Page:The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous substances 2.djvu/388

 published in the seventeenth and at the beginning of the eighteenth century, will not only afford amusement, but will show the wonderful commercial revolution which has since been effected by machinery. In the year 1678, a pamphlet was issued under the title—"The Ancient Trades Decayed and Repaired again," in which the author thus bewails the interference of cotton with woollen fabrics.

"This trade (the woollen) is very much hindered by our own people, who do wear many foreign commodities instead of our own; as may be instanced in many particulars; viz. instead of green sey, that was wont to be used for children's frocks, is now used painted and Indian-stained and striped calico; and instead of a perpetuana or shalloon to line men's coats with, is used sometimes a glazed calico, which in the whole is not above 12d. cheaper, and abundantly worse. And sometimes is used a Bangale that is brought from India, both for linings to coats, and for petticoats too; yet our English ware is better and cheaper than this, only it is thinner for the summer. To remedy this, it would be necessary to lay a very high impost upon all such commodities as these are, and that no calicoes or other sort of linen be suffered to be glazed."—pp. 16, 17.

The writer, with equal wisdom, recommends the prohibition of stage coaches, on account of their injuring the proprietors of the inns on the road, by conveying the passengers too quickly, and at too little expense to themselves. A pamphlet entitled "The Naked Truth, in an Essay upon Trade," published in 1696, informs us that—

"The commodities that we chiefly receive from the East Indies are calicoes, muslins, Indian wrought silks, pepper, saltpetre, indigo, &c. The advantage of the Company is chiefly in their muslins and Indian silks, (a great value in these commodities being comprehended in a small bulk,) and these becoming the general wear in England."—p. 4. "Fashion is truly termed a witch; the dearer and scarcer any commodity, the more the mode; 30s. a yard for muslins, and only the shadow of a commodity when procured."—p. 11.

So sagacious and far-sighted an author as Daniel de Foe (Author of Robinson Crusoe) did not escape the general notion,