ke of
mind, body, ear, and eye, and better worth while for any girl of any
rank than volumes of fictitious history concocted by fools concerning
knaves.

_Girls' Clubs._--Allusion has been made to girls' clubs, and one may be
fortunate enough to have some readers who may feel inclined to partake
in the splendid work which may be done by this means. It requires high
qualities and a certain amount of expert knowledge. Much of the latter
can be obtained from the little book recommended above. For the rest, it
is worth while briefly to point out what the girls' club may effect, and
why it is so much needed.

It has been insisted that puberty is a critical age because it means the
dawn of womanhood. It is critical in both sexes, not only for the body
but also for the mind. It is now that the intellect awakes; it is now
that the real formation of character begins. We often talk about spoilt
children at three or four, but any kind of making or marring of
character at such ages can be undone in a few weeks or less--that is, in
so far as it is an effect of training and not of nature that we are
dealing with. The real spoiling or making is at that birth of the adult
which we call puberty. During adolescence the adult is being made, and
everything matters for ever. This is true of physique, of mind, and of
character. The importance of this period is recognized by modern
churches in their rite of Confirmation, and it was recognized by ancient
religions, by Greeks and by Romans. Our national appreciation of it is
expressed by our devotion of vast amounts of money and labour to the
child, until the all-important epoch is reached, when we wash our hands
of it. We educate away, for all we are worth, when what is mainly
required is plenty of good food and open air; and we have done with the
matter when the age for real education arrives. In time to come our
neglect of adolescence in both sexes, more especially in girls, will be
marvelled at, and many of the evils from which we suffer will cease to
exist because the fatal and costly economy of the practical man is
dismissed as a delusion and a sham, and it is perceived that whether for
the saving of life or for the saving of money, adolescence must be cared
for.

Meanwhile, it behoves private people who care about these things to do
what they can. If they rightly influence but ten girls, it was well
worth doing. The girls' club is a very inexpensive mode of social
activity. Practical