tfjgz. on silk worms, i8j 



They are very large and beautiful. I fhould by no 

 means despair of converting these to use, though the 

 first experiments were not succefsful. From Dr An- 

 derson's trials it appears, that, from accidental circuni> 

 stances, the silk will be sometimes so weak as not to 

 admit of being reeled off without the greatest diffi- 

 culty ; though, from the same species of worms, the 

 silk is, in other circumstances, as strong as could be 

 wilhed. It may also happen that the same solvent 

 which is sufficient to difsolve the gluten of the silk 

 produced by one kind of worm, will not be sufficient 

 to act upon that of another. On this head a good 

 deal of elucidation is necefsary, though this paper is 

 too long to enter upon it at present. 



Though I fear it will not be such an easy matter 

 to get sailors to attend to silk worms on a sea voyage, 

 as mifs Rhodes seems to apprehend, no endeavours 

 on my part lliall be wanting. Sir William Jones 

 ■w-rltes to me, that though he has the greatest pof- 

 sibie desire to promote enterprises of this sort ; yet 

 be is so much engaged in the active functions of his 

 office, that he can spare much lefs time to such eco- 

 nomical pursuits than he could wifli ,; and the little 

 time he can spare is so totally devoted to his literary 

 Asiatic researches, that he cannot flatter himself with 

 the hope of being able to afford me all the afsistance 

 he could wilh ; but he has no doubt his friends, who are 

 lefs taken up, will do it with alacrity. From Dr 

 Anderson's exertions, which are entirely in the line 

 of economics, every thing pofsible may be expected. 

 If ever the worms can be brought hither by being 

 ^live for some part of the voyage, it must be, I fhould 



