study and studio.
m. h.—1. the thought in your poem is very good, and you describe nature well and sympathetically. you need, however, to pay more attention to your technique. your lines are frequently halting—
“’tis sunset on the ocean, radiant with light.”
is an instance in point.—2. water-colours would be suitable for painting on gauze or satin. no preparation of the material is required.
“barty.”—1. barty joscelin, in the martian, is a fictitious character, though some of his early experiences in france were probably drawn from real life.—2. we are not familiar with the books you mention, but no doubt you could obtain a list from a bookseller, or the publisher if you knew the name.
sweet seventeen.—1. your writing is fairly good, but you should not leave a margin at the end of your lines. try to write as freely as possible.—2. inquire at the chemist’s where you purchase the sulphur ointment.
norah t.—we have never seen a really good book of such dialogues as you require, but you might apply to the united kingdom band of hope union, 60, old bailey, e.c., saying what you need. twenty minutes, by harriet l. childe-pemberton, is a little book containing amusing dialogues for recitation, but they are not connected with “temperance.”
student.—1. a charming book, though not a new one, about animals is mrs. alfred gatty’s worlds not realised; and parables from nature, by the same author, contains much information mingled with beautiful allegorical teaching.—2. apply to the national health society—secretary, miss lankester, 53, berners street, w., or to the st. john’s ambulance association, st. john’s gate, clerkenwell, e.c., for full list of books on nursing. we may mention hints and helps for home nursing and hygiene, by dr. cosgrave, price 1s. (st. john’s ambulance association). we do not think you at all discourteous in your criticisms on the articles in question.
hildegarde winter.—1. it is rather difficult for us to advise you what music to practise without knowing your powers. there are books of “short voluntaries” (1s. each), by edward redhead, published by orsborn & tuckwood, 64, berners street, london, w., which might suit you. they are intended for organ or harmonium, but sound well on the piano. book iii. contains some charming easy music. would mendelssohn’s “songs without words” be too difficult? you should practise at least an hour a day and as much longer as you can, but we fear that without any tuition you will find it hard to make much progress.—2. the tails of your g’s and y’s spoil your writing; they are too long, and badly formed. you could easily improve your hand.
medical.
gwen lewis.—goître or derbyshire neck is one of those diseases which are “endemic,” that is, resident in certain localities. it is very common in some places, chiefly in the mountainous or hilly districts of derbyshire, devonshire and wales. it is more common in the valleys than in the hills. it is supposed to be due to some constituent in the water, possibly excess of lime. goître, however, is not very infrequent in persons who have never seen a mountain, and who have lived in districts which are decidedly not goîtrous. there are many forms of goître, and the treatment for each variety is different. unfortunately, that variety which is “endemic” is most difficult to cure. if the patient can leave the district where the condition was developed, and live in a place where the disease does not occur, the mass will cease growing and often wither altogether. the rational treatment of goître is therefore to change one’s residence. iodine, both internally and externally, is often advised for the relief of simple goître, and it does sometimes do good. mercury is often occasionally used with good results. surgical procedures have been adopted, but unless the growth is enormous or interferes with breathing or swallowing, and in other special cases, this treatment is not to be recommended. friction, massage and electricity have been tried with practically no result whatever.
{624}
buttercup.—careful and moderate exercise is what you require. all your troubles, including the curvature of the spine, will be improved by this means. gymnastic exercises are extremely valuable, and if we can only impress upon you to be moderate, we have no hesitation in saying that you will derive great benefit from gymnastics. the dumb-bells, the clubs, the horizontal bar, and the other milder exercises are very helpful, but you must avoid all the violent, we might almost say furious, exercises which are far too commonly indulged in. again, you must not give up walking for gymnastics, but let a little of one augment a little of the other. avoid sofas and easy-chairs, for these tend to weaken the spine. before doing this, however, we advise you to have your back examined to find out what was the cause of the curvature.
mystic.—beer poured over a red-hot horse-shoe will not cure dyspepsia. on the contrary, it will make it worse. what an extraordinary superstition!
