The caprice of the human mind is marvellously exemplified in the varying fashions of silver plate; the work of no individual manufactory being for any long time in vogue. At one period, the Furnian plate, at another the Clodian, and at another the Gratian,1078 is all the rage—for we borrow the shop even at our tables.1079—Now again, it is embossed plate1080 that we are in search of, and silver deeply chiselled around the marginal lines of the figures painted1081 upon it; and now we are building up on our sideboards fresh tiers1082 of tables for supporting the various dishes. Other articles of plate we nicely pare away,1083 it being an object that the file may remove as much of the metal as possible.

We find the orator Calvus complaining that the saucepans are made of silver; but it has been left for us to invent a plan of covering our very carriages1084 with chased silver, and it was in our own age that Poppæa, the wife of the Emperor Nero, ordered her favourite mules to be shod even with gold!