| [CHAPTER I.] |
| SPINNING, DYEING, AND WEAVING. |
| Whether Silk is mentioned in the Old Testament—Earliest Clothing—Coats ofSkin, Tunic, Simla—Progress of Invention—Chinese chronology relative to theCulture of Silk—Exaggerated statements—Opinions of Mailla, Le Sage, M.Lavoisnè, Rev. J. Robinson, Dr. A. Clarke, Rev. W. Hales, D.D., Mairan,Bailly, Guignes, and Sir William Jones—Noah supposed to be the first emperorof China—Extracts from Chinese publications—Silk Manufactures of theIsland of Cos—Described by Aristotle—Testimony of Varro—Spinning andWeaving in Egypt—Great ingenuity of Bezaleel and Aholiab in the productionof Figured Textures for the Jewish Tabernacle—Skill of the Sidonian womenin the Manufacture of Ornamental Textures—Testimony of Homer—Greatantiquity of the Distaff and Spindle—The prophet Ezekiel’s account of theBroidered Stuffs, etc. of the Egyptians—Beautiful eulogy on an industriouswoman—Helen the Spartan, her superior skill in the art of Embroidery—GoldenDistaff presented her by the Egyptian queen Alcandra—Spinning a domesticoccupation in Miletus—Theocritus’s complimentary verses to Theuginis on herindustry and virtue—Taste of the Roman and Grecian ladies in the decorationof their Spinning Implements—Ovid’s testimony to the skill of Arachne inSpinning and Weaving—Method of Spinning with the Distaff—Described byHomer and Catullus—Use of Silk in Arabia 500 years after the flood—Forster’stestimony | 1 |
| [CHAPTER II.] |
| HISTORY OF THE SILK MANUFACTURE CONTINUED TO THE 4TH CENTURY. |
| SPINNING, DYEING, AND WEAVING.—HIGH DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE ATTAINEDIN THESE ARTS. |
| Testimony of the Latin poets of the Augustanage—Tibullus—Propertius—Virgil—Horace—Ovid—DyonisiusPerigetes—Strabo. Mention of silk by authors inthe first century—Seneca the Philosopher—Seneca the Tragedian—Lucan—Pliny—Josephus—SaintJohn—Silius Italicus—Statius—Plutarch—Juvenal—Martial—Pausanias—Galen—ClemensAlexandrinus—Caution to Christianconverts against the use of silk in dress. Mention of silk by authors in thesecond century—Tertullian—Apuleius—Ulpian—Julius Pollux—Justin. Mentionof silk by authors in the third century—Ælius Lampidius—Vopiscus—TrebelliusPollio—Cyprian—Solinus—Ammianus—Marcellinus—Use of silk bythe Roman emperors—Extraordinary beauty of the textures—Use of water todetach silk from the trees—Invectives of these authors against extravagance indress—The Seres described as a happy people—Their mode of traffic, etc.—(Macpherson’sopinion of the Chinese.)—City of Dioscurias, its vast commercein former times.—(Colonel Syke’s account of the Kolissura silk-worm—Dr.Roxburgh’s description of the Tusseh silk-worm.) | 22 |
| [CHAPTER III.] |
| HISTORY OF THE SILK MANUFACTURE FROM THE THIRD TO THE SIXTHCENTURY. |
| SPINNING, DYEING, AND WEAVING.—HIGH DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE ATTAINEDIN THESE ARTS. |
| Fourth Century—Curious account of silk found in the Edict of Diocletian—Extravaganceof the Consul Furius Placidus—Transparent silk shifts—Ausoniusdescribes silk as the produce of trees—Quintus Aur Symmachus, and Claudian’stestimony of silk and golden textures—Their extraordinary beauty—Pisander’sdescription—Periplus Maris Erythræi—Dido of Sidon. Mention of silk in thelaws of Manu—Rufus Festus Avinus—Silk shawls—Marciannus Capella—Inscriptionby M. N. Proculus, silk manufacturer—Extraordinary spiders’ webs—Bombycescompared to spiders—Wild silk-worms of Tsouen-Kien and Tiao-Kien—M.Bertin’s account—Further remarks on wild silk-worms. Christianauthors of the fourth century—Arnobius—Gregorius Nazienzenus—Basil—Illustrationof the doctrine of theresurrection—Ambrose—Georgius Pisida—Macarius—Jerome—Chrysostom—Heliodorus—Salmasius—Extraordinarybeauty of the silk and golden textures described by these authors—Their invectivesagainst Christians wearing silk. Mention of silk by Christian authors inthe fifth century—Prudentius—Palladius—Theodosian Code—Appollinaris Sidonius—AlcimusAvitus. Sixth century—Boethius. (Manufactures of Tyreand Sidon—Purple—Its great durability—Incredible value of purple stuffsfound in the treasury of the King of Persia.) | 41 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] |
