But here is an odd contribution, also from Germany; it is--what do you think?--a piece of lace, darned, and a fine table napkin, also darned! 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 gipsy encampment, than anything else, and bears a very strange appearance to a European, at first.
However, although the poor people live in this way, the princes and nobles lead a far different life; an eastern grandee could formerly do anything he chose, even to killing of his wives and slaves, and, only I do not wish to frighten you, I could tell you many stories about the cruelty of the Indian nobles. They live in great state, and are always surrounded by a throng of slaves, and attendants, who wait on them as they recline lazily on a pile of the softest cushions, which are covered with the skins of beasts, and with silks, velvets, and satins. When they go abroad they are carried in what is called a palanquin, borne on the shoulders of servants, if they do not choose to ride on a horse or an elephant.