semble insects) and every where abound among the beds of the ocean, and the extraordinary digestive faculties of the finny tribes, we have reason to conclude, that the former were principally intended and brought into existence for food to the latter*. I shall, however, mention a few particulars in which the crustaceous tribes may also be said to be otherwise serviceable. The Hawk's bill Turtle is valued on account of its shell, from whence our most beautiful snuff-boxes and other trinkets are said to be formedf. The Green Turtle, as a wholesome and highly delicious food, has become such a valuable article in commerce, that our West India vessels are now generally fitted up with conveniences for importing them alive. The Land Crab (which is also a native of the deep) is said to be regarded as a delicacy in Jamaica; and it is even asserted that the slaves are often entirel fed upon them. Among the shell-fish on the Waterford coast, the Murex, which gave the Tyrian purple, is said to exist. I need not mention of what estimation the Lobster, the Crab, and other shell-fish, are held among ourselves, and the delicacy of flavour which makes the Oyster prized as an article of foodt. In the Oyster also is found that beautiful substance called Mother of Pearl; but as the Pearl fishery is one of the most destructive employments (the art of war excepted) in which the human species *The digestive faculties of fishes are so extraordinary, that their stomachs are said to have a power of softening the most callous shells. + Tortoise-shell is formed into ornamental articles, by first steeping it in boiling water, till it has acquired a proper softness, and immedi ately afterwards committed to the pressure of a strong metallic mould of the form required; and when it is necessary to join the pieces, so as to form a large extent, the edges of the pieces are fin scraped, or thinned, and being laid over each other during their heated state, are committed to a strong press, by which means they are effec tually joined, or agglutinated. These are the methods also, by which the various ornaments of gold, silver, &c. are fixed to tortoise-shell. A species, called Rock Oysters, are frequently seen as large as a plate; and those which are caught on the coast of Coromandel, are said to be of so great a size, that one of them well serve several men for a meal; but they have not so delicate a flavour as those of the smaller kind. species can be engaged, it is much to be lamented, that what is principally used in the formation of trinkets should continue to be procured at the expense of so much human misery*, while so many of the transcendent beauties of creation, placed by the Almighty within our reach, pass unregarded, and the more common bounties of Providence, which are of infinitely greater importance, are suffered to present themselves without exciting one sentiment of gratitude to the giver of all good. But this is of a piece with the general conduct of man, who is ever apt to lose the substance in grasping at the shadow, and to be turned aside from that course in which his true interest lies, into the pollutted streams of a deceitful world, unmindful of the fountain of living waters from whence he has his origin, and regardless of the PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, where all his thoughts should terminate. The Pearls are searched for by divers educated to it as a profession; they descend from 30 to 60 feet, each bringing up a net full of Oysters.-The pearl is most commonly attached to the inside of the sheil, but is most perfect when found in the animal itself. The exertion undergone during this process is so violent, that, upon being brought into the boat, the divers discharge water from their mouth, ears. and nostrils, and frequentlyblood; this does not, however, hinder them from going down in their turn, and the poor creatures will often make from forty to fifty plunges in a day. But the violence of the exertion, (by which although the most robust and healthy young men are generally chosen for this employment, yet they seldom survive it five or six years,) is not the only thing the pearl ૐ. vers have to dread; they are also exposed to the attacks of the Charks, which, if they are not successful in every attempt to extinguish at once the vital spark, and so put an end to a life so little to Le envied, frequently deprive these unhappy beings of a limb, and suffer them only to escape from their jaws in a mutilated state.Read this, ye dashing fair ones of the British isles! and think, as ye enter the ball-room under a profusion of glittering ornaments, that procure that costly bracelet, an unhappy fellow-creature was doomed to the slavery of the diamond-mines, and that beautiful pear! as procured at the peril of another's life! Evening Instructions; OR, A FATHER'S ADVICE TO HIS SON ON THE CHOICE OF A TRADE. THE MUSLIN-WEAVER. MUSLIN is manufactured from cotton, after being se parated from the seeds of the plant, and prepared and spun into fine threads for the purpose, by means of the machin ery in a spinning-mill. British muslins were not successfully introduced until the year 1781, and were carried to no great extent until 1785, after which period the progress during two years became rapid beyond all example. The acquisition of cot. ton wool of a superior quality from Demerara and