Samplers and Tapestry Embroideries Part 8

Lora was the daughter of Miles Standish, the Pilgrim Father, who went to Boston in February 1621, and it bears the inscription:--

"Loara Standish is My Name Lord Guide My Heart that I may do Thy Will And fill my hands with such convenient Skill As will conduce to Virtue void of Shame And I will give the Glory to Thy Name."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 46.--SAMPLER BY ELIZABETH EASTON. 1795. _Mr A. W.

Drake's Collection._]

The earliest dated sampler in America of which I have cognisance, and one which may have been worked in that country, is that bearing the names of Miles and Abigail Fletwood (Fleetwood?) (Fig. 44). It is dated 1654, and has been owned by the descendants of Mrs Henry Quincy since 1750, and is now in the possession of Mrs Frank Boxer of Cambridge, Ma.s.sachusetts, who has kindly furnished me with particulars concerning it. It bears the following inscription:--

"In prosperity friends will be plenty, But in adversity not one in twenty,"

which, it is thought, may possibly have reference to the reverses of Miles Fletwood and his relationship to Cromwell. It is somewhat remarkable for a sampler to bear the names of husband and wife for it necessarily presupposes its having been worked after marriage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 47.--SAMPLER BY MARIA E. SPALDING. 1815. _Dr J. W.

Walker's Collection._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 48.--SAMPLER BY MARTHA C. HOOTON. 1827. _Mr A. W.

Drake's Collection._]

If one may judge from the photographs which collectors in America have sent me, and for which I have to thank Dr James W. Walker of Chicago and Mr A. W. Drake of New York, and those noted in an article on the subject in the _Century Magazine_,[8] specimens between the period just named, that is the middle of the seventeenth century and the end of the eighteenth century, are rare. We have but two such figured, each dated 1795, and, as will be seen by the ill.u.s.trations (Figs. 45 and 46), they are entirely British in character. I am glad, however, to add several interesting specimens of later date from the collections of these gentlemen. Unfortunately, not having the originals, I can only give them in monochrome. Plate XIII., however, represents in colour an American sampler. It belongs to Mr Pennell, the well-known artist and author, and was worked by an ancestress, Martha C. Barton, in 1825. From Mrs Longman's collection I also give (Fig. 51) one, worked in silk on a curious loose canvas, which was obtained by her in Ma.s.sachusetts, and has the following inscription:--

"Persevere. Be not weary in well doing.

Youth in society are like flowers Blown in their native bed, 'tis there alone Their faculties expand in full bloom Shine out, there only reach their proper use.

"Wrought by Lydia J. Cotton. Aged 9 years. August 27. 1819. Love learning and improve."

Foreign Samplers

It has been my endeavour in this volume to confine the survey of samplers and embroideries entirely to the production of the English-speaking race, in part because other authors have drawn almost all their material from foreign sources, and the subject is sufficiently ample and interesting without having recourse to them, and also because the collections containing foreign samplers or embroideries are very few, and although they, perhaps, surpa.s.s the efforts of our own countrywomen in the variety of their st.i.tches and the proficiency with which they are executed, they take a less important place where interest of subject is the main recommendation.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG.--49. AMERICAN SAMPLER OF THE LAMBORN FAMILY. 1827. _Mr A. W. Drake's Collection._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 50.--AMERICAN SAMPLER BY ELIZABETH M. FORD. _Dr Jas.

W. Walker's Collection._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 51.--AMERICAN SAMPLER BY LYDIA J. COTTON. DATED 1819.

_Mrs C. J. Longman._]

Nevertheless as the acquisition of them may add an interest to those who never fail on their travels to inspect the contents of every curiosity shop they come across, the following description of them which Mrs C. J.

Longman, who possesses a most important collection, has been good enough to furnish, may not be out of place.

"My collection of foreign samplers includes specimens from the following countries: Germany, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, but by far the largest number of my foreign samplers come from Germany, and, next to English ones, the German seem more easy to obtain than those of any other country. In Spain and Portugal there are also a fair number in the market.

"The dated samplers abroad seem to begin at about the same period as in England, namely, the middle of the seventeenth century. The earliest specimens that I possess from these several countries are as follows: Germany, 1674; Switzerland, 1675; Italy, seventeenth century (undated); Spain, early eighteenth century (undated); Belgium, 1724; Holland, 1726; Denmark, 1742; France, 1745; Portugal, early nineteenth century (undated).

