re is a pretty
tradition at Venice, handed down among the inhabitants of the Lagoons,
which says that a sailor brought home to his betrothed a branch of the
delicate coralline known as "mermaids' lace." The girl, a worker in
points, attracted by the grace of the coral, imitated it with her
needle, and after much toil produced the exquisite fabric which, as
Venice point, soon became the mode in all Europe. Lace-making in Italy
formed the occupation of many women of the higher classes, who wished to
add to their incomes. Each lady had a number of workers, to whom she
supplied patterns, pricked by herself, paying her workwomen at the end
of every week, each day being notched on a tally.

In the convent of Gesu Bambino, at Rome, curious specimens of old
Spanish conventual work--parchment patterns with lace in progress--have
been found. They belonged to Spanish nuns, who long ago taught the art
of lace-making to novices. Like all point lace, this appears to be
executed in separate pieces, given out by the nuns, and then joined
together by a skilful hand. We see the pattern traced, the work partly
finished, and the very thread left, as when "Sister Felice Vittoria"
laid down her work, centuries ago. Mrs. Palliser received from Rome
photographs of these valuable relics, engravings from which she has
inserted in her history of lace. Aloe-thread was then used for
lace-making, as it is now in Florence for sewing straw-plait. Spanish
point has been as celebrated as that of Flanders or Italy. Some
traditions aver that Spain taught the art to Flanders. Spain had no
cause to import laces: they were extensively made at home, and were less
known than the manufacture of other countries, because very little was
exported. The numberless images of the Madonna and patron saints dressed
and undressed daily, together with the albs of the priests and
decorations of the altars, caused an immense consumption for
ecclesiastical uses. Thread lace was manufactured in Spain in 1492, and
in the Cathedral of Granada is a lace alb presented to the church by
Ferdinand and Isabella,--one of the few relics of ecclesiastical
grandeur preserved in the country. Cardinal Wiseman, in a letter to Mrs.
Palliser, states that he had himself officiated in this vestment, which
was valued at ten thousand crowns. The fine church lace of Spain was
little known in Europe until the revolution of 1830, when splendid
specimens were suddenly thrown into the market,--not mer