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night in summer time； studying the details of his wooden clock。
Footnotes to Chapter III。
＇1＇ Originally published in Longmam's Magazine； but now rewritten
and enlarged。
＇2＇ Popular Astronomy。 By Simon Newcomb； LL。D。； Professor U。S。
Naval Observatory。
＇3＇ Biographia Britannica； vol。 vi。 part 2； p。 4375。 This volume
was published in 1766； before the final reward had been granted
to Harrison。
＇4＇ This clock is in the possession of Abraham Riley； of Bromley；
near Leeds。 He informs us that the clock is made of wood
throughout； excepting the escapement and the dial； which are made
of brass。 It bears the mark of 〃John Harrison； 1713。〃
＇5＇ Harrison's compensation pendulum was afterwards improved by
Arnold； Earnshaw； and other English makers。 Dent's prismatic
balance is now considered the best。
＇6＇ See Mr。 Folkes's speech to the Royal Soc。； 30th Nov。； 1749。
＇7＇ No trustworthy lunar tables existed at that time。 It was not
until the year 1753 that Tobias Mayer； a German； published the
first lunar tables which could be relied upon。 For this； the
British Government afterwards awarded to Mayer's widow the sum of
5000L。
＇8＇ Sir Isaac Newton gave his design to Edmund Halley； then
Astronomer…Royal。 Halley laid it on one side； and it was found
among his papers after his death in 1742； twenty…five years after
the death of Newton。 A similar omission was made by Sir G。 B。
Airy； which led to the discovery of Neptune being attributed to
Leverrier instead of to Adams。
CHAPTER IV。
JOHN LOMBE： INTRODUCER OF THE SILK INDUSTRY INTO ENGLAND。
〃By Commerce are acquired the two things which wise men accompt
of all others the most necessary to the well…being of a
Commonwealth： That is to say； a general Industry of Mind and
Hardiness of Body； which never fail to be accompanyed with Honour
and Plenty。 So that； questionless； when Commerce does not
flourish； as well as other Professions； and when Particular
Persons out of a habit of Laziness neglect at once the noblest
way of employing their time and the fairest occasion for
advancing their fortunes； that Kingdom； though otherwise never so
glorious； wants something of being compleatly happy。〃A Treatise
touching the East India Trade （1695）。
Industry puts an entirely new face upon the productions of
nature。 By labour man has subjugated the world； reduced it to
his dominion； and clothed the earth with a new garment。 The
first rude plough that man thrust into the soil； the first rude
axe of stone with which he felled the pine； the first rude canoe
scooped by him from its trunk to cross the river and reach the
greener fields beyond； were each the outcome of a human faculty
which brought within his reach some physical comfort he had never
enjoyed before。
Material things became subject to the influence of labour。 From
the clay of the ground； man manufactured the vessels which were
to contain his food。 Out of the fleecy covering of sheep； he
made clothes for himself of many kinds； from the flax plant he
drew its fibres； and made linen and cambric； from the hemp plant
he made ropes and fishing nets； from the cotton pod he fabricated
fustians； dimities； and calicoes。 From the rags of these； or
from weed and the shavings of wood； he made paper on which books
and newspapers were printed。 Lead was formed by him into
printer's type； for the communication of knowledge without end。
But the most extraordinary changes of all were made in a heavy
stone containing metal； dug out of the ground。 With this； when
smelted by wood or coal； and manipulated by experienced skill；
iron was produced。 From this extraordinary metal； the soul of
every manufacture； and the mainspring perhaps of civilised
societyarms； hammers； and axes were made； then knives；
scissors； and needles； then machinery to hold and control the
prodigious force of steam； and eventually railroads and
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