CHAP. IX. 



OF THE ROMANS. 201 



dress but what was manufactured by his wife, 

 his sister, his daughter, and his nieces. The 

 clothing was chiefly of wool ; for though linen 

 was made, and a robe of it (vestis lintea) was 

 much valued, it was by no means commonly 

 worn. The only furniture, exclusive of the 

 dishes and vessels for drinking, was a kind of 

 extended couch, which served the purpose both 

 of sitting and sleeping on. 



With this domestic plainness and frugality may 

 be contrasted the extravagance which was dis- 

 played in the public appearance of the more 

 eminent Romans. Their carriages, a kind of 

 sedan chair, had feet sometimes of silver or of 

 gold, on which to stand when the slaves rested 

 from carrying them. The carriages drawn by 

 horses in some of their religious processions 

 were splendidly ornamented with gold, silver, 

 and ivory, and on some occasions the horses 

 were shod with silver, and the bits and orna- 

 ments of the bridle were of silver or gold en- 

 riched with precious stones. The temples, the 

 altars, and the places of public assembly were 

 expensively ornamented; but we can find but few 

 traces, and those confined to a small number of 

 persons, of any accumulation of valuable do- 

 mestic furniture or ornaments in the hands of 

 private individuals. Besides, the structure of 

 society in Rome was such as to exclude from 

 probability the expectation that any large portion 



