THE WORK-TABLE FRIEND. DOYLEY, IN PORTUGUESE GUIPURE. Materials.-Messrs. W. Evans and Co.'s Boar'shead crochet cotton, No. 30. and Mecklenburgh No. 8. A netting-needle, No. 22, and meshes, No. 8, 10, 12, and 17. Ivory gauge. THE great popularity of our antique point patterns, and the gratifying proofs we daily receive, that our descriptions are found to be sufficiently clear to be of practical value, induce us to present our readers with the first of a series of specimens of the beautiful Portuguese guipure. The foundation of this lace is invariably square netting; and the pattern is darned on it, frequently in many highly ornamental stitches. For the netting, with the Boar's-head cotton, and mesh No. 17, work one stitch on a foundation. Turn the work, and do two in one. Continue to turn the work backwards and forwards, always netting two stitches in the last stitch, until there are 55 in the row. Then, instead of doing two in one, do two together, as one, at the end of every row, until one stitch only is left. Damp the square and pin it out, to give it a little stiffness before proceeding with darning. the This is done with Mecklenburgh thread. We will call it cloth darning, as the appearance, when worked, is precisely that of linen cloth. Each square is filled up by four threads, two each way, crossing each other. When two or more squares in a continuous line are to be darned, the threads are taken from the one extremity to the other. Each of the little rounds in the corner is to be formed by darning a cluster of four holes, two each way. This naturally forms a square. The rounded appearance is afterwards given by a tracing in double thread all around. Any initial may be darned in the centre of this doyley. FOR THE EDGING. - With the Boar'shead cotton and mesh, No. 8. Do 12 stitches in the square at the corner, and in every ninth from it. 2nd Row. Mesh No. 10. Net a stitch in every stitch. 3rd Row. Mesh No. 12. Net a stitch in every stitch, except at the corners, where net two stitches in every stitch. 4th Row. Mesh No. 17. Net a stitch in every stitch. All these shells are done separately on the doyley, and are afterwards connected at the points with it, by means of a needle and thread. Each one should be done without breaking off the thread, working backwards and forwards, and merely changing the mesh at the end of every row. ANTIMACASSAR IN CROCHET. Materials.-Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s Boar's-head crochet cotton, No. 8, and 12, with 8 oz. of Turquoise blue beads, No 3. Boulton and Son's Crochet Hook No. 17. THIS antimacassar, which is rounded to fit the back of a chair, consists of a group of flowers, ornamenting the upper part, and two borders, the lower and broader one of which is worked in close crochet with beads. The entire upper part, including the narrow border, is to be worked in open square crochet from the engraving, a foundation chain of 295 stitches. No. 12 Evan's Boars'-head cotton must be used for this purpose. The decreasing at the edges in the upper part, is to be done in the mode already directed in our former pages. The border is to be done in Sc, on the wrong side of the upper part, for it is to be remembered that the beads always appear on the reverse side. They are to be previously threaded on three reels of the No. 8 colour. In the engraving, for the sake of clearness, the border is represented square for square with the rest of the antimacassar; but it must be remembered that as the beadwork is done in Sc, three stitches (or squares) of the border occupy only the space of one square in the rest of the work; in other words, the pattern of the border is repeated three times as often as it is in the woodcut. This border may very readily be done from the engraving, beginning with the top line or foundation chain, and working downwards, dropping a bead for every close square. At the end, after a row of Dc, worked on the right side, make one of open square crochet, and afterwards knot the fringe in every alternate hole. The back of the antimacassar, in crochet or marcella, need not extend much further than the slope of the top. Its only object is to keep the cover from slipping about. THE FINE ART OF PATCHING. To patch-how vulgar is the term! Yet it is an operation requiring far more skill than does the making a new garment, and, when well executed, may save the purchase of many a costly one; the most: expensive robe may, by accident, be torn, or spotted the first day of its wear: the piece inserted in lieu of the damaged one is a patch. If a figured material, the pattern has to be exactly matched; in all cases, the insertion must be made without pucker, and the kind of seam to be such as, though strong, will be