“She eateth not the bread of idleness.”  But she never does her servants’ work, or spoils them.  Of course, if she is very poor, and has few servants, she will lend a helping hand, but she will be wise in her industry, and understand that riches are a call, not to idleness, but to another kind of work—­overseeing and directing, but not doing.  “One good head is worth a hundred good hands,” but the head must know how things should be done, and therefore the Virtuous Woman will make it a point of conscience to know how to cook, and equally a point of conscience not to do it, if she has servants who ought to see to it.

“Her children shall rise up and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praiseth her.”  My Virtuous Woman may never marry, but she will be a mother in Israel in spite of that.  Every woman finds scope for motherliness if it is in her; one way or another she will find children looking to her for love and help, and she must fit herself to educate those children, for this is a woman’s main duty in life; she should never be satisfied till she has earned a right to the compliment which Steele paid his wife—­that “to know her was a liberal education,” until

                              “Men at her side
    Grow nobler, girls purer, and, through the whole town,
    The children are gladder that pull at her gown.”

“A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”  I may seem to have made my last words to you consist of merely worldly-wise counsels, and to have left out of sight “the one thing needful,” but in many other Scripture lessons we have spoken of that Prayer, and Bible reading, that “going in the strength of the Lord God,” which is the only source of strength for man or woman.

I have tried to give a few practical counsels for everyday life, believing, as I do firmly, that the best part of this world’s wisdom is really one with Christianity, and that the fruits of dutifulness, common sense, and kindliness, cannot be produced unless there is the root of real religion.  Solomon takes that root for granted, only at the close reminding us of its necessity; and, in picturing our ideal woman, I am sure we all see her with

                                 “A brow serene
    Speaking calm hope and trust within her, whence
    Welleth a noiseless spring of patience,
    That keepeth all her life so fresh, so green
    And full of holiness, that every look,
    The greatness of her woman’s soul revealing,
    Unto me bringeth blessing, and a feeling
    As when I read in God’s own Holy Book.”

Making Plans.

Holidays.—­This is the time to show if school has done you any good.

At school you are reminded constantly of Prayer, hard work, tidiness, regularity, self-control:  you are practised in these things, and the great underlying principles of life are brought before you so that not one of you has any excuse for being careless and unconscientious in the holidays.  Also you are most of you communicants, and you know that it is impossible to be a communicant and to “let yourself go” in these ways.