heath phillips.—you suffer from acne undoubtedly, possibly from that form known as “acne rosacea.” if you never feel indigestion you certainly have not got it. sulphur ointment is very good for acne, but in the later stages, especially of the rosaceous acne, ichthiol ointment (2½ per cent.) is better.
merry sunbeam.—the hair frequently combs out in considerable quantities, especially during spring and autumn. this is no abnormality, it is quite healthy, but it frequently alarms girls, because a very little hair makes a great show. the solution you use is useful, but you must beware of using much alcohol for the hair, as it renders it brittle. wash your head less often, say once a fortnight, and add a teaspoonful of borax to each quart of water. the yolk of an egg makes a useful and strengthening hair-wash, but it should not be used too frequently, and the hair must be well rinsed afterwards.
ethel.—chlorate of potassium lozenges are very useful for a “relaxed throat.” you must be careful not to swallow too many, for the drug is very apt to produce indigestion. never take more than five in the course of one day. we have seen truly alarming symptoms in a girl who has eaten an ounce of the lozenges in an afternoon.
maitland.—singeing the eyebrows would in no way permanently injure them. the hairs of the eyebrows grow very fast, and in a few weeks you will be none the worse for the accident.
enquirer.—by an “enlarged neck” you probably mean enlarged glands in the neck, a condition extremely commonly due to decayed teeth.
harry’s girl.—sugar is fattening, and very probably you are getting too fat because you eat too much sugar. there is no necessity for you to give up sugar altogether, but be more moderate in the amount you eat.
mignonette.—we published a long article on blushing and nervousness a short time back in which you will find all the information you require.
miscellaneous.
primrose.—we do not think a stone could be set in a small wedding-ring. you had better consult a jeweller about it, as we have not seen it and cannot give a reliable opinion.
dodo.—the distinctions between the heterodox beliefs of a deist and an atheist are considerable. the former believes in the existence of a god, but rejects the divine revelation of him given in the holy scriptures. he also believes in the immortality of the soul, and in the suitable reward of virtue and the punishment of vice. the latter denies the existence of a god, or divine providence, and holds no religious belief of any description. an infidel, or unbeliever, is one who denies the jewish and christian religions, and may be of any unorthodox belief.
h. h.—much depends on your finances. there is a good rule which tells you to “be just before you are generous.” of course, it would be best to take nothing that you can help (by self-denial) from the contributions you usually make in church; but the money required for restitution of fraudulently-acquired money, it should be your first duty to make good (see st. matt. v. 23 and 24). this precept would apply to such a case as yours. of course, “there is hope while there is life.” our blessed lord says “he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto god through him”—his blood-shedding—and “him that cometh unto me, i will in no wise cast out.”
olive.—that the celts are a branch of the great aryan family is regarded as beyond all doubt, by their language, which bears a close resemblance in grammatical structure and vocables to sanscrit. they were the first of the aryan settlers in europe. herodotus (b.c. 450) speaks of the keltai. by this name the greeks called them, and the romans galli, and a very numerous branch of them called themselves gael. they settled in most of the european countries, and in the british islands, notably in scotland and ireland, but more in england than is generally supposed. your own aboriginal family name is clearly celtic.
sunflower.—the fact that your copy of the bible is 100 years old is not the only question to be considered. if one of the several editions named after typographical errors, such as the “breeches bible” or the “vinegar bible” (published in 1727), and others, then there would be a fixed value for it. the celebrated “bowyer bible,” illustrated with 7,000 engravings, etchings, and original drawings, was sold to a mrs. heywood, of bolton, for £500. it was one of the macklin bibles. you had better send a particular account of yours to some large library, and discover its value from the manager.
queenie b.—fringes, if worn, are short and encroach little on the forehead. you should look at the dummies in the hair-dressers’ windows, and get a hair-dresser to cut your hair properly, or it will not curl. a situation as “companion” is rarely to be obtained. a girl should have a good address and good manners, should be a good reader, and write a good legible hand, be well-informed, sing, or play; have a sweet temper, and a great store of patience, with tact. as to the salary, that would vary, and must be left to private arrangement. if you possess all these qualifications, then advertise.