| HISTORY OF THE SILK MANUFACTURE CONTINUED FROM THE INTRODUCTIONOF SILK-WORMS INTO EUROPE, A. D. 530, TO THE FOURTEENTHCENTURY. |
| A. D. 530.—Introduction of silk-worms into Europe—Mode by which it waseffected—The Serinda of Procopius the same with the modern Khotan—Thesilk-worm never bred in Sir-hind—Silk shawls of Tyre and Berytus—Tyrannicalconduct of Justinian—Ruin of the silk manufactures—Oppressive conductof Peter Barsames—Menander Protector—Surprise of Maniak the Sogdian ambassador—Conductof Chosroes, king of Persia—Union of the Chinese and Persiansagainst the Turks—The Turks in self-defence seek an alliance with theRomans—Mortification of the Turkish ambassador—Reception of the Byzantineambassador by Disabul, king of the Sogdiani—Display of silk textures—Paulthe Silentiary’s account of silk—Isidorus Hispalensis. Mention of silk byauthors in the seventh century—Dorotheus, Archimandrite of Palestine—Introductionof silk-worms into Chubdan, or Khotan—Theophylactus Simocatta—Silkmanufactures of Turfan—Silk known in England in this century—Firstworn by Ethelbert, king of Kent—Use of by the French kings—Aldhelmus’sbeautiful description of the silk-worm—Simile between weaving and virtue.Silk in the eighth century—Bede. In the tenth century—Use of silk bythe English, Welsh, and Scotch kings. Twelfth century—Theodoras Prodromus—Figuredshawls of the Seres—Ingulphus describes vestments of silk interwovenwith eagles and flowers of gold—Great value of silk about this time—Silkmanufactures of Sicily—Its introduction into Spain. Fourteenth century—NicholasTegrini—Extension of the Silk manufacture through Europe, illustratedby etymology—Extraordinary beauty of silk and golden textures used inthe decoration of churches in the middle ages—Silk rarely mentioned in theninth, eleventh, or thirteenth centuries | 66 |
| [CHAPTER V.] |
| SILK AND GOLDEN TEXTURES OF THE ANCIENTS. |
| HIGH DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE ATTAINED IN THIS MANUFACTURE. |
| Manufacture of golden textures in the time of Moses—Homer—Golden tunics ofthe Lydians—Their use by the Indians and Arabians—Extraordinary displayof scarlet robes, purple, striped with silver, golden textures, &c., by Darius,king of Persia—Purple and scarlet cloths interwoven with gold—Tunics andshawls variegated with gold—Purple garments with borders of gold—Goldenchlamys—Attalus, king of Pergamus, not the inventor of gold thread—Bostick—Goldenrobe worn by Agrippina—Caligula and Heliogabalus—Sheets interwovenwith gold used at the obsequies of Nero—Babylonian shawls intermixedwith gold—Silk shawls interwoven with gold—Figured cloths of gold and Tyreanpurple—Use of gold in the manufacture of shawls by the Greeks—4,000,000sesterces (about $150,000) paid by the Emperor Nero for a Babylonishcoverlet—Portrait of Constantius II.—Magnificence of Babylonian carpets,mantles, &c.—Median sindones | 84 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] |
| SILVER TEXTURES, ETC., OF THE ANCIENTS. |
| EXTREME BEAUTY OF THESE MANUFACTURES. |
| Magnificent dress worn by Herod Agrippa, mentioned in Acts xii. 21—Josephus’saccount of this dress, and dreadful death of Herod—Discovery of ancient Piece-goods—Beautifulmanuscript of Theodolphus, Bishop of Orleans, who lived inthe ninth century—Extraordinary beauty of Indian, Chinese, Egyptian, andother manufactured goods preserved in this manuscript—Egyptian arts—Wiseregulations of the Egyptians in relation to the arts—Late discoveries in Egyptby the Prussian hierologist, Dr. Lepsius—Cloth of glass | 93 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] |
| DESCRIPTION OF THE SILK-WORM, ETC. |
