[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] Sin, — As one who
has lived in a Colony for four years, may I be allowed to agree entirely with your article in reply to the letter of " A Returned South African," especially with your opinion that "the difference between English and Colonial girls is a question of environment or opportunity much more than of capacity or disposition" ? Surely most people nowadays know cases similar to one I came across the other day. The granddaughter of an Earl, who had lived just the ordinary life of a girl of her class till she married, went with her husband to his ranch in the Argentine. There she had no servant at all, and had to do even the laundry-work, and she did it as well and cheerfully as " if to the manner born." I know another English girl whose experiences were almost the same in Oregon, where she went to keep house for her brother. In England, too, there are families where the daughters take a pride in housewifely duties, and would, I venture to think, bear comparison with Colonial girls even in domestic matters. To mention one instance only, I know a family of seven unmarried daughters whose circumstances are more than comfortable, and who not only make almost all their own very smart clothes—after their frequent trips to the Continent they bring home Parisian patterns and make the loveliest gowns—but who can also turn out as good a luncheon or dinner as the best of their well-paid cooks has ever done. These girls have, more- over, learnt these things without detriment to their accom- plishments, and several of them are clever musicians and artists. Surely the fact of girls attaining to perfection in the arts of the home where no necessity or stress of circumstances obliges them, as is the case with Colonial girls, reflects the more credit upon them. I have mentioned two instances of the plucky and capable way English girls have adapted them- selves to Colonial life, and could also cite cases of Colonial girls who have found it extremely easy and pleasant to adapt
themselves -to the circumstances of life in England. In fact, one wonders how many of the most energetic and capable ceiling-menders and bread-bakers of the Colonies would continue to do these things if they came to live at home.
I should like to refer to one more point in Tour corre- spondent's letter. She mentions two teachers who came to England for a trip, paying their own expenses out of their earnings, and she doubts the existence of many English girls of their position visiting the Colonies in the same way. I cannot think that "A Returned South African " can know much about the life of teachers in England, or she would be aware that hundreds use their earnings for a visit to the Continent every summer. Moreover, to spend their long holidays in a trip abroad is not by any means restricted to teachers in the upper-class girls' schools only, for the large parties who visit the Continent in connexion with Dr. Lunn's or Cook's tours, or the various Polytechnic expeditions are eagerly patronised by our National and County Council school teachers of both sexes. Surely their choice of a locality for their holiday is again the fault—as I suppose "A Returned South African " would consider it,—of their environments, but I cannot myself be surprised that those who are surrounded by countries teeming with treasures of historical and artistic interest do not find their lives long enough to put in a visit to a distant Colony.
May I say one word in conclusion ? I hope none of my remarks will be construed into a depreciation of the charms and ability of our Colonial sisters, for no one has more cause than I have to appreciate them, their naturalness and warm- heartedness, as well as their cleverness, and I would not for a moment forget these. But their cause can hardly be served by such uncritical and sweeping condemnation of English ,girls as that of your correspondent.—I am, Sir, &a.,
ONE WHO SEES BOTH SIDES.
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