A crowd of ladies were watching with great attention the
Sewing-machine--sewing away with the greatest exactness, and much
stronger than by the ordinary mode with a needle, as each stitch is a
knot. The inventor was shewing it; and he said he had nearly completed
a machine for the button-holes. The next was a machine called 'The
Man'--and truly named, for a more marvellous production can scarcely
be conceived--for making implements for carding wool or cotton, the
article passing in as raw wire, going through before our eyes four
processes of the most delicate description, and finally coming out a
perfect card, with its wire-teeth exactly set, and ready for use. My
attention was drawn to the application of the Jacquard principle to a
loom engaged in weaving a calico fabric, of various colours woven with
a pattern, and thus producing an elegant article, thick, and well
adapted for bed-furniture. But the most curious and simple, and
withal, perhaps, the most important invention for facilitating
manufactures, is what is called the 'Turpin Wheel,' taking its name
from the inventor. How simple may be the birth of a great idea! We all
observe that a log under a waterfall, coming down perpendicularly upon
it, spins round, as on an axis, till it escapes.
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