and, indeed, you recollect that Arachne was a spinster. Lace is a still finer production from flax, and is one of those in which the original material is most improved. How many times the price of a pound of flax do you think that flax will be worth when made into lace?
Hen. A great many times, I suppose.
Fa. Flax at the best hand is bought at fourteen pence a pound. They make lace at Valenciennes, in French Flanders, of ten guineas a yard—I believe, indeed, higher—but we will say ten guineas; this yard of lace will weigh probably more than half an ounce: what is the value of half an ounce of flax?
Hen. It comes to one farthing and three quarters of a farthing.
Fa. Right: now tell me how many times the original value the lace is worth.
Hen. Prodigious! it is worth 5760 times as much as the flax it is made of!
Fa. Yet there is another material that is still more improveable than flax.
Hen. What can that be?
Fa. Iron. The price of pig-iron is ten shillings a hundred weight; this is not quite one farthing for two ounces: now you have seen some of the beautiful cut-steel that looks like diamonds?
Hen. Yes, I have seen buckles, and pins, and watchchains.