PORTUGAL.

83

PORTUGAL.

11 Her hands it was whose patient skill should traceThe finest broidery, weave the costliest lace;

Rut most of all—her first and dearest cure—

The office she would never miss or share,

Was every day to weave fresh garlands sweet,

To place before the shrine at Mary’s feet.”

The Convent Child, Miss Procter.

Point lace was made in Portugal as well as in Spain, andheld in high estimation. There was no regular manufacture; itformed the amusement of the nuns, and of a few women whoworked at their own houses. The sumptuary law of 174!) put anend to all luxury among the laity. Even those who exposed suchwares as laces in the streets were ordered to quit the town. 31

In 1729, 32 when Barbara, sister of Joseph, King of Portugal, atseventeen years of age, married Ferdinand, Prince of Spain, beforequitting Lisbon, she repaired to the church of the Madre de Dios,on the Tagus, and there solemnly offered to the Virgin the jewelsand a dress of the richest Portuguese point she had worn on theday of her espousals. This lace is described as most magnificent,and was for near a century exhibited under a glass case toadmiring eyes, till at the French occupation of the Peninsula theDuchesse d’Abrantes, or one of the imperial generals, is supposedto have made off with it. When Lisbon arose from her ashes afterthe terrible earthquake of 1755, the Marquis de Pombal foundedlarge manufactures of lace, which were carried on under hisauspices. Wraxall, in his “Memoirs,” mentions having visitedthem.

The modern laces of Portugal and Madeira closely resemblethose of Spain; the wider for flounces are of silk ; much narrowis made after the fashion of Mechlin. Forty years ago a con-siderable quantity of white coarse lace, very effective in pattern,was made in Lisbon and the environs: this was chiefly exported,via Cadiz, to South America. Both black and white are ex-tensively made in the peninsula of Peniche, north of Lisbon(Estremadura Province), and employ the whole female population.

11 “ Magaziu de Londtes,” 1749. years, and retired to Portugal: whether

32 Mademoiselle Dumont, foundress of she there introduced her art is more thanthe Point de France Manufactory, in the the author can affirm.

Rue St.-Denis, quitted Paris after some

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