“As pier tables are merely for ornament under a glass, they are generally made very light, and the style of finishing them is rich and elegant. Sometimes the tops are solid marble, but most commonly veneered in rich satin or other valuable wood, with a cross band on the outside, a border about two inches richly japanned and a narrow cross band beyond it, to go all round. The frames are commonly gold or white or burnished gold. Stretching-rails have of late been introduced to these tables, and it must be owned that it is with good effect, as they take off the long appearance of the legs and make the under part appear more finished; besides they afford an opportunity of fixing a vase or basket of flowers, which, with their reflection when there is a glass behind, produce a brilliant appearance. “Some, in place of a stretcher, have a thin marble shelf with a brass rim round it, supported by a light frame; in which case the top ought to be of marble also.” There are horse fire-screens, pole screens and tripod screens. Pole Fire-Screens “may be ornamented variously, with maps, Chinese figures, needlework, etc. The screen is suspended on the pole by means of a spring in the eye, through which the pole goes; the feet of the two outer ones are loaded with lead to keep them steady; may be made of mahogany, but more frequently of wood japanned.” The framework of Horse Fire-Screens should be of mahogany; the screen may be covered with green silk, needlework, etc., at pleasure. Tripod Fire Screens he made in white and gold, mahogany or japanned. “The rods of these screens are all supposed to have a hole through them and a pulley let in near the top on which the line passes, and a weight being enclosed in the tassel, the screen is balanced to any height. The rods are often made square, which indeed best suits those which have pulleys, while those that are made round have only rings and springs. “Such screens as have very fine prints or worked satin, commonly have a glass before them. In which case a frame is made, with a rabbet to receive the glass, and another to receive the straining frame, to prevent it from breaking the glass; and to enclose the straining frame a bead is mitred round.” There were various sorts of dining-tables in use. “The common useful dining-tables are upon pillars and claws, generally four claws to each pillar, with brass castors. A dining-table of this kind may be made to any size, by having a sufficient quantity of pillar and claw parts, for between each of these there is a loose flap, fixed by means of iron straps and buttons, so that they are easily taken off and put aside; and the beds may be joined to each other with brass fork or strap fastenings.”