674 
BEDS. 
SO generally reprobated, that, at the Restoration, there could scarce 
be found either organists, organ-builders, or singers. 
Organs have never yet been used in the establishment of Scotland, 
since it became presbyterian ; but they are used in Holland, where 
that form of church government also obtains. The organs in Germany, 
(says Dr. Burney,) in magnitude, and the organists in abilities, seem 
unrivalled in any other part of Europe, particularly in the use of 
pedals. In Marpurg’s Essays, vol. iii. there is a minute account of a 
variety of organs in Germany ; of all which the longest pipe of the 
manuals is sixteen feet, and of the pedals thirty-two. One of the 
largest organs in Germany is at Gorlitz, in Upper Liisatia. The 
uncommon merit of Handel as an organist is well known. The organ 
in the cathedral church at Ulra, in Germany, is ninety-three feet high 
and twenty-eight broad : its largest pipe is thirteen inches diameter, 
and it has sixteen pair of bellows. 
Beds. 
Mr. Whittaker, in his History of Manchester, observes, that it was 
universally the practice in the first ages, to sleep upon skins of beasts. 
It was originally the custom of the Greeks and Romans. It was 
particularly the custom of the ancient Britons before the Roman inva- 
sion, and these skins were spread on the floors of their apartments. 
Afterwards they were changed for loose rushes and leather, and the 
Welsh a few years ago lay on the former, and many of the Highlanders 
of Scotland sleep on the latter to this day. In process of time, the 
Romans suggested to the interior Britons the use, and the introduction 
of agriculture supplied them with the means and convenience, of straw 
beds. The beds of the Roman gentry at this period were generally 
filled with feathers, and those of the inns with the soft down of reeds ; 
but, for many ages the beds of the Italians had been constantly com- 
posed of straw, as it still formed those of the soldiers and otficers at the 
conquest of Lancashire, and from both our countrymen learnt their 
use. It, however, appears to have been taken up only by the gentlemen, 
as the common Welsh had their beds thinly stuffed with rushes as 
late as the conclusion of the twelfth century ; and with the gentlemen 
it continued many ages afterwards. Straw was used, even in the royal 
chambers of England, as late as the close of the fifteenth century. 
Most of the peasants about Manchester lie on chaff at present, as do 
likewise the poorer class of people in Scotland. In the Highlands 
heath is also very generally used as bedding even by the gentry, and 
the repose on a heath-bed has been celebrated by travellers as a pecu- 
liar luxury, superior to that yielded by down. In France and Italy, 
straw beds remain general to this day. 
But after the above period, beds were no longer suffered to rest 
upon the ground. The better mode, that had anciently prevailed in 
the East, and had long before been introduced into Italy, was adopted 
in Britain ; and they were now mounted on pedestals ; this, however 
was equally confined to the higher ranks. The bed still continued 
on the floor, among the common people; and the gross custom, that 
had prevailed from the beginning, was retained by the low^er Britons 
