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 Abbé 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 315 CHAPTER II. SPINNING AND WEAVING--MARVELLOUS SKILL DISPLAYED IN THESE ARTS. Unrivalled excellence of India muslins--Testimony of the two Arabian travellers--Marco Polo, and Odoardo Barbosa’s accounts of the beautiful Cotton textures of Bengal--Cæsar Frederick, Tavernier, and Forbes’s testimony--Extraordinary fineness and transparency of Decca muslins--Specimen brought by Sir Charles Wilkins; compared with English muslins--Sir Joseph Banks’s experiments--Extraordinary fineness of Cotton yarn spun by machinery in England--Fineness of India Cotton yarn--Cotton textures of Soonergong--Testimony of R. Fitch--Hamilton’s account--Decline of the manufactures of Dacca accounted for--Orme’s testimony of the universal diffusion of the Cotton manufacture in India--Processes of the manufacture--Rude implements--Roller gin--Bowing. (Eli Whitney inventor of the cotton gin--Tribute of respect paid to his memory--Immense value of Mr. Whitney’s invention to growers and manufacturers of Cotton throughout the world.) Spinning wheel--Spinning without a wheel--Loom--Mode of weaving--Forbes’s description--Habits and remuneration of Spinners, Weavers, &c.--Factories of the East India Company--Marvellous skill of the Indian workman accounted for--Mills’s testimony--Principal Cotton fabrics of India, and where made--Indian commerce in Cotton goods--Alarm created in the woollen and silk manufacturing districts of Great Britain--Extracts from publications of the day--Testimony of Daniel De Foe (Author of _Robinson Crusoe_.)--Indian fabrics prohibited