Page:Advice to young ladies on their duties and conduct in life - Arthur - 1849.djvu/35

Rh final withdrawal from school. These years ought to be employed by all, no matter how high their station, in thoroughly mastering some branch of knowledge, or in acquiring some skill, from the exercise of which, as a regular employment, should necessity ever require it to be done, a livelihood may be obtained.

Those young ladies who have had the advantages of a liberal education will find it only necessary to take up some one of the branches to which they have been giving attention, and perfect themselves in that. To some, music will present the best means of obtaining the desired end,—to others, the languages, and particularly the French language. A good French teacher can always obtain a fair salary; and one well skilled in the principles and practice of musical science will find no difficulty in making her skill available, should necessity require her to do so.

To those who have not enjoyed these advantages, or who have not sufficient taste for music to enable them to acquire much skill, or for the languages to give hope of great proficiency in mastering them thoroughly, some trade, such as dress or bonnet-making, ought, by all means, to be learned. Six months or a year’s devotion to one or the other of these may give the ability,