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inhabitants derived their livelihood. In addition to these public 
works, there were very considerable domestic establishments, 
especially in the country, where the spinning wheel and the loom 
formed a part of the household goods. When a gentleman first 
commenced housekeeping, or got a new set of domestic servants, 
he delivered into the keeping of the proper persons his kneading 
troughs, kitchen utensils, cards, looms, spinning wheels, etc. Thus 
Homer speaks of the implements of war, looms, spinning wheels, 
embroidering frames, being mixed up together in Greek houses. 
When the house or palace was sufficiently large to admit of it, 
a separate portion was devoted to spinning. The work was 
principally carried on by female slaves, under the superintendence 
of the mistress of the house; but the noblest in the land did not 
think it beneath their dignity to join in the labour. When Alex- 
ander the Great presented to the captive Persian queen, flax and 
wool, she said in an agony of grief and tears, that they reminded 
her of happier days. The conqueror misunderstanding her 
feelings, and desiring to remove the notion that he was imposing 
any servile task, observed, “This garment which you see me wear, 
is not only the gift, but the work of my mother and sisters.” 
As much dignity is supposed to belong to ample drapery, the 
ladies in some Grecian cities took care not to be sparing of their 
stuff. Their dresses had long trains displaying numerous folds 
purposely produced at the extremity by a band passed round the 
edge. These garments were generally of linen. Snow white 
slippers made of fine linen, and wrought with needle work, were 
also worn. Such seems to have been the fashion 2500 years ago. 
The Greeks were famous for the beautiful patterns woven in 
their cloths. The patterns were variegated with stripes, lozenges, 
and the figures of birds and other animals. Flowers and stars of 
the most beautiful and brilliant colours were interwoven into their 
textures, and others were richly embroidered. In some parts of 
Greece, especially in some of the numerous Greek islands, a very 
fine quality of flax was grown, the fabric from which, whether snow- 
white or purple, would have rivalled the finest cambric. The 
texture was of the most delicate description, and semi-transparent, 
