330

HISTORY OF LACE.

given her for being good,” remarks, “ A profitable and, doubtless,lasting and inseparable association was thus formed in the child’smind between lace and goodness.”

Whether in consequence of the French Revolution, or fromthe caprice of fashion, “ real ” lace—worse off than the passementsand points of 1634, when in revolt—now underwent the mostdegrading vicissitudes. Indeed, so thoroughly was the taste forlace at this epoch gone by that in many families collections ofgreat value were, at the death of their respective owners, handedover as rubbish to the waiting-maid. 23 Many ladies recollect intheir youth to have tricked out their dolls in the finest Alenponpoint, which now would sell at a price far beyond their purses.Among the few who, in England, unseduced by frippery blonde,never neglected to preserve their collections entire, w r as her lateroyal highness the Duchess of Gloucester, whose lace wasesteemed among the most magnificent in Europe.

When the taste of the age again turned towards the richproductions of the preceding centuries, much lace, both black andwhite, was found in the country farm-houses, preserved as remem-brances of deceased patrons by old family dependents. Sometimesthe hoard had been forgotten, and was again routed out from oldwardrobes and chests, where it had lain unheeded for years.Much was recovered from theatric wardrobes and the masqueradeshops, and the church, no longer in its temporal glory, both inItaly, Spain, and Germany, gladly parted with what, to them, wasof small value, compared with the high price given for it byamateurs. In Italy perhaps the fine fabrics of Milan, Genoa, andVenice, had fared best, from the custom which prevailed of sewingup family lace in rolls of linen to insure its preservation.

After years of neglect, lace became a “ mania.” In Englandthe literary ladies were the first to take it up. Sydney LadyMorgan and Lady Stepney quarrelled weekly on the respective

23 A lady, who had very fine old lace,bequeathed her “ wardrobe and lace ” tosome young friends, who, going after herdeath to take possession of their legacy,were surprised to find nothing but newlace. On inquiring of the old faithfulScotch servant what had become of theold needle points, she said: “Deed it’saw there, ’cept a wheen auld Dudds,black and ragged, I Hinged on the fire.”

Auother collection of old lace met withan equally melancholy fate. The maid,not liking to give it over to the legatees inits coffee-coloured hue, sewed it carefullytogether, and put it in a strong soap lyeon the fire, to simmer all night. WhenBhe took it out in the morning, it wasreduced to a jelly. Medea's caldron hadnot been more effectual 1