Not only were they dear, but at times poor in quality. 'The late Common Practice at Sunderland of mixing bad sorts of Coals with the right Lumley Coals, giving such Mixtures the Name of 'pure Lumley Coals,' &c., was counteracted by certificates being given of their genuineness. In Oct. 1711 coals in the Pool were 25s. to 26s. a chaldron. Scotch coals had, however, been introduced, for we find an advertisement: 'At Mr. Folley's Warehouse on White Fryers Wharf, are a parcel of Scotch Coals to be Sold Reasonably, being the best that have come to London for many Years, and out of the Earl of Marrs Collyary.'[88]
'SMALL COALE!'
But if they were this high price, ex ship, and wholesale, those who bought in small quantities had to pay very heavily. Swift in his letters to Stella is always grumbling at the expense of his modicum of coals, and would stop longer in, and go earlier to, bed, in order to save. Then was it that the cry of 'Small coale!' was heard in the streets—a cry that will always be associated with the memory of Thomas Britton, the 'musical small coal man,' who died Sept. 14, 1714.
The stoves used to burn coal were small and portable, taking the place of the old andirons, and standing unfixed in the somewhat wide chimney-pieces. It is needless to say that the modern 'Queen Anne' stoves bear very little likeness to the genuine article. The back plates were frequently very ornamental, sometimes having the arms of the owner of the house upon them. The accompanying illustration, being taken from an ironmonger's handbill, is probably copied from one he had in stock—if not, it most certainly represented those in use.
FIREPLACE AND UTENSILS.
Of the furniture of the time—the houses were, to our idea, very scantily furnished. Take any of the very few engravings of social life in this reign, and one is astonished at the bare look of the apartments: a table in the centre, a few high-backed and clumsy chairs, a square, box-like settee, are all that are movable; on the walls a picture or two, sometimes, not always, a looking-glass, occasionally an alcove with shelves for china and bric-a-brac, and window curtains—always curtains,—the possession of which must have entailed much trouble on many housekeepers. Vide the following advertisement:[89] 'London, Nov. 24.—Having no longer since than last Night had the misfortune (with other of my Neighbours in Leicester Fields) to be robb'd by a very uncommon method; I desire you would (for the Good of the Publick) incert in your Paper the underwritten Advertisement, that Persons may thereby be put upon their Guard, and make such provision as may prevent the like Robberies.
'The Thieves observe those Houses whose Window-shutters, either outward or inward, reach not up to the top of the Windows; and taking out some Quaries of the Glass, put their Hands in and rob the Houses of their Window Curtains.'
Without doubt, the houses of the wealthy were better furnished, and more artistically. The virtuoso would bring with him on his return from his 'grand tour' some specimens, both of pictures and furniture, of the lands he visited. Of the former, they were invariably originals or copies of the Caracci, Titian, Palma, Van Dyck, etc., and they were always being imported or changing hands; but of good furniture we seldom find any to be sold, such as, for instance, 'Two Cabinets, the one of 48 drawers, containing great variety of curious Shells, Agates, Corals, Mocus's' (the Mocha or Moco Stone), 'Medals, Minerals, and other Rarities. The other finely inlaid with Flowers and Birds of Stone by Baptist.'