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Article CURIOUS FACTS. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Curious Facts.
CURIOUS FACTS .
TT is to the luxury of the old Romans that we owe many , of the de-- *• licacies now abounding in Europe . Lucullus , when he returned from the Mithridatic war , introduced cherries the first time into Italy from Cerasns , a city near Sinope , on the Euxine Sea . There were also brought into Italy , about this period , many other curiosities of fruits , flowers , and plants , from Greece , Asia , and Africa ; apricots
from Epirus , peaches from Persia , the finest plumbs from Damascus and Armenia , pears and figs from Greece and Egypt , citrons from Media , and pomegranates from Carthage . Turkey , or Guinea , cocks were first brought into England in the r jth year of Henry Sth . It was much about the same time that carp and pippins were brought from beyond sea , by Leonard Mascall , of
Plumstead in Sussex . The same country gave England melon seeds , in the reign of James ist . About the same period , the large fine pale gooseberry was brought from Flanders , with sallads and cabbages . It was not till the asraof the Restoration , that asparagrus , artichokes oranges , lemons , and cauliflowers , were known in England . It is somewhat remarkable that Queen Elizabeth was the first
person in England who wore silk stockings . They were presented to her by a Mrs . Montague ; and thenceforth , says " Dr . Howell , she never wore cloth ones any more . The art of knitting silk stockings , by wires on needles , was first practised in Spain ; and twenty-eicht years after it had been imported into England . Mr . Lee , of Cambridge , invented the engine or steel loom , called the stocking frame , which enabled
England to export great quantities of silk stockings to Jtaly , and other parts , fines ivritleti under a Print of tbe first Machinefor tvea-v . ng of Stockings , & c . file Machine ( the wonderful Machine I may , call it ) for weaving of Stockings , & c . which was invented b y a disappointed Lover , Mr . Lee . lie was in love with a Stocking-iniller who sli g hted bis offers .
Of alt the arts that human wit can boast , Conceiv'd by labour , or improv'd by cost , None can unto the judging world appear , More ivond ' rous than the Frame depicted here ; Six thousand pieces does the whole contain , Th' unwearied task of one poor Lover ' s brain , Who , in revenge to female slights , was mov'd To spoil the knitting of the dame he lov'd
: May each desponding Lover pensive grow , And , wlien disdaiu'd , the like resentment shew ! The use of coaches was introduced into England by Fitz-allan , Earl of Arundel , A . D . i 580 . At first they were only drawn by two horses . —It was the favourite Buckingham , who , aboiit 1619 , beo-. m to have them drawn by six horseswliichan old historian tells ° is
, , _ , was wondered at as a novelty , and imputed to him as a mastering pride . —Before that time , ladies chiefly rode on horseback either ' single , on their palfreys , or double behind some person on a pillion . — - The Duke of Buckingham introduced sedan chairs at the same period .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Curious Facts.
CURIOUS FACTS .
TT is to the luxury of the old Romans that we owe many , of the de-- *• licacies now abounding in Europe . Lucullus , when he returned from the Mithridatic war , introduced cherries the first time into Italy from Cerasns , a city near Sinope , on the Euxine Sea . There were also brought into Italy , about this period , many other curiosities of fruits , flowers , and plants , from Greece , Asia , and Africa ; apricots
from Epirus , peaches from Persia , the finest plumbs from Damascus and Armenia , pears and figs from Greece and Egypt , citrons from Media , and pomegranates from Carthage . Turkey , or Guinea , cocks were first brought into England in the r jth year of Henry Sth . It was much about the same time that carp and pippins were brought from beyond sea , by Leonard Mascall , of
Plumstead in Sussex . The same country gave England melon seeds , in the reign of James ist . About the same period , the large fine pale gooseberry was brought from Flanders , with sallads and cabbages . It was not till the asraof the Restoration , that asparagrus , artichokes oranges , lemons , and cauliflowers , were known in England . It is somewhat remarkable that Queen Elizabeth was the first
person in England who wore silk stockings . They were presented to her by a Mrs . Montague ; and thenceforth , says " Dr . Howell , she never wore cloth ones any more . The art of knitting silk stockings , by wires on needles , was first practised in Spain ; and twenty-eicht years after it had been imported into England . Mr . Lee , of Cambridge , invented the engine or steel loom , called the stocking frame , which enabled
England to export great quantities of silk stockings to Jtaly , and other parts , fines ivritleti under a Print of tbe first Machinefor tvea-v . ng of Stockings , & c . file Machine ( the wonderful Machine I may , call it ) for weaving of Stockings , & c . which was invented b y a disappointed Lover , Mr . Lee . lie was in love with a Stocking-iniller who sli g hted bis offers .
Of alt the arts that human wit can boast , Conceiv'd by labour , or improv'd by cost , None can unto the judging world appear , More ivond ' rous than the Frame depicted here ; Six thousand pieces does the whole contain , Th' unwearied task of one poor Lover ' s brain , Who , in revenge to female slights , was mov'd To spoil the knitting of the dame he lov'd
: May each desponding Lover pensive grow , And , wlien disdaiu'd , the like resentment shew ! The use of coaches was introduced into England by Fitz-allan , Earl of Arundel , A . D . i 580 . At first they were only drawn by two horses . —It was the favourite Buckingham , who , aboiit 1619 , beo-. m to have them drawn by six horseswliichan old historian tells ° is
, , _ , was wondered at as a novelty , and imputed to him as a mastering pride . —Before that time , ladies chiefly rode on horseback either ' single , on their palfreys , or double behind some person on a pillion . — - The Duke of Buckingham introduced sedan chairs at the same period .