UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 211 



of the spoon can be folded up like paper, and 

 opened again. The handles too are so slender, 

 that it is a particular accomplishment to carry 

 them when full to the mouth in such a dex- 

 terous manner as to prevent their breaking. 

 These delicate utensils are one of the accom- 

 paniments of men of rank, being only used by 

 princes and noblemen when sipping their 

 sherbet. 



My aunt having drawn Siberia, said she had 

 a nice match for Frederick's wonderful spoons. 

 In the province of Wiatka bowls and cups are 

 made of the knobs which grow on the birch 

 trees; they are yellow, marbled with brown 

 veins, and when varnished are very pretty. 

 But some of them are turned so extremely 

 thin, as to be semi-transparent ; and when put 

 into hot water they become so pliant that they 

 may be spread out quite flat without injury, as 

 they return to their original shape in drying. 



The ticket for Constantinople was next drawn, 

 and produced a description of the rose beads 

 which are so much prized by the Sultan's wives, 

 that they are usually called " Beads of the 

 Haram." Those poor ladies have so little em- 

 ployment, that they sit for hours passing these 

 beads, when strung, through their fingers. They 

 are composed of the petals of the rose carefully 

 picked, and pounded into a smooth paste in an 

 iron vessel ; which makes them quite black, 



