THE SILK WORrM. 141 



To imitate royalty, the people soon became enga- 

 ged in rearing the worm, and experimenting upon the 

 cocoon, until their amusement resulted in the art of 

 reeling silk, and afterwards of weaving it. Beauti- 

 ful crimson fabrics were produced, which astonished 

 the world ; for so secret were they in the matter, that 

 in the time of the Roman Empire, under the Caesars, 

 the people of Europe knew not from what or in what 

 manner, silk was procured ; some supposing that it 

 was the bark of a tree, others that it was the entrails 

 of an insect, &c. 



During many centuries, the silks of China sold at 

 an immense price. None but the vastly rich could 

 afford to buy them ; for it is recorded of one of the 

 Roman Emperors, that he refused his queen a rich 

 silk dress on account of the high price, it being worth 

 its weight in gold. Even down to a later period, silk 

 fabrics were extremly costly. History informs us 

 that one of the kings of England borrowed of the 

 Earl of Mar a pair of silk hose, giving as an ex- 

 cuse, these words : " Surely ye would not that your 

 king should appear as a scrub before strangers !" 

 The Royal personage was to attend a party. 



For ages China enjoyed the exclusive privilege 

 of cultivating and manufacturing silk. But the day 

 of competition came, and her monopoly was at an 

 end. Two monks, travelling on a pilgrimage from 

 Constantinople, wandered into China; where they 

 were well received on account of their religious cha- 



