Introduction to Modern Furniture

1. Career of modern furniture

Meekin started his professional baseball career in 1887, with Scranton of the Pennsylvania State Association. He then played three years with the Western Association's St.

Paul Apostles. In 1891, he jumped to the Colonels. A hard thrower, Meekin led the American Association in strikeouts per nine innings.

He was reportedly one of the three hardest-throwing pitchers of the 1890s, along with Hall of Famers Cy Young and Amos Rusie. That trio was probably the main reason why baseball decided to move the pitching mound back from 50 feet to 60 feet, 6 inches. Meekin was also a "head-hunter.

" He once stated that when facing a good hitter, the first two pitches should come "within an inch of his head or body." Meekin posted several below-average pitching seasons early in his major league career; in 1893, he went just 10-15. However, in 1894, he was traded to the New York Giants.

He immediately had the best season of his career, teaming up with Rusie to provide the ultimate 1-2 pitching staff of the era. Together, they led New York to a second place regular season finish. Meekin pitched 418 innings and compiled a record of 33-9 to lead the National League in winning percentage.

He was second only to Rusie in wins and earned run average. His statistics also reflected both his speed and wildness; he ranked third in the league with 137 strikeouts but also finished third with 176 walks. In addition, he led all NL hurlers with 22 wild pitches.

Meekin also hit three triples in a game that season, on July 4; this set a record for pitchers that has never been equaled. After the 1894 regular season, New York faced the first place Baltimore Orioles in the Temple Cup series. Baltimore is considered by some to be the greatest baseball team of the 19th century, but Meekin and Rusie won two games each to sweep the Orioles in four straight.

Meekin fell off somewhat in 1895. Battling a sore arm, he gave up 30 hits in one game that year, losing 23-2 to St. Louis.

For some reason, he was not removed from the game, even though several times, he "staggered when about to pitch." Meekin won just 16 games, and his earned run average rose 1.60 from the previous season.

However, he rebounded for two more 20-win seasons in 1896 and 1897. In one game in 1896, Meekin threw the first intentional walk in baseball history, to slugger Jimmy Ryan. The strategy worked when the next hitter struck out to end the game.

In 1899, Meekin was sold to the Beaneaters, which caused an uproar with the Giants fans. Collusion was suspected between the two teams, but the trade went through. Meekin had short stints with Boston and Pittsburgh before finishing his career in the minor leagues.

He pitched in semi-pro games in New York as late as 1905. Meekin died in 1944, at the age of 77, in his hometown of New Albany, Indiana.

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2.

Diplomatic approaches between the courts of John III Sobieski and Emperor Kangxi of modern furniture

One of the first modern-style diplomacy attempts in the Chinese context was the one made by John III Sobieski of Poland who desired to negotiate friendly relationships with Emperor Kangxi. The diplomatic approaches between the courts can be traced to the correspondence between John III himself with a trusted advisor to Kangxi, Flemish Franciscan Ferdinand Verbiest. On 17th of November 1685 Verbiest sent via Nicola Avancini a congratulatory letter to the King of Poland for his role in the victory over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna.

It is claimed to be an opening of a Polish connection. Although the victory brought John III fame throughout Europe, at that time the King was seeking it himself. One of his ways was sending auto-portraits to the courts of various rulers.

It is believed that around 1685-87 John III presented his portrait to Emperor Kangxi. Reportedly, the gift was well received and the Emperor personally responded with an eulogy for the Polish King. The contents of the letter remain unknown.

Verbiests first letter, however, was inspired by his concern for an overland route via Moscovia and Poland to Europe, which became a pivotal point in the geostrategy of the Jesuits Mission in China. The concern was shared on the other side of the route. John III solicited opening of a trade connection with Far East through Siberia already in 1667 during negotiations of the Treaty of Andrusovo, expecting Polish or German Jesuits to play a central role in establishing of this path.

Although it ended with a fiasco, the King did not abandon this plan. A successful attempt was made while negotiating the Grzymulkowski Treaty on 6th of May 1686. Unfortunately the agreement was not honored.

It is speculated that Russians have annexed several Chinese provinces within the last five years and wanted to conceal this fact. The issue of trade route was closely linked with John IIIs main intention of reinforcing global security by becoming allies with the Celestial Empire. After the defeat of Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna, the Tsardom of Russia became Kings new, main concern.

