"One Hundred and Fifty New Designs." By Thomas Johnson, carver. Published 1761. Ceilings, mantels, mirror and picture frames, clock cases, girandoles, brackets, etc., etc., in extreme Rococo. This was supplementary to a book of a similar character published by Johnson in 1758.

"The Universal System of Household Furniture, consisting of above three hundred Designs in the most Elegant Taste, both useful and ornamental." By Ince and Mayhew, cabinet makers and upholsterers. Published 1762. The designs in this are, to all intents and purposes, "Chippendale," and every phase of that style is represented by them.

"The Joiner's and Cabinet Maker's Darling. Sixty Designs for Ornamental Frets." By J. Crunden. Published 1765-1786-1796.

"Genteel Household Furniture, by a Society of Upholsterers." Published about 1765-1770. More "Chippendale."

"The Cabinet and Chair-Maker's Real Friend and Companion, or the whole System of Chair Making made plain and easy." By Robert Manwaring, cabinet maker.

Georgeian Types. III.Plate 64

Reference in Text. See page 203

Published 1765. Very much on "Chippendale" lines. Man-waring, however, cultivated apparent interlacing very greatly in a large number of his chair backs, of the description indicated by Figs. 3, 4, 5, Plate II. He also attempted to introduce a "New Art" based on Nature, as in Figs. 1 and 2, Plate II., described as "Very curious and beautiful designs of rural chairs . . . the only ones of the kind that were ever published." Would that they had been!

"The Chair-Maker's Guide, being upwards of two-hundred New and Genteel Designs, both decorative and plain, of all the most approved patterns for Gothic, Chinese, Ribbon, and other Chairs, Couches, Settees, Burjairs, French, Dressing, and Corner Stools." By Robert Manwaring and Others. Published 1766. The designs in this are of the same character as those in Manwaring's first book.

"Book of Ornaments, Stucco, Carving Ceilings, Picture Frames, etc." By M. Darly. Published 1769. The schemes here indicate clearly that the refinement of "Heppelwhite," "Sheraton," and "Adam" was very rapidly ousting "French," "Chinese," and "Gothick" extravagances from popular favour.

"A New Book of Ornaments, containing a variety of Elegant Designs for Modern Pannels, commonly executed in Stucco, Wood, or Painting, and used in decorating Principal Rooms." By Placido Columbani. Published 1775.

"A Variety of Capitals, Freezes (sic), and Corniches, and how to increase or decrease them, still retaining the same proportion as the original. Likewise twelve Designs for Chimney Pieces . . . the whole consisting of twelve plates." By P. Columbani. Published 1776.

"A Book of Designs." By Michel Angelo Pergolesi. Published 1777.

The above-named three books, by Columbani and Pergolesi, constitute a veritable store of the daintiest, most refined, and most characteristic detail, such as did much to make "Heppelwhite," "Sheraton," and "Adam" what they were. A careful examination of these works aids us greatly in judging the extent to which artists and craftsmen whose names have become household words with us were indebted to contemporaries of whom we seldom, if ever, hear.

"A New Collection of Chimney Pieces, ornamented in the Style of the Etruscan, Greek, and Roman Architecture." By George Richardson, Architect. Published 1781. Here we find "Adam" in its purest and most desirable phases. The renowned brothers produced nothing better than, and much which cannot be compared with, George Richardson's designs.

"Designs of Household Furniture." By T. Shearer. Published 1788. All these designs may safely be classed under our "Sheraton" heading so far as nomenclature is concerned.

"The Complete Modern Joiner, or a Collection of Original Designs, in the Present Taste, for Chimney Pieces, and Door C tses." By N. Wallis, Architect. Published 1792. Refined renderings of "Heppelwhite," "Sheraton," and "Adam."

"The Cabinet-Makers' London Book of Prices, and Designs of Cabinet Work." Printed for the London Society of Cabinet Makers, by W. Brown and A. O'Neil. Second Edition 1793. This book constitutes striking testimony to the extent to which "Chippendale " had been superseded by "Heppelwhite" and "Sheraton," and that, too within a comparatively brief period.

The remaining works (with but one exception) are, to my story, what Zola's "La Debacle" is to his Rougon-Macquart Series. Would the reader wish to see the depths to which the art of the furnisher fell during the earlier years of the nineteenth century, he cannot do better than study them carefully.

"A Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, in the most approved and Elegant Taste." By George Smith, Upholder Extraordinary to the Prince of Wales. (!) Published 1808. This is dedicated to "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, . . . who has so liberally employed his elegant fancy and acknowledged good taste in promoting this noble pursuit after Classic originals; and the elegant display of superior virtu exhibited in his palaces in Pall Mall and at Brighton."

Georgeian Types. IV. Plate 65

Reference in Text. See page 203

"The Upholsterers' and Cabinet-Makers' Pocket Assistant." By John Taylor. About 1810-1820.

"Original and Novel Designs for Decorative Household Furniture." By J. Taylor. About 1810-1820 or 1830. "The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Guide. By George Smith, Upholsterer and Furniture Draughtsman to His Majesty; Principal of the Drawing Academy, Brewer Street, Golden Square; and author of various works on the Arts of Design and Decoration." Published 1826.

"A Useful and Modern Work on Cheval and Pole Screens, Ottomans, Chairs, and Settees, for mounting Berlin Needlework" - the italics are my own - "by Henry Wood, Decorative Artist and Draughtsman." (Undated.) The mere recollection of them all is sufficient to induce a shudder.