men of invention and industry-第21部分

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locomotives；　ironclads　propelled　by　the　screw；　and　iron　and　steel

bridges　miles　in　length。



The　silk　manufacture；　though　originating　in　the　secretion　of　a

tiny　caterpillar；　is　perhaps　equally　extraordinary。　　Hundreds　of

thousands　of　pounds　weight　of　this　slender　thread；　no　thicker

than　the　filaments　spun　by　a　spider；　give　employment　to　millions

of　workers　throughout　the　world。　　Silk；　and　the　many　textures

wrought　from　this　beautiful　material；　had　long　been　known　in　the

East；　but　the　period　cannot　be　fixed　when　man　first　divested　the

chrysalis　of　its　dwelling；　and　discovered　that　the　little　yellow

ball　which　adhered　to　the　leaf　of　the　mulberry　tree；　could　be

evolved　into　a　slender　filament；　from　which　tissues　of　endless

variety　and　beauty　could　be　made。　　The　Chinese　were　doubtless

among　the　first　who　used　the　thread　spun　by　the　silkworm　for　the

purposes　of　clothing。　　The　manufacture　went　westward　from　China

to　India　and　Persia；　and　from　thence　to　Europe。　　Alexander　the

Great　brought　home　with　him　a　store　of　rich　silks　from　Persia

Aristotle　and　Pliny　give　descriptions　of　the　industrious　little

worm　and　its　productions。　　Virgil　is　the　first　of　the　Roman

writers　who　alludes　to　the　production　of　silk　in　China；　and　the

terms　he　employs　show　how　little　was　then　known　about　the

article。　　It　was　introduced　at　Rome　about　the　time　of　Julius

Caesar；　who　displayed　a　profusion　of　silks　in　some　of　his

magnificent　theatrical　spectacles。　　Silk　was　so　valuable　that　it

was　then　sold　for　an　equal　weight　of　gold。　　Indeed；　a　law　was

passed　that　no　man　should　disgrace　himself　by　wearing　a　silken

garment。　　The　Emperor　Heliogabalus　despised　the　law；　and　wore　a

dress　composed　wholly　of　silk。　　The　example　thus　set　was　followed

by　wealthy　citizens。　　A　demand　for　silk　from　the　East　soon　became

general。



It　was　not　until　about　the　middle　of　the　sixth　century　that　two

Persian　monks；　who　had　long　resided　in　China；　and　made　themselves

acquainted　with　the　mode　of　rearing　the　silkworm；　succeeded　in

carrying　the　eggs　of　the　insect　to　Constantinople。　　Under　their

direction　they　were　hatched　and　fed。　　A　sufficient　number　of

butterflies　were　saved　to　propagate　the　race；　and　mulberry　trees

were　planted　to　afford　nourishment　to　the　rising　generations　of

caterpillars。　　Thus　the　industry　was　propagated。　　It　spread　into

the　Italian　peninsula；　and　eventually　manufactures　of　silk

velvet；　damask；　and　satin　became　established　in　Venice；　Milan；

Florence；　Lucca；　and　other　places。



Indeed；　for　several　centuries　the　manufacture　of　silk　in　Europe

was　for　the　most　part　confined　to　Italy。　　The　rearing　of

silkworms　was　of　great　importance　in　Modena；　and　yielded　a

considerable　revenue　to　the　State。　　The　silk　produced　there　was

esteemed　the　best　in　Lombardy。　　Until　the　beginning　of　the

sixteenth　century；　Bologna　was　the　only　city　which　possessed

proper　〃throwing〃　mills；　or　the　machinery　requisite　for　twisting

and　preparing　silken　fibres　for　the　weaver。　　Thousands　of　people

were　employed　at　Florence　and　Genoa　about　the　same　time　in　the

silk　manufacture。　　And　at　Venice　it　was　held　in　such　high　esteem；

that　the　business　of　a　silk　factory　was　considered　a　noble

employment。＇1＇



It　was　long　before　the　use　of　silk　became　general　in　England。　

