Part 5 — ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

STUDY AND STUDIO.

Exile of Erin.—We must offer you the same advice as we gave to “An Ardent Admirer” (No. 995), though it seems ungracious thus to respond to your very pleasant letter. The thought that breathes through your composition is touching, and it is natural that a gift of primroses should suggest the picture of a woodland dell. But your lines halt occasionally: e.g. —

Again, we should be disposed to question whether the anemone and all the other flowers you mention bloom at once. In the woodland region we knew best the anemone preceded the “bluebell” or wild hyacinth.

M. B. (Rosario).—Many thanks for your kind and grateful letter.

Asphodel Craven.—1. The word “xystos” is not generally used, but it is doubtless the English form of the Greek word ξυστὁς, from the verb ξὑωξὑω to smooth, polish, or work delicately. In the connection you give, the term probably was applied to a piece of sculpture very highly wrought. In Greek (Lat. xystum) the term was used for a colonnade or covered terrace, with a polished floor.—2. Your writing is fairly good; but if you made your turns less pointed, and did not leave a margin at the end of your lines, it would look better.

Leonore Cristabel.—Your poem is touching, and we sympathise with you in the loss of your little brother. Your letter is modest, and the thought of your verses, if not original, is sweet and comforting. The first three verses are quite correct as to metre and rhyme; but afterwards you occasionally introduce a syllable too many, as in

Cherea.—We fancy that you would hear of an Early Rising Society from Miss Isabella E. Kent, Lay Rectory, Abington, Cambridge; but if not, perhaps one of our readers would suggest an address. You might consult our back numbers, where such societies have occasionally been mentioned.

Daffodil.—1. The lines

are from a poem by Richard Lovelace (1618-1658) “To Lucasta, on going to the Wars.”—2. Joan of Arc was called “La Pucelle,” because it means “The Maid,” and if you read her history, you will see why she, above all others, was called “The Maid of Orleans.” The Italian word for maid is also pulcella; Latin, puella.

Julia Ina Fraser.—1. We believe Pitman’s method of learning shorthand is more popular than the one you name.—2. We have never offered prizes for exactly the sort of thing you describe; but we offer prizes monthly, as you will see, in our “Supplement Story Competition.”

Peter David (Isère.)—We thank you for your kind letter, and are sorry that, as this is a girl’s magazine, we cannot comply with its request. You write English tolerably well. Do not say, “I have already written to you four months ago,” but “I wrote,” and “be so kind as to insert,” not “for inserting.”

Copper Beech.—1. You will find the recitation “King John and the Abbot of Canterbury” in “The Popular Elocutionist,” compiled by J. E. Carpenter, Warne & Co., Bedford Street, Strand. It comes from Percy’s Reliques of English Poetry.—2. The lines of the little girl are fairly good considering her age.

M. H. T.—1. We have inserted your request in “Our Open Letter Box,” and also suggest that you should apply to some London firm where second-hand books can be procured, such as Messrs. Sotheran, Strand.—2. Your writing is good, although a little cramped, and your lines are uneven. With a trifle more care, you would write remarkably well.

King Lear.—1.—There are many commentaries on Shakespeare’s plays—by Gervinus, Cowden Clarke, Dowden, Miss Rossi, and so on. The plays are also published separately, with notes, at a very low price: see for instance those in the Clarendon Press series; those edited by the Rev. John Hunter (Longmans & Co.), or Chambers’s School Edition of Shakespeare.—2. There is an excellent Life of Shakespeare by Sidney Lee, just published by Smith and Elder.

Corrigenda.—The sentiment of your poem, “The Power of Love in the Home,” is good, but the form is faulty. “Home” and “alone” do not rhyme, and we think you must have omitted a word in

“As if” takes the subjunctive—“were” led. It is not quite true that in time of deep sorrow “Love will chase away all gloom,” though it undoubtedly can do much to relieve the sufferer.

A Cumberland Lassie.—Many thanks for your letter with its pretty view of Derwentwater. We have just been staying at Keswick, and saw the two lakes become one in the flood of early November. We are glad you can appreciate the beauty of your home, and hope the loveliness of Nature will teach you many lessons. Your request is inserted below.

