ORNAMENTAL VASES AND CHIMNEY TOPS. 



43 



conferring ornament. In the rudest state 

 of society, we have the tattooing and nose- 

 rings of the savage ; next, the ear-rings, 

 scarcely less barbarous, of a more civilized 

 period ; and, though these must pass away 

 with the introduction of a taste more truly 

 refined, the necklaces and bracelets, which 

 are common to all ages and countries, will 

 probably continue to be so, so long as 

 women dress highly, and large parties are 

 given by artificial light. 



" Another reason for the introduction of 

 vases, and other architectural ornaments of 

 a similar kind, both into town and country 

 gardens, is, their tendency to create and cul- 

 tivate a taste for natural beauty in the 

 spectator ; since, however paradoxical it 

 may seem, it is, nevertheless, true that we 

 can only be instructed in the beauties of 

 nature through those of art. No person 

 can either enjoy, understand, describe, or 

 remember a landscape properly, who has 

 not been instructed in drawing landscapes, 

 any more than he could enjoy, understand, 

 or analyze any particular style of writing 

 without having been taught grammar and 

 composition. Teaching a person to draw 

 trees, for example, is teaching him to find 

 beauties in trees which he had never seen 

 in them before. Setting before a person 

 beautiful vases, is to familiarise him with 

 beautiful forms, which he cannot help con- 

 trasting with ordinary shapes ; and accord- 

 ing to his natural capacity, or the suitable- 

 ness of his organization for discernment in 

 forms, he will find in the vase a unity of 

 tendency in the lines which constitute their 

 outlines, a symmetry in their general forms, 

 and a richness, an intricacy, and a charac- 

 ter of art in their sculptured details, which 

 will induce him to search for those quali" 

 ties in other objects of art, and to observe 

 every tendency towards them in the works 

 of nature. To such an observer, the pro- 



ductions of architecture and sculpture would 

 assume a new interest; he would gradu- 

 ally, and almost imperceptibly, acquire a 

 knowledge of, and a taste for, the beauty 

 of forms and lines in objects generally. 

 He would thus learn to distinguish sym- 

 metry, regularity, unity, variety, and other 

 abstract qualities in works of art, which he 

 would probably never have discovered in 

 the forms of nature without such assistance ; 

 though they exist there, and are merely 

 imitated by art in a way which renders 

 them more obvious to untutored man, who 

 sees only that mind in other things which 

 he understands and feels in himself. 



" The last reason which we shall offer 

 for the introduction of vases into architec- 

 tural and garden scenery is, the gratifica- 

 tion which such objects afford to the man 

 of intelligence and taste. There are, per- 

 haps, few objects, next to the human 

 figure, which afford as many interesting 

 historical associations as the vase. It may 

 truly be said to be the first and the last 

 production of the plastic art. The first 

 utensil formed by man, in the dawn of 

 civilization, in every country, is a vessel or 

 vase for holding water ; and that on which 

 the highest resources of art are bestowed, 

 in ages of the greatest refinement, is a ves- 

 sel or vase for holding wine. In the first 

 case, it is hollowed out of a gourd, or rudely 

 shaped of clay, and dried in the sun ; and 

 in the latter case, it is manufactured of 

 costly metals or precious stone; or if of 

 common materials, such as stone, earthen 

 ware, or glass, it is rendered valuable by the 

 taste and skill bestowed on its form or its 

 ornaments. The history of every country 

 may be traced by its vases, no less than by 

 its coins; and the history of all countries is 

 set before us in the vases of all countries." 



lO^ Messrs. James Lee & Co., 11 Broad-street, New- 

 York, and 18 India- wharf, Boston, are Agents for the sale of 

 these articles in the United States. 



