Vain man! to talk so loud and look so big! Some years past the writer had an opportunity to peruse a diary of an ancient family, once of some power and consequence; and could he, without breach of confidence, disclose, it would tend greatly to enrich these pages. But the following jeud'esprit on a locket, and the Scriptural account of his wife's party, are too good to remain any longer in obscurity. Being asked why he wore a locket with a lock of hair in it, he replied: "This lock of gentle Delia's hair I do not without reason wear; Within the breast on which it's shown The power which holds possession there." 1684. This lady was possessed with considerable talent. She used every year to have what she called her party, which consisted of all the oddities of ber acquaintance, whether relatives or friends, rich or poor, and whether they were friendly to each other or not. She used to watch the conduct of each to the other; and in many instances, through this amiable display of her hospitality, has she been the means of bringing about reconciliations for "Adversity finds ease in complaining, and it is a solace to relate it."-Isidore. : After one of these meetings a neighbour of his asked him to give a description of it. His reply was: "I think that would be hardly proper; but," said he, "this much I can inform you; except in the number, you will find a very full description in the second verse of the twenty-second chapter of the 1st Book of Samuel: And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves together, and there were with her about four hundred, and I became a captain over them."" IMPROMPTU To a lady inquiring why beards were NOT worn, as in former times. "To brush the cheeks of ladies fair, With genuine charms o'er spread, Their sapient beards with mickle care Our wise forefathers fed. * I regret that I am not able to chronicle the author of this moral jeud'esprit. It was written about 1784, that being the year Madame Mara first sung in England. But since our modern ladies take Such pains to paint their faces, As the gentlemen have again taken to wearing beards, perhaps the author may be permitted to advise the ladies to be cautious when a gentleman " holds out his foolish beard for thee to pluck." How fully do these changes illustrate the following Latin couplet : "Men change with fortunes, manners change with climes, FURNITURE. "THE palaces erected in the reign of Elizabeth by the memorable Countess of Shrewsbury and Elizabeth of Hardwicke, were exactly in this style: The apartments were lofty and numerous, and they knew not how to furnish them," &c.-WALPOLE. THE Wood-cuts will give some idea of the furniture of this magnificent age; for, as regards furniture, it has not been excelled. Our ancestors seem to have studied the first chapter of Esther, and to have followed the sixth verse pretty accurately: "And there were hung up on every side sky-coloured and green and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble, (Mosaic work,) which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety." Of many of these old buildings we may say: "Time, which brings the mighty low, And level lays the lofty brow, In which we may still observe: "And all the hinder parts, that few could spy, Were ruinous and old, but painted cunningly." SPENSER. Bringing to mind the reflection of the old poet Webster: I do love these ancient ruines. We never tread upon them but we set our foot I will begin this chapter by copying part of the inventory of Kilburn Priory, 1536, "when," as the author of "Europe during the Middle Ages" says, "the hungry parasites of the crown joined with the arch-robber, Henry VIII., to destroy it, (the priory,) to fill their coffers at the expense of everything sacred." "Item-two bedsteddes of bordes, 8d. ; in the middle chamber one fether bed, 5s. ; two mattresses, 20d.; two old coverlets, 20d.; three woollen blankets, 8d.; three bolsters, 18d.; two pieces of old hangings painted, (printed,) 10d. In prioress chamber, four pieces of say, (serge made entirely of wool,) redde and greene, with a border of story language, 3s. 4d.; a standinge bedde and redde buckrame, and three curtaynes of same worke, 28.; eight pillowes of downe covered with fustyan, 12d.; an old cupboard, with two ambroys in it, 10d.; two annde yrons, a foyer-forcke, a foyer-panne, and paire tonges, 20d.; noine paire sheetes, flaxen and canvasse, 13s. 4d.; two diapere table-clothes, 11s. 8d. ; a playne clothe for the borde in the hall, 12d. Such were the prices and the furniture of a prioress about 300 years past, from which it appears the lodging was much the same as at the present time.* In large houses every bed-chamber had two beds a standing bed, and a truckle-bed for the page or dressing-maid. The standing-bed had often, according to Stowe, a counterpane so richly and beautifully embroidered as to be worth 1000 marks; and the bed-room pictures of most value, commonly protected with curtains, which could be readily folded or drawn back. Burton, in his "Anatomy of Melancholy," writes: "Bessardus Bisantinus prefers the smoke of juniper to a melancholy person, which is in great request with us at Oxford to sweeten our chambers."