While this description of Mr. Lossing’s is accurate as to the decoration of the china, if not as to the quality of the decoration, a china collector would at once discover that the “Cincinnati set” was not Sèvres, but was plainly Chinese. It is the well-known dull white, hard paste of Canton manufacture, with a border of commonplace Oriental design in deep blue under the glaze. Some of the pieces have (all, perhaps, had originally) a narrow rim of gilt on the outer edge, and a narrow line of gilt within the border. The rather insignificant and undersized figure of Fame has bright brown wings and trumpet, a robe of light green, a scarf of bright pink, while the bow-knot sustaining the colored Order of the Cincinnati is light blue. This design is not painted at all skilfully but quite crudely over the glaze. Some of the covered dishes bear upon the cover the order without the figure of Fame. In a note made by Governor Lyon he states that this service was “made in Canton in 1784, the design being furnished by General Miranda.” Though the design be insignificant and the execution crude, much interest is added to the Cincinnati china to know that the “most gentlemanlike of filibusters” made the drawing for the decoration. That plausible and brilliant man who “talked so like an angel” that Americans, Russians, and Englishmen vied in endeavors to assist him in his visionary schemes; who helped to establish independence in America, to give freedom to France, to liberate his native land, Venezuela; who aided in freeing thousands of others, died himself in a Spanish dungeon a slave, a most miserable captive, in chains, with an iron collar around his neck. No one was apparently better fitted to give information on the subject of the Cincinnati china than Governor Lyon, for he was a frequent visitor at Mount Vernon and Arlington House in the middle of this century; he was also collecting facts and details with a view to writing a “History of the Ceramic Relics of the Revolution.” Unfortunately he relied much on his memory, and hence left few notes. Much ignorance about this Cincinnati china is displayed, even by writers upon pottery and porcelain. The author of “The Ceramic Art” calls it Sèvres, and places the most Chinese-looking illustration of it alongside the print of equally Frenchy Sèvres vases. That careful observer and exact recorder, the author of “The China Hunters’ Club,” falls into no such error, and though unable to examine specimens closely, says “they looked like so-called Lowestoft, and may have been Chinese, English, or of some French factory.” Another well-known writer says that this set was given to Washington in 1780. As neither the Society of the Cincinnati, nor its badge, existed until 1783, this statement is palpably false.