USELESS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1690, 21 July 1879, Page 4

USELESS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

Some seven and thirty years ago Hood ■wrote for the "New Monthly " the passages which we give below, and which suggests that real progress has been made in the attempt to impart to young girls a practical education. There are, of course, some to whom the words of Hood still apply, but we believe they are far lesa numerous than they were iu his day. This is what he says : " You're good for nothing." " I am indeed," murmured poor Miss Priscilla with a gentle shake of her head, and a low, slow sigh of acquiescence. Alas ! as she ran over the catalogue of her accomplishments, the more she remembered what she could d > for hsr sick parent, the more helpless and useless she appeired. For instance, she could have embroidered him a nightcap. Or netted him a silk purse, Or plaited him a guard chain, Or cut him out a watch paper, Or ornamented his braces with bead work, Or embroidered his waistcoat, Or worked him a pair of slippers, Or open-worked his pocket handkerchief. She could even, if such an operation would have been comforting or salutary, have rough-cast him with shell-work, Or coated him with red or black seals, Or encrusted him with blue alum, Or stuck him all over with colored wafers, Or festooned him. But alas ! alas ! what would it have availed her poor dear papa, in the spasmodics, if she had even festooned him from top to toe whit ittle rice-paper roses ?