Sampler

Sampler worked by Elizabeth Chandler, age 8, with verse surrounded by trees, flowers and animals in a wooden frame.

Natural linen in a plain weave ground with polychrome silk twist embroidery in cross, chain, satin, and tent stitch. At centre top a crown with the initials G R worked underneath, presumably George III. The motifs around the centre text include butterflies, birds, stylised trees with bell-like flowers, birds in tress, fruit? trees, bowls of fruit, and deer. The lower horizontal section has a pastoral scene with (left to right) a shepherd holding a crook, a sheep or lamb eating at a tree with pink blossoms or fruit, a 5 bar gate, a willow? tree, the same sheep or lamb in reverse, and a shepherdess holding a rake, all standing on grass. The text reads 'Not Land But Learning / Makes a Man Complete / Not Birth but Breeding / Makes him truly Great/ Not wealth but Wisdom / Does adorn his State / Virtue not Honour / Makes him Fortunate / Learning Breeding Wisdom / Get these three / Then Wealth and Honour / Will attend on thee/ [LINE] Elizabeth Chandler Age 8'.
The sampler is larger than the frame and has been wrapped around a backing board. The border of a repeated stylised floral chain is visible through the tear in the back of the paper. A handwritten note in ink glued to the back of the paper reads 'To Margaret/ with love from Grace/ Norwich. Sept' 46 - March 1947.'