184 TEAysACTioxs of the American Ixstitute. 



century the emperor endeavored to open direct communication with 

 Cliina, and sent ambassadors for that purpose, but his project failed. 



During the sixth centurj' a few silkworm eggs were brought in a 

 hollow cane from China to Constantinople by two Persian monks, 

 who had learned how to rear the worms and prepare the silk. This 

 was in the reign of Justinian, who warmly fostered the new industry. 

 The manufacture was long kept in Rome; but Roman conquests 

 facilitated its introduction into Italy. 



The cities of Greece became famous for silk manufactures ; but for 

 a long time little progress was, made westward. 



Grecian prisoners of w\ar brought b}' Roger, king of Sicily, intro- 

 duced the silk manufacture into Palermo, whence it spread to Yenice, 

 Florence, and Milan. 



Modena produced the best silk in Lombardy. The silk manufac- 

 ture was thought a fitting business for the aristocrac}' of Venice. 



As yet, however, there was no silk thrown except in Bologna, and 

 other cities had to send their raw stock there to be prepared for the 

 weaver. 



Silk v/as first introduced into France near the close of the fifteenth 

 century. Workmen were imported from Genoa, Florence, and 

 "Venice, and a factory was established at Tours. The experiment 

 failed ; but a few years later another factory was started at Lyons, 

 ■workmen being brought from Milan. It was encouraged and pro- 

 tected by the French monarch, and succeeded. The trade then 

 spread to other parts of France, and grew so that a considerable 

 export trade grew up. 



The Moors introducfed the manufacture into Spain ; and when 

 Granada was captured, successful silk factories were found there. 



England now imported silk goods from France, as she had hitherto 

 done from Italy and China ; and the extent of the trade, drawing as 

 it did, the gold of England, became alarming. James I. being 

 averse to war, cowardly and pedantic, turned his attention to the silk 

 trade, and strongly urged on his discontented subjects the profits and 

 benefits of silk culture. Owing to climatic disadvantages the experi- 

 ments which were made failed, and were abandoned. Great progress 

 was, however, made in silk-weaving, and later the settlement of some 

 thousands of refugees from France in Spitalfields, London, made 

 silk a staple industry of England. The French refugees introduced 

 the latest improvements, and from then to the time of the destruction 

 .of the English silk trade by the free-trade treaty with France nine 