least apparent; the corners must be turned with neatness. Is not this an art which re quires teaching? So of darning, much instruction is necessary as to the number of threads to be left by the needle according to the kind of fabric; then there is the kind of thread or yarn most suitable, which requires experience to determine. Where the article is coarse, the chief attention is directed to expedition; but a costly article of embroidery on muslin can only be well darned with ravellings of a similar muslin; such particulars do not come to the girl by inspiration; they must be taught, or left to be acquired by dearlybought experience. The third mode of repair is well understood and practised by our continental neighbours, though rarely in this country. The stocking stitch is neither more difficult nor tedious than the darn, yet how many pairs of stockings are lost for want of knowing it when a hole happens to be above-shoe? Practice in lace stitches is still more desirable, particularly for repairing lace of the more costly descriptions. The deficiency of a single loop, when lace is sent to be washed, often becomes a large hole during the operation, and thus the beauty of the lace is destroyed. Indeed, lace, when duly mended, on the appearance of even the smallest crack, may, with little trouble, be made to last twice or thrice the usual term of its duration. So the shawlstitch is not sufficiently taught, though, by employing it with ravellings from the shawl itself, the most costly cashmere can be repaired without a possibility of discovering the inserted part. Proficiency in such useful works might well merit as much approbation as is now bestowed upon crochet or other fancy works, and might be considered as equally desirable qualifications in a tradesman's governess as music. In populous places it might well answer to establish schools where the art of mending apparel should be the chief object of instruction; a month or two spent in it might be sufficient for the damsel, already a good plain needleworker. It must further be observed, that without a practical knowledge of needlework, no young lady can judge whether her servant has or has not done a reasonable quantity of it in a given time; and if this be true as to the plain seam, it is still more essential in regard to mending of all kinds. EMINENT FEMALE CHARACTERS. ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD. interrupted success which crowned this undertaking was doubtless owing, in a great measure, to the literary celebrity ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD, a name attached to the name of Mrs. Barbauld, long dear to the admirers of genius and who took part with her husband in the the lovers of virtue, was the eldest child, business of instruction. It was for the and only daughter, of the Rev. John Aikin, benefit of the younger class of scholars master of a boys' school in the village of that she composed her "Hymns in Prose Kibworth Harcourt, in Leicestershire, and for Children." "The business of tuition, was born in that place on the 20th of however," says her biographer, Miss June, 1743. In her very earliest child- Aikin, "to those by whom it is faithfully hood she discovered remarkable powers of and zealously exercised, must ever be famind, being able to read quite well at two tiguing beyond almost any other occupaand a half years of age. Her education tion; and Mr. and Mrs. Barbauld found was conducted by her father, and was of their health and spirits so much impaired a very solid character; and though at by their exertions that, at the end of eleven that day there was a strong prejudice years, they determined upon quitting against imparting to females any tincture Palgrave, and allowing themselves an inof classical learning, she devoted a por- terval of complete relaxation before they tion of her time to the study of Latin, should again embark in any scheme of and before she was fifteen she had read active life." Accordingly, in the autumn many authors in that language with plea- of 1785, they embarked for the continent, sure and advantage: nor did she rest and, after spending nearly a year in Switsatisfied without gaining some acquaint-zerland and France, returned to England ance with the Greek. In 1758, when Miss Aikin had just attained the age of fifteen, her father removed from the somewhat obscure village of Kibworth, to take charge of the classical department in the "Dissenting" academy at Warrington, in Lancashire, to which he had been invited. In the cultivated society of this place, she found most congenial associates; and here for fifteen years she passed probably the happiest, as well as the most brilliant portion of her existence. In 1773, she was induced by her