Page:The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous substances 2.djvu/355

 PART THIRD.

ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE COTTON MANUFACTURE.

CHAPTER I.

GREAT ANTIQUITY OF THE COTTON MANUFACTURE IN INDIA—UNRIVALLED SKILL OF THE INDIAN WEAVER.

Superiority of Cotton for clothing, compared with linen, both in hot and cold climates—Cotton characteristic of India—Account of Cotton by Herodotus, Ctesias, Theophrastus, Aristobulus, Nearchus, Pomponius Mela—Use of Cotton in India—Cotton known before silk and called Carpasus, Carpasum, Carbasum, &c.—Cotton awnings used by the Romans—Carbasus applied to linen—Last request of Tibullus—Muslin fillet of the vestal virgin—Linen sails, &c. called Carbasa—Valerius Flaccus introduces muslin among the elegancies in the dress of a Phrygian from the river Rhyndacus—Prudentius's satire on pride—Apuleius's testimony—Testimony of Sidonius Apollinaris, and Avienus—Pliny and Julius Pollux—Their testimony considered—Testimony of Tertullian and Philostratus—Of Martianus Capella—Cotton paper mentioned by Theophylus Presbyter—Use of Cotton by the Arabians—Cotton not common anciently in Europe—Marco Polo and Sir John Mandeville's testimony of the Cotton of India—Forbes's description of the herbaceous Cotton of Guzerat—Testimony of Malte Brun—Beautiful Cotton textures of the ancient Mexicans—Testimony of the Abbe] Clavigero—Fishing nets made from Cotton by the inhabitants of the West India Islands, and on the continent of South America—Columbus's testimony—Cotton used for bedding by the Brazilians.

Among all the materials which the skill of man converts into comfortable and elegant clothing, that which appears likely to be the most extensively useful, though it was the last to be generally diffused, is the beautiful produce of the cotton-plant.

The properties of cotton strongly recommend it for clothing, especially in comparison with linen, both in hot and cold countries. Linen has, indeed, in some respects the advantage; it forms a smooth, firm, and beautiful cloth, and is very agreeable wear in temperate climates; but it is less comfortable than cot