208

USE OF GOLD AND SILVER, ciiap. xxiv.

scdetl those of pewter, as they had done those ofhorn or wood, they were fabricated of very lightweight, and such of them as are now remainingwill be found to be not much heavier than thetea-spoons made in more recent times.

Table-forks are articles of late introduction;they were not universally placed at table tilla comparatively recent period. Even with thehigher classes of society, forks of silver had notsupplanted those of steel or iron at the com-mencement of the reign of George III. ; and itwas towards the middle or end of that reignbefore they became universal among that class,and general among the classes immediately belowthem. Their use has gone on increasing; and thesilver used in the making of them, with the severalkinds of spoons, forms the mode in which one-halfthe silver consumed in England is used.

Between the years 176-5 and 1780, many arti-cles, either new in name, as tea-urns and tureens,or as tea-pots and coffee-pots, made of silver in-stead of other substances, were introduced. These,with silver waiters instead of those called japan,and wine-coolers, had much increased in use.Silver plates, dishes, and covers were broughtdown to classes of lower rank than had beforebeen able to afford such expensive articles.

The use of watches, as general wealth was aug-mented, increased with it; and especially afterthey became the product of the labour of artisans