"Nulla dies sine linea," which means, No day without a line. You
might at least favour me with a few monthly. It would be as much
for your own benefit as for my pleasure. Pray don't send a poor
excuse again about waiting for an answer to a former letter.

I must now return to the subject of my last. I hope you have
carefully considered the remarks contained therein; and I wish to
draw your attention to other matters not so immediately connected
with religion, but which may seriously affect your prosperity and
happiness in this world. I fear that mamma is too much inclined to
discourage your going into society. If so, with all due deference
to my dear mother's experience and judgment, she has adopted a
mistaken view. You will perhaps say, you do not care for society.
So much the worse; that proves the evil of seclusion. I had the
same ideas once, and greatly to my disadvantage in a general sense,
although in one point they may have been beneficial, by making me
devote more time to my studies. But I am doubtful even about that.
At any rate, girls are differently situated. Having no need of deep
scientific knowledge, their education is confined more to the
ordinary things of the world, the study of the fine arts, and of
the manners and dispositions of people. It is often asserted that
women are much sharper than men in estimating character. Whether
that be the case or not, is more than I can say, but I think it
ought to be, because women have better opportunities and more
leisure than we have for noticing little peculiarities and the
natural expression of the features. Now, my advice would be, to go
as much as you can into quiet, good society, and moderately into
gay; not to make it the business of life, as some do, who care for
little beyond frivolous amusements, and that merely for the sake of
killing time. But go to these places, even if you do not like them,