the art of printing, though done in what i must confess is rather a clumsy manner, is much exercised amongst them, and gives employment to many people. i do not think we should like to dine with a chinese gentleman, or mandarin, as he would treat us to strange dainties, asa roast dog, a dish of stewed worms, a rat pie; or, perhaps, a birdsnest. but the birdsnest would be the best of the list, for it is not like the kind of birdsnests which you have seen, but is made, i believe, of the spawn of fish, and looks something like isinglass. it is the nest of a sort of swallow, is about the size of a gooses egg, and is found in caverns along the sea shores; so it is not so bad as it seems at first. and the rats are as large and fat as some of our rabbits, being fed on fruits and grain, purposely for eating; as also are their dogs, for eating. the people of the celestial empire are celebrated for their fondness for making beautiful gardens; but their houses and gardens are quite different from ours. what a pretty scene! what a delicious cool walk is formed by the grove of trees leading to the porcelain tower. and those ladies walking towards the boat,or hobbling, more likely; for the chinese ladies have feet not much larger than your papas thumb, which is there considered a great beauty. [illustration] the common women cannot afford to have little feet, as the feet of the rich girls are bandaged up in iron shoes, when they are two or three years old, to prevent their growing larger. these small feet are called golden lilies; but i am glad no such barbarous custom prevails in our own dear country. the chinese ladies, however, are extremely accomplished, and can play on many musical instruments, paint, and embroider. the merchants of china are not at all remarkable for their honesty, though a few of them are very scrupulous. many of them amass great fortunes. the chinese have sent in embroidered shawls, tablecovers, teas, curious and intricate toys, and specimens of handicraft. [illustration] why, we have even specimens of russian industry, in the great exhibition; and very good specimens they are, too. russia is not such a pleasant country, in some respects, as any of those i have been telling you of; for in the winter the frost is so severe that many of the poor russians die from cold. the rich wrap themselves up in warm furs, and ride in furlined sledges, instead of the usual carriages; but the poor people are forced to continue working out of doors at their various employments, being very careful, however, to cover their legs, hands, and head with fur, lest they should be bitten with the frost, which sometimes seizes those parts and turns them white. though many of the poor women stand for hours together, washing their linen in holes cut in the ice, without getting frozen, yet it often happens that coachmen and other servants have been frozen to death in the streets at night, while waiting for their masters. at the end of every year, the russians keep a long fast, and as soon as it is over, lay in their store of winters provisions, at a market held once ayear on the river neva, which is then frozen over. i should like you to see this market, it is so full of gaiety and singularity, while the high piles of frozen provisions look so picturesque along the ice. the russians are remarkable for their cheerfulness and contentment, and are so fond of singing, that they are always enjoying a song when at work. russian songs are very different from ours, and sound rather odd to us. the food of the common people is black rye bread, sometimes, by way of treat, stuffed with onions, carrots, or green corn, and seasoned with sweet oil. they use eggs, salt fish, bacon, and mushrooms, of which last they have a great plenty. the men are ordinarily dressed in loose trousers; short coats of sheepskin, tied with a sash round their waists, and folds of flannel, fastened round with packthread, on their legs, for stockings. the women are dressed just as oddly, in short gowns, and with their hair plaited and hanging down their backs, if they are unmarried; or a cap and cotton kerchief round their heads, if they are married. the peasants houses are built of wood, and have one or two rooms only; they are miserably furnished, with no beds, as the family sleep on benches in summer, while nearly onefourth of the principal apartment is filled by an enormous stove, or rather oven, upon which they sleep in winter; for the smoke of which, there is no chimney beyond a hole in the wall. i dont think you or i would much like to spend a winter in russia. many useful things, you may observe, have come from spaincheeses, honey, dried fruits, salt, lime, wool, oil, flax, and cotton; with guns, swords, and also beautiful ornaments; with some precious stones, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. the spaniards are not either a very active or a very cleanly people, but they are exceedingly proud, honest, and hospitable; they are skilful workers in woollen and silk stuffs, and manufacture swordblades of a very fine kind; while their leather is celebrated for its superiority. they also work beautifully in gold and silver; and trade in immense quantities of those oranges you like so well, lemons, citrons, grapes, raisins, olives, nuts, and wines. the chief amusement of both high and low is one which neither you nor i would be pleased with, i hope, for it is bullfighting; which cruel entertainment they learned from the moors, who once had possession of spain, and built all the beautiful castles and palaces that are in it. the manners of the rich people are merely like those of our own gentry, but the common people are very peculiar; and all classes delight in playing on the guitar, and singing, both of which they perform charmingly. they have also two favourite dances, called a fandango, and a bolero, both extremely lively and graceful. the mode of conveyance in spain is by mules, and these beasts are surprisingly obedient to their masters, and answer to their own names just like our own pet dogs. the tails of the mules are oddly decorated, by cutting the hair into stars, flowers, and other fanciful designs. the villages are mostly mean, and the roads narrow; but madrid, the capital of spain, is a large city, with long, straight streets, many of them cooled by noble fountains. the houses in madrid are built of brick, and even the grandest of them have only lattices, instead of glass windows, most of which have, however, handsome balconies, supported on columns. in the churches, there are neither pews, benches, nor chairs; the ground is covered with matting, on which every one kneels together, from the grandee to the beggar. in the suburbs there are many woods of evergreen oak, vineyards, olive plantations, and orchards of mulberry, plum, and almond trees; and the flocks of black sheep and goats, grazing in the country meadows, have a pretty effect. i dont think you would find the spanish cookery much to your taste; for the spaniards are very fond of rancid butter in their meals, and of oil that has a very strong smell and flavour; indeed, when they are going to cook anything that requires fat, they lift down the lamp from the ceiling, and take out what oil they want. bread, steeped in oil, and occasionally seasoned with vinegar, is the common food of the country people. their favourite wine is that which has a strong taste of the leather bottles or casks, in which they keep it; and they will hardly eat any thing that has not saffron, pimento, or garlic, in it. they have, however, even amongst the poorest, such fine grapes, ripe melons, and tempting oranges, as my little readers, i know, have seldom tasted. in summer, they use a quantity of ice, which is sold in glasses, in the streets, for a trifling sum. in place of candles, the poor people have a piece of cane, cut with holes through it, which is fixed to the ceiling, and from one of the holes a lamp is hung by a hook. [illustration] the dress of the lower orders is very pretty indeed, and they themselves are mostly tall and handsome, with black hair and eyes, and dark sunburnt complexions. the climate is so warm and balmy, that they can grow their fruits in the open air. some pretty articles have been sent from portugal, a country which is near spain, and very like it in all respects. it is a very fine country, famous for wine, and oil; and the sheep are much prized for their superior wool