the Girl's own HandsWhat Self-Culture implies-Duties to Teachers-To Companions-The Want of Self-Reliance to be guarded against-Elizabeth Carter-Sir Thomas More quoted on Letter-Writing-A School-Girl's Letter-The Art of Keeping One's Temper to be cultivated-School-Girl Friendships -Facility in making them-Their Influence on Character-George Herbert quoted-Dr. Mozley quoted-Mrs. Delany quoted-The Choice of Friends-Dispositions and Sentiments to be studied-Higher Natures than our own to be looked for-John Sterling-Hero-Worshippers needed in the World—Durability of School-Girl Friendships—Instances of Friendships formed in Early Life-Susan Edmonstone Ferrier and Miss Clavering-Mrs. Tait and Miss Marsh-Mary Seton and Mary Queen of Scots-School Enmities sometimes Inevitable-Jealousy their Promoter-Rivalry should be Generous-An Ideal to be set before

each.