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LOUIS XVI. TO THE EHP1BE. 155 appealed to the empress. She thinking the price not unreason able, considering the beauty of the points, showed them to Napoleon, and told him the circumstance. “ I was in the room at the time,” writes the authoress of the “Memoires.” The emperor examined minutely each carton, exclaiming at intervals, “ Comme on travaille bien en France, je dois encourager un pareil commerce. Pauline a grand tort.” He ended by paying the bill and dis tributing the laces among the ladies of the court. 12 Indeed, it may be said that never was lace more in vogue than during the early days of the empire. The morning costume of a French duchess of that court is described in the following terms“ Elle portait un peignoir brode en mousseline garni d’une Angleterre tres-belle, une fraise en point d’Angleterre. Sur sa tete la duchesse avait jete en se levant une sorte de ‘ baigneuse,’ comme nos meres 1 auraient appelee, en point d’Angleterre, garnie de rubans de satin rose pale.” 13 The fair sister of Napoleon, the Princess Pauline Bor- ghese, “ s’est passionnee,” as the term ran, “ pour les dentelles.” 14 That Napoleon’s example was quickly followed by the “ele gantes” of the Directory, the following account, given to the brother of the author by an elderly lady who visited Paris during that very short period 15 when the English flocked to the con tinent, of a ball at Madame Recamier’s, to which she had an invitation, will testify. The First Consul was expected, and the elite of Paris early thronged the salons of the charming hostess —but where was Madame Recamier ? “ Souffrante,” the murmur ran, retained to her bed by a sudden indisposition. She would, however, receive her guests “ couchee.” The company passed to the bedroom of the lady, which, as still the custom in France, opened on one of the principal salons. There, in a gilded bed, lay Madame Recamier, the most beautiful woman in France. The bed-curtains were of the finest Brussels lace, bordered with garlands of honeysuckle, and lined with satin moins quinze livres l’aune.” Arcli. Nat. Y. 58. 1764. Anne Cliallus leaves her “belle garniture de dentelle en plein, manchettes tour de gorge, palatine et fond.” Ibid. 1764. Madame de Pompadour, in her will, says, “ Jedonne a mes deux fennnes de chambre tout ce qui concerne ma garderobe . ... y compris les den- telles.” 12 u jyx e ' mi d e Mademoisello d’Avril- lion.” 13 a Memoires sur la Kestauration. Par Madame la Duchesse d’Abrantes.” 14 Ibid. t. v. p. 48. 15 After the Peace of Amiens, 1801.