450 Mr. H. H. Statham [June 4, 



leaf when viewed edgeways (C, Fig. 41) is introduced. In lace 

 alone, perhaps, of all forms of decorative design, we may, as in 

 Fig. 45, ignore symmetry and arrangement altogether, and admit all 

 the irregularity of nature, the fragile material hardly bearing any- 

 thing like precision or formality of design, which would seem to 

 weight it too much. 



Fig. 46 is a sketch of a spray of a foreign fern, Adiantum trapezi- 

 forme (the real character and beauty of which, however, cannot be 

 shown on so small a scale and in mere outline). In its application 

 as a wood inlay (Fig. 47), the trapeziform character of the leaves is 

 an essential point, and also the zigzag of the stalk between the 

 springing of each leaf, arising from the special form of " dichotomy " 

 of growth in the plant ; this is emphasized in the inlay by the addi- 

 tional lines on either side of it, which serve to fill in and give solidity 

 to the ornament. This looks very stiff in comparison with the 

 elegance of the natural spray, yet when applied as a border ornament, 

 say to a table top, it would be much more effective as a whole than 

 any realistic imitation of the spray. Nature sometimes, however, 

 supplies us with a geometrical ornament ready made, as in the blossom 

 of kalmia (Fig. 48), which is almost as precise in its symmetry as if 

 set out with a pair of compasses. The eccentricities of nature furnish 

 us with material for character also, as in the leaf of begonia, which is 

 set so oddly sideways on the end of the stalk, and on which the leaf 

 is based in Fig. 50, an ornament which is made from contiguous circles 

 from each of which one segment is cut out and the tangent of the 

 circle produced to meet the next circle ; the same kind of way of 

 evading the simple basis of the ornament which is found in the Greek 

 fret before mentioned. Fig. 51 represents a bit of humorous design 

 in nature, in which each leaf starts from the opposite side of the stem 

 from that which it ultimately tends to, and each is torn off irregularly 

 at the end ; but if this were adapted for inlay (Fig. 52), it would not 

 do to imitate the irregular termination of the leaf, we could only give 

 a reminiscence of it in a regularly serrated border. The leaf Fig. 53 

 belongs to the same class as the last named, and is peculiar in its 

 shape and character ; it is shown as applied in Fig. 54 to a diaper 

 pattern for stained glass, formed also on contiguous circles intercepted 

 in various ways so as to give an appearance of intricacy, though 

 following a fixed plan. This is an example of the same way of 

 producing interest which is found in Arabic ornament — combining 

 very simple elements of design so as to produce an appearance of 

 elaboration and present a kind of problem to the eye. 



These simple specimens may bo taken as affording, of coui-se, only 

 some slight typical illustration of the philosophy of ornament and 

 the relation in which it stands to natural forms, a subject which 

 would offer almost endless variations for illustration if gone into in 

 detail. One aspect of the subject may be touched upon in conclusion, 

 which seems to connect it with the great modern all-pervading idea 

 of evolution. For though we cannot historically trace back all the 



