WEAVING. 



I in almoft every civilized country, and the knowledge of its 

 I various branches has been derived from fuch a variety of 

 fources, that no one perfon can ever be pradically em- 

 ployed in all its branches ; and though every part bears a 

 llrong analogy to the reft, yet a minute knov«kdge of each 

 of thefe parts can only be acquired by experience and re- 

 lleftion. We will endeavour to give the reader as compre- 

 henfive an idea of the Iiiftory and progrefs of this ancient 

 and invaluable art as the nature ot the thing, and the limits 

 to which we are neceflanly confined, will permit. 



The hiftory of this art is very little known, and its great 

 antiquity neceflarily involves the earlier eras of it in the moft 

 perfeft obfcurity. 



The art of making linen, which was probably the firft 

 fpecies of cloth invented, was communicated by the Egyp- 

 tians, the inhabitants of Paleftine, and other eailern nations, 

 to the Europeans. By flow degrees it found its way into 

 Italy ; and it afterwards prevailed in Spain, Gaul, Ger- 

 many, and Britain. The Belgae manufaftured linen on the 

 continent ; and when they afterwards fettled in this ifland, 

 it is probable they continued the pradlice, and taught it to 

 the people among whom they refided. 



When it is conlidered that the wants of mankind are 

 nearly the fame in all countries, it is not improbable that 

 the fame arts, however varied in their operations, may have 

 been feparately invented in different countries. It is not, 

 however, certain that the art of making cloth is one which 

 the Britons invented for themfelves. 



It is moft probable that the Gauls learned it from the 

 Greeks, and communicated the knowledge of it to the 

 people of Britain. It is very certain that the inhabitants of 

 the foutheni parts of Britain were well acquainted with the 

 arts of drelfnig, fpinning, and weaving, both flax and wool, 

 when they were invaded by the Romans. Neverthelefs, 

 we have the authority of Julius Cxiar, that when he in- 

 vaded Britain, the art of weaving was totally unknown to 

 the Britons. 



Whatever knowledge the Britons might poffefs of the 

 clothing arts, prior to the invafion, it is very certain that 

 thefe arts were much improved amongft them after that 

 event. It appears from the Notitia Imperii, that there 

 was an imperial manufaftory of woollen and linen cloth, for 

 the ufe of the Roman army then in Britain, eftablifhed at 

 Venta Belgarum, now called Winchefter. 



Many public afts relative to the woollen manufafture, in 

 the earlier period of Englifh hiftory, evidently prove that 

 the greater part of our wool was, for a very long feries of 

 years, exported in a raw ftate, and manufaftured upon the 

 continent. 



In bilhop Aldhelm's book concerning " Virginity," 

 written about A.D. 680, it is remarked, " that chaiiity 

 alone forms not a perfeft charafter, but requires to be ac- 

 companied and beautified by other virtues." This obferv- 

 ation is illuftrated by the following fimile, borrowed from 

 the art of figure-weaving : " It is not a web of one uniform 

 colour and texture, without any variety of figures, that 

 pleafeth the eye, and appcareth beautiful ; but one that is 

 woven by (buttles, filled with threads of purple, and many 

 other colours, flying from fide to fide, and forming a variety 

 of figures and images, in different compartments, with ad- 

 mirable art." 



Perhaps the moft curious fpecimen of this ancient figure- 

 weaving and embroidery, now to be found, is that pre- 

 ferved in the cathedral of Baycaux. It is a piece of linen, 

 about 19 inches in breadth, and 67 yards in length, and 

 contains the hiftory of the Conqueft of England by William 



of Normandy; beginnmg with Harold's embaflfy, A.D. 

 IC65, and ending with his death at the battle of Haftings, 

 A.D. 1066. This curious work is fuppofed to have been 

 executed by Matilda, «ife to William, duke of Normandy, 

 atttrwards king of England, and the ladies of her court. 

 Although It IS certain that the art of figure-weaving was 

 then known in Britain, it muft be owned, that the piece of 

 tapeftry juft mentioned owes moft of its beauty to the cx- 

 quifite needle-work with which it is adorned. 



The filk manufadure was firft praftifed in China, and 

 the cotton in India. Both the woollen and hnen were bor- 

 rowed by the Englifti from the contineat of Europe ; and 

 for many ages, all the improvements in them in this country 

 were firft introduced into this country by foreign artificers, 

 who fettled amongft us. 



About the clofe of the eleventh century, the clothing 

 arts had acquired a confiderable degree of improvement in 

 this ifland. About that time, the weavers in all the great 

 towns were formed into guilds or corporations, and had 

 various privileges beftowed upon them by royal charters. 



In the reign of Richard I., the woollen manufadure be- 

 came the fubjeft of legiflation ; and a law was made, A.D. 

 1 197, for regulating the fabrication and fale of cloth. 



The number of weavers, however, was comparatively 

 fmall, until the policy of the wife and liberal Edward III. 

 encouraged the art, by the moft advantageous offers of re- 

 ward and encouragement to foreign cloth-workers and 

 weavers, who would come and fettle in England. In the 

 year 1 33 1, two weavers came from Brabant, and fettled at 

 York. 



The fuperior flvill and dexterity of thefe men, who com- 

 municated their knowledge to others, foon manifefted itfelf 

 in the improvement and fpread of the art of weaving in this 

 ifland. ^ 



Many Flemifh weavers were driven from their native 

 country, by the cruel perfecutions of the duke d'Alva, in 

 the year 1567. They fettled in different parts of England, 

 and introduced or promoted the manufadure of baizes, 

 ferges, crapes, and other woollen fluffs. 



About the year 1686, nearly 50,000 manufadurers, of 

 various defcriptions, took refuge in Britain, in confequence 

 of the revocation of the edid of Nantz, and other ads of 

 religious perfecution committed by Louis XIV. Thefe 

 improvements chiefly related to filk-weaving. 



The arts of fpinning, throwing, and weaving filk, were 

 brought into England about the middle of the 15th cen- 

 tury, and were pradifed by a company of women in Lon- 

 don, called filk-women. About A. D. 1480, men began 

 to engage in the filk manufadure, and the art of filk-weaving 

 in England foon arrived at very great perfedion. See 

 Silk. 



The civil diffentions which followed this period, retarded 

 the progrefs of thefe arts ; but afterwards, when the nation 

 was at reft, the arts of peace, and among others that of 

 weaving, made rapid advances in almoft every part of the 

 kingdom. 



Ill the latter part of the laft century, the invaluable in- 

 ventions of fir Richard Arkwright, introduced the very 

 extenfive manufadure of cotton, and added a lucrative and 

 elegant branch of traffic to the commerce of Britain. The 

 light and fanciful department of tiie cotton manufadure 

 has become, in fome meafuie, the ftaple manufadure of 

 Scotland, vvhilft the more fubftantial and durable cotton 

 fabrics have given to England a manufadure inferior, in 

 importance and extent, only to the woollen trade. 



At the prefent day, our fupcriority in point of quality 



is 



