The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-19

against the side. Then the potter one
day pinched a corner in thesoft, undried
vessel, and found that to be a good rest
ing place for the wick, and this protuber-
ance was also found useful as handle, so
two were madeleine on either side A
more modern generation shows the spout
separated from the rim of the vessel
there being hole connecting with the oil
inside. Then the handles grew curled.
like little dogs tail, and finally appears
the Roman lamp, which for centuries was
IN vogue throughout the east, lighting the
lusty worriors to bed when they came IN
late, and, perchance, heating the curling
irons of Cleopatra
ARTISTIC FORMS OF LAMPS.
The Italians continued to improve the
idea by the manufacture of the same
shapes in iron. The Roman artists soon
learned TO com bine necessity with orna-
mentation, and, judging from the beauti-
full collection of their work in MIR
Hough's collection, where may be found
artistic vessels shaped in all sorts of
symbolical forms, some representing hui
man faces, shells, birds, flesh. etc, it ap-
pears that the modern artist is unable to
excel the grace of these ancient designs.
But the greatest feature of the old collec-
ton is group of bronze lamps from the
luxurious dwellings of the Pompeiians
and Romans both used scented oils in
their lamps, which, when lighted, filed
their apartments with delightful odors.
One of these is a swinging lamp of
elaborate design, the tripod stand being
supported by feet fashioned after those
of a frog, which hold up tree, from
whose branches a little lamp swings by
chains, with tweezer and pricker sus-
pended beside it.
Another design shows a stand formed
by bronze stork battling with a snake
of the same metal, whose head Is reared
high in the air, holding small lamp and
the utensils for picking the wick. The
Romans also made lamps of brass, de-
signed after the ancient patterns with
spout and handle From the catacombs
are shown some of the lights with which
the Christians Of the fifth century lighted
the dark quarry caverns in which they
were forced to live. These are of bronze
and earthenware, fashioned somewhat
like the lamps of earlier days, with the
same nozzle and handle, the only differ
ence being that the ornamentaJion con-
sisted OF designs in which some symb Dol Of
Christianity was wrought The Roman
lamps still later vary in the number Of
spouts, having from one to dozen, in
different ages. In this series of Roman
lamps alone Mr.. Hough has l50specimens.
TEE LANTERN OF FORM
The lantern. being conceived as a means
of protecting the candle from the wind,
may be considered next in order of devel-
opment One of tho most interesting
forms of this continuance is a gourd, bored
full OF small holes. This was filled with
large irefies and used on board a vessel
as a light for the compass. Another fire
fly lamp of later date comes from the
West Indies. 1t stands about eighteen
inches high and is constructed in three
stories each ike q cage, with vertical
wicker or BAN boo Stats and small doors.
The brilliant tropical hrefies are impris-
oned in these, being fed daily, and retain
ing their brilliance long time. An old
English horn lanthorn, such as the town
watchman carried in the old country, is
huge black cylinder, having a conical roof
and an iron ring in the top. The inven-
ton Of horn plates, which preceded glass.
is attributed 20 the good King Alfred, who
set up many candles with which TO mea-
sure the time he spent in prayer.
The unprotected candles were Uncer-
tain timekeepers, when they fiuttered in
the wind. making the time of his devo-
lions irregular; so the king conceived the
idea Of transparent plates The English
also used, until many years later, Ian
terms made of tin, punched full Of holes.
The Japanese lanterns, like their candles,
have changed little since prehistoric
times. The japanese have always been
characterized as lovers Of light, and the
more coiors they have added to their