ommon in the East at a very remote era, when the most
grotesque compositions and fantastic combinations were usually
displayed on it. Some authors suppose that the Greeks took their ideas
of griffins, centaurs, &c., from these Tapestries, which, together
with the art of making them, they derived from the East, and at first
they closely imitated both the beauties and deformities of their
patterns. At length their refined taste improved upon these originals;
and the old grotesque combinations were confined to the borders of the
hanging, the centre of which displayed a more regular and systematic
representation.

It has been supposed by some writers that the invention of Tapestry,
passed from the East into Europe; but Guicciardini ascribes it to the
Netherlanders; and assuredly the Bayeux Tapestry, the work of the
Conqueror's Queen, shows that this art must have acquired much
perfection in Europe before the time of the Crusades, which is the
time assigned by many for its introduction there. Probably
Guicciardini refers to woven Tapestry, which was not practised until
the article itself had become, from custom, a thing of necessity.
Unintermitting and arduous had been the stitchery practised in the
creation of these coveted luxuries long, very long before the loom was
taught to give relief to the busy finger.

The first manufactories of Tapestry of any note were those of
Flanders, established there long before they were attempted in France
or England. The chief of these were at Brussels, Antwerp, Oudenarde,
Lisle, Tournay, Bruges, and Valenciennes. At Brussels and Antwerp they
succeeded well both in the design and the execution of human figures
and animals, and also in landscapes. At Oudenarde the landscape was
more imitated, and they did not succeed so well in the figure. The
other manufactories, always excepting those of Arras, were inferior to
these.

The grand era of general manufactories in France must be fixed in the
reign of Henry the IV. Amongst others he especially devoted his
attention to the manufacture of Tapestry, and that of the Gobelins,
since so celebrated, was begun, though futilely, in his reign. His
celebrated minister, Sully, was entangled in these matters somewhat
more than he himself approved.

1605. "I laid, by his order, the foundations of the new edifices for
his Tapestry weavers, in the horse-market. His Majesty sent for Comans
and La Planche, from other countries, and gave them the care and