Mr. Ev. True—but I hope the country we live in is not so unfriendly to a poor man, as to afford him no opportunity of learning his duty to God and his neighbour. And as to other points of knowledge, necessity and common observation will teach him a good deal. But come—let us go and pay him a visit, for I doubt you hardly think them human creatures.
[They enter the cottage—Jacob, the weaver, at his loom. His wife
spinning. Children of different ages.]
Mr. Ev. Good morning to you, friend! Don’t let us disturb you all, pray. We have just stepped in to look at your work.
Jacob. I have very little to show you, gentlemen; but you are welcome to look on. Perhaps the young gentleman never saw weaving before.
Ch. I never did, near.
Jac. Look here, then, master. These long threads are the warp. They are divided, you see, into two sets, and I pass my shuttle between them, which carries with it the cross threads, and that makes the weft. (Explains the whole to him.)
Ch. Dear! how curious! And is all cloth made this way, papa?
Mr. Ev. Yes; only there are somewhat different contrivances for different kinds of work. Well, how soon do you think you could learn to weave like this honest man?
Ch. O—not for a great while?