Excerpt from A Manual of Fret Cutting and Wood Carving

Acting up to his opinion, my father allowed me to buy a handsome allowance cf carpenter's tools, and all acces sories, bench, etc., and took care to let me have instruction also, so that, at the age of sixteen, before I entered the army, I was a capital carpenter, and on many occasions during my career in the army in India did my knowledge of carpentry turn to good account. But as an occupation for boys generally, carpentry has several drawbacks. The first is the great expense of tools and bench, etc. Then the Space required. It is not an employment that can be carried into the drawing-room, and during the winter holidays boys are or should be out all day skating, or taking some healthful, active exercise, leaving only the long evenings, so, except on rainy, dull days, they cannot practise their carpentry unless, like myself, they have the use of a good room in an out office.

Now, these drawbacks do not apply to wood carving. With very few simple tools most beautiful work can be executed, and a very great deal can be done in the drawing room, on a working board fixed by cramps to any firm table.

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