In such a case the more delicate and graceful the organization, the more noble and earnest the nature, which has been neglected, the more certain it is—­I know too well what I am saying—­to go astray.

The time of depression, disappointment, vacuity, all but despair, must come.  The immortal spirit, finding no healthy satisfaction for its highest aspirations, is but too likely to betake itself to an unhealthy and exciting superstition.  Ashamed of its own long self-indulgence, it is but too likely to flee from itself into a morbid asceticism.  Not having been taught its God-given and natural duties in the world, it is but too likely to betake itself, from the mere craving for action, to self-invented and unnatural duties out of the world.  Ignorant of true science, yet craving to understand the wonders of nature and of spirit, it is but too likely to betake itself to nonscience—­nonsense as it is usually called—­whether of spirit-rapping and mesmerism, or of miraculous relics and winking pictures.  Longing for guidance and teaching, and never having been taught to guide and teach itself, it is but too likely to deliver itself up in self-despair to the guidance and teaching of those who, whether they be quacks or fanatics, look on uneducated women as their natural prey.

You will see, I am sure, from what I have said, that it is not my wish that you should become mere learned women; mere female pedants, as useless and unpleasing as male pedants are wont to be.  The education which I set before you is not to be got by mere hearing lectures or reading books:  for it is an education of your whole character; a self-education; which really means a committing of yourself to God, that He may educate you.  Hearing lectures is good, for it will teach you how much there is to be known, and how little you know.  Reading books is good, for it will give you habits of regular and diligent study.  And therefore I urge on you strongly private study, especially in case a library should be formed here of books on those most practical subjects of which I have been speaking.  But, after all, both lectures and books are good, mainly in as far as they furnish matter for reflection:  while the desire to reflect and the ability to reflect must come, as I believe, from above.  The honest craving after light and power, after knowledge, wisdom, active usefulness, must come—­and may it come to you—­by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

One word more, and I have done.  Let me ask women to educate themselves, not for their own sakes merely, but for the sake of others.  For, whether they will or not, they must educate others.  I do not speak merely of those who may be engaged in the work of direct teaching; that they ought to be well taught themselves, who can doubt?  I speak of those—­and in so doing I speak of every woman, young and old—­who exercises as wife, as mother, as aunt, as sister, or as friend, an influence, indirect it may be, and