The Women Of Our Time.

opinion more than anything else to give our young women their often amusing tone of independence , ancl boldness of assertion . And then let us bear in mind another great change , Avhich has come over society ancl greatly affected our entire daily life . In former days , young women

were supposed to be invisible , for the greater part of the clay , but " nousavons change tout cela . " From 12 in the clay , if so disposed , our young Avomen are now " en evidence , " in the Park , at Rinkson horsebackat Luncheon

, , Parties , or again in the afternoon at Hurlingham and Lillie Bridge . Dick , Tom , Jim and Harry surround them Avith their small talk ancl their arguments , their "feast of reason and their flow of soul , " their hon m 6 ts ancl their bad storiesuntil the

, conversation ineA'itably assumes , in my candid opinion , a A ery deteriorating tone . Indeed it is sometimes wonderful to realize how our girls escape from the snares which the " Circe " of this world ' s seductive

influences throws around the gay , the innocent , the insouciant and the unsuspecting . Nothing in truth but the good sense of our girls , a sound education , and a religious temperament preserve them from snares great and many , from dangers very pressing , ancl from pitfalls very deep . And there is another point which I must now necessarily notice here , viz ., the state of female education . I haA'e attended to

education very carefully for many years , and I knoAV as a fact , that the women are a long way ahead of the men . Uur girls have beaten the boys by many heads . Strong-minded Avomen may exclaim and lecturers may '' howl" about the education of Avomenbut I haA-e no hesitation in

, saying , that our young unmarried women , and our young married women , are far better educated than the men , ancl there is also a higher sense of moral duty , ancl of personal restraint . It is so in . all classes of society , not even excepting the humblest .

And though I knoAV that women are the best and most accommodating of creatures , always looking on the sunny side of things , always putting a good face on the worst of times and matters , Avhen men are cowardly caterwauling , I yet feel , ancl fancy they feel it too , that just now they have a baddish look-out before them . In these

vapid and semi-educated youths , Aveak in spelling and principles , but fond of laying down the law , ancl dreadful hypocrites to boot , AVIIO , as the old coachman said , " with no bottom , sir , and no heart , " are those Avith whom their lot in life has cast them . What are young women to do in such

circumstances ? It is no use ignoring the dilemma , nor " crying over spilt milk ! " Their Avhole future lies absolutely with this " jeunesse doree , " this " CEnea Juvenilis , " Avhose ignorance they chaff , whose manners they resent , and Avhose

morals they despise . And hence I believe that Avith amiability peculiar to womenalways self-sacrificing , never self-assertingin order to secure the good Avill of these noisy andpretentiousheroes , theirfuture husbands and relationsto retain their interest and to

, claim a little share in their sympathies , poor tilings , they chime in Avith that some-Avhat "fast " tone and temper of the hour , Avhich I for one venture to deem to be

hurtful and even debasing to themselves . But in saying this , I do not want to exaggerate the defects of our young men , who may be better far than I haA'e depicted them , but I fancy that though to some I may seem to have daubed my picture with

too sombre colours , I am not very far from the mark . At any rate I think I have a right to Avish that their spelling might be better , ancl their smoking less , —their love of home-life more realancl their waste of time

, , money , and talents considerably reduced , whether in questionable pursuits or undesirable company . Believing , as I do , that our girls are meant for far better things , and that in themselves they are quietreasonable and culturedand

, , kind and good , I always lament to think that anything should eA'er lead them to comply Avith the " Rites of Moloch , " even for an hour , in the vain idea of conciliating their lords and masters , to please that sapient and unconcerned youth , Avhich watches their

movements , and discusses their habits . In the Club , and smoking-room , around the card table and after dinner , our young men are not chary as to Avhat they say about young women , and none are more free than the married or middle-aged men , who look upon Avomen as the property of man . Call me Don Quixote if you will , but I