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.


Biblical References.


The first reference to woodwork is to be found in the Book of Genesis, in
the instructions given to Noah to make an Ark of[1] gopher wood, "to make
a window," to "pitch it within and without with pitch," and to observe
definite measurements. From the specific directions thus handed down to
us, we may gather that mankind had acquired at a very early period of the
world's history a knowledge of the different kinds of wood, and of the use
of tools.

We know, too, from the bas reliefs and papyri in the British Museum, how
advanced were the Ancient Egyptians in the arts of civilization, and that
the manufacture of comfortable and even luxurious furniture was not
neglected. In them, the Hebrews must have had excellent workmen for
teachers and taskmasters, to have enabled them to acquire sufficient skill
and experience to carry out such precise instructions as were given for
the erection of the Tabernacle, some 1,500 years before Christ--as to the
kinds of wood, measurements, ornaments, fastenings ("loops and taches"),
curtains of linen, and coverings of dried skins. We have only to turn for
a moment to the 25th chapter of Exodus to be convinced that all the
directions there mentioned were given to a people who had considerable