New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-12-06
THE TRIBUNE.
Pastoral Lifo and Manufactures of the
hncieDts.


scrys,,ons on Spinning DyeiDg snd Weaving: Also,
An Account Of the Pastoral Life OF the Ancents their
Social State and Attachments IN the Domestic Arts :
With Appendices on Pliny's Natural History On the
Origin and Manufacture of Paper On Fcltipg, Net
ling &C Deduced from Copious and Authentic
SoSrces Illustrated by Steel Engravings OPP. i64
svo) Harper d Brothers
WHY have we not Literature Of Industry?
The reason for the deficiency in former times is OBJ
v;ous but, now that the Laboring hoe become also
!, GOOD part the Reading class, ii ought no longer to
,xs With Common Schools and Common School
Iibrares, we need Literature which shall not dis
lain the common avocations and common interests
Of life. The rapid march Of Invention, the giant
progress of Labor Saving as applied to the Useful
Arts constitute the veri,able Romance Of the Nine
,esph Century In place Of Ghosts we have Gas;
the witch S broomstick has vanished, but instead of
we have the fiery locomotive whisking over plain
end hill like jack.o anthorn; we journey by the
aid Of caldron and send the lightning on our
rands. conveying message across q continent in
he,winkng of an eye. Is it no, high time that our
Literature should evince corresponding tendencies
While Labor is the inevitable destiny Of the great
majority Of human beings, why should II not be en-
uobed dignified, exalted by Literature! Why
should not our youth be taught to contemplate and
delight in the triumphs of Franklin, Watt Ark
wright Fulton, rather than those of Alexander,
Cesar or Napoleon Why not steadily seek to
FIRE their souls with generous emulation Of the
former rather than the latter? On this subject, the
Preface to the work before forcibly observes
history until recent period mainly record Of
rran,ic crimes and their consequent iniseries. The
iar,ng glow Of its narraions lighted the path of
the peaceful Husbandman. his noiseess ncessant
ercps transformed the howag Wilderness into bloom
ng and fruitful garden but cleaned and danced the
amor OF heWarrior he rode forth 10 devasate and de-
troy One year OF his labors suced to undo what the
former had patiently achieved through centuries and
The campaign duly chronicled while the labors it
hghed left 10 oblivion The written annals OF
nation trace wildly the course of its corruption and
downfall but silent neagre with regard 10 the ul-
innate causes of it's growth and emnence. The long
periods of peace and property in which the Useful Arts
were elaborated perfected passed with the
bare remark that they afford little OF interest to the read
err when in their history, could be writ
hu would prove of the deepest and most substantial
value The world might well afford 10 lose all record Of
ahundred battles seigcs IT it coud thereby
regain the knowledge of lost and the Pyra-
nds bequeathed us by Egypt in her glory would be
well exchang cd for few OF her humble workshops and
manufactures they stood in the days of the Pharaohs
OF the history of mankind o,ly few chapters have
yet been written and when the deficiencies of that
We have beginning 10 be realized, we mud tina; the
materials for supplying them have good part persisted
the lapse OF time, tramped recklessy beneath
the hoof OF the war h rse
10 The following pages effort has boon made to Ie,
portion OF this history, lar as the mesgre aud
Careless scattered through the Literature OF An
houiiy will alow-Of the many beneEceut achievements
Of inventive genius these which more Immediately min
her 10 the personal convenience and comfort OF man.
kind seem to assert natural preeminence Among the
snt under this head may be classed the invention Of
Weaving with its collateral branches OF Spinning Net
ting Sewing. Felting. and Dyeng. An account of the
or and progress of this family of domestic arts can
hardly fail interest the intelligent reader. while 1t
would seem TO have special claim on the attention oil
hose engaged in the prosecution or improvement Oh
sse arts This work is intended subserve the ends
tre indicated In the present when the resources
Science and OF Intellect have largely pressed into
Tie service of Mechanical Invention especially with re
ference the production of fabrics from hbrous sub.
tances it Is somewhat remarkable that methodical
tsses this topic has been offered TO the public aud
hat the topic Itself to have almost euded the III
usiga,ions OF the learned. With the exception of Mr..
lEess erude production, e" TeEtrtRUm AnttqUorHtI
Sposses competent work on the subject; and val
e as is this production for its authority and profound
faesrch, il is yet for various reasons OF comparative
sasNity 10 the general reader.
The character Of the work before US will be best
Ained from hasty survey of its contents:
tn. ancient History of Six is first treated, be-
ginning with the earliest records of its existence
nd fabrication in China with the incidental notices
dts use in ancient authors of various nations The
separate history Of the Silk Manufacture, in Europe
snext commenced at the Christian Era, and traced
Gown In successive chapters TO the Fourteenth Cen
my. We learn from this narrative that Silk (which
vas ancenty sold for its weight in gold was frs,
produced in Europe a. D. $50, the worms having
0een brought, from India to Byzantium by two
Hoaks, in Difference 10 the ardent wishes of the EN-
ps'G Justnian. The Silken, Golden and Silver
textures OF the Ancients next described, then
ue Slkworm, It's transformations, diseases and pro
sessesi its proper treatment formation of Silk, &c.
Zoe ohnese mode of rearing the Silkworm. the
Aucerry, Matching, Feeding Keeling, &c are de-
s'eo and chapters excessively on the Spider, the
si0na the Pineapple Fibre, Mallows and Spanish
D''Sn tracing and recoun;ng the various and often
Nu'os efforts to render these available for textile
complete the First Part of the work.
Ane origin and Ancient History of the Sheep
opens Inc Second Part, in which SheepBreeding
In all the known nations of the Ancient World is
Traced from the earies, records with notices of the
'uA'ac'ef OF the Shepherds their characteristic Su
pe'Snaons, Social condition, Costumes, Dogs, Bells,
-'u'c &c are brought into view. The various col
va ana qualities OF Wool. AID their causes with the
s4's'atons OF Scripture afforded by knowledge of
usse various facts, also d,vet upon after which
sna briefer notices Of the of the hairy cover
ess Of the Goat, the Beaver, the Camel for the
Soothing and shelter of Man.
Ihe Aacien. History OF The Cotton Manufacture
alndia, Arabia &c and elsewhere, with the Won
SOus skill attained therein by the handloom wcav
"o' India; The revolution created by modern in
eiaons, forms truly interesting portion OF This
"SS We learn from i. that the Cotton Manutac-
zen India bad attained high degree of excel
ace i've centuries before Christ, eighteen centuries
.''e 1t was established in Italy, Cons,antnop'e,
wen IN tee neighborng empire of China. Such
ame progress of Industrial Improvement when
s.'ae was left utterly to regulate itself and Gov
-aenss were practically as well as theoretically
Roy
.ee Ancien, History of Flax Linen, Hemp, Ashes
S'O,ms the Fourth Part. Flax appears to have
A., me earliest material generally used in the pro-
ION OF fabrics, a, least in Europe Hemp was
viii" yeo by the Ancients to very limited extent
,.a 80 asbestos appears to have been far more val