| Preliminary observations—The silk-worm—Various changes of the silk-worm—Itssuperiority above other worms—Beautiful verses on the May-fly, illustrativeof the shortness of human life—Transformations of the silk-worm—Itssmall desire of locomotion—First sickness of the worm—Manner of casting itsExuviæ—Sometimes cannot be fully accomplished—Consequent death of theinsect—Second, third, and fourth sickness of the worm—Its disgust for food—Materialof which silk is formed—Mode of its secretion—Manner of unwindingthe filaments—Floss-silk—Cocoon—Its imperviousness to moisture—Effect ofthe filaments breaking during the formation of the cocoon—Mr. Robinet’s curiouscalculation on the movements made by a silk-worm in the formation of acocoon—Cowper’s beautiful lines on the silk-worm—Periods in which its variousprogressions are effected in different climates—Effects of sudden transitionsfrom heat to cold—The worm’s appetite sharpened by increased temperature—Shortensits existence—Various experiments in artificial heating—Modes of artificialheating—Singular estimate of Count Dandolo—Astonishing increase ofthe worm—Its brief existence in the moth state—Formation of silk—The silkenfilament formed in the worm before its expulsion—Erroneous opinions entertainedby writers on this subject—The silk-worm’s Will | 98 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] |
| GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE CHINESE MODE OF REARING SILK-WORMS,ETC. |
| Great antiquity of the silk-manufacture in China—Time and mode of pruning theMulberry-tree—Not allowed to exceed a certain height—Mode of planting—Situationof rearing-rooms, and their construction—Effect of noise on the silk-worm—Precautionsobserved in preserving cleanliness—Isan-mon, mother ofthe worms—Manner of feeding—Space allotted to the worms—Destruction ofthe Chrysalides—Great skill of the Chinese in weaving—American writers on theMulberry-tree—Silk-worms sometimes reared on trees—(M. Marteloy’s experimentsin 1764, in rearing silk-worms on trees in France)—Produce inferiorto that of worms reared in houses—Mode of delaying the hatching of the eggs—Methodof hatching—Necessity for preventing damp—Number of meals—Modeof stimulating the appetite of the worms—Effect of this upon the quantityof silk produced—Darkness injurious to the silk-worm—Its effect on the Mulberry-leaves—Modeof preparing the cocoons for the reeling process—Wildsilk-worms of India—Mode of hatching, &c.—(Observations on the cultivationof silk by Dr. Stebbins—Dr. Bowring’s admirable illustration of the mutual dependenceof the arts upon each other.) | 119 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] |
| THE SPIDER. |
| ATTEMPTS TO PROCURE SILKEN FILAMENTS FROM SPIDERS. |
| Structures of spiders—Spiders not properly insects, and why—Apparatus for spinning—Extraordinarynumber of spinnerules—Great number of filaments composingone thread—Réaumur and Leeuwenhoeck’s laughable estimates—Attachmentof the thread against a wall or stick—Shooting of the lines of spiders—1.Opinions of Redi, Swammerdam, and Kirby—2. Lister, Kirby, and White—3.La Pluche and Bingley—4. D’Isjonval, Murray, and Bowman—5.—Experimentsof Mr. Blackwall—His account of the ascent of gossamer—6. Experimentsby Rennie—Thread supposed to go off double—Subsequent experiments—Nests,Webs, and Nets of Spiders—Elastic satin nest of a spider—Evelyn’saccount of hunting spiders—Labyrinthic spider’s nest—Erroneous accountof the House Spider—Geometric Spiders—Attempts to procure silken filamentsfrom Spiders’ bags—Experiments of M. Bon—Silken material—Manner of itspreparations—M. Bon’s enthusiasm—His spider establishment—Spider-silk notpoisonous—Its usefulness in healing wounds—Investigation of M. Bon’s establishmentby M. Réaumur—His objections—Swift’s satire against speculatorsand projectors—Ewbank’s interesting observations on the ingenuity ofspiders—Mason-spiders—Ingeniousdoor with a hinge—Nest from the West Indies withspring hinge—Raft-building Spider—Diving Water-Spider—Rev. Mr. Kirby’sbeautiful description of it—Observations of M. Clerck—Cleanliness of Spiders—Structureof their claws—Fanciful account of them patting their webs—Proceedingsof a spider in a steamboat—Addison—His suggestions on the compilationof a “History of Insects” | 138 |
