O F QJJ A D R U P E D S. 407 



enjoyed in its full extent, would keep our artificers in the va- 

 rious branches of the woolen trade from leaving with regret 

 their mother-country for bread, and fceking it among ftrangers, 

 our natural enemies. 



Great improvements have been made of late years in the 

 breed of our flieep, by changing the males, fowing grafj-feeds, 

 Sec. Combing-wool is now to be had in moil parts of the coun- 

 try, very good, long, and foft, fit to make ail forts of the finer 

 fluffs and hofe ; alfo fome ihort, and very fine, fit for making 

 eloath, commonly ufed with Spanijh wool, to flrengthen the chain 

 or warp. It is generally bought for the woolen manufactures 

 at Leeds and Halifax, in York/] Are. It muft be acknowledged, in- 

 deed, that the bed of our wool is inferior to fome in Leicejlerjlnre, 

 and in the fouth marfhes of Lincoln/hire^ which is reputed the 

 longeft and beft combing-wool in England, remarkably fine and 

 foft, of a beautiful glofs, chiefly ufed in making AVwzV/>crapes, 

 bombazines, &c. The coarfe wool of our own growth is ufually 

 made into bays for export, of which there has been for fomc- 

 time a manufacture at Hexham, and another lately eftablifhed at 

 Haltivefel, in a flourifhing profperous way. 



Confiderable quantities both of our coarfcr and finer wool is 

 kept at home by private families for their own cloathing, of their 

 own manufacture ; who value it the more for being of their 

 own growth and fabric. Weavers are in few places more plen- 

 tiful than here. Some of them are very ingenious, making car- 

 pets of an exceeding good pattern and figure, alfo linens of all 

 kinds, not inferior to the Scotch or IriJJj. They are kept in em- 

 ploy by the fame families, whofe whole cloathing is of their own. 

 manufacture, woolen and linen, fpinning both thcmfelves. 



Some 



