orty
acres, and belonged to the Marquis of Wharton, with whom, when appointed
in 1709 Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, Addison went over as Secretary. It
subsequently became the scene of a joint-stock company speculation under
a patent granted in 1718 to John Appletree, Esq., for producing raw silk
of the growth of England, and for raising a fund for carrying on the
same. This undertaking was divided into shares of 5 pounds each, of
which 1 pounds was paid down. Proposals were published, a
subscription-book opened, in which several hundred names were soon
entered; a deed of trust executed and enrolled in Chancery; directors
were chosen by the subscribers for managing the affairs of the Company;
and, Chelsea Park being thought a proper soil for the purpose and in a
convenient situation, a lease was taken of it for 122 years. Here
upwards of 2000 mulberry-trees were soon planted, and extensive edifices
erected for carrying on the work: this number of trees was, however, but
a small part of what the company intended to plant if they were
successful. In the following year Mr. Henry Barham, F.R.S., who was
probably a member of the company, published 'An Essay on the Silk Worm,'
in which he thinks "all objections and difficulties against this glorious
undertaking are shown to be mere phantoms and trifles." The event,
however, proved that the company met with difficulties of a real and
formidable nature; for though the expectation of this gentleman, who
questioned not that in the ensuing year they should produce a
considerable quantity of raw silk, may have been partly answered, the
undertaking soon began to decline, and, in the course of a few years,
came to nothing. It must, however, be admitted that the violent
stock-jobbing speculations of the year 1720, which involved the shares of
all projects of this nature, might have produced many changes among the
proprietors, and contributed to derange the original design. However,
from that period to the present time, no effort has been made to
cultivate the silkworm in this country as a mercantile speculation,
although individuals have continued to rear it with success as an object
of curiosity.

Walpole, in his 'Catalogue of Engravers,' tells us that James Christopher
Le Blon, a Fleming by birth, and a mezzotint-engraver by profession, some
time subsequent to 1732, "set up a project for copying the cartoons in
tapestry, and made some very fine drawings for that purpose. House