Penny Dreadfuls, 1736 · page 10 of 16
Thoughts on Trade — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Victorian Page Analysis This is **running prose** from what appears to be a didactic or political pamphlet, not a penny dreadful. The page contains two sections: first, a brief economic assessment of Ireland's silk manufacturing industry, noting that Irish-made silks rival English quality but cannot be profitably exported due to high production costs; second, a social commentary titled "The Calamitous Circumstances of the Poor," which contrasts England's lenient treatment of prisoners with Ireland's harsh imprisonment and exploitation of its people. The text employs emotionally charged language ("racking and tearing") typical of 18th- or 19th-century reform literature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The prefent State of the Silken Trade . im IRELAND. Right Silk-‘Throwers may work fine and coarfe Silk Weekly, 300 Weight, be- fides Italian - thrown Silk made ufe of: Ribbons and Silks made.in Ireland, are good, as are their Shaggs, Velvets, and Garden-Sattins, and Brocades of Silk, Gold and Silver, equal thofe made. in Augland ; but the Expence attending the feveral Ope- rations Silk pafs through, before compleatly Manufactured, being much the fame in Jre- band, as in England; Irith-made Silks ar not to be exported. to Profit. _ The Calamitous Circumftances, of the Poor. In the midft of Plenty, People are loft for for warit of Food; to defcribe’ the Miferies of very many Thoufands, is as difficult, as it muft be difagreeable and fhocking to Human Nature ; and to reprefent their fad Circum- {tances to fuch as feems to put a greater Value on a Sheep, than their Fellow Crea- ture, can have little Effect ; for at the time in England they are clearing their Prifons, and indulging theUnfortunate tor large Sums; in Jre/and they are filling their Goals, and are racking and tearing the People to pieces for