Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

THE QUEEN AND IRISH LACE . Lace seems to have entered largely into this season ' s fashions in women's dress . The more costly the lace , the more , of course , it was worn by the noble ladies , and those who live on the fringe of society . 11 ere is an excellent opportunity to help the Irish people . Irish , or Limerick , lace has for many years been held in high esteem , and to-day its grace and beauty rival the most noted of continental and English work . It is good to remember , by

the way , that Honiton and Buckinghamshire lace hold their own with the fabrics of the continent . An association , known as the Congested Districts ' Board in Dublin , has done much to foster the growth of an industrial population in the poor neighbourhoods , and the result has been much hand-made lace . The Board , at her Majesty ' s request , showed the Queen examples of the work , of which she made many purchases . The Queen has also bought

Irish lace in other quarters . London tradesmen ought to take advantage of this royal preference for Irish lace , and give it a foremost place , and ladies of fashion should be particular in asking for it . A lady who bestows much attention on her toilette has said that never within her memory has there been such a general exhibition of costly laces as may be ¦ seen now in the great shops of London . The origin of " cushion , " or " pillow lace , "

" bone lace , " as it is sometimes called , is a domestic romance . Barbara Ultman , of Saxony , was the wife of a mine owner . One unhappy day his mine ceased producing , and he soon failed . Mrs . Ultman had been known in the days of her prosperity for her beautiful muslin and other embroide ries . She was not above selling her work to the great ladies of Saxony . When her husband suddenly found himself without an income , Barbara , his wife ,

extended her operations , and kept the household ( which included several children ) by her needles . In the intervals of what might be called current work she devoted months to a veil , which , by an ingenious method , could hardly be distinguished from point lace , which the woman had never seen . The worthy lady to whom she expected to sell the veil , however , rejected it ; but , at the same time , unfolding a piece of Brussels lace , said : ' * Now , if you

could make something as beautiful as this , I would buy it at almost any price you might ask . " Barbara looked at the lace in despair , and went homewards , weeping . She sat by the roadside , her head in her hands , for an hour , thinking how she might rival such lovely work , and it seemed as if an inspiration suddenly came to her . Presently she arose and went home , and

having provided herself with a number of small round sticks , she stuffed a cushion with hay , and began to weave with her newly-contrived needles something that she conceived to be Brussels point ; but she had done more than this : she had invented cushion lace . Thus was founded a new and beautiful industry . Barbara Ultman became rich , and lived to a ripe old age , a happy and famous great-grandmother .

THE LUFFA . Persons who object to the slimy condition that so quickly results from the continued use of soap on the sponge or llesh-glove formerly held in high estimation as an important part of the furniture of the bathroom , will have already become familtar with the above substitute for these time-honoured requisites . The spelling of the word , in English , is subject to many unaccountable variations . It may be seen as Lloojdiar , Loofah , & c , in the

shop windows , but never as Luffa , which appears to be the best spelling . The word is derived from huff , the Arabic name for Luff ' a Egypt ica . It was first met about 18 years since in thc establishment of an enterprising Glasgow coiffeur , and since that time—to borrow the words of a famous advertisement—the discoverer " has used no other . " Its chief advantages over the sponge are that it lasts longer , and remains perfectly clean and free

from that objectionable stickiness , which characterises the best fleshgloves and Turkey sponges after a comparatively short period of use . Beside this , its roughness causes that healthy reaction of the skin which , according to hygienists , is so essential to the proper enjoyment of the bath , and which has called into existence such ingenious contrivances as flesh-brushes , Turkish towels , and a host of

kindred scrubbers . It is quite possible to produce a delightfully warm surface glow in a cold bath by a small amount of friction with the Luffa . When first used it certainly feels rough , to which objection has beeii made , but the roughness soon disappears ; and if plenty of soap is used with it the most delicate skin will suffer no discomfort from the use of even a new Luffa . The Luffa is generally supposed to come from Egypt , but it appears

