- "They are such abominable ill husbands that, though their country be overrun with wood, yet they have all their wooden ware from England, their cabinets, chairs, tables, stools, chests, boxes, cart-wheels, and all other things, even so much as their bowls and birchen brooms, to the eternal reproach of their laziness."

Although Beverly calls himself an "Inhabitant of Virginia", it is curious that he was not aware that the southern colonies were interdicted by special act of legislature from trading with the Dutch or English colonies. "Wooden ware" is especially mentioned as being subject to "imposicon."

A typical bed of the last quarter of the eighteenth century is shown in Figure 54. This bed belonged to George Washington, and is in his bedroom at Mount Vernon. It is said to be the one he used in his last illness. Unlike the bed shown in Figure 53, this bed is of unusual proportions, being nearly as wide as it is long. The small table between the doors shows an excellent example of the Dutch foot. Upon it stands a small dressing-glass, so much in use at this period, of very handsome black and gold lacquer. Whenever General Washington had the opportunity he added to the furniture and appointments of Mount Vernon. Belvoir, the home of the Fairfax family, was one of the most splendid of the mansions on the Potomac. In 1774 its c'cntents were sold at auction, and Colonel George Washington bought goods to the value of £200 sterling. Among the most important lots were the following:

Figure 54. BED AT MOUNT VERNON.

"1 mahogany shaving desk, 1 settee bed and furniture (£13), 4 mahogany chairs, 1 chamber carpet, 1 oval glass with gilt frame, 1 mahogany chest and drawers in Mrs. Fairfax's chamber, (£12. 10s) 1 mahogany sideboard, (£12. 5s) 1 mahogany cistern and stand, 1 mahogany voider, 1 desk and 1 knife tray, 12 chairs & 3 window curtains from dining room (£31), 1 mahogany wash desk, (£1. 2s 6d)."

Among the smaller articles were several pairs of andirons, tongs and shovels, bellows, brushes, toasting-forks, and "1 hot rache in cellar," with many blankets, 19 coverlids, pillows, bolsters, bottles and pickle-pots, wine-glasses and pewter water-plates. There were also two tables, one "a mahogany spider-make tea-table, £1 11s." and " 1 mahogany table;£11," showing that articles of this wood obtained good values even then. The list of the goods in all of the rooms of Belvoir is far too long to be given here, but in the dressing-room connected with Colonel Fairfax's bedroom were "I oval glass in burnished gold, (£5 10s.), 1 mahogany shaving-table, I mahogany desk (£16 16s.), 4 chairs and covers, I mahogany settee bedstead, Saxon green, covers for same, 1 mahogany Pembroke table, dogs, shovel, tongs and fender."

It is also a matter of interest to see of what books a library consisted among people who were considered to have a literary bent and to be extensive readers. There is nothing "light" about it, and would to-day be accounted very dull reading.

Batavia illustrated.

London Magazine, 7 vols.

Parkinson's Herbal.

Knoll's History of the Turkish Empire.

Coke's Insitutes of the Laws of England, 3 vol.

England's Recovery.

Laws of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay.

Laws of Merchants.

Laws of Virginia.

Complete Clerk and Conveyancer.

Hawkin's Pleas of the Crown.

Gunnel's Offences of the Realm of England.

Ainsworth's English and Latin Dictionary.

Haine's Dictionary of Arts and Sciences.

Blackmore's Prince Arthur.

History of the Twelve Cassars by Suetonius.

John Calvin's Institution of Religion.

Fuller's Church History from its Rise.

Locke on the Human Understanding.

A New Body of Geography.

Croope's Law Reports.

Heylin's Cosmography, in 4 vols.

Collection of Voyages and Travels.

Political Discourses by Henry. Earl of Monmouth.

Wooten's State of Christendom.

Hobart's Law Reports.

Johnson's Excellency or Monarchical Government.

Latin and French Dictionary.

Langley's Pomona, or Gardening.

A Political Piece.

Strada's History of the Low Country Wars.

Spanish and English Dictionary.

Latin Bible.

A Poem on Death.

Judgement & Hell.

Knox's Martyrology.

Jacob's Law Dictionary.

Chamberlayne's Great Britain.

Hughes's Natural History of Barbadoes.

Laws of His Majesty's Plantations.

A bed showing better the handsome solid posts is given in Figure 55. This is also associated with the Father of his Country, for it is in the house at Somerville, N. J., occupied by him as headquarters during one of his campaigns in the Revolutionary War.

Figure 55. BED AT SOMERVILLE, N. J.

In Chapter I (Old Oak, Old Leather, Turkey Work, Etc) a "bedsteade of carven oak" was referred to as having been sent for to England by Mrs. Lake, as a wedding-present for her daughter. It could hardly have been such a very splendid piece of furniture as that shown in Figure 56, with its coat of arms on the headboard and the two beautiful foot-posts. The draperies were intended to cover the two head-posts, so that they were left plain. The old easy-chair standing beside the bed has unfortunately lost its feet, but they were the well-known ball-and-claw pattern generally seen on this style of chair, which was well calculated to keep off swirling draughts from the head and back of the occupant. These chair were popular for a century or more, and were made not only by English cabinet-makers like Chippendale and Hepplewhite, but by the Dutch and Flemish makers as well. They all have the bandy leg, but the Dutch foot is sometimes used instead of the ball-and-claw.

But all the luxury and elegance were not absorbed by the South and New York. Boston kept well to the front. In 1700 Andrew Faneuil, Huguenot, came to Boston and engaged in business. His brother was in this country, too, and, he dying not long after, Andrew assumed the care of, and took into business with himself, first one and then a second nephew. They were merchants and the following entries of consignments, taken from their old ledgers, which are still in existence, show the nature of their business. Besides crapes, poplins, lawns, and silks, they had for sale dur-ants and duroys, osnaburgs, camblets, narrow, double and cherry, with ingrains, silk druggets and calamancoes. They also imported dishes, pans, and kettles, "wooden lanthorns and tin ditto " (1725). Nor did they neglect to provide amusement for their fellow townsmen, for they imported "one-half gross man-in-the-moon cards." Among other goods in this same invoice were "1 chest muskets and one large pair looking-glasses."