179^' ^^ ^^^^ worms: jf^ 



You who have perhaps known the difficulty of these 

 things, will no doubt smile at the ease with which I 

 have settled it, and patiently wait for the more sure, 

 though slower method, which your ingenious rela- 

 tion has adopted * and to which I give my full admi- 

 ration, and fervent wifties for succefs. 



The year before last, I had a h/aci silk worm sent 

 me from South Carolina, which my friends wrote me 

 word was of a new and much rnore hardy sort. They 

 grew to an uncommonly fine size, and the cocoons were 

 larger than any I ever had ; but when I came t© 

 wind them, I found the texture of the silk so fine, 

 and that it was fixed so firmly together by the gluten, 

 that it was utterly impofsible toi reel off the thread. 

 I hope these are not the sort that Sir William Jones 

 speaks of; for if so, they must be carded before they 

 can be manufactured. I hope my frank will con- 

 vey a few of them to you, and then you will see the 

 impracticability of extricating the silk f . Whenever 

 you can spare a few moments I fhall feel highly gra- 

 tified in the pleasure of hearing from you : and I re- 

 main. Sir, your much obliged and very sincere friend, 



Sefi'lCivk ] Henrietta Rhodes. 



Observations suggested by the above. 

 The public are much obliged to mifs Rhodes for the 

 many useful hints fhe has communicated on this ve- 

 ry interesting subject. The foregoing letter seems 



• I hare not the honour to number this gfntleman among my relations, 

 though we were schoolfellows, and \nUm2At fr'undi (toia oar earliest ia- 

 fancy. Edit, 



f I have many bundreds of tlkCic now by me^ which I can put to Ho- 

 use. 



