The History and Principles of Wearing. By Alfred Barlow. (Sampson
Low and Co.)—This purports to be an exhaustive history of the textile arts and the inventions connected with them, intended for general readers, but we venture to predict that but few such will got through the nice-looking, large volume. Still, it would be a valu- able addition to a library, if only on account of the "Chronological Account of Weaving" with which it opens, and many items of which it would not be easy to find elsewhere. Some of these items tell a sufficiently pathetic tale; such as those relating to a man about whom many romantic tales have been told, of which of course we are de- prived ruthlessly. Here is the unvarnished history, in a few words, of the luckless but clever mechanist of a clergyman —"1589. About this time, Win. Lee, curate of CalVerton, invented the stocking-frame." "1010, William Lee died, neglected and broken-hearted, in France." "1620, the stocking-frame firmly established and made in great numbers." In the histories of John Kay, and the better-known Frenchman, Jacquard, both inaprovers of looms, oven those who can hardly appreciate the special merits of their inventions, will find much to interest them ; and to anyone with a turn for mechanics, the beautiful diagrams would doubtless soon make them clear. It is curious to trace the name of the blanket to a famous clothier of that name, who flourished in the time of Edward III. at Bristol, and who had the wit to avail himself of the influx of Flemings, and employ them in weaving for him. In the usual way, Thomss Blanket was persecuted by his fellow-townsmen till he appealed to the king, who, in protecting him from farther injury, earned the gratitude of shivering mortals.
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