HISTORY OF LACE.

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copper, of Sibmaeher. 34 On the frontispiece is depicted a gardenof the sixteenth century. From the branches of a tree hangs alabel, informing the world “ that she who loves the art of needle-work, and desires to make herself skilful, can here have it in per-fection, and she will acquire praise, honour, and reward.” At thefoot of the tree is seated a modest young lady, yclept Industria;on the right a second, feather-fan in hand, called Ignavia—Idle-ness ; on the left, a respectable matron, named Sofia—Wisdom.By way of a preface, the three hold a dialogue, reviewing, in mostflattering terms, the work.

A museum has been lately formed at Nuremberg for worksand objects connected with the lace manufacture and its history,It contains some interesting specimens of Nuremberg lace, thework of a certain Jungfrau Picklemann, in the year 1600, presentedby the widow of Pfarrer Michel, of Poppenreuth. 35 The lace ismuch of the Venetian character. One specimen has the figuresof a knight and a lady, resembling the designs of Vecellio. Themuseum also possesses other curious examples of lace, togetherwith a collection of books relative to lace-making.

“ In the chapel of St. Egidius at Nuremberg,” writes one ofour correspondents, “ we were led to make inquiries concerningsundry ponderous-looking chairs, bearing some resemblance toconfessionals, but wanting the side compartments for the penitents.We learned that they belonged to the several guilds (Innungen),who had undertaken to collect money for the erection of a newchurch after the destruction of the old by fire. For this end thelast members sworn in of every trade sat in their respectivechairs at the church doors on every Sunday and holiday. Theofferings were thrown into dishes placed on a raised stand on theright of the chair, or into the hollow in front. The devices ofeach trade were painted or embossed on circular plates, said tobe of silver, on the back of each chair. One “ Handwerksstuhl ”in particular attracted our attention; it was that of the passe-menterie-makers (in German, Portenmacher- or Posamentier-Hand-werk), which, until the handicrafts became more divided, in-cluded the lace-makers. An elegant scroll-pattern in rilievosurrounds the plate, surmounted by a cherub’s head, and variousdesigns, resembling those of the pattern-books, are embossed in a

3 ‘ “ Modelbuch in Kupfer geraacht,” Niirnberg, 1G01. •'

" Poppenreuth is about a German mile from Nuremberg.