The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-02-06 00:00:00

FORKS.
From the Pictorial World.)

There is an old—and perhaps not very polite—
saying, that "fingers were made before forks ;" and
that they must of necessity have been used by our
forefathers to convey food to the mouth before the in-
vention of these useful articles is evident from the
fact that forks were not introduced into England
before the reign of James I. The English derived this
piece of refinement from the Italians. The fact
appears from the following curious extracts from a
book entitled " Coryat's Crudities • or Five Months'
Travels in France, Savoy, Italy, and High Germany."
This book was published in 1611. "I observe.l a
custom," said the traveller, "In all those Italian cities
through which I passed, that is not used in any other
country that I saw in my travels, neither do I think
that any other nation of Christendom cloth use
it, only Italy. The Italians do always at their
meals use a little forks when they cut their meat.
For while with their knife, which they hold
in one hand, they cut the meat out of the dish, they
fasten their fork, which they hold with the other hand,
on the same dish. So that whosoever he be that, sit-
ting in the company of others at meals, should unad-
visedly touch the dish of meat with his fingers, he will
give occasion for offence unto the company, insomuch
that forhis error againstgood manners he shall be brow-
beaten, if not reprehended in words. This is because
the Italians cannot by any means endure to have their
meat touched with fingers, seeing all men's fingers are
not alike clean." And we cannot find fault with the
Italians for their desire to be particular in this regard.
The use of forks was at first much ridiculed in Eng-
land as an effeminate piece of finery. In one of
Beaumont and Fletcher's plays your " fork-carrying "
traveller is spoken of with much contempt, and Ben
Johnson has joined in the laugh against them in his
Devil's an Ass, act v., scene 4 :
"Have I deserved this from you two, for all my pains at
Court to pt. you each a patent ?"

"For what?'

"Upon my project of the forks."
" Forks ! What be they ?"
"The laudable use of forks, brought into use as they are
In Italy, to the sparing o' napkins."

The wOrd " fork" occurs only once or twice in the
Bible—once in the Pentateuch, where mention is made
of "flesh-forks," evidently invented to take the meat
out of the pot. The other instance is in an account of
the riches of Solomon's temple, where, singularly
enough, the Vulgate has the word " furea," which the
English translation renders by "spoon."
The Greeks, with all their elegance, were ignorant
of the use of the forks in eating. Even Lucullus was
not acquainted with the luxury. A two-branched
instrument or two was found at Herculaneum, but it
is clear they were not used at table in any period ef
the Roman history.
The first instance that history records of the use of.
forks was at tne table of John, the good Duke of Bur-
gundy, and he had. only two. At that period the
loaves were made round; they were cut in slices, which
were piled by the side of the carver or auger franchant
(cutting squire). He had a pointed carving-knife,
and a skewer of drawn silver or gold, which he stuck
into the joint. Having cut off a slice, he took it on the
point of the knife and placed it on a slice of bread,
which was served to the guest. A leg or haunch of
mutton had always a piece of paper wrapped round
the shank, which the carver took hold of with the left
hand when he carved the joint. In this country,
one hundred , years ago, a silver tube or holder
for placing on the end of the shank was
considered a necessary part of the appointments of
a genteel table. It was customary at one time
in France when a gentleman was invited to dinner for
him to send his servant with his knife, fork, and spoon;
or, if he had no servant, he carried them with him in
his pocket. The peasantry of the Tyrol, and of parts
of Germany and Switzerland, generally carry a case
in their pockets containing a knife, fork, and spoon.
In our day, the manner of using the fork is considered
a sign of the good or ill breeding of the person using
it. Germans generally grasp it with a clenched fist':
It is not necessary, however, in these days of style and
elegance, to describe how or in what manner this very
useful article should be handled, as every one knows
what the rules of polite society are in this regard.

AN APPEAL FOR "OUR FRIENDS IN
FUR AND FEATHER!"
_ ..

In the cause of humanity, the following has been sent to
The Times for publication, and it well deserves the thought-
ful perusal of those to whom it chiefly appeals :
Sir,—ln reference to the important deputation which
attended on Monday last at the office of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Mr.
Ernest Hart addressed a letter to The Times of the 27th
touching upon the memorial presented, and herein he
invites the attention of the Society to several parts of
their work.

It is to one of the subjects he indicates I seek,
through your columns, to invite public consideration
and attention—namely, the prevailing practice of
using birds and birds feathers as ornaments. The
President of the Society, Lord Harrowby, in con-
tradicting the misapprehension under which Mr.
Hart wrote, that the memorial emanated from the
Society, instead of coming from without, thereby offer-
ing a test of public opinion on the subject to which
it referred, has made no allusion to the action of the
Society in respect of subjects enumerated by Mr.
Hart, such as cattle transit, seal-hnnting, and
slaughter-houses. I presume Lord Harrowby thought
its labours too well known, both at home and abroad. '
for it was only last year that the Society offered a
£5OO reward for the best cattle-truck, which was
publicly competed for, though not awarded, and an
International Law is now under consideration for
seal-hunting. Measures for the improvement of other
evils are also constantly under discussion and obser-
vation, but evidence against evil is not easily attain-
able, and evil in most cases is but slowly and laboriously
rectified. But I wish Lord Harrowby had taken,
the opportunity which Mr. Hart's letter affords of
opening out the Bird question. It is one of great
interest to Naturalists, apart from the objects of thef'
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. One
race, which might be termed the gems of bird life,
will, in all probability, become exterminated. Pro-
fessor Tomlinson made last year a communication to
the Ladies' Committee of which I am President stating
that 40,000 of these minute and beautiful creatures
had been consigned to one house alone, and, as the
area within which they live is very restricted, the result
must be extinction. Our Committee took advantage
of Lord Cochrane's visit to the South American Repub-
lics for the purpose of inaugurating among a grateful
ipeople a statue in memory of his grandfather, the great
Admiral to intrust him with a petition to the Empress
of Brazil, whose Court he was to visit on his way, on
behalf of her small and brilliant subjects, petitioning
her to endeavour to secure to them a close season.
There are many of "our friends in fur and feathers"
also sorely needing protection, but I select these
birds as a type and representative, and I most willingly
avail myself of the opportunity Mr. Hart'sletter affords
me to ask these who regulate the constantly varying
fashions whether they could not and would not rather
encourage the delicate designs of pattern to the riband
trade, now much wanting support, or, the beautiful
-art work in artificial flowers which gives bread to
many and many a toiling hand—in short, any of those
multiform devices payment for which brings: hurable
comforts to humble homes, and to encourage which
would scatter the means of enjoyment abroad, than a
mode of ornamentation which most suggest a blood-,
stain on the delicate hat or cap, and has silenced the
joy-song in the breast of a fluttering, harmless crea- '
ture. Why not rather encourage the imitation of the
pretty creatures in silk or jewelry, which would
scarcely rival the birds' hues in life, but the brilliancy
and beauty of which are quickly dulled when the spirit
has left the wonderful structure the Creator gave
for its body ?—I am, Sir, yours sincerely,
BURDETT COUTTS.

Brighton, Jan. 30.