Miss Steadman has not only written an interesting life of
the great pioneer school mistress of Cheltenham, but has thrown a great deal of light on English feminine education. In the Days of Miss Beale (E. J. Barrow, 12s. 6d.)—(her pioneer days, we mean) girls, however absurdly dressed, had a great deal more freedom of thought and speech—if not of limb —than their grandmothers are apt to think. They read in books and said in essays very much what they liked, and if they were not well equipped for games or examinations they were for conversation. Many amusing tales of the old school in its early days are put on record. Miss Beale employed page- boys, but fearing that their work would " lead nowhere ' she insisted that they should receive a great deal of instruction from the various masters and mistresses, and they had to work hard in their off time. One lad was greatly interested in theology. He desired to become, and finally did become, a clergyman. Miss Beale was deeply interested in his aspirations and desired that he should attend her scripture lessons, to which he listened in semi-private, seated behind a curtain.
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