ls, or old people, are usually leading about by
a halter, to eat the rank grass in paths or road-ways between the
fields. Their milk and butter form a good part of the people's food.

In Tours and Lyons, there are numerous manufactories for the most
superb silks and damasks; some years ago, there were fifteen hundred
pairs of silk stockings finished each day at Lyons.

The plate-glass of Paris is now much better than that of Venice, which
was formerly the finest in the world, the plates being of an immense
size and extraordinary clearness. Their tapestry is beautiful; the
tapestry of the Gobelin in particular, for it is just like splendid
painting. Indeed, some of the designs, copied from pictures, surpass
the originals, in point of beauty and brilliancy. There are many
specimens of this tapestry at the Exhibition, both in draperies, and
fitted to pieces of furniture.

The porcelain made at Sevres is exquisitely beautiful, and is used
for numerous ornamental purposes; vases, tea services, chimney
ornaments, figures, and other articles. The painted papers, which
represent various ornaments in painting, sculpture, and architecture,
serve to employ a great number of people. Watches, cutlery, shoes,
dresses, bonnets, and jewellery, are also a good source of employment
among numerous families. All these beautiful things we shall see at
the Exhibition.

The forests, in France, are very extensive; and as wood is the general
fuel used, great attention is paid to the growth of the trees. Cattle
and domestic animals are rather scarce, and the sheep are ill-managed;
in winter, they are fed on straw and hay, instead of green food, so
that the French meat is not so good as the English; but they have a
nice way of dressing it. The country people are very simple in their
habits and manners, and very frugal in their way of living; they live
for the most part on black bread, garlic, fruit, and milk. The
costumes of some of the peasants are exceedingly pretty.

[Illustration]

What a many thousand contributions have come from foreign countries,
yet even a greater number have been sent in from all parts of our own
dear islands, England, Ireland, and Scotland. Here is a silver
tea-kettle, manufactured from a fourpenny-piece, by a working man. I
think that would grace the diminitive tea-table of the Emperor of the
Lilliputians. And a pair of boat-sculls, made of white ash, and only
the size of writing-pens, which I dare say, the oars