ALENyON. 1,1

old point de bride, but fashion did not favour point de bride, sothe plan failed.

In 1840 fresh attempts were made to revive the manufacture.Two hundred aged women—all the lace-makers remaining o tnsonce flourishing industry—were collected and again set to woi '.

A new class of patterns was introduced, and the manufacture oni cmore returned to favour and prosperity. But the difficulties weregreat. The old point was made by an hereditary set of woikers,trained from their earliest infancy to the one special work theywere to follow for life. Now new workers had to be procuredfrom other lace districts, already taught the ground peculiar totheir fabrics. The consequence was, their fingers never couldacquire the art of making the pure Alenqon reseau. They madea good ground, certainly, but it was mixed with their own earlytraditions: as the Alencon workers say, “ Elies batardisent lesfonds.”

In the exhibition of 1851 were many fine specimens of therevived manufacture. One flounce, which was valued at 22,001)francs, and had taken thirty-six women eighteen months tocomplete, afterwards appeared in the “ corbeille de mariage ” ofthe Empress Eugenie.

In 1856 most magnificent orders were given for the imperiallayette, a description of which is duly chronicled. 19 The youngprince was “ voue au blanc;” white, therefore, was the prevailingcolour in the layette. The curtains of the imperial infant’s cradlewere of needle point, with Alenpon coverlet lined with satin. Thechristening robe, mantle, and head-dress were all of Alencon; andthe three corbeilles, bearing the imperial arms and cipher, werealso covered with the same point. Twelve dozen embroideredfrocks, each in itself a work of art, were all profusely trimmedwith Alenyon, as were also the aprons of the imperial nurses.

A magnificent work of Alenfon point appeared in theexhibition of 18)5; a dress, purchased by the emperor for70,000 francs (2800?.), and presented by him to the empress.

Costly orders for trousseaux are given not only in France, butfrom Russia and other countries. "We saw one in progress whichwas to amount to 150,000 francs (6000?.); flounce, lappets andtrimmings for the body, pockethandkercliief, lan, parasol, all ensuite; and, moreover, there were a certain number of metres of

19 “Illustrated News,” March ‘22, 1856.