executed at Beer. The distress of the lace-makers at Honiton, after two great fires in 1756 and 1767, is spoken of.

Lovers used to have their initials entwined, worked on a piece of ornamental lace. Old Catherine Power, the last of the lace-makers at Lyme, and likewise a fortune-teller, begged, some time before her death, a copy of certain initials to be worked in lace. She would, on taking home the order, just" cut the cards "- a modified term for telling a fortune.

A splendid work upon the Great Exhibition * contains some valuable addition to the early history of the lace trade, communicated by Mrs. Treadwin of Exeter.

Although the lace trade was extensive a century ago, it must then and for a long time after have principally consisted in producing the nett or Honiton ground (a nett much like the present machine nett), in which the sprigs first separately made were worked in on the pillow. This kind of nett was

very expensive, and one of the old people formerly in the trade showed Mrs. Treadwin a piece about eighteen inches square, which she had had made just previous to the machine netts coming into use, and which then cost her in making 157., although it was plain nett only. The surprising machinery for the making of nett was introduced when the same size piece of nett was sold for about as many shillings, and now for fewer pence. So effectually did this destroy the trade of hand-made nett, that only two persons are known by Mrs. Treadwin who can make it. Chard, in South Somerset, has two large factories for the manufacture of machine-nett. One employs about 300 hands; another 180 hands, both exclusive of menders; Tiverton, in Devon, has noted factories. The introduction of the new article was the occasion of much suffering, while the unfortunate lace-makers tried to compete-a hopeless effort-with machinery. They could not earn sufficient to maintain life. Young women

* The Industrial Arts of the 19th Century: a series of illustrations of the choicest specimens produced by every nation at the Great Exhibition of Works of Industry, 1851, by M. Digby Wyatt, Architect. Day and Son, 1853.

went out to service; few children were trained to the use of the pillow, and the trade was greatly depressed for twenty years, when Queen Adelaide ordered a Honiton lace dress to be made of Honiton lace sprigs sewn on machine nett. This compromise or union of the two interests found but few followers. Her present gracious Majesty's bridal dress was of Honiton sprigs, connected together by a variety of open works, &c., and all worked on the pillow.

Her Majesty's order found only a few hands employed about the country, none in Lyme or in Dorset, but in Devon over a tract that might be enclosed by a line from Seaton to Exmouth, up the river Exe to Exeter, back the London road to Honiton, thence to Seaton. The trade revived, and affords a good livelihood to many thousand hands, the majority of the female labouring population.

Sidmouth, Beer, Branscombe, Colyton, and Honiton, are the residences of many workers and dealers, some of whom travel through England; but of late, at one time, the demand has far exceeded the supply. Some years ago poverty and lace-making were associated. Such is not now the case.

The West of England has lost the woollen trade. Is it that the genius for manufacturing is wanting? Mrs. Treadwin's skilled remarks would make us believe this is the case. The great majority of the hands are careless and indifferent as to the beauty of their work, and as a body disliking regular work and hours, preferring to work at home by the piece, generally fond of dress, and careless of the future. Finding no one effort made to improve in the art by the village lace-makers, though they were generally able to read and write, the same lady tried to work out some reformation of the old. This has failed, so she is labouring to improve the young lace-makers, in which we trust she may succeed. She affirms that there is not one lace-designer in Devonshire. Her designs used to be, till last summer, from Paris, now from Somerset House and Nottingham, which fact furnishes subject for congratulation. May the future historian be able to enrol Mrs. Treadwin as the person who has added dignity to an art hitherto pursued with very little ability.

Lille lace differs but little from Buckinghamshire lace; Brussels plait from the best Honiton.

Honiton, or west country lace, must now be classed under two heads:

I. Honiton appliqué, the original lace.

II. Honiton guipure, lace invented about twenty years. I. The Honiton appliqué, the original description of lace, consists of the finest net, sprigged and edged with a border more or less handsome, used for veils, mantles, dresses, and large articles of ladies' attire. The hand-labour bestowed upon this kind of lace is much smaller than that demanded by the other kind, and the price is proportionably lower.

