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 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