OUR OPEN LETTER BOX.

Miss Martin, The Hawthorns, Sandyway, Lichfield, Staffordshire, informs “Ninette,” Budapesth, that “Somebody’s Darling,” and Hood’s “Song of the Shirt,” are to be found in the “Royal Reader,” Part VI. If “Ninette” likes, Miss Martin will forward her a written copy of each poem on receipt of her address.

Winton asks where the following verse is to be found—

M. H. T. inquires for a series of books, entitled respectively, The Heir of Lugna-Quilla, Sister Ursula, and Dicky’s Secret. Sister Ursula appeared as a serial in The Children’s Own Paper about ten years ago.

Hope wishes to know the publishers, or the author, of a piece for recitation entitled, “Trouble in Amen Corner.”

Gowan will be obliged if any reader can send a copy of the words of the recitation “The Women of Mumbles Head.”

INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE.

“An Inquisitive Girl,” who expressed a wish for a “nice girl correspondent in a distant land,” has two answers. Gigia Ricciardi, aged eighteen, Chiatamone, Palazzo Arlotta, Naples, Italy, volunteers to write to her in Italian, French, German, or English. Should “Miss Inquisitive” not accept this offer, our “Faithful Italian Reader” would nevertheless like to correspond with an English girl of the upper classes, who is invited to send her full name, address, and age. Miss Alice Verena Aherne, 712, Walnut Street, Columbia, Lancaster Co. Pa., U. S. America, aged seventeen, will be glad to hear from “Miss Inquisitive,” and observes, “Whether I am nice or not, she will find out.”

Miss François wishes to correct an error in printing her address. It should be Anzin (Nord), France, not Auzier.

“O Mimosa San” has answers from “Highland Lassie” (whom we thank for her enthusiastic letter), Post Office, St. Cyrus, Kincardineshire, Scotland; Miss A. Van der Meersch, 8, Rue de la Reine, Anvers, Belgium; and Mrs. Newman, King Street, Emsworth, Hants. These ladies all collect “view post cards,” and if “O Mimosa San” will send “Highland Lassie” her address, a number shall be forwarded at once.

“Lover of Literature,” aged sixteen, who does not give her address, would like to correspond with either P. or H. Pierson. She is not very proficient in the French language, but wishes to become so.

Miss Elsie Highton, Brigham, Keswick, Cumberland, would like to correspond with a French girl of sixteen or seventeen, each to write in the language of the other. Miss Highton is a pupil teacher; she writes a neat and interesting letter.

Grete Fromberg, Kurfürstenstrasse 132, Berlin, a German girl, would like to correspond with an English girl of good family, who takes great interest in music or painting, about sixteen or seventeen years of age; each writing in the language of the other, or both in English.

White Aster.—An English girl of fifteen would like to correspond in English with an Italian girl about her own age, or a year or two older.

Kate M. Buttifant, 49, Minet Avenue, Harlesden, London, N.W., aged fourteen and a half, desires to correspond with a well-educated French girl of about the same age.

Laura would like to correspond with a French, Dutch, or Russian girl, over twenty years of age, in English or in French.

Margaret M. S. Catton, aged sixteen, would like to correspond with a French girl about the same age, or a little older. Address, Belmont, Honolulu, Hawaiian Island, viâ San Francisco.

Une petite Jersiase (17) has the same wish, but gives no detailed address.

Ethel G. Careless, Stream Vale, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Ireland (an English girl, aged seventeen), would like to correspond with Miss Valentine Massaria.

MEDICAL.

Petunia.—Menthol is not likely to do much harm if taken internally for a length of time. Its action is mainly one of stimulation. But what do you take it for? The habit of taking any medicine regularly is greatly to be deprecated. And unless you have some very strong reason for taking menthol, we would advise you to discontinue the practice. Menthol is not a mixture of camphor and peppermint, but is the solid part of the oil of peppermint. It is what is called in chemistry a stearoptene—i.e., a solid volatile oil. Camphor and thymol are other examples of stearoptenes.

