Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-03

H0ME-R0MAN LUXURY-THE ROUND TABLE
PAINTED TABLES-HOLBEIN's TABLES-TABLES
IN MODERN HOMES.
From the New York Times. May 49,
How impossible we should find It to picture q
modern home without tables. Whether we enter
the house of rich or poor the Kitchen the parlor,
the reception-room, the bedroom-on every
hand we find tables-tables Of every size and
shape, and almost Of every material. The " oc-
casionar' table plays almost as important part
with as the dining table itself, and an esthete
might raise his hands In horror If told that after
all tables are an innovation. In the days of
Grecian civilization and luxury tables were not !;
or, to be more correct, stationary tables were
not II Greek lover wished to pen sonnet to
his mistress's eyebrow (and Greek poets had
their weak moments) he hadno chance Of turn
ing to q daint writing table and gaining In
spirati0n from an iridescent ink-pot. He could
but strike an attitude, lay his tablet upon his
knees, and, thus incumbered, give expression
to his admiration As set-of against this awk-
ward state OF affairs, however. we must remem-
Der that the greater part Of the love-making of
the period was carried on In the open air. for the
Greeks looked upon houses more as safe refugees
for their wives and children or a. store-houses
Probably as matter of fact women are mainly
responsible for tables. The Greek lady of leisure
in Athens employed herself at the spinning-
wheel, and had little need Of table, and beau
tiful in design and form as all Greek furniture
was, one striking natural characteristic pro-
claimed itself in the furnishing Of the homes
They never had that for which they could find
no practical use, and, consequently, as tables
were only needed for the purpose Of meals they
appeared only ct those times, were mere slabs OF
wood, which were brought In at the dinner hour
and set down loosely upon their legt. The meal
over the table vanished with the empty plates.
In HOmeric days each person had q separate
table, and 1t was only when luxury crept in that
q larger table for the men became common,
while the women dined at separate 6s.es. Then
the custom Of lOunging on touches, the elbows
resting on the table, became usual, and the
ladies were expected to sit while their lords as
sumed the most comfortable attitude they could
find. Even then, however, the table played 80
entirely subordinate part that we never read
OF it as being OF handsome material or, indeed,
as being Of any Importance at all, except to
grOan under the food, which was Of the most
luxurious description.
The Romans on the contrary, held their tables
in the highest estimation; they even made col
lectiOns Of them. Seneca possessed 500 small
ones. It is curious to trace in the accounts old
writers give US of Roman luxury in this respect
sort of likeness to the taste Of modern days.
No article Of furniture in the Roman house cost
so much as the table. Those with one foot or
pedestal fetched enormous prices. Pliny saws
that tables were brought In the first instance
from the east, and were called Orbes. not because
they were round but because they were massive
plates Of wood cut from the trunk of tree in
its whole diameter. Yet, oddly enough, we
hear very little Of tables in the east or in ancient
history. Moses made table for the Tabernacle,
as if it were something uncommon, upon which
to lay the shew-bread. Philo Judaus describes
it as having been two cubits long and one and
one-half high. and dwells upon it as remark
able piece Of furniture.
fah In Inv,
homes were called "mOnOpedia," and were
made Of a massive plate of wood, resting upon
column of ivory; such tables were enormously
expensive, and according to Pliny the wood was
brought from Mauritania and cut from the
trunk of the citrus tree. Some of these pieces
of wood were four feet in diameter, and the
ivory column which supported them was ex-
tremely massive. The greatest care was taken
of such tables. They were polished and covered
with thick cloths, made generally of coarse
modern table cloth. Cicero had such table,
for which he paid the enormous sum Of ,0OO, 900
sesterces. Just as to-day the handsOmest walnut
wood tables are those made Of wood cut from
the trunk nearest the root, so in the days of
Roman magnifcence high prices were paid for
the tables made from the last cut of the citrus
trees, because the wood was dappled and
marked.
Such tables were too small for meals in large
families, and moreover, they cost too much for
IHOucIdtc dllu Gilo hOuldil uOuScIlOlucT
had to be content, just as we do, with some
thing less costly than the best Thus we find
him purchasing ''veneered" tables made of
common wood with coating of citrus. The
furniture dealers drove their bargains then just
as they do now, and declared table was solid
"ctrus" when it was nothing but plain deal
covered over with cOstlier wood. Human nature
Is mOnOtOnOus," absolutely; in the Roman
market-place, If we could but transport our
selves thither. we should find the same, or
almost the same, handicapped tables that are
80 distinctly hideOus to-day. The Roman dealer
was not above imitation marble efther-and if
we are to credit history Ga very difficult thing to
do by the way) they even initiated silver tables
and tables inlaid with precious stones. One
very sensible plan was in force with them. They
had table frames, much as we have mirror
frames, made of marble, into which they fitted
smooth panels of wood, which was certainly
great deal better than reversing the idea and
having the table Of marble and the frame of
wood. Some Of the round tables had rims to
them, just like those we come across in some
antiquated mansion. As time passed and lux
ury grew greater, the base of the table became
the object Of decoration. Generally it was Orna-
mented with griffins turning in opposite direc-
lions, dOlphins and objects in relief, flowers ten
drills, vines, such as the pine In the old tables of
the Italian renaissance.
The ordinary table for family use was not I'M
like that found to-day in modest households, for
it was made Of maple wood and painted in
cOlors; it was invariably square in shape. A
round table always represented more value than
square one. Perhaps this is why the immortal
Arthur chose round table for his knights, and
not, as perfdiOus chroniclers have suggested,
Lost h0x yoh0r ho fno1o Of of hon