At the head of all the means for preserving beauty are cleanliness,
frequent ablutions, and a habit of early rising. In these girls of all
ranks are well schooled, and to show you that in their education we do
not neglect what are erroneously called trifles, I will tell you of one
of the modes of treatment commonly employed in connexion with such
matters.
In the colleges each girl has a separate sleeping-room, as we have a
great objection to young girls sleeping together in one room, and
inhaling each other's peculiar gas thrown off in the form of breath
during their slumbers. Besides, when that practice prevailed, as it did
formerly, the girls were in the habit of talking to each other upon
subjects which often suggested inconvenient thoughts, even to the best
disposed, and confirmed others in tendencies which eventually grew into
confirmed vices.
On the pupil's retiring to rest, the door of her sleeping-room is
fastened from the outside by one of the matrons. The girl has no means
of opening it herself, but by touching a little spring at the head of
her couch she can at any moment communicate with the matron
night-watchers. These matron night-watchers--two for a certain number
of girls--are on the alert during the night, remaining in a place called
the "watch," where are suspended the electric bells, underneath each of
which is the name of the girl occupying the room to which it
corresponds.
Light is supplied to every dormitory by means of a lamp inserted in the
wall, and opening from the outside. Half an hour after the door has been
closed the matron extinguishes the light, without entering the room. The
external red light of night is also excluded; for, as with you, darkness
is thought much more conducive to refreshing sleep.
In consequence of the warmth of our climate, girls, being naturally
rather luxurious, are not inclined to rise early. They are, however, all
required to rise at the same hour, and this is the mode adopted for
rousing them. At the end of each room, opposite to the sleeping-couch,
is a kind of gong made of metal and formed like a pair of cymbals,
united at the base by a hinge, and kept together by a bolt at the top.
At the hour of rising these cymbals are set in motion by the matron in
the watch room, who touches a spring by which the bolt fastening the
cymbals together is removed. Thereupon the cymbals immediately clash
together, and produce loud discordant sounds. The girl, not liking the
discordant noise, loses no time in stopping it, which is beyond her
power unless she leaves her bed and fixes the bolt that keeps the two
cymbals together.
This done, she goes into an adjoining room, in which are a bath and
other preparations for her ablutions. The door communicating with the
sleeping-room closes of itself, whereupon the matron enters the
apartment, pulls off the bed-clothes, and opens a large skylight at the
top, to admit the fresh air.
The ablutions of all the girls ended, they descend to their repast,
after which they say a very short and simple prayer. In this thanks for
their refreshing sleep and for the food they have partaken are united
into one petition that the labours of the day may be blest by the
Supreme.
The practice which formerly existed of saying long prayers before the
girls partook of their first repast is abolished. Many young people have
keen appetites after a night's rest, and when the old custom prevailed
their thoughts would be wandering in a direction very different to that
ostensibly taken by their prayers.
Although saying set prayers before the early meal is now not required of
the young girl, gratitude to the Dispenser of all good is successfully
inculcated. On the walls of the repast room are inscribed in large
characters appropriate precepts adapted to the young intellect--such as
"Think of God before you eat." In the meaning of these the young are
instructed at an early age, and by various devices are imperceptibly
led, through the medium of the eye, the ear, and the understanding to
acquire the habit of directing their thoughts in conformity with the
spirit of the precepts.
A careful discipline prevails, as I have intimated, in all matters
relating to the education of girls of every rank, but, as soon as they
attain one amongst the higher positions and marry, they are allowed,
nay, encouraged, to indulge in many luxurious habits, to dress
beautifully, and to wear magnificent jewels, but only according to their
means.
As an instance of luxury in simple things, I will mention a peculiar
soft reclining cushion, or settee, particularly adapted to exhibit the
lady and her costume to the greatest advantage. As the lady sits down,
however gently, it yields to the pressure, leaving her surrounded by the
portion not pressed, which thus forms a background, and, as it were, a
frame to the living picture. When she rises, the elastic cushion resumes
its pristine form. The least movement is sufficient to cause the seat to
rise or fall, and I have often seen ladies amuse themselves with this
gentle exercise.
To these settees a pad is attached. On a spring being touched this
opens, and forms a fan which by its own movement fans the lady, and at
the same time emits a refreshing perfume, continuing to act until the
lady closes it by touching a spring.
These settees are covered with silk of various colours, adapted to the
ladies and their costume; a peculiar crimson ornamented with gold is the
favourite colour. They are allowed to be used by the married ladies
alone, and are much liked by them, the more so perhaps that in the
colleges girls of all ranks are not allowed to use any seats but those
without backs.