Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-10-29

almost entirely of wood, so that when tn,
great fire of 1866 broke out, nearly the who'll
city was laid in ashes. The streets were mar
row, for when after the fire, it was talked
about" says Pepys, that the new ones were
! to be forty feet wide, then congratulated my
! self on the Improvement to the city. Their
was no paving, no walng no water pipes, nc
properly laid CUTTERS Mud in winter ant
dust in summer, were the annoyance Of the cit
liens. The common highway, was the Thames
where numerous wherrics piled, for it was vast
ignore pleasant than any street. Yet to
even the Thames there was one serious draw
back London Bridge was built with such
ignorance of mechanics, that the piers partial
" Clicked up the current, making al artificial
rapid there, SO that shooting the bridge"
as it was called that is, passing under it, was
frequently attended with peril. To avoid this,
it was the custom to land, just above the
bridge, and t;ku the boat again below To
the Indifferent drainage Of the city, the close,
narrow streets, and the insufficient supply OF
water, are to be principally attributed the viz
nlence with which the plague ragged IN Old Lon
DON
The furniture of houses two hundred years
ego, was very different from it now. Car
pets were comparatively scarce. They were
still bought chiefly for covering tables mat
ting, rushes and oil cloth being employed for
heors. Pewter sconces were used to burn O |
or candles in, instead of chandeliers candeebra
and gas fixtures Pianos were yet unknown
out the virginia., sort of ancient spnet, was
quite common for the English people at that
period, loved music more heartily than they
do now Hangings to beds were considered
Indispensable by all persons of condition. Pc
pys was proud man, if We may believe his
diary, the day he hung his best bedroom with
tapestry the walls of his second best he COW
cred with pictures, as less expensive. Equip
ages were clumsy, but eo'geors Six-horse
coaches We're owed by all the nobility, and
were indeed nee ssary Tor travelling, SO bad
were the roads. Ordinary PERSONS in town,
coatented themselves with two horses. The
coaches warr painted, gilt and and varnistled.
There wtrc 10 good native horses. The most
desirable coach horses Were Fiaudrrs mares.
When Pepys set up Il coach, he records with a
proud heart, the display he made. Aud 20
anon we went through the town with our new
liveries Of serge, and the horses names aud
t,ils tied with red ribbons, and the Standards
gilt with varuish, and all clean, and green reins
that the people did nightly look ui,on U.S."
Dress was ain important item with ali clas-
SEES. The different ranks were dlstinguislabIe
Ivy their attire, and it Was thought prcsumptu-
Gus for one to initiate the other. Poor Pepys,
even when he got rich, and when he was al
most daily at court, found PEOPLE talking of
the gold lace Ga the sleeves vi his new coat
and SO went hunabIy Is, his taiiorss to have it
removed. When per4wtgs 5camo ,nto fashion,
it was "a long time before he conll make up
his mind That it was proper FIR him to wear
one. He mentions his wife having one subse-
quently of light hair. Every few weeks, while
he wore his, lie had to have his head shaved:
The ladies wore WARDS, and some Of them
mems waistcoats The materials of their dres-
es was often cloth, laced with silver Or gold if
they were people of means. Perys notes bis
having paid, on one occas o. five pounds for a
pctticoat for his wife, and as the pound was
worth about twice as much as at present, he
expended what would b. equivalent to fifty
dollars, now but the pettno.t was display
3D. very much as embroidered ones are even
to this day He pad, at the same time, six
pounds for lace, SO tie ladies loved fine laces
then, tie as mucH as now When the maids
of honor rode Oh horseback, They wore cos
tune like that of men, bat, coat, waiStcoat
complete, and were only dist;nguishAble by the
pctt:coat. Pal! ting tie checks was fashion
able. Black patches were also worn on the
face Pepys, one day, met the king and queen,
riding, and says that in her whte-laced
waistcoat, and crimson short pett;coat, and
hair dressed la negligence she looked III ghty
nice" Yellow iiru's-cye hoods were all Tie
rage for the noiern bonnet had MT come i
INTO fashion, Sacques were just then coming
Into vogue The women of the middle classes
wore iigl,.crowned hats, laced Stonachers, and
,, y,llow-starchyd neck rchiefs. Ladies OF quail
ity wore trains. The courticrs and guy
rufivd in silks and yeIvets o. gay coors, plum
cd or cooked t,a' "rnvats al lace and Jcwery,
having their hair long, and curing then love
locks, till periwigs came into fashion. Every
gentleman carried sword ;; and Of course duets
were frequent.
The table was proGlsely, rather than dell
catc!y served. Tea had ju>t been introduced
and was still very dear, so that the ordinary
| breakfast beverage was ale. Meat was con
sidered underdonc, if at all rare. Venison was
| comparatively plenty, at least with people OF
| means. Fresh beet was common In Londol
| during the spring, summer and autumn; bus
| infthe winter saltedmeat Was the general food
| Turkics and miuce pies were even then the or
thodo, bill of fare for Christmas dinner. A.
elegant English crockery was OF century Ia
ter date, and porcelain Was ouly to lie ha(
from China aid Japan at an immense price
the ordinary table service with even the better
| of the middle class, was pewter while thu
poor ate from wooden trenchcrs, or very coarse
earthen ware With reople of condition, con
sequently, silver plate was more common thai
at present.
The manners Of all court and people, wer
very unlike what they are now. The king. in
stead Of sacludiHg himself in solitary state, a
mouart'r his co in our time, kept open court
Whitehall, and walked daily in the Park, noe
ding to everybody he knew, and talking f;
milar,y with the company. Pepys, calling o
the Duke Of York, found him, with the duchss