lygr. literary intelligencer. hi 



■wool. This was no fooner propofed, than many npblemen 

 and gentlemen of the firft rank made hafte to ftep forward 

 in fo public a caufe. The Town of Edinburgh, with an al- 

 acrity that does honour to the Magiftrates of that city, have 

 contributed very liberally towards the end ; and the Cham- 

 bers of Commerce, and other corporate bodies, have expref- 

 \'-d a defire to do the fame ; fo that there feems to be little 

 d /ubt but the funds of the fociety will be foon adequate to 

 the purpofes wanted. 



Each member of this fociety is to contribute one guinea 

 a-year towards its funds, while he continues a member. 

 The money to be at the difpofal of a committee, chofen an- 

 nually by the fociety at large. 



The objefts of this fociety are, in the firft place, to feleft 

 the beft breeds of (lieep that are ftill to be found in Bri- 

 tain, and to keep them apart from all others, till by a fet 

 of accurate experiments, the aftual value of the wool, and 

 other qualities of the fiieep, be fairly afcertained ; and, in 

 the next place, to obtain from foreign parts, fome of the beft 

 breeds of fheep that can be found, to be kept alfo apart 

 frbm all others, till the refpe£tive value of their v.'ool, and 

 the othec qualities of thefe fheep can be afcertained, and 

 compared with others. Then, by publilhing to the world 

 the refult of thefe trials, to point out the particular breeds, 

 that appear to be beft adapted for every particular purpofe ; 

 and the peculiar circumftances of pafturage and climature, 

 wliere the flocks may beft be kept. Such are the eztenfive 

 views of this patriotic fociety, which are fo liberal and bene- 

 ficent, that it cannot fail to obtain the good wilhes of every 

 well-difpofed citizen. 



In confequence of the attention that has been already 

 beftowed upon this fubjeft, fome fpecimens of the Shetland 

 ■wool have been obtained, and ftiewn to manufacturers, who 

 account it an article of ineftimabk value. In foftnefs »£ 

 texture it far exceeds the fineft Spanifh wool, and may in 

 fume refpcfts be compared with the laine de vigogne. And 

 it can be had of a much purer white than any other wooJ^ 

 fo as to admit of being dyed of the nioft delicate light co- 

 lours, which the yellowifh tinge of other kinds of wool does 

 not admit of. We (liall probably have occafion in fome fu- 

 ture numbers of this work, to give a further account of this 

 article. 



