52 INSECT MANUFACTURES. 



when it becomes a moth, and arrives at the per- 

 fection of its animal life, vastly surpasses what is 

 made by other animals of this class. All the 

 caterpillar kind do indeed undergo changes like 

 those of the silkworm, and the beauty of many of 

 them in their butterfly state greatly exceeds it ; 

 but the covering which they put on before this 

 change into a fly is poor and mean, when com- 

 pared to that golden tissue in which the silkworm 

 wraps itself. They indeed come forth in variety 

 of colours, their wings bedropped with gold and 

 scarlet, yet are they but the beings of a summer's 

 day ; both their life and beauty quickly vanish, and 

 they leave no remembrance after them ; but the 

 silkworm leaves behind it such beautiful, such 

 beneficial monuments, as at once record both the 

 wisdom of their Creator, and His bounty to 

 man." 



On the importance of the silk itself, Kirby and 

 Spence have the following remarks : 



" To estimate justly the importance of this 

 article, it is not sufficient to view it as an appen- 

 dage of luxury unrivalled for richness, lustre, and 



