2 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



traiaing in industry, who never exert themselves until forced to 

 do so by some imperative demand of nature, and who reduce 

 such exertion to the minimum of labour which some present 

 emergency requires. 



Such debased tribes of humanity will occasionally adapt to 

 their current circumstances the hole or crevice in which they 

 take up their residence, and which can scarcely be called a home. 

 No domestic associations hang around the habitation of the 

 earth-dweller. The cave in which he dwells, or rather, in which 

 he sleeps and shelters himself from inclement weather, possesses 

 none of the thousand little amenities which constitute the homo 

 of man when even partially civilized. It is hallowed by no 

 domestic joys, sanctified by no domestic trials, and those who 

 cake casual shelter therein know nothing of those "homely" 

 feelings which in ancient times made the hearth an inviolable 

 sanctuary, and which were outwardly symbolized by the Lai'es 

 and Penates that surrounded the sacred spot. The inhabitants 

 may adapt for the present, but they make no arrangements for 

 the mori'ow, and, indeed, their memories seem to be as forgetful 

 of the past and its lessons as their minds are incapable of fore- 

 thought for the future. 



They may possibly remove a stone which incommodes them 

 while they seek repose, if, indeed, they cannot contrive to 

 arrange themselves so as to save the trouble of removing 

 it; and if the labour should not be severe, i.e. if the whole 

 tribe need not do more work in a day than an English workman 

 will perform in an hour, they may possibly enlarge or slightly 

 alter their subterranean home. 



Civilized man may, and does frequently, employ the rocky 

 cavern as his dwelling-place; but with this difference, that 

 he converts the rude cavern into a permanent home. Some 

 of my readers have probably seen those curious rock-houses in 

 Derbyshire, which have been hoUowed out of the solid sandstone, 

 and present to the astonished traveller a view of windows and 

 doors cut into the face of the rock, and of a chimney just project- 

 ing out of the level ground above. Local traditions report that 

 this peculiar construction was intended for the purpose of afford- 

 ing gratuitous nourishment to the inhabitants, who were sup- 

 posed to feed on the hares, rabbits, lambs, and other creatures 

 that stumbled over the chimney top and fell into the fire below. 



