SPAIN.

81

people. Tlie laces of New Castile were exported to America, towhich colonies, in 1723, the sumptuary laws were extended, asmore necessary than in Spain, “many families having beenruined,” says Ustariz, “by the great quantities of fine lace andgold stuffs they purchased of foreign manufacture, by whichmeans Spanish America is drained of many millions of dollars.” 23A Spanish lace-maker does not earn on an average two reals (M.)a day. 24

The national mantilla is, of course, the principal piece manu-factured. Of the three kinds which, de rigueur, form the toiletteof the Spanish lady, the first is composed of white blonde, a most■unbecoming contrast to their sallow, olive complexion: this isonly used on state occasions—birthdays, bull-fights, and EasterMondays. The second is black blonde, trimmed with a deep lace.The third, “ mantilla de tiro,” for ordinary wear, is made of blacksilk, trimmed with velvet. A Spanish woman’s mantilla is heldsacred by law, and cannot be seized for debt. 25 The silk employedfor the lace is of a superior quality. Near Barcelona is a silk-spinning manufactory, whose products are specially used for theblondes of the country. Spanish silk laces do not equal inworkmanship those of Bayeux and Chantilly, either in the firm-ness of the ground or regularity of the pattern. The annualproduce of this industry scarcely amounts to 80,000/.

Specimens of Barcelona white-thread lace have been forwardedto us from Spain, bearing the dates of 1810, 1820,1830, and 1840.Some have much resemblance to the products of Lille—a clearground, with the pattern worked in one coarse thread; others, ofa double ground, bear evidence of a Flemish origin.

Spain sent to the international exhibitions, together with herblack and white mantillas, fanciful laces gaily embroidered incoloured silks and gold thread—an ancient manufacture latelyrevived, but constantly mentioned in the inventories of theFrench court of the seventeenth century, and also by the ladywhose letters we have already quoted. When describing a visitto Donna Teresa de Toledo, who received her in bed, she writes,“She had several little pillows tied with ribbons and trimmed

’* of Commerce,” from the days of the people amount only lo 200 in

1751 . '

n the holidays of the Roman

Catholic. Church are deducted, the work-

the course of the year—fifty less than ina Protestant country.

25 Ford, “ Handbook of Spain.”

(J