aring the
work for the press, have rendered the task very pleasant; and while the
author has endeavoured to acknowledge, in a great many instances, the
courtesies received, when noticing the particular occasion on which such
assistance was rendered, he would desire generally to record his thanks to
the owners of historic mansions, the officials of our Museums, the Clerks
of City Companies, Librarians, and others, to whom he is indebted. The
views of many able writers who have trodden the same field of enquiry have
been adopted where they have been confirmed by the writer's experience or
research, and in these cases he hopes he has not omitted to express his
acknowledgments for the use he has made of them.

The large number of copies subscribed for, accompanied, as many of the
applications have been, by expressions of goodwill and confidence
beforehand, have been very gratifying, and have afforded great
encouragement during the preparation of the work.

If the present venture is received in such a way as to encourage a larger
effort, the writer hopes both to multiply examples and extend the area of
his observations.

F. L. Hanway Street, London, _July_, 1892.

Contents.

Chapter I.

BIBLICAL REFERENCES: Solomon's House and Temple--Palace of Ahashuerus.
ASSYRIAN FURNITURE: Nimrod's Palace--Mr. George Smith quoted. EGYPTIAN
FURNITURE: Specimens in the British Museum--The Workman's
Stool--Various articles of Domestic Furniture--Dr. Birch quoted. GREEK
FURNITURE: The Bas Reliefs in the British Museum--The Chest of
Cypselus--Laws and Customs of the Greeks--House of Alcibiades--Plutarch
quoted. ROMAN FURNITURE: Position of Rome--The Roman House--Cicero's
Table--Thyine Wood--Customs of wealthy Romans--Downfall of the Empire.

Chapter II.

Period of 1000 years from Fall of Rome, A.D. 476, to Capture of
Constantinople, 1453--The Crusades--Influence of Christianity--Chairs
of St. Peter and Maximian at Rome, Ravenna and Venice--Edict of Leo
III. prohibiting Image worship--The Rise of Venice--Charlemagne and his
successors--The Chair of Dagobert--Byzantine character of
Furniture--Norwegian carving--Russian and Scandinavian--The
Anglo-Saxons--Sir Walter Scott quoted--Descriptions of Anglo-Saxon
Houses and Customs--Art in Flemish Cities--Gothic Architecture--The
Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey--Penshurst--French Furniture in
the 14th Century--Descripti