Questions and Answers.
Polly Pemberton Morris.—You are quite right in your contention, and your friend is wrong. Queen Elizabeth did not live as well as does the average family of to-day whom we call poor. Comparatively she lived well—and walked on a cloak. But she suffered many discomforts which the gallantry of all the Raleighs of her reign but badly recompensed. Indeed, her household was so poor that few of the laboring-people of to-day would endure one like it. For instance, her table service was what we would call scarcely fit for animals. Huge joints of meat were brought to the table on the roasting-spits. There were no dishes such as we have. Earthenware with a china finish was unknown. The meat-carvers held the meat with one hand while they cut it with the other, and the guests helped themselves with their fingers. Cats and dogs were allowed around and under the table—and to them were thrown the bones. Fancy the condition of the floor—there was not always a floor—after the meal. There were no forks and no plates. Fingers served for the former and huge slices of bread for the latter.
Irving Kenyon asks: "Is there on exhibition in some city in each State the articles patented in that State? If so, in what city of Connecticut can I see them? Are authors privileged to use the plan of another author, which has appeared in a pamphlet some time previous, without permission? If permission is necessary, to whom do I apply?" There is no such exhibition. In the Patent Office at Washington may be seen a vast number of models, but they come from every State. Even these models are no longer required by law. Authors' privileges are not easily defined. Do you mean "plan" or "plot"? We should say that the least one could do who wished to use the plot of another would be to ask permission. If permission cannot be obtained from any cause, get another plan or plot or else forego writing.
This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.
Fig. 4.