340 



NATURE'S TEACHINGS. 



imported from abroad. Instead of being used by hand, they 

 were then fastened to the circumference of wooden wheels as 

 broad as the width of the cloth, and made to revolve rapidly, 

 while the cloth was pressed against them. 



For many years attempts had been made to construct artificial 

 Teazles which would not wear out so rapidly as did the dry seed- 

 vessels, but nothing could be constructed that was not too stiff 

 or too strong, and which did not injure the threads while pro- 

 ducing the nap. At last, however, this difficult problem has 

 been solved, and the Teazle is no longer an important article of 



commerce, its place being supplied by delicately made cards of 

 the finest and most elastic wire. 



In the illustration a head of Teazle is given on the left hand, 

 and on the right is seen the mode in which the wire cards are 

 placed in the machine, and the cloth drawn over them so as to 

 produce the required nap. 



BRUSHES. 



IT is worthy of notice that there are many articles of com- 

 parative luxury whicn could not be used until man had 

 attained some degree of civilisation. Among these we may 

 class the Brush and the Comb, no true savage ever troubling 

 himself about either article. The Brush, indeed, belongs to a 

 much more advanced stage of civilisation than the Comb, for 

 whereas we find combs, however rude they may be, used in 

 semi-savage, or rather, barbarian countries, the Brush is, as far 

 as I know, an adjunct of a high state of civilisation. 



