THE SILKWOEM. 



AcCDBriNG to Chinese historians, the cultivation of silk was 

 practised four thousand years ago. They assert that two 

 thousand ' six hundred and ninety -eight years before the 

 Christian era, an emperor, having a dim notion that the 

 silkworm might be turned to commercial account, commanded 

 his wife to devote her attention to the matter. As no doubt it 

 was a matter of hfe or death to the poor lady, she secretly 

 sought the advice and assistance of the scientific men of the 

 period, and the result was that she was enabled to lay at the 

 feet of her husband the kiag, the first shred of woven silk the 

 world ever saw. The Chinese historian goes on to say that his 

 majesty was so delighted that he at once raised his wife to the 

 rank of a divinity, under the style and title of the Spirit of the 

 Silkworm and of the Mulberry -tree. 



Supposing this story to Ve true, or founded on truth, it is 

 certain that for many centuries afterwards the manufacture of 

 Hilks was carrisd on in a very limited way ; for we read of the 



