384

HISTORY OF LACE.

description of a lady, now in her ninety-fifth year, who told theauthoress it was of little account, and spoke of it as “onlyHamilton.”

It appears that the Edinburgh Society died a natural death,about 1764, but, notwithstanding the untimely demise of thispatriotic club, a strong impetus had been given to the lace-makersof Scotland. 5 Lace-making was introduced into the schools, and,what was better far, many daughters of the smaller gentry andscions of noble J acobite houses, ruined by the catastrophe of ’45,either added to their incomes or supported themselves wholly bythe making of the finer lace. This custom seems to have beengeneral, and in alluding to it, Mrs. Calderwood speaks of the“ helplessness ” of the English women in comparison to the Scotch.

In the journals of the day we have constant advertisements,informing the public of the advantages to be gained by the usefularts imparted to their offspring in their establishments, insertedby ladies of gentle blood—for the Scotchwomen for the last centuryno more disdained to employ themselves in the training of youththan does now a French dame de qualite to place herself at thehead of the Sacre Cceur or some other convent devoted to educa-tional purposes. 6

The entry of all foreign laces was excluded by law. TheScotch nation—Hanoverian-way inclined—were sadly wrath at thefrivolity of the Jacobite party. “ 400,0007. have been sent out ofthe country during the last year,” writes the “ Edinburgh Adver-

5 1769. Pennant, in his “ Tour,” men-tions among the manufactures of Scotland,thread laces at Leith, Hamilton, andDalkeith.

6 In 17C2, Dec. 9, a schoolmistress inDundee, among thirty-one accomplish-ments in which she professes to instructher pupils, such as “ waxwork, boningfowls without cutting the back,” &c.,enumerates, No. 21, “ True point or tapelace,” ns well as “ washing Flanders laceand point.”

Again, in 1764, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchelladverlise in their boarding school, ‘‘ lace-work and the washing of blonde laces;the pupils’ own laces washed and got upat home. Terms 241.”

At Miss Glen’s boarding-school in theTrunk Close, 1768, young ladies aretaught "white and coloured seam and

washing of lace” — gratis. And thewriter is acquainted with an aged gentle-woman, still living at Edinburgh, whorecollects being well whipped, in goodold Covenanting style, when at school, bya teacher, for carelessly “ running the‘guse’ (iron! through her Hamilton.”

These lady teachers were not appointedin Scotland without giving due proofs oftheir capacity. In 1758, the magistratesand council of Aberdeen, being unanimousas to the “ strict morality, Dresden work,modesty, and catgut lace-making.” &c.of Miss Betsey Forbes, elected her to theoffice of schoolmistress of the city.

In “ The Cottagers of Glenburnie,” alady, Mrs. Mason, tells a long story of theyoung laird having torn a suit of lace shewas busied in getting up.