And when, by artificial appliances,
the degree of this difference is increased, it becomes an element
of repulsion rather than of attraction.

"'Then girls should be allowed to run wild--to become as rude as
boys, and grow up into romps and hoydens!' exclaims some defender
of the proprieties. This, we presume, is the ever-present dread of
schoolmistresses. It appears, on inquiry, that at Establishments
for Young Ladies noisy play like that daily indulged in by boys is
a punishable offence; and we infer that it is forbidden, lest
unladylike habits should be formed. The fear is quite groundless,
however. For if the sportive activity allowed to boys does not
prevent them from growing up into gentlemen, why should a like
sportive activity prevent girls from growing up into ladies? Rough
as may have been their play-ground frolics, youths who have left
school do not indulge in leap-frog in the street, or marbles in the
drawing-room. Abandoning their jackets, they abandon at the same
time boyish games, and display an anxiety--often a ludicrous
anxiety--to avoid whatever is not manly. If now, on arriving at the
due age, this feeling of masculine dignity puts so efficient a
restraint on the sports of boyhood, will not the feeling of
feminine modesty, gradually strengthening as maturity is
approached, put an efficient restraint on the like sports of
girlhood? Have not women even a greater regard for appearances than
men? and will there not consequently arise in them even a stronger
check to whatever is rough or boisterous? How absurd is the
supposition that the womanly instincts would not assert themselves
but for the rigorous discipline of schoolmistresses!

"In this, as in other cases, to remedy the evils of one
artificiality, another artificiality has been introduced. The
natural, spontaneous exercise having been forbidden, and the bad
consequences of no exercise having become conspicuous, there has
been adopted a system of factitious exercise--gymnastics. That this
is better than nothing we admit, but that it is an adequate
substitute for play we deny."

The pendulum has indeed swung across from those days to these of the
hockey-girl, not to mention the girl who throws a cricket-ball and bowls
very creditably overhand. There can be no doubt that this state of