The influence has been such, that the aim certainly
is, now, in arranging school instruction for girls, to
give them as fair a field as boys. As yet, indeed,
these arrangements are made with little judgment or
reflection; just as the tutors of Lady Jane Grey, and
other distinguished women of her time, taught them
Latin and Greek, because they knew nothing else
themselves, so now the improvement in the education
of girls is to be made by giving them young men as
teachers, who only teach what has been taught
themselves at college, while methods and topics need
revision for these new subjects, which could better be
made by those who had experienced the same wants.
Women are, often, at the head of these institutions,
but they have, as yet, seldom been thinking women,
capable to organize a new whole for the wants of the
time, and choose persons to officiate in the departments.
And when some portion of instruction is got
of a good sort from the school, the far greater proportion
which is infused from the general atmosphere of
society contradicts its purport. Yet books and a little
elementary instruction are not furnished, in vain.
Women are better aware how great and rich the universe
is, not so easily blinded by narrowness or partial views
of a home circle. “Her mother did so before her,”
is no longer a sufficient excuse. Indeed, it was never
received as an excuse to mitigate the severity of
censure, but was adduced as a reason, rather, why there
should be no effort made for reformation.'
Whether much or little has been done or will be done, whether women will add to the talent of narration, the power of systematizing, whether they will carve marble, as well as draw and paint, is not import-
