however, don't laugh, until I explain to you the reason _why_ it has
been mended in this way: an ingenious young lady, wishing to show
industrious lasses that torn clothes may be made to look as if they
had not been injured in that manner at all, got a piece of cloth, tore
it for the purpose, and taking up the stitches neatly, worked thread
after thread till she had darned it in such a way that nobody could
tell where it had been torn; she then thought of sending a specimen of
her industry to the World's Fair.

Here are snuff-boxes made of coal, which have been sent from Woolwich;
and a beautiful little cannon of agate, from Germany; and two violins,
worth a great deal of money, which have been contributed from America.

I know that the productions of India will delight you by their beauty
and ingenuity: the costumes the natives have sent are even prettier
than those of Turkey, Spain, or Persia, and their gold, silver, and
mother-of-pearl ornaments, are enchanting; what splendid veils,
dresses, shawls, carved ivory, and curiosities!

I would have you look very attentively at the contributions from
India, they are so gorgeous; such superb muslins, baskets, and fans;
with silks, cotton, cocoa-nuts, roots, woods, and such tempting
fruits. I always like to see Indian articles, they are so magnificent.
The persons who have sent these things must have worked very hard, to
make so many beautiful specimens; but then the poorer people of India
are exceedingly industrious; they live very simply, eating rice,
boiled with milk and spices, as their principal food, for it is
against their religion to touch meat of any kind. They would lead
rather a sorry life, were it not that their tastes were so extremely
simple, and their wants so few. A Hindoo village looks more like a