Murphy, Greenough, Peddie, O'Westman, Yates and Ure; but, that these writers were wholly, or in a great measure, ignorant of the subject, we have demonstrative proofs in their own works. The books of these men contain merely such scraps and sketches as were furnished for them, by persons who required instruction themselves, as the matter there presented, abundantly testifies. Such compilations are nearly filled with tables and useless repetitions, "for the purpose of facilitating calculation," as they are termed. These tables appear rather to have been intended for the use of the plain cloth manufacturer of the twelfth century, than for the fancy warper, or figure weaver of our own day. To the mechanical part of the business, such as the construction of the looms and other apparatus requisite for the production of the more intricate kinds of textures, and the necessary practical instructions, they have scarcely alluded in their treatises. They only speak of the art in its imperfect state, as it existed in England, Ireland, and Scotland in times long past; and hence such books are not calculated for the present age of improvement. Indeed, it seems to us, that these authors were, (in the words of Pollok)

"Resolved (in spite of fate) before they died,

To make some grand discovery, by which
They should be known to all posterity."

The great majority of mankind are ever prone to limit their desire of information, to that which seems at the time most necessary to their subsistence. The weaver who is accustomed to be employed at one kind of work, seldom troubles himself to enquire by what means other kinds are now, or were produced; and although by this constant application to one branch, he increases his practical dexterity in it; yet, such a course, at the same time, tends to impede his progress in the attainment of a complete knowledge of his vocation. Indeed, many of the different species of weaving have already become nearly local. In Great Britain, for example, the Manchester weaver is, in general, as ignorant of the mode of mounting a gauze spider net, as he of Paisley or Glasgow, is of a Pekin brocade, or an Egyptian shebetz. The division of labour, however, is carried still further: the mounting of a loom in the figured department is frequently the business of several persons, and the working of it that of from one to six others. Some figured looms have as many as eight Jacquards, of 400, 600, 900, and even 1300 needles each; and from one to four pulley-boxes, each of which has a tail, simple, and drawboy to operate upon it. These complicated looms contain from one to twelve cumber boards (some

times called harness boards) which are often made stationary: but at other times one, or more are elevated or depressed, at every 2d, 3d, 4th, or 6th, passage of the shuttle. In weaving Marseilles quilting and petticoat robes, on this plan, only two shifting harness boards in connection with two, or more leaves of headles, are used. But these subjects will be more fully treated of in another place.

The study of the art of weaving will at least afford to an inquisitive mind, a source of rational and innocent amusement. Besides this consideration, many circumstances concur, to render records of the state of every art, peculiarly desirable. It is well ascertained by the researches of antiquarians and hierologists, that many useful branches of art, which were known and practised by the ancients, have been almost entirely lost, for want of such records. Perhaps two-thirds, or more of them have thus sunk into oblivion; take for example, that of weaving six and seven ply carpeting, (known to the ancients under the cognomen of Tymolus matting,)* by the power of compressed air.

*The eminent German hierologist, Dr. Lepsius, now employed in Egypt by the Prussian government, in a recent letter, after mentioning the many discoveries he had made of ancient ruins, tombs, &c., writes as follows:

"With the exception of about twelve, which belong to a later period, all these tombs were erected contemporaneously with, or soon after, the building of the great pyramid, and consequently their dates throw an invaluable light on the study of human civilization in the most remote period of antiquity.The sculptures in relief are surprisingly numerous, and represent whole figures, some the size of life, and others of various dimensions. The paintings are on back grounds of the finest chalk. They are numerous and beautiful beyond conception-as fresh and perfect as if finished yesterday! The pictures and sculptures on the walls of the tombs represent, for the most part, scenes in the lives of the deceased persons, whose wealth in cattle, fish boats, servants, &c., is ostentatiously displayed before the eye of the spectator. All this gives an insight into the details of private life among the ancient Egyptians. By the help of these inscriptions I think I could, without difficulty, make a Court Calendar of the reign of King Cheops. But, my friends, let no monument give you or me hopes, since not a pinch of dust is left unturned, by us, of the mortal remains of old King Cheops! In some instances I have traced the graves of father, son, grandson, and even great grandson-all that now remains of the distinguished families, which five thousand years ago, formed the nobility of the land. I now employ daily fifty or sixty men, in digging and other kinds of labour, and a large excavation has been made in front of the great Sphynx."

