New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-12
LACES.


wardrobe. In its intricate meshes, traversed by fairy
Ike t. sciDgs of an,asti figures sod wsvy scroll work.
is woven 30 potent spell of fascination for all ths, is
feminine sno fullest OF nice discrimination in refined
taste. that although disposed to condemn any e1.
cessive e1trsvss ance in dress the tempts ions this
atice holds out are, in opinion, wei-ngh ire
sstibe thar Wa cspno, help regarding an immod-
crate indulgence in its possession with tender Ieniency.
The manufacture OF fine laces, always sufficiently
labsrous, was wonderfully so In its infancy. In very
remote times the network Of six or cotton WAS first
constructed, on which the patterns a.5erward
curiously embroidered with the needle, demanding
assiduous application, and more or less ingenuity
hey were difficult smpie. In churches Of great
az tiquity altar decorations Of elabors acework
stil in exsteroe carefully preserved among the eIcs
of the past these are said TO have been sriginslly
made in old Genoese and Venetian converts by tho
nuns, and even monks, devoted 10 their service.
When we consider that the ponderous tones Of psrch
ment preserved in old sbbeys and museums-whovo
I" forgotten lore' j, penned with such uniform exact
meas ard Illuminated with dyes of unsurpassed
briisDcy and durabiity-are monuments of the mar
velous skill, patience, and perseverance, of the
Romanist priesthood in that period, and were exc
cuied by hand line upon line tint upon tint, nothing
seems worthy of credit than the story that these
laces-requriDg no less skill, patience, and delc4cyof
touch-owe their production TO the untring fingers
and enthusiastic zeal of the piOus nuns who delighted
to embeish shrine to which they had consecrated
Themselves, their temporal and eternal interests.
The original Guipnre lace, the most magnificent OF
such church furniture, was wrought with incredible
eisborateness. and in the slowest manner; nun IN.
gagged upon an altar piece of this fabric couId not pos
siby hope to see after long lifetime Of unhaggng 10
dusiry the completion of even quarter OF her task,
though it had be- commenced before che born
and had already occupied the lives Of several prede-
ctssors. That consideration, however, was by no
dishesrtening; II enough for her that the
honor of its continuance hsd devoved upon her
slender fingers, the most skilfu among the sister
hood in the art of need ework and that required
devotion Of her Whole life. From being wrought and
employed for church decorations Only, this style Of
lace was found 10 pOssess many advantages as an
olnsment to costume that with sight notifications
in it, tedious manufacture il adapted to that use,
and from its extreme cOsuiness formed an excellent
means of support for large class engaged in is pro-
ductoD.
As far back as 400, mention is occasionally
made of lace but only AZ trimming for corona
ton robes or the like, and referring 10 Italy as
tie place Of its manufacture. In tha next CEN
satbist, who wrote book called I" The Anatomy Of
Abuses" in the early part OF Elizabeth reign, de-
scrbes with groesque minuteress the succession
Of ruf piled about the eek of lady in those days
" placed gradatim ore beneath the other and under
" all the mssterdeyil ruff which was itsef c'Ogged
" with gold, silver, or silk lace of stately price,
" uroUgh all 0rcr pah aeedleDOrk' These rich
lsce. moreover, were not confined, like ours OF the
pre-ent day to the simple black and white but
often embroidered with gold or silver thread on
grouGdwoIks cf cOIors corresponding with the robes
for which they were designed.
Old chronicles tell Us sbat 10 female ingenuity in
lo6I are indebted for great improvement Oh tho
old method-that Barbara, wife of Christopher Utt.
man Of st. AnDasberg invented lace-knittDg, intro
duciDg and encouraging its comparatively easy mode
of manufacture. During ths reign of the merry
monercb, famous for its extIavsgant and tsstsess
styles Of cos. ume the richest lsces Of kisBdes and
Brussels were 1orn even by the gentlemen 10 profuse
rtifes about he knees ~ A. the hands, and in long
crsvats tied under the chin the ends Of which hung
in careless elegance, drawn coquettishy
through button hole OF The velve. doublet
Since then, very gro,, improvements have been made
IN do manufacture Of article important in COM
merce but until the bee Dnirg of the present century
il was wrought entirely with hand i'm olen'eniS-yery
Incomplete far - expedition or sayioS OF l.bor u
nceiLed but which produced fabrics far superior b.
tie pIcseut machine.made sce. The con'rysnce
formerly in general use or the purpose consisted of
cushion and a series Of small cylinders which the
tb1escs were wound; the pattern 10 be wrought ws
mari ed With pins TIE cushion and these threads,
fCgoLer with heavier one called gysP, were twined
1trcs,ely about them.
~ zone old European towns, celebrated for their
scs The secret Of ftbrice ion i. kept in families hsad
80 Gown, heir 80 inheri snce from generation b gen
eraiioi-in many nstarces the lsce produc being Of
such rare deicacy that Il requires 10 be w0vea In
dan Underground rOoms the mojs 1re preventing the
cob" b threads RON bre king.
irgisnd is the great emporium for mschoe-msde
acc, only Nottr CHAM supplying The fine qualities
mae BY hand; large factories are in operation st
Backir gtsmsAire, Leicester, Derby, and many vest
en- towns, which employ more than one hundred snt
fifty thousand persona, large proportion being youns
RiIs % whom this work from its delcacy and pref
,re,-, is especially adapted. TIE Limerick Isces o.
Ireland are noted for their beauty, Limerick alone
empoy ing We hundred males 10 their maEufscture.
Fr4rce sends u', beside the standard favorites-
Pant IL Aencoz, VGle7c, epHes, Haltac', &c.-sgrea
variety Of light tAste.u less expensive lecss, suitable
or tmple head.dreSses and trimming During the
Csys OF he Old Re Sme, Fashion was imperative in
Frerch circles on the nice appropriation of esch ace
TO particular season. Nothing could 10 more Hs