Camelia.—That tea-drinking in excess is harmful is unquestionable, and it is for this reason that the medical profession has had its knife into tea for so long. But the dangers of tea-drinking have been grossly exaggerated. Tea in moderation is one of the best drinks for a person with a healthy stomach. It is the best drink for breakfast; and though dyspeptics must be cautious in their use of the beverage, it is a drink which can safely be recommended to everybody—and everybody drinks it, and quite rightly too. Of course tea is harmful when taken in excess; but what on this earth is not? It is not an easily digested drink—nor is any other fluid easy to digest (except milk, and that does not agree with all stomachs). Freshly-brewed tea is the most digestible of fluids which we habitually drink hot. We are quite sure that it is more easily digested than cocoa. Second brews and tea that has been allowed to draw too long are not easily digested, for they contain a very large quantity of tannic acid. China tea is preferable to Indian tea. You should never drink tea, nor any other drink, without eating something before it. Of course, you must be moderate in tea-drinking. It is the excessive tea-drinking by women in the afternoon which causes most of the dyspepsia due to tea which is so very common. It is said that cocoa is more digestible than tea, and that persons who drink cocoa rarely take more than half-a-pint of it at a time. We believe the latter; the fulness and nausea produced by one cup of cocoa, is quite sufficient—in our case, at all events—to enforce moderation, if not total abstinence.

Rebellious.—In the case of cancer, heredity plays an extremely unimportant part. But there are certain families in which cancer seems to run as a family disease. You say your mother died of cancer, and that other relatives on your mother’s side have also died from that disease. How many of your relatives? Here it is a question of percentage. Cancer is a very common disease, and therefore the fact that two or three of your relatives have died of cancer may simply be a coincidence, and not a case of hereditary influence at all. As we see the case, we would not prohibit a woman from marrying because one or two of her relatives have died of cancer. If she is a member of one of the families in which cancer is the usual termination of its members, then the question must be looked at in another light. Still, even here we would not discourage marriage, for even in these cases the hereditary influence is doubtful. Where, however, the disease has been very rife, the woman must consider from a very wide standpoint whether she is justified in marrying and thus spreading this fearful disease; but in nine cases out of ten the answer will be “Yes, it is justifiable.”

Dona Anna.—We can quite understand your alarm when you found that you coughed up blood, and that you came to the conclusion that you had consumption is also not unnatural. But why did you not go to a doctor at the time? You say you had a bad cough at the time which kept you awake all night; but that you are not particularly subject to coughs, and that you have been perfectly well since. This subject of blood-spitting is very important, so we will briefly mention its chief causes. The blood may come from a tooth, from the gums, from the nose, or from the lips or tongue as a result of injury. It is frequently due to inflammation about the throat, especially of the tonsils. It occurs commonly in nearly all acute diseases of the lungs, especially in bronchitis and inflammation of the voice-box. These are the common causes. In all the amount of blood spat up is very small—usually merely streaks. In consumption and some forms of heart disease blood-spitting is common and is often very profuse. Other causes of profuse bleeding are the rupture of an aneurism and some diseases of the vessels of the lungs. Or the blood may come from the stomach. This is a formidable list, but we have no doubt whatever which of these caused your blood-spitting. It was acute bronchitis and not consumption.

Gertrude.—1. Tomatoes are a very good article of diet if they are fresh. Bad tomatoes are the cause of a large number of cases of summer diarrhœa at this time of the year. It is better to eat them cooked than raw. No, tomatoes have nothing to do with the development of cancer. Where did you hear that they contained “cancerous matter”? We think your informant must have been joking.—2. Fruit is much better in the morning than at night. One reason for this is, that fruit is not easy to digest, and therefore may interfere with sleep.

MISCELLANEOUS.

R. P. S.—To remove stains from marble take two parts of soda, one of pumice-stone, and one of finely-powdered chalk, sift through a fine sieve and mix into a paste with water. Rub well with it and then wash it with soap and water. This process will both remove the stains and also produce a fine polish. If the general colour of the marble be deteriorated, mix a quantity of the strongest soap lees with quicklime to the consistency of milk, lay the wash on the marble for twenty-four hours, and wash it afterwards with soap and water, and you will find the colour restored to its original hue.

