INGENUITY AND LUXURY 



Many of the cotton fabrics woven by the natives 

 of India were marvels of delicacy, and are still un- 

 equalled by western weavers. Some of the India 

 muslins were of such delicate texture that they "were 

 scarcely perceptible if crumpled in the hand; and if 

 spread upon the grass when dew was falling, soon be- 

 came invisible," if we may believe the description of 

 an Indian missionary. 



These muslins were hand-made, and although west- 

 ern workmen have striven to equal them, they have 

 never been able to approach them in delicacy. The 

 explanation of this lies, perhaps, in the difference in 

 the temperaments of Hindus and Europeans. The 

 Hindus are remarkable for their acuteness of touch, and 

 their hands are unusually flexible and delicate. This 

 combination of qualities probably accounts for their 

 superiority as fine weavers. But another element 

 should not be overlooked in this connection; cotton- 

 weaving had been practised in India for many cen- 

 turies, or perhaps even millenniums, before Europeans 

 began it; and successive generations of skilled work- 

 men in any field are sure to become extremely expert 

 in their work. This fact, quite as much as any phy- 

 sical or temperamental differences in the races, may 

 account for the Hindu weaver's remarkable dexterity. 



The increasing importations of cotton fabrics from 

 India during the seventeenth century began to alarm 

 Europe, particularly England, where they seemed to 

 menace the wool-manufacturers. Parliament passed 

 a bill in 1700 forbidding the importation of India 

 goods; but as smuggling was easy, the traffic still 



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