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Transcriber's Note

Words in {curly brackets} were abbreviated in the original text, and
have been expanded for this etext. Greek is indicated with plus
symbols, +like this+.




             THE ART
                OF
           NEEDLE-WORK,
     FROM THE EARLIEST AGES;

            INCLUDING
       SOME NOTICES OF THE
  ANCIENT HISTORICAL TAPESTRIES


            EDITED BY
       THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
     THE COUNTESS OF WILTON.


  "I WRITE THE NEEDLE'S PRAYSE."

         _THIRD EDITION._


             LONDON:
    HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,
    GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
              1841.




    TO

    HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY

    THE QUEEN DOWAGER

    THIS LITTLE WORK,

    INTENDED TO ILLUSTRATE THE HISTORY AND PROGRESS OF AN ART
    ENNOBLED BY HER MAJESTY'S PRACTICE, AND BY HER EXAMPLE
    RECOMMENDED TO THE

    WOMEN OF ENGLAND,

    IS,
    BY HER MAJESTY'S MOST GRACIOUS PERMISSION,

    INSCRIBED,

    WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT,
    BY HER MAJESTY'S MOST GRATEFUL
    AND MOST OBEDIENT SERVANT,

                        THE AUTHORESS.




PREFACE.


If there be one mechanical art of more universal application than all
others, and therefore of more universal interest, it is that which is
practised with the NEEDLE. From the stateliest denizen of the proudest
palace, to the humblest dweller in the poorest cottage, all more or
less ply the busy needle; from the crying infant of a span long and an
hour's life, to the silent tenant of "the narrow house," all need its
practical services.

Yet have the NEEDLE and its beautiful and useful creations hitherto
remained without their due meed of praise and record, either in sober
prose or sounding rhyme,--while their glittering antithesis, the
scathing and destroying sword, has been the theme of admiring and
exulting record, without limit and without end!

The progress of real civilization is rapidly putting an end to this
false _prestige_ in favour of the "Destructive" weapon, and as rapidly
raising the "Conservative" one in public estimation; and the time
seems at length arrived when that triumph of female ingenuity and
industry, "THE ART OF NEEDLEWORK" may be treated as a fitting subject
of historical