And the merchants and well-to-do people undoubtedly had furniture almost invented to show off their china:[90] 'Whereas the New East India Company did lately sell all their China Ware, These are to Advertise, that a very large parcel there of (as Broken and Damag'd) is now to be sold by Wholesale and Retail, extreamly Cheap, at a Warehouse in Dyer's Yard. Note.—It's very fit to furnish Escrutores, Cabinets, Corner Cupboards or Sprigs, where it usually stands for Ornament only.'
Naturally, almost all the ornamental ceramics came from China or Japan—for the state of our own ceramic art was at a very low ebb; in fact, it was only in its infancy in the middle of the last century. Some pottery was made in Staffordshire and York, but it was near London that the manufacture of the best, such as it was, was seated. The potteries at Fulham were at work, as also Lambeth and Vauxhall. Thoresby tells us of this latter:[91] 'We went by water to Foxhall and the Spring Garden: I was surprised with so many pleasant walks &c. so near London. After dinner there, we viewed the pottery and various apartments there; was most pleased with that where they were painting divers colours, which yet appear more beautiful, and of different colours when baked.'
None of these wares were remarkable at that time for their beauty, and so the oriental porcelain was naturally the most admired, and consequently bore away the palm, both for beauty of form and design. The use of tea, too, largely helped the consumption of oriental China. The cups and teapots were home articles for the Chinese to make, and it was very many years before we, in England, were even nearly rivalling them.
Tea necessitated a smaller and more elegant table, so we find the want supplied by tea and Dutch tables. Lacquer ware was also in much request, as well for 'Tea Tables, Bowls, Dressing Suites, Cabinets, and Bellows Boards,' as for screens to keep off draughts.
A BED.
But perhaps the most glorified piece of furniture in the house, was the bed, which could be had at all prices, from the[92] 'new sacking bottom'd Bedsteads at 11s. a piece' to that imperial couch which was a prize in a lottery 'by her Majesty's permission,'[93] 'A Rich Bed, 7 Foot broad, 8 foot long, and about 14 foot high, in which is no less than Two Thousand Ounces of Gold and Silver wrought in it; Containing four Curtains Embroidered on both sides alike, on a white Silk Tabby, Three Vallains with Tassels, three Basses, two Bone-graces, and four Cantoneers Embroider'd on Gold Tissue Cloth, cost 3,000l., put up at 1,400l.' This, of course, was an extraordinary bed; but the price of bed Furniture really seems to have been 'from 6l. or 7l. per Bed to 40l. per Bed, with all sorts of fine Chain Stitch Work.' Velvet, both in crimson and other colours, was also a favourite for bed-hangings, and cost 40l. at least. One quilt is described, but I fairly give it up—'Stole out of the house of John Barnes, &c., a Culgee quilt.'
CHAPTER VI.
SERVANTS.
Number of servants — Footmen — Wages — Liveries — 'How d'ye' — The Upper Gallery — Footmen's Parliament — Accomplishments — White slaves from Barbary — Negro slaves — Runaways — Apprentices.
The quantity of servants in vogue at that time, especially of male servants, seems to us to be excessive, but when we look how useful they were, apart from their menial duties, as guards, and assistants when the carriage stuck in a deep rut when travelling, and remember that the old feudal system of having retainers about one for show was then only moribund (it is not yet dead), their number is accounted for. First on the list stands my lord's page, who wore his livery, although of more costly material than that worn by the footman. He served his apprenticeship as 'a little foot page,' but it was always understood that, afterwards, his rise in life should be looked to by his patron. It was very much the same relation that existed between knight and squire. How he accompanied his lord on state occasions is shown in one of the illustrations of carriages. Steele speaks disparagingly of the lad's position.[94] 'I know a Man of good Sense who put his Son to a Blacksmith, tho' an Offer was made him of his being received a Page to a Man of Quality.'