The history of lace by Mrs. Bury Palliser, recently published in London, is worthy of the exquisite fabric of which it treats. The author has woven valuable facts, historical associations, and curious anecdotes into the web of her narrative, with an industry and skill rivalling the work of her mediaeval sisters. The illustrations of this beautiful volume are taken from rare specimens of ancient and modern lace, so perfectly executed as quite to deceive the eye, and almost the touch. Italy and Flanders dispute the invention of point or needle-made lace. The Italians probably derived the art of needle-work from the Greeks who took refuge in Italy during the troubles of the Lower Empire. Its origin was undoubtedly Byzantine, as the places which were in constant intercourse with the Greek Empire were the cities where point-lace was earliest made. The traditions of the Low Countries also ascribe it to an Eastern origin, assigning the introduction of lace-making to the Crusaders on their return from the Holy Land. A modern writer, Francis North, asserts that the Italians learned embroidery from the Saracens, as Spaniards learned the same art from the Moors, and, in proof of his theory, states that the word _embroider_ is derived from the Arabic, and does not belong to any European language. In the opinion of some authorities, the English word _lace_ comes from the Latin word _licina_, signifying the hem or fringe of a garment; others suppose it derived from the word _laces_, which appears in Anglo-Norman statutes, meaning braids which were used to unite different parts of the dress. In England the earliest lace was called _passament_, from the fact that the threads were passed over each other in its formation; and it is not until the reign of Richard III. that the word _lace_ appears in royal accounts. The French term _dentelle_ is also of modern date, and was not used until fashion caused _passament_ to be made with a toothed edge, when the designation _passament dentele_ appears.