THE TWENTIETH .CENTURY. HOUSE. 677 
superior sex delights in surroundthg itself with. It is 
inartistic, as the eye is absolutely confused and bewildered 
by the multiplicity of petty objects, so that anything of 
real value is probably unnoticeable ; and it is, to my thinking, 
as wanting in taste as for a woman to wear all her jewellery 
at once. The Japanese, the most artistic race of the world, 
can in this matter, as in many others, teach us a lesson. 
Every home in the “Land of the Rising Sun,” however humble, 
possesses a few works of art, which are kept carefully stored, 
and brought out one at a time for the pleasure of the in- 
mates, and thus day by day come with the charm of 
freshness. We might do worse than follow their example. 
Such a course would render our rooms more sanitary, more 
easily cleaned, and far more comfortable—to the “‘mere male,”’ 
at any rate; and when the present craze for a multiplicity 
of petty objects has had its day, our wives, sisters, cousins, 
and aunts, will find they can be just as happy as their 
grandmothers were, before the era of cheap frivolities over- 
whelmed us. 
It may be objected that the house I have sketched though 
slightly smaller in size than those of the present, would be . 
much more expensive to build. I quite admit it. But the 
saving in domestic labour would more than compensate. 
Let us a assume a family of six persons. In an ordinary 
middle-class house, they would probably keep two servants. 
The cost of each servant for board and wages would be at 
least £50 or £60 per annum. With a properly arranged 
dwelling, one could be dispensed with, and instead of the 
other let us assume a highly trained lady-help, or a capable 
educated servant, coming daily to do her work, and leaving 
when finished. They would and should receive higher 
wages than at present. but a saving of one person’s food, and 
say half her wages, would be effected, equal to about £40 
per annum. This at 5 per cent. represents a capital value 
of £800, which would be available for extra expenditure 
on the dwelling. A very good house for a family of six can 
be built for £1200, so that with £800 added, £2000 would 
be at command without incurring a greater total annual 
expenditure than at present. But so much would be quite 
unnecessary, as £300 extra, or a total of £1500, would amply 
suffice for all the improvements I have suggested, and thus 
a saving of £500 in capital could be effected. 
One further point I would like to emphasise; and that is. 
the absolutely necessity of a better and more practical 
system of education for the whole community. Firstly, for 
the workers who build the house—and I am sorry to say 