Another writer has condensed from Rosellini, and other hierologists, the following remarks:

"Philologists, astronomers, chemists, painters, architects, physicians, must return to Egypt to learn the origin of language and writing-of the calendar

The ornamental arts are so much regulated by the prevailing fashion, and caprice of mankind, that many species of fancy manufactures lie neglected for years, and, in many instances, they could and solar motion-of the art of cutting granite with a copper chisel, and of giving elasticity to a copper sword-of making glass with the variegated hues of the rainbow-of moving single blocks of polished syenite, nine hundred tons in weight, for any distance by land and water—of building arches round, and pointed with masonic precision, unsurpassed at the present day, and antecedent, by two thousand years before the Dorians are known in history-of fresco painting in imperishable colours-and of practical knowledge of anatomy.

"Every craftsman can behold, in Egyptian monuments, the progress of his art four thousand years ago; and whether it be a wheel-wright building a chariot; a leather cutter using the self same form of knife of old as is considered the best form now; the plain, and fancy weavers actively employed at their respective looms; a white smith using that identical form of blow pipe, but lately recognized to be the most efficient; the seal engraver cutting in hieroglyphics such names as Shoofo's, Arphaxad's, and Arkite Ghiden Ghelen's, above four thousand three hundred years ago; or even the poulterer removing the pip from geese; all these and many more evidences of Egyptian priority now require but a glance at the plates of Rosellini."

To this catalogue of Egyptian arts, a long addition might be made of monuments descriptive of the goldsmith's and jeweller's work; instrumental music, singing, dancing, and gymnastic exercises, including children's games, like some of the present day; the tasteful furniture of their houses; ship building; drawings in natural history, so true to life, that the French naturalists, by means of them, instantly recognized the several species of Egyptian birds designated by them; and of numberless other branches of art. In Persia also, much ethnographic information has lately been brought to light, by the architects and artists attached to the French embassy in that country. Their operations embrace ruins of the ancient cities of Nineveh, Babylon, Ecbatana, Persepolis, Ctesiphon, &c. These researches in connection with the labours of Groteford and Lassen, who have deciphered the arrow-headed inscriptions of those cities, are of great importance in elucidating a portion of the world's history, of which we know so little. The French government has lately sent a party to explore the regions between Cashmere and Kafferistan, with orders to report on the Geography of those countriesthe various native tribes by which they are occupied, their languages, monuments, &c.

In Asia Minor a new field for antiquarian researches has been opened. which bids fair to throw much light on the history of several nations, and particularly the Greeks, at a period, the history of which we know but little. The researches of the English have chiefly been in ancient Lycia, where in two different expeditions, Mr. Fellows has made some important discoveries of cities, remains of temples, inscriptions, &c. He has also been able to make out the language of the people who erected these edifices, through bilinqular inscriptions found there. He is now on his way there again, with a large company and a steamer, for the purpose of transporting to England such

never again be introduced, unless a knowledge of the processes employed in their production were preserved. When such knowledge is only transmitted verbally, and when it is confined to operative monuments of art as are valuable and in good preservation. The French and Prussian governments have scientific expeditions besides, in other parts of Asia Minor.

In Abyssinia are travellers from England, France, and Germany, who are engaged in scientific explorations of the country. Their labours will contribute greatly to our knowledge of that hitherto unknown region. On the cite of ancient Carthage and in the country adjacent, some interesting discoveries have been made. Among these the following articles have been found:

1st. A complete power loom of bronze, of vertical construction, adapted to weave sixteen webs of cloth at one and the same operation, either plain, tweeled, or figured, and with from one to thirty-seven shuttles, &c.

