went from home, a very handsome mahogany stand for the teakettle to stand on, and the ornamental china.” This latter clause refers doubtless to the fine English pieces which he had sent her eight years previously. In spite of all this fine array, Mrs. Bache wrote thus to her father, on October 30, 1773: “We have no plates or dishes fit to set before your friends, and the queen’s ware is thought very elegant here, particularly the spriged. I just mention this, as it would be much cheaper for you to bring them than to get them here.” Let us hope her father took this broad hint and brought the “spriged” dishes to his daughter; and as there still exist among her descendants, pieces of a set of china bearing little sprigs, I choose to think that they are parts of this very set. [Illustration: Province House Pitcher.] A very interesting pitcher of English ware of yellowish paste, with a raised design of vine leaves in vari-colored lustres, is known to us by the name of the Province House Pitcher, because it was found, with two tall pewter drinking-cups, hidden behind a panel in the wainscoting of the historic old Province House in Boston. I fear it is not old enough to have been held by the fair hands of gentle Agnes Surriage, but I doubt not some romance attended its imprisonment. By Revolutionary times a change appeared in the character and quality of the china that was imported to America. In the _Connecticut Courant_ of September, 1773, we read in the advertisement of the “Staffordshire and Liverpool Warehouse,” on King Street, Boston, that they have “for little more than sterling cost, a fine sortment of Crockery Ware, consisting of almost every kind of China, Glass & Delph: Cream color, white, blue & white, black, brown, agot, tortoise, melon, pineapple fruit pattern, enaml’d, and many other kinds of Stoneware. A few complete table services of very elegant printed and painted and guilt ware;” and at a later date “Cream Color Pyramids, Candlesticks, Inkstands, & Chamber Lamps.” The advertisements of this importing house are found in the files of New England papers for many years. Every notice of “English goods” arrived from England for Jolley Allen, for Hopestill Capen, for Cotton Barrell, three thrifty Boston shopkeepers, contained items of English and of India china. “Large & Neat Sortment of India China Dishes of Various forms & sizes, viz: Pudding, Soup, Mackrel, round, oval, Octagon, ribb’d, scallop’d. Also a variety of table & Butter Plates; Patty Pans, Bowls & Sauceboats.” Even in war times there still was china in many shops outside of poor besieged, war-swept Boston, though often only “a few crates well Sortid considering the Scarsity.” By 1778 china began to pour into other ports than Boston. In New Haven were sold in August of that year (and strange to tell, were advertised to be sold at the very highest price) “Oval Dishes of Several Different Sizes, small Cream coloured Plates, Punchbowles, cream colour’d Teapots, Red ditto,