that Japan and India now supply the London market . There is a very similar gourd ( L . acutangnla ) growing wild in the Island of Trinidad , and used almost exclusively , under the name of " vegetable sponges , " for scrubbing floors . Whether they are indigenous to the island or not is not definitely known . The seeds may have been imported to the colony , and planted by the East Indian immigrants , who number about Tei . ooo of the

population . It is certain that they are the principal growers of them , and their houses and hedges may commonly he seen supporting thc heavy weight of the 20 or more gourds , which the stem itself would be quite unable to bear . When the pods are young they are tender , and in this condition are said to be eaten by the Indians . The Luffa is a climbing plant , and when well supported may reach a length of 30 feet or more . In appearance

it is so very like the cucumber that it might easily be mistaken for the latter . The stem , the leaves , the llower , and the fruit are all very similar . When the green skin of the fruit is removed the fibrous network is found immediatel y beneath , and adhering to it . The skin cannot be removed in this way without tearing the fibre , and it is therefore usual to soak it in soft water , or in soap and water , until it peels off easily . It is then washed thoroughly to remove the mucilage in the interior of the gourd , and then

exposed to the rain and sunshine to bleach . Other uses to which this material has been applied are ( 1 ) , as inner soles for boots , for which purpose it has great advantages over felt ; ( 2 ) , as a shape for ladies' bonnets or hats , which , by the addition of a few llowers , can be made to look very pretty ; and ( 3 ) , a substitute for a straw hat for men's wear—these , made 'rom Luffa , were exposed for sale in a large shop in Cheapside . Other uses will , no doubt , be found for this fibre , which grows so easily , and can be prepared with a little trouble .

Painters In The Reign Of Elizabeth.

PAINTERS IN THE REIGN OF ELIZABETH .

( Continued . ) We must not fail to mention another considerable work of this master ; it is at Longleat , Wilts , and represents a whole family . The figures are less than life , and about half lengths . An elderly gentleman is at the table , with his wife and another lady , probably from the resemblance , her sister . The first lady has tag's of a particular form , exactly like those on the dress

of the Duchess of Suffolk , as is the colouring , though not so highly finished ; yet the heads have great nature . Before them are seven young children , their ages marked , which show that three of them were born at a birth . They are playing with fruit and by them are a parrot and a monkey ; but the animals and fruit are much inferior to the figures . There are some Latin verses in commendation of the gentleman , whose name , or title , was

Cobham . It is probably Sir George Brooke , Lord Cobham , who died in the first year of Queen Elizabeth , leaving eight sons and two daughters . He had been committed to the Tower by Oueen Mary , as privy to Wyatt ' s rebellion . In 1570 , Lucas was employed to paint a gallery for Edward , Earl of Lincoln , the Lord High Admiral . He was to represent the habits

of different nations . When he came to the English , he painted a naked man , with cloth of different sorts lying by him , and a pair of shears , as a satire on our fickleness in fashions . This thought was borrowed from Andrew Borde , who , in his Introduction to Knowledge , to the first chapter prefixed a naked Englishman , with these

lines" I am an Englishman , and naked I stand here , Musing in my mind what raiment I shall wear . " The two next lines are more explanatory of the subject" For now . I will wear this , and now , I will wear that , And now , I will wear—I cannot tell what ? "

The work from which this rhyme is extracted is entitled " The first boke of Instruction of Knowledge , the which doth teach a man to speake parte of al maner of languages , and to know the usage and fashion of al maner of countryes , and for to knowe the most part of all manner of coynes of money , the which is current in every region , " Made by Andrew Borde of Physyk doctor . Printed by the Coplands , and dedicated to the King ' s daughter , the

