mother's care.  In France, mothers always visit with
their daughters; and if restraint upon unmarried people
is carried to excess there, we certainly err on the
opposite extreme.  We allow too much freedom, and
we allow it too soon. I believe it is much better for a
very young lady never to go about alone, or visit for
any length of time from home, without her mother.

Youth must have friends, and those friends, being
loved ardently will have prodigious influence.   The
choice requires extreme caution.  The whole of human
destiny is often materially affected by those with whom
we are intimate at fourteen or fifteen years of age. The
safest method is not to put children in the way of those
whom you dare not trust. Do not expressly forbid an
acquaintance, (unless great faults of character demand
such restrictions,) but endeavor by every possible means
to withdraw your child from society you deem improper,
 occupy her with other things, and interest her in
other persons.  If an intimacy does spring up, notwith-
standing your precautions, talk openly and reasonably
about it; and let your daughter understand that you decidedly
 object to something in the young  lady's  principles,
 manners, or habits.   Wealth and station should
never be spoken of as either for or against forming a
friendship; the generous mind of youth never thinks of
these artificial distinctions, and we certainly do wrong to
teach them.  Your chief safety lies in the manner in
which you have educated your daughter. If her mind,
heart, and conscience have all been cultivated, she will
not love to associate with the ignorant, the vulgar, and the
vicious; she will naturally seek the well-informed, the
well-principled, and the truly refined, because she will
have most sympathy with them.

A mother has an undoubted right to inspect her
children's letters, as well as the books they read; and
if a young lady feels this to be any hardship, there is
certainly something wrong, in one or other of the par-
ties.   Where young people are habitually discreet, it  is
not well to exercise this right very often; but children
should always feel perfectly willing that letters may be
opened, or not, at a parent's option.  But parents, on
their part, must consider that this entire confidence
cannot naturally and reasonably be expected to exist,
unless  they evince perfect good-nature, and a lively
sympathy with youthful feeling.   Perfect confidence
between parent and child is a seven-fold shield against
temptation .

There is one subject, on which I am very anxious
to say a great deal; but on which, for obvious reasons,
I can say very little.  Judging by my own observation,
I believe it to be the greatest evil now existing in education. I mean the want of confidence between mothers
and daughters  on delicate subjects.  Children, from
books, and from their own observation, soon have their
curiosity excited on such subjects;  this  is  perfectly
natural and innocent, and if frankly met by a mother,
it would never  do  harm.    But on these occasions it is
customary either to put young people off' with lies, or
still further to excite their curiosity by mystery and
embarrassment  Information being  refused them at
the only proper source, they immediately have recourse
to  domestics, or  immodest school-companions;  and
very often their young minds are polluted with filthy
anecdotes of vice and vulgarity.  This ought not to be.
Mothers are the only proper persons to convey such
knowledge to a child's mind.  They can do it without
throwing tbe slightest stain upon youthful purity; and it
is an imperious duty that they should do it.    A gid
who receives her first ideas an these subjects from the
shameless stones and indecent jokes of vulgar associates,
has in fact prostituted her mind by familiarity with vice.

A diseased curiosity is excited, and undue importance
given to subjects, which those she has been taught to
respect think it necessary to envelope in so much mys-
tery; she learns to think a great deal about them, and
to ask a great many cjnestions.  This does not spring
from any natural impurity; the same restless curiosity
would be excited by any subject treated in the same
manner.  On the contrary, a well-educated girl of
twelve years old, would be perfectly satisfied with a
fi7lnk, rational explanation from a mother.   It would set
her mind at re.st upon the subject; and instinctive
modesty would prevent her recurring to it unnecessarily,
or making it a theme of conversation with others.

Mothers are strangely adverse to encouraging this sort of
confidence.  I know not why it is, but they are usually
the very last persons in the wolld to whom daughters
think of applying in these cases.  Many a young lady
has fallen a victim to consumption from a mother's
bashfulness in imparting neccssary precautions; and
many, oh, many more, have had their rnjnds corrupted
beyond all cure.

I would not by any means be understood to approve
of frequent conversations of this kind between parent
urd child-and least of all, anything like jesting, ar
double meanings.   I never saw but two women, who
indulged in such kind of mirth before their daughters;
and I never think of them but with unmingled disgust.
I do believe that after one modest and rational explanation,
 the natural and timidity of youth would
check a disposition to talk much about it.

It is usually thought necessary, even by the very con-
scientious, to tell falsehoods about such subjects; but I
believe it cannot do good, and may do harm.  I would
say to a young child, <Cannot tell you now, because
you are not old enough to understand it.  When you
are old enough, I will talk with you; but you must
remember not to ask anybody but me.  You know I
always have a reason for what I say to you; and I tell
you it would be very improper to talk with other people
about it.  I promise you that I will explain it all to you,
as soon as you are old enough to understand it.

