PREFACE.

Vll

public ways. And it is to be doubted whether, under the presentdivision of London , the Act can be very efficacious, even as asecurity against fire; for, without impugning the integrity ofthe English Mimar Agas, it may be observed, so unequalare the allotments, that while some districts are too extensivefor the superintendence of one person, others are so small andinsignificant as not to afford sufficient 'remuneration to inducediligence; and thus are the objects of the law defeated.

The free remarks which are occasionally made throughoutthe volume, upon practices at variance with those of our fore-fathers, are intended to be general, and in no instance refer-able to any individual;—I know no one, indeed, to whom theyare personally applicable.

The attempt at tracing a history of the furniture of theTudor period is, I fear, very feeble, and the illustrative examplesfew and unimportant; but the scantiness of materials, even forso slight a sketch, will, with those who have entered upon thesame pursuit, and are consequently aware how little is now tobe obtained, account for my deficiency; and the necessitywhich exists for information on that branch of our domesticeconomy, in some degree extenuate my temerity.

It may be observed that I have, throughout, used the term“ ancient,” as applied to a period not more remote than threecenturies ; — this I have done, though sensible that it was notin strictness a perfectly correct phrase, but being led to the choiceas the best epithet which could be used for my purpose.