Saturday’s Child.—The duties of a lady’s maid vary of course in different houses. As a rule she must be a good hairdresser and dressmaker, and know enough of millinery to alter or re-arrange a hat or bonnet, be able to pack, to wash lace, clean hairbrushes, and do all needful mendings. If a travelling maid she must understand packing, and travelling and foreign shopping, and must speak French well. The wages vary from £20 to £50 or even more, and if a competent woman, there is no more difficulty in finding this situation than in finding any other first-class place, such as governess or companion.

Mrs. B. (Ireland).—You do not give us a nom de plume, so we hope you will recognise this heading. There is no alteration in the rules about such presents. When a girl is not engaged to a man, the presents she may accept from him are flowers, books, or music, certainly not jewellery nor clothes. The former should never be accepted unless from an accepted suitor, and must be returned in case of a rupture between the parties. There could be no alteration in these laws, and every nice girl should know and abide by them, as the question is one of self-respect and propriety.

Carrie.—There is no objection to a girl playing the clarionet nor flute, only they somewhat spoil the beauty of the performer during a performance, to which some would take exception. The former is an ancient instrument invented by Denner, at Nuremberg, 1690; but the flute still more so, being mentioned in the Book of Daniel. An oboe is a hautboy, and is also one of the reed wind instruments of which the bassoon is the bass. The former, the hautboy, was much used by itinerant English musicians as early as in the fourteenth century, and formed one of the instruments played by the Court band, temp. Edward III. It was invented by Anfranci, an Italian, A.D. 1539. An ophicleide is the bass of the horn, and is a brass wind instrument invented by Frichot in 1790. The trombone may be had of four kinds, soprano, alto, tenor and bass, the best amongst them being the tenor.

Cornish Girl sends us the address of Miss C. Flower, 14, Norfolk Crescent, Hyde Park, W., who collects used stamps, and sells them for the purpose of helping poor and sick members of The Girls’ Friendly Society. Miss Flower sells foreign stamps at 7d. for fifty, and is very successful in making money out of them. She has sent eight sick members to the sea, and paid for two beds for two months in the Eastbourne House, Durnford Lodge.—2. Black currant acid is made as follows:—three pounds of black currants, one and a half ounces of tartaric acid, to one pint of water. Put the water and the tartaric acid into a deep pan, let the latter dissolve, add the fruit, and let it stand covered for twenty-four hours. Then strain it off and add to every pint one and a half pounds of loaf sugar. Stir it well, and when the sugar is dissolved, bottle it and seal it up. This would be enough for three bottles. A dessertspoonful will be needed for a tumbler of water for drinking. This recipe can be used for other fruits—strawberry, raspberry, mulberry and red currants as well.

Dolly.—The origination of the harp on the ancient Irish National escutcheon, on the authority of tradition, is attributed to one of the early Irish kings, called David, who took a harp as his heraldic device from the harp played by his namesake, the Psalmist. It was first placed on Irish coins by Henry VIII. Paper money owes its origin to the Chinese, some 2697 years B.C. The early issues in that country are said to have been, in all essentials, similar to modern bank notes. A specimen of a Chinese bank note is preserved in the Asiatic Museum, St. Petersburg, bearing date 1399 years B.C.

Begadkephath.—It is a rule to which all the best English stylists conform, that “very” shall not be used to modify a verb, even when the verb is used adjectivally, while it may be used to modify an adjective or an adverb, as thus—very pleasant, very pleasantly. With “pleased,” the correct phrasing is “much pleased,” or “very much pleased.” The foremost reviews of this country—the Athenæum and the Spectator—are loud in denunciation of “very pleased,” “very gratified,” and so forth. It has been made the subject of comment that Thackeray upon occasion writes “very pleased,” and “different to” for “different from.” His superb gifts make good such lapses, just as Shakespeare’s genius lifts him above criticism, even when his grammar is faulty. The average English girl, however, should beware of using ungrammatical phrasing, and when she is not of ingrained vulgarity, we have always found her willing to do so.

FOOTNOTES:

[Transcriber’s Note—The following changes have been made to this text: Page 315: of to off—“cut off” Page 320: intruments to instruments—“wind instruments”]