dress of a little girl.-Pins should be used as little as possible, and the clothes chiefly fastened with strings, which would prevent

the occasional scratching of their tender skins, and those alarming cries which so frequently proceed from this cause. Such a light and simple dress would induce children to live with less restraint in the society of each other; and check that silly pride, which leads them to ape the fashions of their superiors, and to value themselves on account of the finery of their clothes. During the first months, the head and breast may be slightly covered; but as soon as the hair is sufficiently long to afford protection, there appears little necessity for either hats or caps, unless in seasons of rain or cold. By keeping the breast and neck uncovered, they acquire more firmness, are rendered hardier, and less susceptible of being affected with cold. Besides, a child has really a more interesting aspect, when arrayed in the beautifui simplicity of nature, than when adorned with all the trappings which art can devise. The following anecdote, related by Herodotus, illustrates the advantage connected with a cool regimen of the head. "After the battle fought between the Persians, under Cambyses, and the Egyptians, the slain of both nations were separated; and upon examining the heads of the Persians, their skulls were found to be so thin and tender, that a small stone would immediately perforate them; while, on the other hand, the heads of the Egyptians were so firm, that they could scarcely be fractured by the largest stones." The cause of this remarkable difference was attributed to the custom of the Egyptians shaving their heads from earliest infancy, and going uncovered in all states of the weather; while the Persians always kept their heads warm by wearing heavy turbans.

Attention ought likewise to be paid to the proper covering of the feet. It is scarcely necessary for children to use shoes before they are a year old; or if they do, the soles should be thin and soft. The form of the human foot is such, that, at the toes it is broad, at the heel narrow, and the inside of the foot is longer than the outside—a form which is evidently intended by Nature to enable us to stand and walk with firmness and ease. It is therefore a dictate of nature, that shoes should be made in the same form as the feet, and be sufficiently roomy for the toes to move with ease; and in order to this, they must be formed upon two separate lasts, corresponding to the right and the left foot. How shoes came at first to be made tapering to a point at the toes, almost like a bodkin-how high-heels became the darling fashion of the ladies-and how a small foot came to be reckoned genteel I pretend not to determine; but certainly nothing can be more absurd and preposterous. Such opinions and practices, along with many others which abound, particularly in the fashion.

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able world, have a direct tendency to counteract the benevolent intentions of Nature, and are nothing short of an attempt to arraign the wisdom of the Creator, in his arranging and proportionating the different parts of the human frame-as if puny man, by his foolish whims, were capable of improving the workmanship of Infinite Intelligence. The following figures (taken from Dr. Faust) plainly show the absurdity of the shapes which have been given to shoes. Fig. 1. shows the original shape of the sole of the left foot. Fig. 3. shows how the sole of the left shoe ought to be formed,—and Fig. 2. shows clearly that the shoes usually worn, and made on one last, cannot correspond to the natural shape of the foot. If they taper towards a point, the large toe, and some of the small ones, must be crushed and pressed against each other, causing pain to the wearer, and producing corns. The simplest and most accurate mode of taking the true measure and form of shoes, is, to place each foot upon a sheet of paper, and then draw its shape with a pencil, to which two separate lasts should nearly correspond, after having ascertained the curve of the upper part of the foot.

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With regard to the clothing of children, in general, it is the opinion of Dr. Faust, that, from the beginning of the third, to the end of the seventh or eighth year, "their heads and necks must be free and bare, the body clothed with a wide shirt, and frock with short sleeves, the collar of the shirt to fall back over that of the frock, with the addition of a woollen frock, to be worn between the shirt and the linen frock, during winter, and that the feet be covered only with a pair of socks, to be worn in the shoes." Such a cheap and simple dress, if generally adopted, would

children fall, or get into any difficulty in the course of their movements, if they are in no danger, we should never be forward to express our condolence, or to run to their assistance; but leave them to exert their powers, and to scramble the best way they can, in order to extricate themselves from any painful situations in which they may have been involved. By being too attentive to them, and appearing too anxious, in such cases, we teach them to be careless of themselves;-by seeming to regard every trifling accident which befalls them as a dreadful calamity, we inspire them with timidity, and prevent them from acquiring manly fortitude.

With regard to the sleep of children, it is universally admitted, that they require far more than persons of adult age; and the younger the child, the more sleep he requires. An adult requires only about seven hours in the twenty-four; but very young chil dren require double that number. However long they may happen to sleep, they should never be suddenly awakened. It is dangerous in the extreme to lull them asleep by doses of laudanum, or other soporific medicines, as is frequently done by mercenary and indolent nurses. In order to induce children to repose, they are generally rocked in cradles; but there is no absolute necessity for resorting to this expedient. If they are constantly kept dry and clean, and accustomed to fresh air, and not frequently disturbed, they will sleep comfortably and soundly without any violent agitation. Some of my own children were never in a cradle, and yet they were far more easily managed, in respect to sleeping, and watching, and other circumstances, than those of them who were accustomed to it; and many similar instances, were it expedient, could be brought forward. But if they are to be rocked in cradles, it ought to be with the greatest gentleness. The violence with which children are sometimes rocked, jumbles their brain, and makes them uneasy, giddy, and stupid, and is consequently injurious, both to body and mind. If the practice of rocking, however, were altogether laid aside, it would be a great relief to mothers and nurses, and afford them more uninterrupted leisure for the performance of other domestic employments. As it is viewed by some to be hurtful and dangerous for mothers to take their infants with them to bed,—in Italy, mothers who do so, use a machine, which protects them from all injury and danger. It is called arcuccio, and is 3 feet 2 inches long, and the head-board 14 inches broad, and 13 inches high.

1 shall only observe further, on the subject of physical educaion,-that, when children begin to lisp out a few words, or sylla