no THE BEE, OR. Jan. 19. 



Intelligence refpeBlng Literature, &c. 



Society for the Improveiiunt o/Br'ttiJh Woal. 



jflL SOCIETY has been lately inftituted under the aufpices 

 of Sh- John Sinclair, Bart. M. P. for the improvement of 

 Britifh wool. That intelligent and aflive fenator, in the courfe 

 of his invefiigations refpedling the revenue, trade, finances, 

 and refources of this country, having had occafion to ob- 

 ferve that the wool of Britain, for many centuries, had been 

 accounted the iiiieil:, and bcfl for the manufadlure of cloth, 

 that was then to be had in Europe, and that it now is ma- 

 ny degrees inferior to that of Spain, was at pains to trace 

 the caufe of this fingular phenomenon. The refult of lii i 

 inquiries was, that this change could only be attributed to 

 negleft ; and that this neglect had probably arifen from 

 feme legiflative regulations that took place foon after the 

 acccffion of the family of Stuart to the throne of Eng- 

 land. Hence he concluded, that by a proper degree of at- 

 tention, the wool of this country might be brought to 

 an equal degree of finenefs, at leaft to what it formerK 

 poffefTed, which, if efiefted, muft prove highly beneficial to 

 tlie manufafuires of this country. In one negledlcd corner 

 of the kingdom (Shetland), he difcovered the remains of 

 this fine v.'ooled breed of flieep nearly unadulterated ; bui 

 it was in io great danger of being loft, by an admixture 

 with other breeds., that his firft attention was directed to 

 the faving of it ; and having propofed it to the Highland 

 Society of Scotland, that patriotic body of men, with their 

 ufual liberality, made hafte to fecond his intentions ; a f^t 

 of premiums have feeen oflered by them for feleding the 

 beft of this breed ot" flieep, and obtaining a thorough know- 

 ledge of 'them, which will eficiSlually preferve them liil 

 meafures can be adojpted for more fully afcertaining the va- 

 lue of their wool and other qualities. 



But as the Highlland Society have many other objects 

 that claim their attention, and exhauft their funds, it was 

 judged expedient to eftablifii a diftinft fociety, whofe fole 

 objedl fliould be tha.t of improving the quality of Britifh 



