14 2 HISTOliY OF LACK. J. f. *. <^> *' •? ' I^VA^v-. O - * , / ». CHAPTER XI. LOUIS XV. “ Le luxe corrompt tout, et le riche qui eu jouit, et le pauvre qui le convoite.*’ J.-J. Rousseau. Louis XIV. is now dead and gone, to the delight of a wearied nation: we enter on the regency and times of Louis XV.—that age of “ fourchettes,” mancliettes, and jabots—in which the butterfly abbes, “les porte-dentelles par excellence,” played so conspicuous a part. A' The origin of the weeping raffles, if Mercier 1 is to be credited, ‘ may be assigned to other causes than royal decree or the edicts of fashion. “ Les grandes mancliettes furent introduites par des fripons qui voulaient filouter au jeu et escamoter des cartes.” It never answers to investigate too deeply the origin of a new invented mode,—sufficient to say, ruffles became a necessary adjunct to the toilet of every gentleman. So indispensable were they the Parisians are accused of adopting the custom of wearing ruffles and no shirts. “ Les Parisiens,” writes Mercier, “ achetent quatre ajustemens contre une chemise. Un beau Monsieur se met une chemise blanche tons les quinze jours. II coud ses mancliettes de dentelle sur une chemise sale,” and powders over his point collar till it looks white. 2 This habit passed into a proverb. The Marechal de Richelieu, who, though versed in astronomy, could not spell, said of himself, “ Qu’on ne lui avoit pas fourni des chemises, mais qu’il avoit achete des mancliettes.” 3 This account tallies 1 “ Tableau de Paris,” 17S2. 2 “ The French nation are eminent for making a fine outside, when perhaps they want necessaries, and indeed a gay shop and a mean stock is like the Frenchman with his laced ruffles without a shirt.”— The Complete English Tradesman. Dan Defoe. Loud. 1726. Foote, in his Pro logue to the “ Trip to Paris,” says, “ They sold mo some ruffles, and I found the shirts.” 3 “Souvenirs de la Marquise d e Crequy, 1710-1802.”