II. The Honiton guipure, invented within the last twenty years, is not dissimilar in style from the old point lace, although very much lighter in texture. The separate sections of the pattern are united by delicate fibres, which in the best qualities of the lace are made on the pillow, forming, in fact, part of the pattern; but in the less expensive specimens they are made afterwards with a needle and thread. A flounce at the Great Exhibition was five yards long, on which forty women were employed for eight months. The western lace manufactories are fully employed, in 1855, in the fabric of silk lace.

Travellers have not had to dread coming into the western lace district, as they had to a few stages on the great north road from London. The box of lace there regularly succeeded the dinner. The waiter brought round a box of beautiful specimens of lace for sale, and so levied contributions on the purses of the travellers.

It will be interesting to learn that lace-making has been introduced of late into Nagercoil, in Southern India, by the missionaries.

* See Messrs. Chambers's publication, p. 27

SILK-THROWING. PRIVATE LOTTERIES.

383

A Postscript about Silk-throwing.

So early as the year 1463 a petition was presented by the "silk women " of this country against the Lombards, who imported thrown silks. We learn by it how extensively silk-throwing and weaving was practised by ladies, so that the nunneries were not the only schools of elegant occupation.

The petition states, "of silk throwing, whereby many a worshipful woman within the same city (London) has lived full honourably, and therewith many good households kept; and many gentlewomen and others in great number like as there be now more than 1000 have been drawn under them in learning the same crafts and occupation, full virtuously unto the pleasance of God, whereby afterwards they have grown to great worship," &c.

Private Lotteries for Houses and Estates.

THE spirit of gambling, unless repressed by law, will be found to break out under various phases to the great detriment of society, which, when it rages, becomes demoralised by its pernicious effects upon the human mind. The excitement grows, as some novel form becomes established from time to time, till a perfect mania reigns.

It has been elsewhere shown how, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, butchers' shops were the scenes of gambling adventure. A particular form of gambling had obtained — that of raffling, or engaging in a game of chance for meat the prize.

When the havens of England were in a state of great decay, the mode adopted for their restoration was that pernicious one of public lotteries; the first of which took place in the year 1569.

Lotteries, or raffles, were the rage at the close of the

seventeeth century; — not for objects of trifling value, but for whole estates, sometimes for houses and fields.

What a cause for the disturbing the even tenor of private life where the fair chance of the lottery was alone thought of. As might be anticipated where dishonesty came into play, all kinds of fraud were ready.

A notable instance of a private lottery in Dorset, with an episode that grew out of it, has been recorded by the much revered Hutchins, the historian of Dorset. In accounting for the transmission of property, he turned aside to relate a trait of domestic history that occasioned the alienation of an estate.

The estate of Winford Eagle was the property of the Sydenham family.

William Sydenham, Esq., was the son of William, brother of Thomas Sydenham, M.D., the celebrated physician, who adopted the cool treatment in small-pox, used bark in agues, and laudanum.

This Dorsetshire squire, being embarrassed, determined to put up his ancestral estate to the chance of private lottery, intending unfairly to make the prize fall to a poor female relative, whom he depended on being able to prevail upon to let him have it back again for a small consideration.

The young lady had a lover who visited her by stealth, to whom she communicated the news of her being about to have a chance given her. As was previously arranged, the poor relative won the estate, and soon found means to inform her lover, who was waiting to hear the result of her success. Perhaps, suspecting some such manœuvre, the lover advised her not to return the estate to Mr. Sydenham - advice which made her proof against the charms or terrors of persuasion.

The fortunate lady married Doily Michel, Esq., who sold the estate to G. Richards, Esq., of Longbredy. Upon Mr. Sydenham and his two daughters refusing to make a formal surrender of the estate to the vendor, they were committed to Dorchester gaol about the year 1709, where they ended their days.