"There are a few marked characteristics which seem to belong to the different countries, which it is interesting to note.

"In the German samplers, the initials of the worker and the date are almost always given, enclosed together, in a little garland or frame; but I have never seen the name signed in full. I have only once seen a German sampler with an inscription on it; in that case 'Fur uns geoffert' is worked above a representation of the Crucifixion.

"The seventeenth-century German samplers are rather small, and much squarer in shape than English ones of the same date. With the eighteenth century long, narrow ones came in, a quite common size being 44 in. long, by about 10 in. broad, the usual width of the linen; the selvage is left at the top and bottom.

"There is seldom much arrangement in the earlier German samplers. They usually have one alphabet, and various conventional flowers, birds, and other designs scattered over them.

"With the long shape of sampler a more methodical arrangement came in. A typical one is as follows: Lines of alphabets and numerals across the top, some large subjects in the centre, and designs for borders arranged in lines across the bottom.

"The central subjects very often include a representation of the Crucifixion and emblems of the Pa.s.sion, namely, the crown of thorns, scourge, ladder, nails, hammer, tweezers, sponge, hour-gla.s.s, dice, c.o.c.k.

Adam and Eve under the Tree of Knowledge is another favourite subject, and animals such as lions, deer, or parrots frequently occur. One does not often find houses or domestic scenes. One sampler, dated 1771, has a christening depicted on it, which I imagine to be very unusual.

"The borders are very various. In them trefoils, grapes, conventional pinks, roses, pears, and lilies and occasionally deer and birds are worked in; but I have never seen the 'Boxers' or other figures that one finds in the English borders, and I have only one specimen with acorns.

"The earliest German samplers seem to be worked entirely in cross-st.i.tch, beautifully fine, and the same on both sides of the material; the back-st.i.tching so often found on early English ones I have never seen. In the eighteenth century other st.i.tches were sometimes used, and I have one German sampler, dated 1719, which is almost entirely worked in knots. On others some elaborate st.i.tches are shown, which are mostly worked in square patches, and are not made use of for improving the design of the samplers.

"The earliest examples of darned samplers that I have seen come from Germany, and I think that one may give the Germans the credit of inventing them; for, whereas, in England they do not appear much before the end of the eighteenth century, I have a German one dated 1725, and several others from the middle of the same century. The darns on these samplers show every kind of ordinary and damask darning, the material being usually cut away from underneath and the hole entirely filled in. I have never seen German darning worked into designs of flowers, birds and so on, as we see on English darned samplers.

"As in all countries, the colours of the earlier German samplers are the best, but they are in no case striking.

"Dutch samplers seem quite distinct in character from German ones. All those that I have seen are broader than they are long, and they are worked across the material, the selvage coming at the sides, instead of at the top and bottom. They are usually dated, and signed with initials. One of their main characteristics is to have elaborate alphabets worked in two or more colours. The second colour is very often worked round an ordinary letter as a sort of frame or outer edge, and gives it a clumsy, rather grotesque appearance. The Dutch samplers might, as a rule, be described as patchy. Without any obvious arrangement they have houses, ships, people, animals, etc., scattered over them. The st.i.tch used is mainly cross-st.i.tch; but back-st.i.tch, an open kind of satin-st.i.tch, and bird's-eye-st.i.tch are also often seen.

"Belgian samplers, as far as I have seen, approach more nearly to the German in style. I have one, however, dated 1798, which is quite distinct in character. It is 64 in. in length, with a large, bold alphabet of letters over 2 in. long worked on it, such as might be used for marking blankets.

"I have only three specimens of Danish samplers, but they are all remarkable for the great variety of st.i.tches introduced. I have a Danish sampler, and also a Swedish one of about 1800 worked on fine white muslin, both giving patterns of st.i.tches for the 'Tondu' muslin drawn work. These patterns imitate both needlepoint and pillow laces, threads are drawn out one way of the material, the remaining ones being drawn together with a great variety of st.i.tches, so as to follow the intricacies of lace patterns. This work was much used for adorning elbow ruffles, fichues, etc., and it is very like some Indian muslin work, though the st.i.tches are slightly different.

