forget in your own silent and solitary studies, so far as
you can, all that are around you. You will remember that all
_communication_ is forbidden. Whispering, making signs, writing upon
paper or a slate, bowing to any one, and, in fact, _every_ possible way
by which one person may have any sort of mental intercourse with
another, is wrong. A large number of the scholars take a pride and
pleasure in carrying this rule into as perfect an observance as
possible. They say that as this is the only rule with which I trouble
them, they ought certainly to observe this faithfully. I myself,
however, put it upon other ground. I am satisfied that it is better and
pleasanter for you to observe it most rigidly, if it is attempted to be
enforced at all.

You will ask, "Can not we obtain permission of you or of the teachers to
leave our seats or to whisper if it is necessary?" The answer is "No."
You must never ask permission of me or of the teachers. You can leave
seats or speak at the _direction_ of the teachers, that is, when they of
their own accord ask you to do it, but you are never to ask their
permission. If you should, and if any teachers should give you
permission, it would be of no avail. I have never given them authority
to grant any permissions of the kind.

You will then say, "Are we never, on any occasion whatever, to leave our
seats in study hours?" Yes, you are. There are two ways:

1. _At the direction of teachers._--Going to and from recitations is
considered as at the _direction_ of teachers. So, if a person is
requested by a teacher to transact any business, or is elected to a
public office, or appointed upon a committee, leaving seats or speaking,
so far as is really necessary for the accomplishing such a purpose, is
considered as at the direction of teachers, and is consequently right.
In the same manner, if a teacher should ask you individually, or give
general notice to the members of a class, to come to her seat for
private instruction, or to go to any part of the school-room for her, it
would be right to do it. The distinction, you observe, is this: the
teacher may, _of her own accord,_ direct any leaving of seats which she
may think necessary to accomplish the objects of the school. She must
not, however, _at the request of an individual,_ for the sake of her
mere private convenience, give her permission to speak or to leave her
seat. If, for example, a teacher should say to you in your class, "As
soon