One of the greatest needs of the Textile Interest in the line of books is that of a thorough and exhaustive Lexicon, which is not encumbered with details of other manufactures. The preparation of such a work is a stupendous undertaking, one for which a lifetime is too short, unless it can be accomplished by aid of many works which have gone before.<br><br>To supply a work which will render some such aid, and in the meantime furnish information needed by all connected with the interest, in a form so convenient that it may be resorted to whenever the memory fails to supply a fact with sufficient promptness, is the object of the author.<br><br>There has been no effort to introduce new theories; on the contrary, the aim has rather been to furnish the best authenticated facts. While the result is in many parts so unsatisfactory that the author hopes to be able at some time in the near future to revise and enlarge the work, it will be found that space has been made for a more full discussion of the important subjects, by confining others to a simple definition, or at most a few additional suggestions. Time being of great value, the space taken for rules and tables will be appreciated. The rules given are all such as can be easily analyzed, since shorter ways may be adopted more understandingly when these are well comprehended and committed to memory.<br><br>The tables will save many computations and prove invaluable for comparisons of measures, weights and values, which are continually arising in a factory.<br><br>Finally, feeling that he has not been at liberty to devote to this work the time which it really requires, the author respectfully submits the result of his labors to the most charitable consideration of his fellow-craftsmen, with the firm belief that it will be of much service to them, notwithstanding that it might be more complete.