Unfortunately for the Polish King, at the time Chinese Emperor must have considered the Treaty of Nerchinsk to be sufficient assurance of peace with Russian Tsardom. Moreover, Chinese Empires international relations at the time were based on the tributary system and all foreigner missions were expected to adopt a posture of subjugation. For Kangxi therefore it must have been unlikely to imagine alliance with a distant, European kingdom as essential in maintaining safety.

Verbiest died on 28th of January 1688, 10 months before the date of the last letter of John III Sobieski, which indicated a depth of prior communication between them: Joannes Tertius Dei gratia Rex Poloniae Venerabilis Pater, devote nobis dilecte. Tametsi tardius per tanta terrarum spatia litterae Paternitatis Vestrae ad nos delatae sint, a tam grato tamen in aula Potentissimi Sinarum Regis Verbi Divini Administro, non potuerunt nisi esse gratissimae. At longe maioris adhuc aestimationis illae amoris et observantiae nobis fuerunt significationes Patrum Societatis, qui in nobilissima illa vinea Apostolica zelo, insignique fructu animarum et Ecclesiae incremento ibidem desudant, quibus vicissim singularem benevolentiam, quam Societatem nostro in Regno complectimur, Devot.

Vestris animitus declaramus. Porro quod tantus Sinico Tartaricus Monarcha, cui maxima pars orbis obtemperat, lubenti animo et effigiem nostram suspexerit et ottomanicam superbiam potentiamque, Superis propitiis, multiplicibus attritam esse victoriis curiosus intellexerit, aeque nobis honorificum ac iucundum esse non inficiamur, immo satisfactionem, quam inde cepimus et grati animi contestationem a Devot. Vestra Eidem Monarchae vicissim exhiberi impense desideramus.

Applaudimus insuper Potentissimo Imperatori, quod tot nobilissimis Gentibus terra marique imperet et virtutibus nomen toto orbe celeberrimum impleat, diuturnos Suac M-ti annos, gloriae auctoramenta et omnimodam felicitatem a Supremo Numine auguramur, fidem et fraternam cum eodem amicitiam et sincere ambientes, quam certo nobis pollicemur. In hoc quoque non minimum experimur oblectamentum, quod quemadmodum Divina Providentia Polonicis armis et dexteris ad Christianae Religionis Sanctissimae contra barbaros et infidelissimos hostes defensionem uti dignata est, ita potentissimi et sapientissimi Monarchae protectione veri Dei Opt. Max.

et Jesu Christi cultus promoveatur, ac Religiosi Soc. Jesu de Sancta Ecclesia tam bene meriti, Imperiali gratia foveantur. Unde Supremum Numen, novis in dies favoribus illum cumulaturum, tandemque verae lucis radiis eiusdem oculos, mentemque illuminaturum, quo longe amplius Regnum consequi, eoque frui in aeternum possit, speramus.

Liber de rebus sinicis nondum in nostram devenit notitiam, gratissimum vero nobis fore confidat, si inposterum distinctissimas relationes, morum praecipue et rerum exoticarum, tum ad Regiones tum ad Personas, sive aulae sive aliorum spectant, quavis ad nos miserit occasione. Caeterum devotis Societatis suffragiis nos, domumque nostram commendatam cupimus.code: lat promoted to code: la Datum Jaworowiae, die 16 Novembris anno Domini 1688 Regni vero Nostri XV.

  Joannes Rex. The fact that the letter was hand-written by the Polish King himself indicates the great importance he attached to this matter. Although the letter returned unanswered, it has not stopped John III from further attempts of establishing diplomatic ties with the Chinese court.

Sobieski continued to exchange letters with Philippus Maria Grimaldi, the successor of Verbiest on the Kangxis court. John III had high hopes for establishing exotic relations with the Chinese court. The efforts were also motivated by his interest in the Chinese culture.

John III was curious about such matters as Chinese customs, organization of the court (government) or the size of the army. He asked Verbiest these and similar questions seeking reliable and first-hand information. In his royal library he owned, among others, a book about China written by the German Jesuit A.

Kircher China Monumentis Illustrata (Amsterdam 1667). His vast collection included other Chinese objects such as paintings, furniture, caskets, porcelain. In his royal palace in Wilanw John III established a designated Chinese pavilion full of chinoserie.