well-conducted girls who came originally from the great Union schools.  But, when I take another side of the picture, I am inclined to say very fervently, “Anything rather than the workhouse system for children!  Anything short of complete neglect!” Observe that in one of the overgrown schools the young folk are scarcely treated as human; their individuality—­if they have any to begin with—­is soon lost; they are known only by a number, and they are passed into the outer world like bundles of shot rubbish.  There are seamen who have never cast off the peculiar workhouse taint—­and no worse shipmates ever afflicted any capable and honourable soul:  for these Union weeds carry the vices of Rob the Grinder and Noah Claypole on to blue water, and show themselves to be hounds who would fawn or snarl, steal or talk saintliness, lie or sneak just as interest suited them.  Then the workhouse girls:  I have said sharp words about cruel mistresses; but I frankly own that the average lady who is saddled with the average workhouse servant has some slight reasons for showing acerbity, though she has none for practising cruelty.  How could anybody expect a girl to turn out well after the usual course of workhouse training?  The life of the soul is too often quenched; the flame of life in the poor body is dim and low; and the mechanical morality, the dull, meaningless round of useless lessons, the habit of herding in unhealthy rooms with unhealthy companions, all tend to develop a creature which can be regarded only as one of Nature’s failures, if I may parody a phrase of the superlative Beau Brummel’s.

There is another and darker side to the workhouse question, but I shall skim it lightly.  The women whose conversation the young girls hear are often wicked, and thus a dull, under-fed, inept child may have a great deal too much knowledge of evil.  Can we expect such a collection to contain a large percentage of seemly and useful children?  Is it a fact that the Unions usually supply domestics worth keeping?  Ask the mistresses, and the answer will not be encouraging.  No; the workhouse will not quite suffice.  What we want to do is to take the waifs and strays into places where they may lead a natural and healthy life.  Get them clear of the horror of the slums, let them breathe pure air and learn pure and simple habits, and then, instead of odious and costly human weeds, we may have wholesome, useful fellow-citizens, who not only will cost us nothing, but who will be a distinct source of solid profit to the empire.  The thing has been and is being done steadily by good men and women who defy prejudice and go to work in a vigorous practical way.  The most miserable and apparently hopeless little creatures from the filthy purlieus of great towns become gradually bright and healthy and intelligent when they are taken to their natural home—­the country—­and cut adrift from the congested centres of population.  The cost of their maintenance is at first a little over the workhouse figure; but