Princess Mary . Montpellier , 1542 . " It is not extraordinary that this witticism should have been adopted into the Lord Admiral's gallery . Andrew Borde , or Andreas Perforatus , as he called himself , was an admired ^ wit , in the latter end of Henry VIIL , to whom he was some time physician . He had been a Carthusian , then rambled over many parts of the world , turned physician , and at last wrote against the marriage of priests , for which we may conclude ( though Anthony Wood could not guess the reason ) he was

shut up in prison , where some said he poisoned himself . He wrote Introduction to Knowledge partly in verse and partly in prose , and dedicated it to the Lady Mary , afterwards queen . There are cuts before every chapter . Before the seventh is his own picture standing in a psw , with a canopy over him , a gown with wide sleeves , and a chaplet of laurel . Lucan de Heere returned to his own country before his death , which took place at Ghent in 15 S 4 . His mark is on most of his pictures . ( To be continued . )

The Continental Gallery, 157, New Bondstreet, W.

THE CONTINENTAL GALLERY , 157 , NEW BONDSTREET , W .

The ii ) th annual exhibition of selected pictures from the Paris Salon of 19110 is now being held at the above Gallery . There are many pictures of undoubted merit , but , taken as a whole , the exhibition is not up to the standard of excellence of previous years . We will draw attentio n to some of the notable pictures . First , ficilc princeps , far above the rest is 101—" Her Latter Days "—the artist is Mens . A . Gjnyn de Luriena . The conception is fine , the pose easy and natural , the artistic work is masterlv . p « r » n

to the most minute details—it is a picture deserving of careful study . The next in merit is 60— " Day-dawning , Love Dying . " The contrast of dark shadows and lamp-light is admirably managed . 7— "Journal of Fashion " —by Manuel Amell ; a beautiful harmony of colour . 14— "Paris" a torchlight procession of Cuirassiers ; a well-conceived and effective picture , by J . P . Beadle . 33— " Dans Pintimitc "—Effect of Light ; by Ernest Chateignon . 35— "They Touch "—The attitude of thc figures is very striking , by Marcel Clement . J . ( I— " Low Tide at Villers sur Mer " —C nnJ

by Andru Delaistre . 66— " In Exile "—Graceful , delicately painted , by Mile . Emily Hart . < J 3— ' * Tlle Quay atMe ^ gesserie "—Snow effect , twilight , good , by Marcel Lebrun . < J 5— " Basket Upset "—Amusing animal group , by Jules Leroy . 122 and 123— "A Daughter of Eve "—Good ; " La Sieste " —Nude , flesh lints are delicately painted , by Rodriguez Etehart , S . 1 S 1—"My Pets "; ISJ- " Love Me , Love My Dog , " by Paul Tillier . 201—" Dawn , " by Alberti . °

Woman's Exhibition At Earl's Court.

WOMAN'S EXHIBITION AT EARL'S COURT .

1 he chief feature of this year ' s exhibition is the novel departure from previous years . The Empress Theatre is no longer devoted to spectacular effects . In lieu of these there are a numbsr of groups which represent the costumes of ladies of all nations in the inhabited world ; each group is represented in a room , appropriately furnished , the occupants being dressed in the gala costume of thc country of which they are the tvoes .

Each group has a picture background , representing a view of some point of interest in the respective country . Tnese groups form an exhibition of national life pictures with distinctive surroundinirs—the harmony of colour is most beautiful . In the Queen ' s Court is the Dinka village -a marvellous contrast—the so-called entertainment by the natives , male and female , is certainly curious . Tnere is a collection of the Oueen of Roumanian rlnlU .

representing the fashions of the past century , cioihed in national costume ; they will weh repay a visit . There is also a most realistic picture of Vesuvius in Eruption , a weird and impressive scene . During the course of the day , at stated intervals , there are selections of music given by the band of thc Grenadier Guards , the Swedish Hussars Ladies' Military Bandand the Maine l / tdiesNaval

, ' Orchestra . The two latter are in pretty elfectivc costumes—the I / idies' Military Bind in the Hussar dress , Ladies' Naval Orchestra in snilor costume—in both cases the fair performers wear neat ll iwing skirls . At ni ght time the lake and the extensive grounds are brilliantly illuminated . A pleasant afternoon and evening may be spent at the Woman ' s Exhibition at Earl ' s Court .