2d. A loom for weaving dimity and such stuffs, with tappet wheel to work the treadles, and a curious motion to stop the machine when the weft thread or threads break. This last contrivance consists of two parts, one of which is very like an 'Irish gridiron,' and is fixed in the lay in a vertical position, about three-fourths of an inch from one end of the reed; the other part resembles a French four-pronged eating fork, and is made to play into the former at each, and every throw of the shuttle. But as this motion (with several other valuable contrivances in weaving) was patented by us in England, France, and other countries in the years 1833, 34 and 39, the claims of the said hierologists to the contrary thereof notwithstanding, no farther notice need be taken of it here; and particularly so, as it is now being adapted to common power looms at Paterson, N. J., Troy, N. Y., and at Lowell, Mass., where the curious may see it in full operation, and be better able to judge of its merits for themselves.

3d. A spinning machine with two hundred and fifty-six spindles, copper drums, and India rubber bands to drive it; all of which are in a tolerable state of preservation; the whole bearing a very close resemblance to the 'Danforth frame.'

4th. 18 yards of 'net work' or lace, figured, similar to that used in the decoration of Solomon's Temple, and of which so frequent mention is made in the book of Exodus. This specimen corresponds in many respects to that shown us by his Holiness, the Pope's antiquarian when at Rome, in April, 1831, and of which we shall have occasion to make further mention hereafter. 5th. 13 yards of beautiful lace, being composed of gold and silver threads alternately, on which are represented the sun, moon, and stars; the crocodile, pelican, heron, and goose; and also a man and woman in a state of nudity, eating fruit, which they appear to have plucked from off a tree hard by; there is also in the same group a likeness of a serpent, very much resembling our modern boa constrictor.

Homer describes "an upper garment" which Penelope made for Ulysses before going to Ilium. On the front part of it a beautiful hunting-piece was wrought in gold. It is thus described. "A dog holds a fawn with its fore feet, looking at it as it pants with fear and strives to make its escape."(Od. r. 225-235.)

tradesmen, employed in the active duties of their vocations, little expectation can be formed of its general diffusion. The attention of such men is naturally more directed to their present, than to their former employments; and when it is no longer in their power to illustrate the instructions which they may, occasionally, wish to convey to others, by showing them the practical operation, the task becomes doubly difficult. From the want of proper information on such subjects a person may possibly think himself the inventor of a certain machine, which he conceives to be legitimately begotten, and may succeed in obtaining, from capitalists, unskilled in the particular art to which it relates, vast sums of money, on the strength of such an impression; and still a similar machine may have been in use long before, or even is at the present day, without his knowledge of the fact. Many a man has been deceived in supposing himself the originator of a certain contrivance, which he might have found described in some old book, or Irishman's portfolio.

It ought to be our study to fix permanently upon the memory, some of the extraordinary events that happened in the world thousands of years before we had an existence upon it. We find ourselves inhabitants of one of the numberless planets which are ever rolling along through infinite space, at a most astonishing rate of speed. We have no means of knowing at present what beings inhabit, or what laws govern those glorious orbs that on all sides surround us, or how far advanced in the arts their inhabitants may have become, and particularly in that of power loom weaving with mesmeric cams.* We have now no communication with other worlds, nor with the beings that people them. This earth on which we live is ours (that's a fact) and it affords ample scope for human study. The enquiring mind should be anxious to know, who were the best manufacturers of figured and other fabrics that from time to time flourished on its variegated surface; what events, changes, and revolvtions it has undergone, and how many Jacquard looms, and other useful machines, invented by our antediluvian relations, have been engulphed in its bowels, or otherwise knocked into chaos. It is only by reading, by searching the records of the past, by deep

* Marco Polo mentions, (Marsden's Translation, p. 176.) that incombustible cloth was woven from a fibrous stone found at Chenchen in the territory of the Great Khan. It was pounded in a brass mortar; then washed, to separate the earthy particles; spun and woven into cloth; and cleansed, when dirty, by being thrown into the fire.