Taking, then, five hours as the reasonable daily limit of mental effort for children of eight to fourteen years, and one hour as the longest time of continuous confinement, (it was a standing rule of the Jesuits, by the way, that no pupil should study more than two hours without relaxation,) the important question now recurs, To what school shall we send Angelina?

Shall we send her, for instance, to Dothegirls’ Hall?  At that seminary of useful knowledge, I find by careful inquiry that the daily performance is as follows, at least in summer.  The pupils rise at or before five, A.M.; at any rate, they study from five to seven, two hours.  From seven to eight they breakfast.  From eight to two they are in the schoolroom, six consecutive hours.  From two to three they dine.  From three to five they are “allowed” to walk or take other exercise,—­that is, if it is pleasant weather, and if they feel the spirit for it, and if the time is not all used up in sewing, writing letters, school politics, and all the small miscellaneous duties of existence, for which no other moment is provided during day or night.  From five to six they study; from six to seven comes the tea-table; from seven to nine study again; then bed and (at least for the stupid ones) sleep.

Eleven solid hours of study each day, Dolorosus!  Eight for sleep, three for meals, two during which out-door exercise is “allowed.”  There is no mistake about this statement; I wish there were.  I have not imagined it; who could have done so, short of Milton and Dante, who were versed in the exploration of kindred regions of torment?  But as I cannot expect the general public to believe the statement, even if you do,—­and as this letter, like my previous one, may accidentally find its way into print,—­and as I cannot refer to those who have personally attended the school, since they probably die off too fast to be summoned as witnesses,—­I will come down to a rather milder statement, and see if you will believe that.

Shall we send her, then, to the famous New York school of Mrs. Destructive?  This is recently noticed as follows in the “Household Journal":—­“Of this most admirable school, for faithful and well-bred system of education, we have long intended to speak approvingly; but in the following extract from the circular the truth is more expressively given:—­’From September to April the time of rising is a quarter before seven o’clock, and from April to July half an hour earlier; then breakfast; after which, from eight to nine o’clock, study,—­the school opening at nine o’clock, with reading the Scriptures and prayer.  From nine until half past twelve, the recitations succeed one another, with occasional short intervals of rest.  From half past twelve to one, recreation and lunch.  From one to three o’clock, at which hour the school closes, the studies are exclusively in the French language....  From three to four o’clock in the winter, but later in the summer, exercise in the open air.