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HISTORY OF LACE.

CHAPTER XI.

LOUIS XV.

“ Le luxe corrompt tout, et le riche qui en jouit, et le pauvre qui le convoite.”

J.-J. Bousseau.

Louis XIV. is now dead and gone, to the delight of a weariednation: we enter on the regency and times of Louis XV.—thatage of “ fourchettes,” manchettes, and jabots—in which thebutterfly abbes, “les porte-dentelles par excellence,” played soconspicuous a part.

The origin of the weeping ruffles, if Mercier 1 is to be credited,may be assigned to other causes than royal decree or the edictsof fashion. “ Les grandes manchettes furent introduites par desfripons qui voulaient filouter au jeu et escamoter des cartes.” Itnever answers to investigate too deeply the origin of a newinvented mode,—sufficient to say, ruffles became a necessaryadjunct to the toilet of every gentleman. So indispensable werethey the Parisians are accused of adopting the custom of wearingruffles and no shirts.

“ Les Parisiens,” writes Mercier, “ achetent quatre ajustemenscontre une chemise. Un beau Monsieur se met une chemiseblanche tons les quinze jours. II coud ses manchettes de dentellesur une chemise sale,” and powders over his point collar till itlooks white . 2 This habit passed into a proverb. The Mareclialde Richelieu, who, though versed in astronomy, could not spell,said of himself, “ Qu’on ne lui avoit pas fourni des chemises,mais qu’il avoit achete des manchettes .” 3 This account tallies

1 “ Tableau de Paris,” 17S2.

2 “ The French nation are eminent formaking a fine outside, when perhaps theywant necessaries, and indeed a gay shopand a mean stock is like the Frenchmanwitli his laced ruffles without a shirt.”—

The Complete English Tradesman. Dan

Defoe. Lond. 172G. Foote, in his Pro-logue to the “ Trip to Paris,” says, “ Theysold me some ruffles, and I found theshirts.”

3 “Souvenirs de la Marquise deCre'quy, 1710-1802.”