The cottages of the peasantry are not remarkable for comfort, being
very rude buildings, frequently having merely a hole in the roof for a
chimney. They are mostly, however, extremely picturesque, completely
covered with vines. The wines, called Bourdeaux, Burgundy, and
Champagne come from France. From the fruit of the olive-trees, which
grow in vast quantities, a fine clear oil is obtained, and this forms
a large part of the commerce of the country. The rearing of poultry is
carried on to a great extent; and most of the eggs sold in London,
which are used by us at breakfast, for sauces, and for puddings, come
from France. Most of the cottagers keep one or two small hardy cows,
which their boys or girls, 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