Duke.   O, fellow! come, the song we had last night.

Mark it, Cesario; it is old and plain;

The spinsters and the knitters in the sun,

And the free maids that weave their thread with bones,

Do use to chant it: it is silly sooth,

And dallies with the innocence of love,

Like the old age. Shakespeare Twelfth Night. Act ii. Sc. 4 Introduction to Knitting Miss Lambert, The Handbook Of Needlework, 1842 Knitting was unknown in England until the middle of the sixteenth century.  It is said, that one Williams Rider, an apprentice on London-bridge, seeing at the house of an Italian merchant, a pair of  knit worsted stockings from Mantua, took the hint, and made a similar pair which he presented to William, Earl of Pembroke, in 1564, and that these 3were the first of the kind made in England.  We learn from Howell, that Henry VIII commonly wore cloth hose, except thre came from Spain by great chance, a pair of knit silk stockings: and when his son Edward VI was presented with a pair of long Spanish silk stockings, by Sir Thomas Gresham, it was deemed a gift of some importance. The invention of knitting has generally been attributed to the Spaniards.  The Scots likewise lay some claim to it, founded upon the fact, that the first compny of stocking-knitters, established at Paris, took St. Fiacre for their patron, who  is said to have been the sound of one of the kings of Scotland.  Be this as it may, it is certain that the art had been practiced in Spain and Italy prior to our knowledge of it in England, but at how early a period does not appear.  Mezerai says, that Henry II of France wore silk stockings at his sister's marriage to the duke of Savoy, om 1559 - the first that had been seen in the country.  In England, in 1561, knit stockings were but little known, as we then find Queen Elizabeth's silk-woman, Mistress Montague, presenting her majesty with a pair.  Knitting , however, was scarcely in use, wre the stocking-frame, in a great measure, usurped its place; yet it does, and will doubtless every conspicuously rank among the domestic arts practised by the industrious poor, and "ever and anon" by ladies, as the voice of fashion calls its intricate mazes into action for their amusement. Knitting has long been the friend of the blind, whose fingers easily unravel its mysteries, and by their exercise afford solace and amusement to their frequently too tedious hours.  To the indigent it has given employemnt, and imparted what, to them, is almost equal to food - warmth:  no garments being so warm or durable as the knitted.  How many ladies amuse themselves in the winter, in making kneecaps, cuffs, comforters, caps, shwals, and tippets for the poor?  Independently of these, much knitting is done as a source of subsistance, - how useful and comfortable are the knitted spencer, the warm bonnet-cap, the glove for practising, the mitt, and various articles made for children's wear, and now more generally patronized and adopted than formerly.  Besides the useful, what stores of ornamental articles does it afford! what beautiful purses, bags, and bead-work will knitting produce! and in the combination of the two, we would here mention the surprising and splendid specimens of knitting done by the poor Irish cottage girls, on the estate of Lord de Vesci, under the kind patronage and skillful management of the Hon. Mrs. Wingfield, whose beneficient exertions have been extended both to their instruction, and afterwards to the disposal of the labours of these poor children: - the fineness, variety, and perfection, exhibited in this knitting, almost exceed belief as to the possibility of its execution by the hand. So many cleverly-written books of instruction, in the art of knitting, have of late appeared, that it would be presumptuous in us to hope. - and far either from our wish or intention, - to supersede their use, or to attempt to rival their ingenuity: we would rather humbly endeavour to assist those, who either have not patience or tact to follow the rules given (perhaps in some cases with a little too much technicality), and offer a few useful direction of the simplest kind, as a prelude to a better acquaintance with this useful art.