| [CHAPTER X.] |
| FIBRES OR SILKEN MATERIAL OF THE PINNA. |
| The Pinna—Description of—Delicacy of its threads—Réaumur’s observations—Modeof forming the filament or thread—Power of continually producing newthreads—Experiments to ascertain this fact—The Pinna and its CancerFriend—Nature of their alliance—Beautiful phenomenon—Aristotle and Pliny’saccount—The Greek poet Oppianus’s lines on the Pinna, and its Cancer friend—Mannerof procuring the Pinna—Poli’s description—Specimens of the Pinnain the British Museum—Pearls found in the Pinna—Pliny and Athenæus’s account—Mannerof preparing the fibres of the Pinna for weaving—Scarcenessof this material—No proof that the ancients were acquainted with the artof knitting—Tertullian the first ancient writer who makes mention of themanufacture of cloth from the fibres of the Pinna—Procopius mentions achlamys made of the fibres of the Pinna, and a silken tunic adorned with sprigsor feathers of gold—Boots of red leather worn only by Emperors—Golden fleeceof the Pinna—St. Basil’s account—Fibres of the Pinna not manufactured intocloth at Tarentum in ancient times, but in India—Diving for the Pinna at Colchi—Arrian’saccount | 174 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] |
| FIBRES, OR SILKEN MATERIAL OF THE PINE-APPLE. |
| Fibres of the Pine-Apple—Facility of dyeing—Manner of preparing the fibres forweaving—Easy cultivation of the plant—Thrives where no other plant willlive—Mr. Frederick Burt Zincke’s patent process of manufacturing cloth fromthe fibres of this plant—Its comparative want of strength—Silken material procuredfrom the Papyfera—Spun and woven into cloth—Cloth of this descriptionmanufactured generally by the Otaheiteans, and other inhabitants of the SouthSea Islands—Great strength (supposed) of ropes made from the fibres of thealoe—Exaggerated statements | 185 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] |
| MALLOWS. |
| CULTIVATION AND USE OF THE MALLOW AMONG THE ANCIENTS.—TESTIMONYOF LATIN, GREEK, AND ATTIC WRITERS. |
| The earliest mention of Mallows is to be found in Job xxx. 4.—Varieties of theMallow—Cultivation and use of the Mallow—Testimony of ancient authors—Papiasand Isidore’s mention of Mallow cloth—Mallow cloth common in thedays of Charlemagne—Mallow shawls—Mallow cloths mentioned in the Periplusas exported from India to Barygaza (Baroch)—Calidāsa the Indian dramatist,who lived in the first century B. C.—His testimony—Wallich’s (the Indianbotanist) account—Mantles of woven bark, mentioned in the Sacontălaof Calidāsa—Valcălas, or Mantles of woven bark, mentioned in the Ramayana,a noted poem of ancient India—Sheets made from trees—Ctesias’ testimony—Strabo’saccount—Testimony of Statius Cæcilius and Plautus, who lived 169B. C. and 184 B. C.—Plautus’s laughable enumeration of the analogy of trades—Beautyof garments of Amorgos mentioned by Eupolis—Clearchus’s testimony—Platomentions linen shifts—Amorgine garments first manufactured atAthens in the time of Aristophanes | 191 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] |
| SPARTUM OR SPANISH BROOM. |
| CLOTH MANUFACTURED FROM BROOM BARK, NETTLE, AND BULBOUS PLANT.—TESTIMONYOF GREEK AND LATIN AUTHORS. |
| Authority for Spanish Broom—Stipa Tenacissima—Cloth made fromBroom-bark—Albania—Italy—France—Modeof preparing the fibre for weaving—Pliny’saccount of Spartum—Bulbous plant—Its fibrous coats—Pliny’s translationof Theophrastus—Socks and garments—Size of the bulb—Its genus orspecies not sufficiently defined—Remarks of various modern writers on this plant—Interestingcommunications of Dr. Daniel Stebbins, of Northampton, Mass.to Hon. H. L. Ellsworth | 202 |