ANTIQUITY OF TOBACCO-SMOKING 131 



furniture. Visit the humblest abode and there will be 

 placed before you all the tiny equipment for a smoke ; but 

 their weed is almost tasteless ; certainly, it can do nobody 

 any harm. Formerly the tiny cup of tea was always the 

 prelude to social gossip ; now, however, for some reason or 

 other the pipe takes precedence of the cup. Surely a wise 

 choice, for in the pipe he had found a soother of the 

 ruffled frame, calming the unruly member which the tea- 

 cup sets free to dilate with eloquence on the rirtues or 

 their opposite of the dear absent ones; helping the fair 

 devotee to unbosom herself of old confidences too heavy to 

 be longer borne, and to form new and undying friendships 

 till the next tea meeting. Assuredly, wherever Eve's 

 daughters congregate there will the tea-pot the genius 

 of quickened sensibilities be the favourite fetish. 



Let us take a peep at a reception, an ' At Home,' where 

 a dark-eyed daughter of Japan reposes luxuriantly on a 

 carpet of many colours. By her side is an arm-rest, and 

 a gorgeous screen adorned with wondrous figures in 

 prismatic hues protects her from obtrusive view. Two 

 English ladies are her visitors; they are ushered through 

 a long corridor, covered with thick matting of a fine texture, 

 into the reception hall. Passing into a large well- 

 proportioned room, they are agreeably surprised with the 

 simplicity and tasteful character of the furniture, which 

 consists of a row of small lacquer tables and chairs, placed 

 at intervals of a few yards ; by the side of each chair is a 

 large bronze urn of ornamental design, filled with 

 symmetrically shaped pieces of glowing charcoal. Raising 

 the eyes to the walls they see that these are covered with 

 a heavy yet delicate paper artistically painted with birds and 

 flowers ; and the wainscoting, panels and window-frames, 

 are of a highly polished black lacquer. Over all there 



