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THE EARLY HISTORY OF SILK. 



The peiiod when mankind first discovered that the 

 ball wliich contains tlie chrysalis of the Silkworm 

 Moth might be converted into a texture so beautiful, 

 is hidden by the cloud of antiquity. Nor is it pos- 

 sible to trace the progi-essive steps by which the high 

 state of excellence of the different kinds of manu- 

 facture of this substance has been attained. But 

 it seems certain that the invention of converting the 

 silky filaments into various fabrics is due to the 

 Chinese. 



If we go back as far as the oldest histories lead us, 

 we find that the Chinese had acquired a degree of 

 excellence in various manufactures, which they have 

 yet hardly improved upon, and equal to what has 

 been attained in the most civilized nations of Europe. 

 This is especially applicable to silk, colours, and 

 sugar. And, like other Eastern nations, they have 

 made no changes in their modes of manufacture, nor 

 in the simple and rude structure of their machinery. 