〃Silk；〃　said　an　old　writer；　〃does　not　immediately　come　hither

from　the　Worm　that　spins　and　makes　it；　but　passes　many　a　Climate；

travels　many　a　Desert；　employs　many　a　Hand；　loads　many　a　Camel；

and　freights　many　a　Ship　before　it　arrives　here；　and　when　at　last

it　comes；　it　is　in　return　for　other　manufactures；　or　in　exchange

for　our　money。〃＇2＇　　It　is　said　that　the　first　pair　of　silk

stockings　was　brought　into　England　from　Spain；　and　presented　to

Henry　VIII。　　He　had　before　worn　hose　of　cloth。　　In　the　third　year

of　Queen　Elizabeth's　reign；　her　tiring　woman；　Mrs。　Montagu；

presented　her　with　a　pair　of　black　silk　stockings　as　a　New　Year's

gift；　whereupon　her　Majesty　asked　if　she　could　have　any　more；　in

which　case　she　would　wear　no　more　cloth　stockings。　　When　James

VI。　of　Scotland　received　the　ambassadors　sent　to　congratulate　him

upon　his　accession　to　the　throne　of　Great　Britain；　he　asked　one

of　his　lords　to　lend　him　his　pair　of　silken　hose；　that　he　〃might

not　appear　a　scrub　before　　strangers。〃　　From　these　circumstances

it　will　be　observed　how　rare　the　wearing　of　silk　was　in　England。



Shortly　after　becoming　king；　James　I。　endeavoured　to　establish

the　silk　manufacture　in　England；　as　had　already　been　successfully

done　in　France。　　He　gave　every　encouragement　to　the　breeding　of

silkworms。　　He　sent　circular　letters　to　all　the　counties　of

England；　strongly　recommending　the　inhabitants　to　plant　mulberry

trees。　　The　trees　were　planted　in　many　places；　but　the　leaves　did

not　ripen　in　sufficient　time　for　the　sustenance　of　the　silkworms。



The　same　attempt　was　made　at　Inneshannon；　near　Bandon；　in

Ireland；　by　the　Hugnenot　refugees；　but　proved　abortive。　　The

climate　proved　too　cold　or　damp　for　the　rearing　of　silkworms　with

advantage。　　All　that　remains　is　〃The　Mulberry　Field；〃　which　still

retains　its　name。　　Nevertheless　the　Huguenots　successfully

established　the　silk　manufacture　at　London　and　Dublin；　obtaining

the　spun　silk　from　abroad。



Down　to　the　beginning　of　last　century；　the　Italians　were　the

principal　producers　of　organzine　or　thrown　silk；　and　for　a　long

time　they　succeeded　in　keeping　their　art　a　secret。　　Although　the

silk　manufacture；　as　we　have　seen；　was　introduced　into　this

country　by　the　Huguenot　artizans；　the　price　of　thrown　silk　was　so

great　that　it　interfered　very　considerably　with　its　progress。　

Organzine　was　principally　made　within　the　dominions　of　Savoy；　by

means　of　a　large　and　curious　engine；　the　like　of　which　did　not

exist　elsewhere。　　The　Italians；　by　the　most　severe　laws；　long

preserved　the　mystery　of　the　invention。　　The　punishment

prescribed　by　one　of　their　laws　to　be　inflicted　upon　anyone　who

discovered　the　secret；　or　attempted　to　carry　it　out　of　the

Sardinian　dominions；　was　death；　with　the　forfeiture　of　all　the

goods　the　delinquent　possessed；　and　the　culprit　was　〃to　be

afterwards　painted　on　the　outside　of　the　prison　walls；　hanging　to

the　gallows　by　one　foot；　with　an　inscription　denoting　the　name

and　crime　of　the　person；　there　to　be　continued　for　a　perpetual

mark　of　infamy。〃＇3＇



Nevertheless；　a　bold　and　ingenious　man　was　found　ready　to　brave

all　this　danger　in　the　endeavour　to　discover　the　secret。　　It　may

be　remembered　with　what　courage　and　determination　the　founder　of

the　Foley　family　introduced　the　manufacture　of　nails　into