"French samplers, as far as I have seen, are also remarkable for the fineness of the st.i.tches. They are usually dated and signed in full, and often have inscriptions worked on them. One large French map of Europe in my collection has 414 names worked on it in fine cross-st.i.tch, many of them being worked on a single thread of material, which is a fine muslin.

"Swiss samplers show fine work, but a great lack of effect. One dated 1675 has several borders on it, worked in the back-st.i.tch so much used in England at that date.

"From Italy I have no important coloured samplers, but several point-coupe ones. They are undated but belong to the seventeenth century. These samplers show a beauty of design which is rather in contrast to that of English ones of the same kind and date, there being a grace and meaning about the Italian patterns that one seldom finds in English specimens of drawn work, fine as these are. A typical coloured Italian sampler of about 1800 is as follows: The sampler is nearly square, and is divided into three parts. In the upper division a Latin cross is worked at the side, and the rest of the s.p.a.ce is filled with two alphabets, numerals, and the name of the worker, but no date. In the second division a cross is worked, and fourteen emblems of the Pa.s.sion. In the third division are various trees, figures, animals, etc., some local colour being given by an orange and a lemon tree in pots.

"Spain is well represented in my collection. For beauty of colouring and designs I think that it stands far ahead of any other country. Spanish samplers are generally large; they are sometimes square, sometimes long in shape. They are as a rule entirely covered with border patterns, which in the square shape are worked along the four sides parallel to the edge; and which in the long shape runs in lines across the sampler, with a break in the middle, where the border changes to another pattern, thus giving the impression that the sampler is joined up the centre. The patterns of the borders vary a great deal; I have counted thirty different ones on one sampler. They are mostly geometric, and not based on any natural objects, but the designs are so skilfully handled and elaborately worked out as to take away any appearance of stiffness; and in them the prim acorn, bird, or trefoil of the English and German border patterns are never seen. I have one Spanish sampler, dated 1738, of a quite different type to all my others. It is divided into three panels. The top panel is filled with floral designs, the centre with a gorgeous coat of arms, and the lower panel contains a representation of St George and the Dragon.

"The colours used in Spanish samplers are very striking, and their blending in the different borders is very happy and effective. Most of the early specimens are worked almost entirely in satin-st.i.tch, although cross-st.i.tch and back-st.i.tch are also sometimes introduced. The samplers are usually hem-st.i.tched round the edge, and occasionally contain some drawn work. I have one early specimen in which the drawn part is worked over in coloured silks.

"The Spanish samplers that I have seen seldom have the alphabet worked on them, and are rarely dated. On the other hand, they often have the name of the worker signed in full.

"Portugal is only represented in my collection by samplers worked in the nineteenth century; it is therefore hardly fair to compare these specimens with the earlier ones of other countries, for everywhere samplers began to deteriorate in that century. The Portuguese samplers that I possess are eminently commonplace and can well be described as 'Early Victorian.'

"It must be remembered that my remarks on foreign samplers are based on specimens belonging to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. With few exceptions I have not tried to collect modern ones, which approximate much more to each other in the different countries.

"Looking back over this brief survey, and comparing foreign samplers with English, one or two differences at once stand out. The foreign samplers are seldom worked in a pictorial form. They hardly ever, except in France, have verses or texts worked on them. The age of the worker is never given.

This is much to be regretted, as in these three things lies much of the personal interest of the English sampler.

"On the other hand, from a practical point of view, if one goes to one's samplers as to pattern-books for good st.i.tches, designs and effects of colour, England no longer takes the first place, and one would turn for these to the samplers of Germany, Scandinavia, Spain, and Italy."

Indian Samplers

Many of the Anglo-Indian mothers who reared and brought up families in the East Indies in the days when the young ones had to pa.s.s all their youth in that country, regardless of climatic stress, must have trained their girls in the cult of sampler-making, and the same schooling went on in the seminaries at Calcutta and elsewhere, as we have seen in the specimen ill.u.s.trated in Fig. 2. I am able to give another ill.u.s.tration (Fig. 52), which is not otherwise remarkable except for the fact that it was worked by a child at Kirkee, and shows how insensibly the European ornament becomes orientalised as it pa.s.ses under Eastern influence. It is the only sampler in which there is any use made of plain s.p.a.ces, and even here it is probably only accidental.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 52.--SAMPLER BY HELEN PRICE. MADE AT KIRKEE, EAST INDIES. DATED 18--. _Late in the Author's Collection._]