New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-04


Century Company
TEE GEORGIAN PERIOD Being. Measured
B-8wIgs Of Colonial Work and /, a Golec1jon of
fury Architecture in the Hted states Illus
d1c5ioas Of Measured Drawings. with Fu
F e Fh9ToerstiG HiT T Tnd WIN MI5cet-
foioS Boston: American Architect and
Building News Company.
Miss Smith has written her book in the belief
TIA, while Z marked interest has been aroused
Il tie early Colonial life Of this country little
sk--tul Use has been made OF the information
that has been gathered on the subject. in re-
constructing the beginnings Of American social
conditions The Coionists included at least five
different stocks - Puritan. Cavalier. Dutch
Huguenot and Palat.ne; the customs and the
manner Of living they brought differed widely.
hat Is often forgotten, too. manners and Gus
toE-s changed with every advancing decade and
VIII the rapid growth in wealth; the sharp dis
tCctio-s made between social classes likewise
slg-.aed marked difference in their modes Of
lie It has been Miss Smiths purpose in this
book 10 contribute toward a better determina-
don 4 some Of these points. II her view.
have yet learned hardly more than The alphabet
&C the true story q he Colonial life. We are
inclined 10 think she has und-restirnated the
effectiveness with which much Il the recent
R0rk Il his direction has been done; but there
IS Ea-Ga- doubt. IN a further discriminating
study = he evidences q Colonial civilization,
especially when i j. made with s. much n
geru-ty a -he has shown. Miss Smith has mad
access 70 unusually complete collections II
papers and documents belonging - families #
Puritan stock n Connecticut. Dutch n Nv
York, ana Husuenot II N=w-I:a. hello. ana has
made them disclose many interesting facts about
each
'Mayfower teapots' have become laughing
stock since il has been pointed out that TIA was
not introduced into Great Britain TIL many
y-a-s after the landing Of the Pilgrims. and It
Eas ben recognized that thu immigrants Il the
earliest days had no room. even i they had the
wealth. 70 bring rich articles Of furniture for
their lie q hardship and privation. But it was
Tot long before the New-EngIand families %
w~a.th and Yrt -.neuce were importing such
things After It-.' he variety and value Of per
s5naI Effects in legal inventories rapidly IN
creased, but even these documents 90 not truly
indicate the standard Il comfort prevailing be-
Cause q thu growing dlsIncIination 10 make such
matters public The care with which many
things common today were enumerated goes %
sh1N the high value then set on them. bedding
and copper and pewter utensils. al that time
even III England. are constantly named as arti-
ci=s II considerable value. As late as the mid
G q the eighteenth century a complete outfit
. pewter plates, dishes and spoons made lord.
= a-iding present for General Humphrey Ath- !
---.- t. g.ve = rs daughter. The rag carpet |
sands II m Is : many as one q the most
~ ca = all Colonial furnishings. but Miss |
believes that after the middle u the eigh- |
-- nh century i had entirely disappeared from |
e.. better sort q houses. except n rear pas
=---s Tn Introduction q rag carpet as part |
u --= restoration = Washingron's home at |
1t Vernon strikes her and no doubt Justly.
--= { the ataet-ronisms she has tried 20 cor
r-.- 3. mr. book A. Washington and 10 doubt