This promise ought to be faithfully kept; and if
young people meet with anything in books that requires
explanation, they should be taught to apply to their
mother, and to no one else.  Such a course would, I am
very sure, prevent a great deal of impurity and imprudence.
It is a bad plan for young girls to sleep with nursery
maids, unless you have the utmost confidence in the
good principles and modesty of your domestics.  There
if a strong love among vulgar people of telling secrets,
and talking on forbidden subjects.  From a large pro-
portion of domestics this danger is so great, that I
apprehend a prudent mother will very rarely, under
any circumstances, place her daughter in the same
sleeping apartment with a domestic, until her character
is  so much formed, that her own dignity will lead her
to reject all improper conversation.  A well-principled,
amiable elder sister is a great safeguard to a girl's purity
of thought and propriety of behavior.  It is extremely
important that warm-hearted, imprudent youth, should
have a safe and interesting companion.  A judicious
mother can do a vast deal toward supplying this want;
but those who have such a shield as a good sister are
doubly blessed.

In the chapter on politeness I have mentioned how
much little courtesies and kind attentions tend to strength-
en the bonds of family love; and I firmly believe that
these things, small as they may appear singly and separately-
 are of very great importance.   Everything which
ties the heart to home, has a good influence.   Brothers
and sisters cannot be too much encouraged in perfect
kindness and candor toward each other.  Any slight
rudeness, a want of consideration for each other's feelings,
or of attention to each other's comfort, should be treated
with ;as much importance as similar offences against
strangers. The habit of putting on politeness to go abroad,
and of throwing it off at home, does more mischief-
 than we are apt to imagine.  I know families, con-
scientious in all great things, who yet think it no harm to
peep into each other's letters, or use each other's
property without permission; yet I look upon these
things as absolutely unprincipled; they are positive
infringements of the golden rule.

If one member of a family have any peculiarity, or
personal defect, he should be treated with unusual deli-
  and affection. The best way to cure any defect
is to treat persons in such a manner, that they them-
selves forget it.   Perpetual consciousness of any disagreeable-
 peculiarity increases the evil prodigiously. This
is particularly true of physical imperfections; stuttering
and lisping, for instance, are made ten times worse by
being laughed at, or observed.  It is the fear of exciting
remark that makes people stutter so much worse before
strangers than in the presence of their friends.
Parents are too apt to show a preference for the
smartest or prettiest of the family.  This is exactly the
reverse right.  Those who are the least attractive
abroad should be the most fostered at home; otherwise
they may become chilled and discouraged; and the
talents and good qualities they have, may die away in
the secrecy of their own bosoms, for want of something
to call them into exercise.

The business of parents is to develop each individual
character so as to produce the greatest amount of use-
fullness and happiness.   It is very selfish to bestow the
most attention upon those who are the most pleasing,
or most likely to do credit to a parent in the eyes of
the world.  Those who are painfully diffident of them-
selves should be treated with distinguished regard I they
should be consulted on interesting; subjects, and when
their opinions arc injudicious, they should be met by
open and manly arguments, and never treated with any
degree of contempt or indifference.

To have the various members of a family feel a
common interest, as if they were all portions of the
same body, is extremely desirable.  It is a beautiful
sight to see sisters willing; to devote their talents and
industry to the education of brothers, or a brother willing
to deny himself selfish gratification's for a sister's improve-
ment, or a psrent'scomfort.  Little respectful attentions
to a par·ent tend very much to produce this delightful
domestic sympathy.  Nothing ìs more gracefill tllan
children employed in placing a father>s arm-chair and
sliDp"S, or busying thernselves in rnakinxr everything
look cheerful against his I·eturn; and there is something
more than mere looks concerned in these becoming
attentions-these triBinp; Ihings lay ttle foundation of
strong and deeply virtuous feelings.  The vices and
temptations of the world have little danger for those
who can recollect beloved parents and a happy home.

The holy and purifying influence is carried through life,
and descends to bless and encourae;e succeedlng genera-
tions.   For this reason, too much cannot be done to
produce an earnest and confiding friendship between
parents  and children.  Mothers  should take every
opportunity to excite love, gratitude and respect, toward
a father. His virtues and his kindness should be a favorite
theme, when talking with his children.  The same rule
that applies to a wife, in these respects, of course applies
to a husband.   It should be the business of each to
strengthen the bonds of domestic union.

Every effort should be made to make home as pleas-
ant as possible.   The habit of taking turns to read
interesting books aloud, while the others are at work,
is  an  excellent  plan.    Music  has  likewise a  cheerful
influence, and greatly tends to produce refinement of
taste.   It has a very salutary effect for whole families
to unite in singing before letiring to rest; or at anJ
other time, when it is pleasant and convenient.  On
such occasions, I think there should be at least one
simple tune in which the little children can join without
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