174 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES, 



nary use was of roiip:h unpolished oak, and the chairs 

 were equally plain and unornamental. The Windsor 

 chair, made of elm, and a heavy deal table, were 

 generally found in the tradesman's parlour, even up 

 to a somewhat recent period. The p^eneral introduc- 

 tion of mahog:any, and the comparative cheapness of 

 furniture made externally of this beautiful material, 

 (principally in consequence of the extreme thinness 

 into which veneers can be cut,) have introduced a 

 more eleiTi-ant description of furniture even into the 

 commonest houses. In this, there is a national 

 benefit. A taste for comforts and elep:ancies, uni- 

 versally diffused throuo;hout society, not only calls 

 into action a p;reat deal of mechanical ing'enuity, and 

 employs considerable capital, but it gives even to the 

 humblest a sort of self-respect, inferior, indeed, to 

 purer motives, but still operating' to produce some- 

 thing of independence, and a desire to maintain the 

 possession of these comforts and trifling distinctions, 

 by honest industry. But the general adoption of 

 articles of luxury, such as well-made furniture, by 

 the bulk of the people, has a natural tendency to 

 make the wealthy desirous of procuring articles not 

 so accessible to the many ; and, in this way, there is 

 a constant demand not only for new patterns in fur- 

 niture, but for new materials of which such furniture 

 should be made. Our commerce with all the known 

 world has enabled the dealers in wood constantly to 

 introduce new sorts ; and even our native timber, 

 such as oak and elm, by the ingenuity of the work- 

 man, has been converted into the most beautiful and 

 the most expensive of the articles of common use by 

 which the rich are surrounded. The large roots of 

 a fine oak have, in this manner, been rendered ex- 

 tremely valuable ; and, when cut into small veneers, 

 and inlaid with that skill which constitutes the art of 

 the cabinet-makei", have produced very high prices 



