LETTT.R IAi. 



of the world. Silk was anciently brought in small'- 

 quantities to Rome; but it was so scarce as to be sold 

 there lor its weight in gold. 



As the silk-worm has but a short time to live, it 

 makes use of every moment, and is almost constantly 

 spinning,, except at those intervals, when it change 

 irs skin. The cone or ball of silk in which it eiive- 

 l<~>|s$s itself, and which nature has taught it to iY>r;n 

 with such exquisite art, is spun from two little kmgish 

 bags, placed above the intestines, and filled with a 

 gummy fluid of a marigold colour* This is the sub- 

 .-4ance of which the threads are formed; and the little 

 animal is furnished with a wonderful apparatus for 

 spanning it out. to the degree of fineness, which its ; 

 occasions may require. This instrument in some 

 measure resembles a wire-drawer's machine, in which* 

 gold or silver threads are drawn to any degree of mi- 

 nuteness. The whole length of thread- composing 

 one of the cones will,, if measured, be found to be 

 about three hundred yards, and it is so very fine that 

 eight or ton threads afe generally rolled off into one 

 by the manufacturers. The cone appears to be o 

 the size; of a pigeon's- egg. When this is completed' 

 and tlw worm appears ready to burst cut, the manu- 

 facturers generally take care to kill the aurelia, bv 

 exposing it either to the sun or ty an artificial heat ^ 

 because its bursting through the cone destroys, or at 

 least exceedingly damages the sHk.- This being done, 

 they throw the cones into warm water,, and stir them. 

 about until the co'.umencement of the first thread fur- 

 nishes them a clue for winding. They generally 

 take eight of the silken threads together, the cones 

 being still kept in water till a proper, quantity be 

 wound of, but they do not: take all, as the last parts 

 grow weak ami are of a bad colour. At the last a 

 paper-like substance remains, which some stain* wit It 

 a variety of colours for the purpose of making artifi- 

 cial flowers, and others let lie in the water till tUc 

 glutinous matter which cements be dissolved: it is 

 then carded like wool, spun with a wheel, and con- 

 verted into silk stuffs of an ijjferior kind. 