England。　　He　went　into　the　Danemora　mine　district；　near　Upsala　in

Sweden；　fiddling　his　way　among　the　miners；　and　after　making　two

voyages；　he　at　last　wrested　from　them　the　secret　of　making　nails；

and　introduced　the　new　industry　into　the　Staffordshire

district。＇4＇　　The　courage　of　John　Lombe；　who　introduced　the

thrown…silk　industry　into　England；　was　equally　notable。　　He　was　a

native　of　Norwich。　　Playfair；　in　his　'Family　Antiquity'　（vii。

312）；　says　his　name　〃may　have　been　taken　from　the　French　Lolme；

or　de　Lolme；〃　as　there　were　many　persons　of　French　and　Flemish

origin　settled　at　Norwich　towards　the　close　of　the　sixteenth

century；　but　there　is　no　further　information　as　to　his　special

origin。



John　Lombe's　father；　Henry　Lombe；　was　a　worsted　weaver；　and　was

twice　married。　　By　his　first　wife　he　had　two　sons；　Thomas　and

Henry；　and　by　his　second；　he　had　also　two　sons；　Benjamin　and

John。　　At　his　death　in　1695；　he　left　his　two　brothers　his

〃supervisors；〃　or　trustees；　and　directed　them　to　educate　his

children　in　due　time　to　some　useful　trade。　　Thomas；　the　eldest

son；　went　to　London。　　He　was　apprenticed　to　a　trade；　and

succeeded　in　business；　as　we　find　him　Sheriff　of　London　and

Middlesex　in　1727；　when　in　his　forty…second　year。　　He　was　also

knighted　in　the　same　year；　most　probably　on　the　accession　of

George　II。　to　the　throne。



John；　the　youngest　son　of　the　family；　and　half…brother　of　Thomas；

was　put　an　apprentice　to　a　trade。　　In　1702；　we　find　him　at　Derby；

working　as　a　mechanic　with　one　Mr。　Crotchet。　　This　unfortunate

gentleman　started　a　small　silk…mill　at　Derby；　with　the　object　of

participating　in　the　profits　derived　from　the　manufacture。



〃The　wear　of　silks；〃　says　Hutton；　in　his　'History　of　Derby；'　〃was

the　taste　of　the　ladies；　and　the　British　merchant　was　obliged　to

apply　to　the　Italian　with　ready　money　for　the　article　at　an

exorbitant　price。〃　　Crotchet　did　not　succeed　in　his　undertaking。　

〃Three　engines　were　found　necessary　for　the　process：　　he　had　but

one。　　An　untoward　trade　is　a　dreadful　sink　for　money；　and　an

imprudent　tradesman　is　still　more　dreadfuL。　　We　often　see

instances　where　a　fortune　would　last　a　man　much　longer　if　he

lived　upon　his　capital；　than　if　he　sent　it　into　trade。　　Crotchet

soon　became　insolvent。〃



John　Lombe；　who　had　been　a　mechanic　in　Crotchet's　silk　mill；　lost

his　situation　accordingly。　　But　he　seems　to　have　been　possessed

by　an　intense　desire　to　ascertain　the　Italian　method　of

silk…throwing。　　He　could　not　learn　it　in　England。　　There　was　no

other　method　but　going　to　Italy；　getting　into　a　silk　mill；　and

learning　the　secret　of　the　Italian　art。　　He　was　a　good　mechanic

and　a　clever　draughtsman；　besides　being　intelligent　and　fearless。



But　he　had　not　the　necessary　money　wherewith　to　proceed　to　Italy。



His　half…brother　Thomas；　however；　was　doing　well　in　London；　and

was　willing　to　help　him　with　the　requisite　means。　　Accordingly；

John　set　out　for　Italy；　not　long　after　the　failure　of　Crotchet。



John　Lombe　succeeded　in　getting　employment　in　a　silk　mill　in

Piedmont；　where　the　art　of　silk…throwing　was　kept　a　secret。　　He

was　employed　as　a　mechanic；　and　had　thus　an　opportunity；　in

course　of　time；　of　becoming　familiar　with　the　operation　of　the

engine。　　Hutton　says　that　he　bribed　the　workmen；　but　this　would

have　been　a　dangerous　step；