TOBACCO-POUCHES. 225 



with due contempt, not only by ladies, but by those of 

 their own sex who adhere to the honest useful case of 

 plain russia leather. 



Tobacco when carried about the person for use, if 

 not placed in a metal box, is held in a pouch or bag ; 

 both being generally formed of leather. German ladies 

 think it no unfit employ to devote much time and 

 attention in embroidering tobacco-bags for favoured 

 swains ; they are too inured to smoking to think 

 otherwise of it, than of beer-drinking, as the natural 

 habit of the male part of the creation; which they 

 may look forward to enjoy themselves in their old age, 

 with as little chance of cavil or interruption. Gentle- 

 men hang the tobacco-bag on the arm, as ladies used 

 the reticule some time ago.* The pouch is for the 

 pocket, and is made of soft leather, frequently with the 

 hair outside ; a favourite substance for this purpose is 

 moleskin, the thick soft down making it a mere pad in 

 the pocket. The tobacco is closely packed in a recep- 

 tacle in the lower part, and lapped round with the 

 outer skin, and tied together; it is thus kept duty 

 moist, as it is protected from evaporation. 



The tobacco-box is of course the oldest invention. 

 Ralph Thoresby the antiquary of Leeds, preserved in 

 his museum at the early part of the last centuiy, a 

 tobacco-box traditionally said to have been that used 



* At Constantinople "Among the more prominent but less valuable 

 articles of embroidery for sale, are the dooJcauny, or toutoon Jcessessy 

 (tobacco bags), made of different coloured stuffs, generally cut in an oblong 

 square form, and embroidered with coloured silks and gold." For Chinese 

 tobacco pouches, see p. 212. 



