At a certain period, gloves were a much more ornamented and decorative article of dress than now; and, when meant for ladies’ wear, a somewhat lasting perfume was bestowed upon them. Among the new year’s day presents to Tudor Queen Mary, some years before she came to the throne, was “a payr of gloves embrawret with gold.”[406] A year afterwards, “x payr of Spanyneshe gloves from a Duches in Spayne,” came to her;[407] and but a month before, Mrs. Whellers had sent to her highness “a pair of swete gloves.” Shakespeare, true to manners of his days, after making the pretended pedler, Autolycus, thus chant the praises of his-- Laura, as white as driven snow; Cyprus, black as e’er was crow; Gloves, as sweet as damask roses; puts this into Mopsa, the shepherdess’, mouth, as she speaks to her swain:--“Come, you promised me a tawdry lace, and a pair of sweet gloves.”[408] Here, in this collection, we may find a pair of such gloves, No. 4665, p. 105. What, though the fragrance that once, no doubt, hung about them, be all gone, yet their shape and embroideries will render them a valuable item to the artist for some painting. [405] Warton’s History of English Poetry, ed. 1840, t. ii. p. 375, &c. [406] Privy Purse Expenses of the Princess Mary, ed. Madden, p. 144. [407] Ib. p. 164. [408] “A Winter’s Tale,” act iv. scene iii. Manufacturers and master-weavers of every kind of textile, as well as their workmen, may gather some useful hints for their trade, by a look at the various specimens set out here before them. They will, no doubt, congratulate themselves, as they fairly may, that their better knowledge of chemistry enables them to give to silk, wool, and cotton, tints and tones of tints, and shades, nay, entire colours quite unknown to the olden times, even to their elders of a few years ago: our new-found chemicals are carrying the dyeing art to a high point of beauty and perfection.