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158 HISTORY OP LACK. CHABTElt XIII. THE LACE MANUFACTURES OP PRANCE. France is a lace-making, as well as a lace-wearing, country. Of the half-million of lace-makers in Europe, nearly a quarter of a million are estimated, as belonging to France. Under the impulse of fashion and luxury, lace receives the stamp of the special style of each country. Italy furnished its points of Venice and Genoa; the Netherlands, its Brussels, Mechlin, and Valenciennes; Spain, its silk blondes; England, its Honiton; France, its sumptuous point d’Alencon, and its black lace of Bayeux. Now, each style is copied by every nation; and though France cannot compete with Belgium in the points of Brussels, or the Valenciennes of A pres, she has no rival in her points of Alenyon, or her black silk laces. lo begin with Alenfon, the only French lace not made on the pillow. ALENgON (Hep. de l’Orne), NORMANDY. “ Alendion est sous Sarthe assis, II luic divise le pays.” liomant de Eon. The account given by the historian of Alenpon of the esta blishment of the points de France in that town differs widely from that we have related (p. 128), but as it was the generally received version until the publication of the “ Colbert Corre spondence,” we give it here. In 1665, at the recommendation of the Sieur line I, Colbert selected Madame Gilbert, a native of Alengon, already acquainted with the manner of making Venice point, and making her an advance of 50,000 crowns, established her at his chateau of Lonray (Fig. 78), near Alengon, with thirty forewomen wliem lie had, at great expense, caused to be brought over from Venice. In a short time, Madame Gilbert arrived at Baris with the