Thomas Dekker, in his ''The Gull's Horn Book
of 1609, is the first on record to use box'' in the theatrical sense. He described boxes as: crammed spaces "in the suburbs of the stage" from which to watch a performance. Opera boxes were a status of wealth and high social standing in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Opera became a place not only for enjoying art and music but also for displaying wealth and social status. The epitome of extravagance could be viewed in the art, fashions and behaviors at the Opera. ==See also==