What I am describing is, of course, very vulgar; but, from the castle to the cottage, no house is folly-proof, though the outward manifestations of it may be less objectionable where the manners are better.

Now, with regard to all the kinds of talk which I have singled out as undesirable, please understand, that except in speaking of wickedness (or worse still nastiness), which is always a sin and needs your penitent confession and God’s absolution, all these things are wrong, only in the wrong place and wrong way and wrong proportion.

If you are keen about any of them, and want dreadfully to talk about it, do so; let it out, if you cannot fill your mind with other things; only, do it with an older person, so as to save yourself from that demon of silliness who hovers about a room where girls are alone together.  He is powerless unless you invoke him; but remember, he is always there, eagerly watching his opportunity.

I advise you to make it a rule for yourself always to go to an older friend, when you want to talk about anything that might be not quite nice, or that might verge on silliness.  If conscience or prudence give any pricks in the matter, go to an elder.  You do not know how much such a rule would save you from, and if you say, “but that is impossible, she would not understand!” then I say to you, “well, it is always possible to hold your tongue, though I do not wish to impose such a severe penance on you; I only say, talk to a safe friend, or to none.”

This question of talk is a very practical one in school life.  Probably most of you think privately, “How silly girls are!” What do you do, to make the mass less silly?  That sort of infectious silliness is the great danger of school life, but the chatter is made up by individuals, who could each talk instead of chattering:  remember that a girl at school need not be a schoolgirl; but she is in great danger of it, unless she is careful!

When you live at home you do not talk nonsense at dinner, you probably join in sensible talk.  Well, do not alter because you are with girls, and say complacently in your heart “How silly the others are!” Your neighbours would not be silly if you did not admire it.  You yourself are part of the mass you are criticizing.  On which side do your words go—­talk or chatter?  Watch yourselves, and see how your words, each day, can fairly be divided between those two scales.

“By thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”  Are these words too solemn to use, after suggestions on talk which may seem to you to have been occupied with very petty and ignoble details?  Surely not, for your talk on these commonplace matters really settles your standard, and that of the world about you, on the deepest moral questions.  The common talk of the day is both cause and effect of the morality of the day.