brother to collect the various poems she had from time to time written, and arrange them for publication. She did so; and with so much favour were they received by the public, that four editions were called for within that year. Her brother also induced her to join him in forming a small volume of prose pieces, which was published that same year, under the title of "Miscellaneous Pieces, in Prose, by J. and A. L. Aikin.” These likewise met with much approbation, and have been several times reprinted. In 1744, Miss Aikin was married to the Rev. Rochemond Barbauld, a descendant from a family of French Protestants. Soon after this, Mr. Barbauld opened a boarding-school for boys in the village of Palgrave, in Suffolk. The rapid and un in June, 1786. In the spring of the next year, Mr. Barbauld was elected pastor of a Dissenting" congregation in Hampstead, where, for several years, he received a few lads as his pupils, while Mrs. B. gave instruction to two or three girls. But her pen did not long remain idle. In 1790, and in the few subsequent years, appeared her "Poetical Epistle to Mr. Wilberforce," on the rejection of his bill for abolishing the Slave Trade; her "Remarks on Mr. Gilbert Wakefield's Inquiry into the Expediency and Propriety of Public or Social Worship;" and her "Sins of Government, Sins of the Nation," &c. 6 6 In 1802, Mr. Barbauld accepted an invitation to become pastor of the congregation at Newington-green, and quitting Hampstead, they took their abode in the village of Stoke Newington. In 1804, she offered to the public "Selections from the Tatler,' 'Spectator,' Guardian,' and 6 Freeholder,' with a Preliminary Essay." This Essay has ever been considered a very fine piece of criticism, and the most successful of her efforts in that department of literature. Hitherto Mrs. Barbauld's life had been almost one uninterrupted course of happiness and prosperity. But she was soon to experience one of the severest of all trials, in the "That sad death whence most affection bleeds." Mrs. Barbauld published but little after this; a gentle and scarcely perceptible decline was now sloping for herself the passage to the tomb; and on the morning of March 9, 1825, after a few days' illness, she expired without a struggle, in the eighty-second year of her age. To claim for Mrs. Barbauld the praise of purity and elevation of mind, might well appear superfluous. She is decidedly one of the most eminent female writers which England has produced; and both in prose and poetry she takes the highest rank. Her prose style is and graceful, alike calculated to engage the most common and the most elevated understanding. Her "Essay on Romances" is a professed imitation of the style of Dr. Johnson; and he is himself said to have allowed it to be the best that was ever easy attempted, "because it reflected the colour of his thoughts, no less than the turn of his expressions." Her poems are addressed more to the feelings than to the imagination; but the language never becomes prosaic, and has sublimity and pathos, without bombast or affectation. Her hymns are among the best sacred lyrics in the language, and it has been justly said of her that "the spirit of piety and benevolence that breathe through her works pervaded her life." HYMN TO CONTENT. thou, the Nymph with placid eye! O seldom found, yet ever nigh! Receive my temperate vow; Not all the storms that shake the pole Can e'er disturb thy halcyon soul, And smooth unaltered brow. O come, in simple vest arrayed, No more by varying passions beat, The modest virtues dwell Simplicity in Attic vest, Fair opening through this vale of tears The temperate joys in even tide, That rarely ebb or flow; Presents her mild unvarying cheek To meet the offered blow. Her influence taught the Phrygian sage With settled smiles to meet; Inured to toil and bitter bread, bowed his meek submitted head, He And kissed thy sainted feet. The lowliest children of the ground, O say what soft propitions hour And court thy gentle sway? And shed thy milder day; And every storm is laid; Low whispering through the shade. They REWARDS OF FIDELITY.-Never forsake a friend. When enemies gather around, when sickness falls on the heart, when the world is dark and cheerless, is the time to try true friendship. who turn from the scene of distress betray their hypocrisy, and prove that interest only moves them. If you have a friend who loves you, who has studied your interest and happiness, be sure to sustain him in adversity. Let him feel that the former kindness is appreciated, and that his love was not thrown away. Real fidelity may be rare, but it exists in the heart. They only deny its worth and power who never loved a friend, or laboured to make a friend happy. |