the Brazils, and the improvements made in the spinning fine yarns upon the mule jennies, had given a great spring to this branch of the cotton manufactory; above half a mil lion pieces of muslin of different kinds, including shawls and handkerchiefs, were computed to be annually made in Great Britain; while the quantity not only increased daily, but the quality was exceedingly improved, and a yearly supply of about 300 bales of East India cotton having been obtained by the way of Ostend, yarns were spun, and muslins wove equal to any from India. No thing, therefore, but a fine raw material appeared want. ing to enable the British manufacturer to carry this branch to the greatest extent; and of all others it is that species of cotton goods, which deserves most to be encouraged, be cause of the immense return it makes for labour more than any other branch of the cotton manufactory. East India cotton wool has been spun into one pound of yarn, worth five guineas; and when wove into muslin, and afterwards: ornamented by children in the tambour, has extended to the value of £.13, yielding a return of 5,900 per cent, e the raw material. The muslin weaver (like those who are employed on dif ferent stuffs) sits at his work. His warp is the threads that are extended lengthways on the loom. The woof is that which he shoots across the warp by means of his shuttle. The shuttle forms the woof by being thrown alternately from right to left, and from left to right, across, and be tween the threads of the warp. In the middle of the shuttle is a cavity called the eye, or chamber, and in this is enclosed the spole, or bobbin, on which the thread or part of it is wound.-The thread for the warp is wound on a kind of large wooden bobbins to dispose it for warping.When the warp is mounted, the weaver treads alternately on the treddle, first on the right step, and then on the left, which raises and lowers the threads of the warp equally: between these he throws transversely the shuttle from the one to the other; and every time that the shuttle is thus thrown, a thread of the woof is inserted in the warp..This process is continued till the piece is finished, when it is taken off the loom by unrolling it from the beam on which it had been rolled, in proportion as it was wove. An apprentice to a muslin weaver is bound six years; for which he has the half of his earnings during his time. Journeymen are paid by the piece, and, in ordinary, gain from 21s. to 30s. per week. The ROAD to RICHES. (Continued from p. 319.) II. HAVING now said so much in recommendation of an industrious habit, I shall proceed to point out the method by which you may choose a situation in which you are most likely to succeed; the effectual way of doing this, is by paying particular attention to the following admonitory adages. "Stretch your arm no farther than your sleeve will reach ;" because, " by climbing step after step, the ladder is ascended;" whereas, "he who would be rich in one year is generally hanged in six months!" and, on the other hand, "a wise man aims at nothing beyond his reach." These being axioms of acknowledged authenticity, ought to be HH 2 strictly strictly adhered to; at the same time teaching you to “be bumble in your choice, and moderate in your desires;" Tecollecting, as POPE says, that "Honour and shame from no condition rise; Act well your part, there all the honour lies." And lest by soaring too far above your capacity or cir cumstances, you meet your ruin like the ambitious tortoise, in the Fables of ESOP, who petitioned two wild ducks to carry him up into the air, that he might see foreign coun tries, when opening his mouth to express his surprise at what he beheld, he lost his hold, and falling down, was dashed to pieces on the ground; and thus his vanity proved the means of bis destruction. III. Supposing now, that you have fixed your mind, and settled in some useful calling, I would recommend you to "stick fast by whatsoever situation you are placed in ;" for, as the proverb says, "a rolling stone gathers no moss," and " one bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ;" meaning by this, "you are sure of the place you possess, but you are not certain of getting another, or even so good one if you once leave it ;" besides, "credit lost, or character lost, is like broken glass," when once broken not to be mended; which proves the old saying, “get a bad name and go hang yourself;" whereas, on the other hand, "get a good name and you may lie in bed till noon." IV. The way to obtain a good name, the value of which is so evidently set forth above, is by constant application to business, and to "refrain from vices of all descriptions;" foremost on the list of which stand "drinking and gaming, the pernicious effects of which are always felt by those who indulge in them; beware of these as you respect your reputation, and avoid them as certain ruin," being detri mental to all kinds of business, because a man in that situation can do nothing; and you must remember “if you would have your business well done, do it yourself, if not, make your servant do it for you;" and again, "be that would have a thing done quickly and well, must do it himself;" for as "diligence is the mother of good luck, "misfortune is the darling daughter of idleness ;" and again, “do you keep your shop and your shop will keep you;" |