instructions to co-operate in trade relations and to revive such as already existed. In return for this politeness the Chinese Emperor selected splendid presents for the King of France, composed chiefly of beautiful pieces of porcelain, lavishly decorated with Chinese figures and ornaments. This occurence rendered Chinese style fashionable in the upper circles of France for a short time, and the originality of this distant nation in their style of ornament appears in the textile designs of this period; Chinese vases, the characteristic dragon, landscapes with the curious Chinese perspective, pigtailed sons of the Chinese Empire in boats and so on.

Contemporary with these patterns after the Chinese style a noteworthy feature was the use of plant forms drawn from nature.

Flowers and leaves are rendered with the full effect of light and shade, and the natural color of the flowers is imitated to the utmost. The rose is used for choice. But fruit also, cherries and plums, in fact a profuse flora in all possible fantastic forms, together with parts of architecture, cascades, shells, rocks, etc., served as model for the textile patterns of this time. Textile design has here reached its highest point, both in a capricious choice of motives, in combinations of brilliant colors, and in the richness of the bindings.

patterns, which as regards delicacy of composition and softness of color, leave nothing to be wished for.

The large bunches of roses are diminished to very small elegant nosegays, shown upon a white ground with narrow stripes.

The colors are reduced to such an extent that they no longer remind us of the preceding luxurious and splendid colored ornamentation. These small patterns are intermingled with every variety of hunting, fishing, music and such like symbols; fluttering ribbons, festoons, fruit baskets, etc., appear in the intervening spaces. They are the reflection of a period when ruin was approaching, and when no energetic effort was possible. The

designs on the textiles are a faithful mirror of the trivial social life of that time. But this state of things did not last for long.

Probably in consequence of the excavations at Herculanium and Pompeii, motives were furnished for woven designs, which were taken from the wall paintings of classic antiquity. They bring us, after the desolation which the French Revolution spread over art, science, industry and trade to the style of the first French Empire which found its opportunity in the imitation of the antique.

Thus having brought before you the change of patterns and styles from the earliest days to the commencement of the present century, I discontinue my researches. If we examine the rich collections of antique original woven fabrics which now are established in many towns, we shall be astonished by the manner in which our forefathers could produce wonderful effects with very insufficient mechanical assistance. And now the problem remains that we should study the rich treasures hoarded up in Textile Museums and make use of them for the textile industry, which, as we have already seen, is so very important to the welfare of entire towns and countries.