280 On the Culture of Silh 



by means of a poisoned gown which had been given to her by the 

 Sun her father. Indeed many poets have said tliat silk was the 

 produce of the sun upon the trees. For the enumeration of these 



and of the wTiters who have alluded to the article of silk, to estab- 

 lish also the identity of the Seres with the Chinese, we refer the 

 reader to a dissertation by professor Andion of Columbia College, 

 appended to his splendid edition of Horace, lately issued from the 

 press, in a letter to Doct. Felix Pascalis.* 



As a substance which could be w^oven with gold and silver for or- 

 namental tissues, the silk from China or from other distant Asiatic 

 nations, was introduced by them into Rome, soon after the conquest 

 of Greece and of Egypt ; and finally, it w^as cultivated by Euro- 

 peans in the 6th century of the Chr. era. To the American readers, 

 however, one of the most interesting objects in this historical sketch, 

 is to learn, how the mother country devised and sedulously pursued 

 a plan to naturalize both the mulberry tree and the silk-worm in these 

 . her ancient colonies ; as they had been frustrated in repeated attempts 

 to transplant this culture from southern Europe, and to establish it at 

 home. Most of the southern provinces of North America were foremost 

 in their zeal, and so successful as to have supplied London with con- 

 siderable quantities of raw silk. The eastern states w^ould soon have 

 participated in the benefits of similar crops, had not the revolution- 

 ary war interrupted their progress and labors, and ultimately provok- 

 ed the absolute abandonment of it. Our author thinks, however, 

 of another cause. The measures authorized by provincial authority 

 were at first pursued in the southern colonies, in w^hich the neces- 

 sary labors must be carried on by slaves, w^ho are not fitted to sustain 

 the intelligent cares and unwearied attentions, required for the rear- 

 ing of the delicate silk insect. This labor is better adapted to our fe- 

 males in domestic life — to our wives and daughters, whose senses are 

 better guides of the proper temperature and purity of nurseries than 

 thermometers and hygrometers; and who, besides, can be bound by 

 interest to the raising and improving of the costly material of tlieir 

 most elegant and desirable garments. 



In the second part of this historical introduction, arguments and 

 facts are adduced to point out the importance of silk culturlsts furnish- 

 ed with a proper degree of practical instruction. This is also illustra- 



Vid Anthon Horace, p. 277 of Excursus on ^\\k, &c.— (p. 12, Vol. I.) 



