t'NCLE IN ENGLAND. 145 



home from all those islands. They even stamp 

 their cloth with patterns ; and their weapons 

 and bowls are highly carved. ''This shews," 

 my aunt says, " that whenever people arrive at 

 a certain point of civilization, that is, as soon as 

 their food and other necessaries of life are surely 

 and regularly supplied, the ornamental arts as 

 surely follow." 



She afterwards added, that she thought it 

 would be a very nice winter amusement for us 

 to describe to each other the arts and luxuries 

 as well as the principal natural productions of 

 the different parts of the globe. 



My uncle approved of this idea, and we are 

 to try it sometimes as we sit after dinner round 

 the fire. I fear I am quite too ignorant to 

 attempt to bear a part ; but I am sure I shall 

 be delighted to listen. 



Sth. The sun rose this morning so brilliantly, 

 and the distant hills looked so remarkably blue 

 and clear, that I was sure we should have a fine 

 day and a long walk ; but my uncle told me that, 

 at this season, both of those appearances indi- 

 cate rain ; and he took me to the barometer, 

 and shewed me, by his meteorological journal, 

 that the mercury had been gradually falling ever 

 since Monday night, and that it was very hollow 

 on its upper surface. From all this he thinks 

 there will be some days of continued bad 



VOL. II. O 



