The poetic and mystical side of Lyonesse is captured in Walter de la Mare’s poem:
Sunk Lyonesse
In sea-cold Lyonesse,
When the Sabbath eve shafts down
On the roofs, walls, belfries
Of the foundered town,
The Nereids pluck their lyres
Where the green translucency beats,
And with motionless eyes at gaze
Make ministrelsy in the streets.
And the ocean water stirs
In salt-worn casement and porch.
Plies the blunt-nosed fish
With fire in his skull for torch.
And the ringing wires resound;
And the unearthly lovely weep,
In lament of the music they make
In the sullen courts of sleep:
Whose marble flowers bloom for aye:
And – lapped by the moon-guiled tide –
Mock their carver with heart of stone,
Caged in his stone-ribbed side.
Useful information on fibre characteristics, which we found
recently is summarised in the table below.
Properties | Wool | Flax |
Physical | Low to moderate strength, weaker when wet Standard regain 13-18% Good heat insulator, low heat conductivity, highly absorbent to 40% Elastic, good stretch and recovery except in very moist conditions, resists repeated flexing, absorbs shocks Will felt if agitated in warm water Fairly abrasion resistant Degrades and chars on heating, burns very slowly even in contact with a flame | Strong, good tensile strength, 20% stronger when wet Standard regain 12% Good heat conductivity and water absorption Rigid fibre, creases on bending, breaks with repeated flexing, low elongation at break but fairly elastic at low elongation Stable shape and size Resists abrasion Highly flammable |
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Chemical | Susceptible to moth attacks, quite resistant to mildew Slow degradation and yellowing in contact with sunlight Vulnerable to bases, even in low dilutions, resistant to acids | Good resistance to insects and micro-organisms, only susceptible to mildew in extremely moist conditions Slow degradation by sunlight Resists acids, bases, chemical bleaches |
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Aesthetic | High to moderate lustre Natural colours: white, cream, brown, grey, black Readily dyed and good colourfastness | Dull fibre, more lustrous if beaten Natural colours: white, golden yellow, silver grey Accepts dyes, but the application of a mordant improves fastness |
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Handle | Stiffness varies with breed and fibre diameter Warm, soft/moderate/rough, drapes well | Soft, cool, crisp and smooth |
This really shows how complementary the two fibres are and how each can support the other.