† Cardinal Wolsey had two hundred and eighty silk beds for nightly use at Hampton Court. The following is a description of the chamber at Hardwicke Hall while occupied by the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots: " Nothing can exceed the expense in the bed of state, *At a meeting of the Royal Academical Society, held at Metz, (1834-5,) M. Fournel stated that "the Lepidium ruderale (Dittany) was the most attractive of all subjects or substances to the bed-bug. Slips of it hung up about beds and other places where they infested, would collect whole colonies, which may be thus readily destroyed." The writer once had a cot bedstead much infested with these vermin, but, after soaking it a week in the tide water of the ocean, they were all destroyed, and none ever troubled him after. "Of colours," he states, "it is good to behold green, red, yellow, and white; and by all means to have light enough with windows in the day, waxcandles in the night, neat chambers, good fires in winter, and merry companions; for, though melancholy persons love to be dark, yet darkness is a great increaser of the humour." the hangings, and the coverings for the tables. The first is of cloth of gold, cloth of silver, velvet of different colours, laces, fringes, and embroidery. The hangings consist of figures as large as life, representing allegorically the virtues and the vices, embroidered with silk on black and white velvet. The cloths cast over the tables are embroidered and embossed with gold on velvets and damasks. "The only moveables of any taste are the cabinets, chairs, and tables of carved oak. The chimney is wide enough for a kitchen; and over the arras are friezes of many feet deep, with miserable relievos of hunting in stucco." Still the coup-d'œil must have been fine when the "dancing sun-beams played" on the bed on a beautiful summer day, through the noble oriel and other stained glass windows. The following is copied from the wardrobe account of King James I., 1613, on the marriage of his only daughter to the Elector Palatine: "Item-to our embroiderer, for one whole suit of hangings upon crimson velvet, richly garnished and embroidered all over with cloth of gold and cloth of silver; laces of gold, partly with plates, and chain lace of gold without plates; Venice twist, and gold and silver, and coloured Naples silk; for embroidering the several parts of a sparver bed, of crimson velvet as the head part, cealer, double valence, and curtains of velvet and satin; a very large cupboard-cloth of crimson velvet, carpet and screen-cloth, chairs, stools, and cushions, all very richly garnished all over with gold cloth, cloth of silver, and coloured satin. Item-to our upholsterer, for making a suit of hangings of crimson velvet, containing five pieces; and two window pieces, embroidered, lined with dyed canvass; for making one cupboard-cloth, one carpet, and one screen-cloth, of like crimson velvet, embroidered, all lined with taffeta, and garnished with fringes of gold and silk; for making two large window-curtains of crimson damask, lined with fustian, copper rings, lyer of thread, &c. ; for one bed, one bolster, and two pillows, of Milan fustian, filled with down, sewed with silk; three quilts of fustian, cased with taffeta, filled with wool, and sewed with silk; two pair of blankets of Milan fustian of five breadths and five yards long, the piece sewed with silk; two pair of fine Spanish blankets; two counterpanes of plush, both sides alike, sewed with silk. Item-to our joiner, for one frame for a canopy; for a cushioncloth, with iron-work to it; for the timber-work of one chair, two low stools, and two little tables; for one folding table of walnut tree. Such was a princess's bed-chamber establishment; but the beds were in general very splendid. In almost every noble dwelling there is a state-bed, with heraldric devices exquisitely embroidered at the head, and often an elegantly carved footboard, silk hangings of taffeta, velvet, or satin; the cornices beautifully carved, painted, and gilted, and the four posts standing above, crested with plumes of ostrich or other valuable feathers. The state-bed at the Mansion House, London, (the lord mayor's house,) cost, when new, £3,150. Shakspeare alludes to a bed in "Twelfth Night," act 3d, scene 2d. The readers of the kind-hearted Isaac Walton, the angler, must be familiar with his noticing lavender being used to perfume the sheets on the beds when he went angling. The woods in most repute before mahogany was introduced were walnut, oak, and chestnut, massive and elaborately carved. There is still in the possession of the descendants of T. Burkitt, Esq., of Sudbury, a very beautiful ebony cabinet, which. |