Part 9 (1/2)

From what is Silk produced?

From the silk-worm, an insect not more remarkable for the precious matter it furnishes, than for the many forms it assumes before and after it envelopes itself in the beautiful ball, the silken threads of which forant texture which is so much worn

_Texture_, a web or substance woven

What are the habits of this insect, and on what does it feed?

After bursting froe worm or caterpillar of a yellohite color, (which is its first state;) this caterpillar feeds on the leaves of theator case, called a cocoon, about the size and shape of a pigeon's egg, and becons of life; in about ten days it eats its way out of its case, a perfect butterfly, which lays a nus and then dies In the wars are hatched, and become worms, as their parents did at first

_Maturity_, ripeness, perfection

How much silk is each ball said to contain?

Each ball consists of a very fine, soft, bright, delicate thread, which being wound off, extends in length six miles

What is meant by Chrysalis?

The second state into which the insect passes before it co ceased to eat, fixes itself in some place till its skin separates, and discovers a horny, oblong body, which is the chrysalis

Where was Silk first inally confined to China

The Greeks, under Alexander the Great, brought hoht silks fro unknown to the Roht for weight with gold The Emperor Aurelian, who died in 275, BC refused the Empress, his wife, a suit of silk which she solicited with abalus, the Emperor, who died half a century before Aurelian, was the first ore a _holosericuarment all of silk

Who introduced the Silk Wored as gs, which they concealed in a hollow cane, and conveyed in safety to Constantinople in 552; the eggs were hatched in the proper season by the warmth of manure, and the worms fed with the leaves of the wild mulberry tree These worated under the care of the monks, who also instructed the Ro their production

From the insects thus produced, proceeded all the silk worms which have since been reared in Europe, and the western parts of Asia The erly planted, and on this, their natural food, they were successfully reared in Greece; and the manufacture was established at Thebes, Athens, and Corinth, in particular The Venetians, soon after this ti a trade with the Greeks, supplied all the Western parts of Europe with silks for many centuries

Where were the cities of Thebes and Athens situated?

Thebes was an ancient city of Beotia, in Greece, founded by Cad from the coast of Phenicia, he arrived in Beotia, and built the city, calling it Thebes, froypt To this prince is ascribed the invention of sixteen letters of the Greek Alphabet Athens was the capital of Attica, founded by Cecrops, an Egyptian It was the seat of learning and the arts, and has produced some of the most celebrated warriors, statesmen, orators, poets, and sculptors in the world Since the ee of its conquerors the Turks, who had oppressed it for three centuries, Athens has been chosen as its capital, and is still a considerable town adorned with splendid ruins of the beautiful buildings it once possessed Thebes and Corinth, another celebrated city, are now only villages

_Warrior_, a soldier

_Statesovernment

_Orator_, a public speaker

_Poet_, one who coures in stone, marble, or ivory

Who were the Venetians?