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HISTORY OF LACE.

It appears somewhat strange that patriotism, as regards nativemanufactures, should have received an impulse during the reign ofthat most uninteresting though gallant little monarch, the secondGeorge of Brunswick. 12 But patriotism has its evils, for, writesan essayist, “ some ladies now squander away all their money infine laces, because it sets a great many poor people to work.” 13

Ten years previous to the death of King George II. wasfounded, with a view to correct the prevalent taste for foreignmanufactures, 14 the Society of the Anti-Gallicans, who held theirquarterly meetings, and distributed prizes for bone, point lace, andother articles of English manufacture. 15

This society, which continued in great activity for many years,proved most beneficial to the lace-making trade. It excited alsoa spirit of emulation among gentlewomen of the middle class, whowere glad in the course of the year to add to a small income bymaking the finer kinds of needle-point, which, on account of theirelaborate workmanship, could be produced only in foreign con-vents, or by persons whose maintenance did not entirely dependupon the work of their hands.

Towards the year 17 56, certain changes in the fashion of theday now again mark the period, for—

“ Dress still varying, most to form confined,

Shifts like the sands, the sport of every wind.”

12 He was a martinet about his owndress, for his biographer relates duringthe last illness of Queen Caroline (1737),though the king was “ visibly affected,”remembering he had to meet the foreignministers next day, he gave particulardirections to his pages “ to Bee that newruffles were sewn on his old shirt sleeves,whereby he might wear a decent air inthe eyes of the representatives of foreignmajesty.”

13 “ By a list of linen furnished to thePrincesses Louisa and Mary, we findtheir night-dresses were trimmed withlace at 10s. per yard, and while theirRoyal Highnesses were in bibs, they hadsix suits of broad lace for apronB at from501. to 601. each suit.”— Curr. of theCountess of Suffolk, Lady of the Bed-chamber to Queen Caroline.

Observe also the lace-trimmed aprons,ruffles, tuckers, &c., in the pretty pictureof the family of Frederick, Piince of

Wales, at Hampton Court Palace.

13 The laws regarding the introductionof lace during this reign continued muchthe same until 1749, when the royalassent was given to an act preventingthe importation or wear of gold, silver, andthread lace manufactured in foreignparts.

13 In the meeting of Nov. 10, 1752,at the “ Crown, behind the Royal Ex-change,” the Hon. Edward Vernon, grandpresident, in the chair, it was agn edthat the following premiums shoukl beawarded: “ For the best pair of men’sneedlework raffles, to be produced to thecommittee in the first week of May next,five guineas; to the second, threeguineas; to the third, two guineas Andfor the best pair of English bone lace forladies’ lappets, to be produced to thecommittee in August next, fifteen guineas;to the second, ten guineas; to the third,five guineas.”— Gentleman's Magazine.