prove satisfactorily that it was not a fault of temper, or incompetence, or any immoral habit which occasioned the removal. This point is strongly enforced, because it is a sadly mistaken charity to think that a poor governess, however unfit, or unworthy, must have a good character given her, or what will become of her? Are the children, then, to be overlooked, whom she may mislead or ruin? Is truth to be sacrificed to convenience often to selfishness-for not unfrequently the desire of getting rid of an oppressive burden is the secret spring of such conduct? Is ignorance to stand on the same footing with sense, and is the deserving and hard-working, and conscientious teacher to be made to feel that one whom she knows to be unqualified, shall be just as likely as herself to obtain a good situation? Is this to reward virtue and worth? nay, is it not to encourage vice and wickedness, and to sacrifice the comfort of whole families to the notion, that it would be hard to expose one who may do better hereafter than she has ever yet done?

What we ask on both sides is strict integrity -downright honest dealing. Every one must have faults and deficiencies, let us know what they are, and we shall be prepared to meet them -those very things may not affect the comfort of one which might be ruinous to the peace of others. The same rule should be observed with regard to acquirements, — questions should be plainly asked, "Are you or not competent to in

struct on such and such subjects ?" and let the answer be conscientiously made.

Many mothers, if they be fully satisfied as to the leading points of character and mind, will gladly engage a governess who will do the great work of educating, and will employ masters for the less important one of teaching.

A great foible of the present day is the demand for " finishing governesses." What do mothers mean? Do they ever ask themselves the question, Is not this most foolish desire the temptation to others to pretend to fulfil it? Was any one ever "finished?" The best teachers can only train a mind to educate itself; or put it in a position to be educated by the circumstances and discipline of life. But there is ample room for every grade of teachers, so that those of very small attainments, if possessed of the high moral qualifications described, need not despair of finding a sphere of usefulness in which, according to their measure, they can equally glorify God with those who take a higher standard. But let us enter more minutely into the subject it was proposed to consider, i.e., what does qualify a lady for becoming a governess, and what should have been the preparation for this work?

If we could choose from its earliest stages it would be this, a careful training under a wise and tender mother, because such a course would have called into exercise the best feelings and affections, and have implanted that sense of home duties and responsibilities which should have a prominent influence in the education of girls. No

one who considers her duties to be essentially scholastic is fit to be a governess. How little of woman's life, after she has quitted the schoolroom, is devoted to study. She is learning continually if her mind be athirst for improvement, but generally she gains more from society and conversation than from any other source-when she is called into active life.

Again, no person should presume to undertake the education of others who has not been well educated herself. Every one thinks that she is capable of communicating to children the elements of learning; but is it so? Is it not more difficult to make a really good beginning than to go on where this has been made? If we take arithmetic as an example, it is easy to put a certain number of figures on a slate, and to say either that they are to be added together, or divided, or multiplied, and the mechanical process of so doing may be communicated, but is this the true way of opening a study so full of importance, and at once so interesting and so strengthening to the mind, when clearly explained and exemplified? There is no science more valuable when well taught, because of the precision and correctness of mind which it produces, from the certainty of arriving at truth, and the exercise of comparison it calls forth in considering the relative value of numbers. When taught in the ordinary way, nothing is more perplexing and distasteful than arithmetic-the why, and wherefore, of the abstract rules are so mysterious, and puzzling questions disturb a child's

mind as to how it can be honest to borrow a sum of one and then return it to another. These may seem very absurd observations to some; but it would be easy to be satisfied of their truth by conversing with a thoughtful child on the subject.

We should describe our ideal of a governess to be, a person possessing a well-balanced and disciplined mind, combining judgment and clearness of perception with gentleness and amiability of character. She should have a real love of children and devotedness to her work, a sense of the deep responsibility of her position, and of the value of the souls committed to her care. Religion must

be the foundation of all she does, or she will but build houses on the sand. She should have the power of communicating instruction agreeably; not so much by drawing on her own stores, as by calling forth the intelligence of her pupils, and making them work. A happy power of illustration and comparison is a great help in teaching, often enlivening and fixing a dry subject permanently on the mind, when the mere words would be for gotten. The qualities we have named are essential for all; but in order to carry on the education of advanced pupils, it is desirable that a lady should have a considerable acquaintance with the writers both of her own and other countries, so as to be able to direct and enlarge their understandings, and to give variety and freshness to the subjects in which she instructs them. A person of a correct and well-arranged mind may do much to supply

her deficiencies if she has never had the opportunity of general reading, because she may be continually increasing her stores, and whatever she has is ready for use.

Many fall into the mistake of supposing that they must attempt to learn a little of everything, and thus have no time for becoming thoroughly acquainted with anything.

The fault lies here with the mother, who will expect to meet with universal geniuses: that master would be considered a pedant who pretended to teach three or four languages, as well as music, drawing, and the circle of the sciences, but from a lady it is thought no unreasonable demand.

Hence

The education of men is generally directed to a few subjects classics and mathematics form the principal of these consequently the whole mind, instead of being diverted into a thousand small channels, is fixed upon a certain thing, which requires earnest attention and deep study. they obtain that power of concentrativeness which can afterwards be directed to any pursuit or profession in which they may engage. The education of women is generally directly the opposite of this, consequently they have a very vague comprehension of what they do learn.

A lady who is preparing herself to become a teacher, would find it a valuable rule to learn everything with the view of reproducing it. When one listens to good teaching, it seems so simple, so comprehensible, that we feel as if we had thoroughly taken it in, and made it our own-the