DECORATIVE MATERIAL 



this bench would not be, and that is, a cast-iron 

 copy of a so-called rustic seat. A chair or bench 

 might be made of iron, yet be artistic, therefore, 

 honest, and it might fit into a garden scheme. 

 Maybe if this were suggested to a Japanese de- 

 signer he could produce one. But why should 

 the iron pretend to be wood, any more than wood 

 masquerade as iron ? Let us have homely frank- 

 ness about us, rather than supposedly ornate 

 sham — for, as a matter of fact, sham is seldom 

 ornate. I do not admire those beds, designed 

 for New York flats, that are folded up by day, 

 when they pretend to be innocent ice-chests, 

 pianos and sideboards. Every observer knows 

 them for designing and insomnious frauds^ I do 

 not admire chromos that affect to be real oil- 

 paintings, done by hand, nor Philadelphia rugs 

 that make believe to have been woven in Shiraz, 

 nor coffee that grew on chicory, nor wine com- 

 posed of dye and vinegar, nor milk compounded 

 of chalk and water, nor any other thing that goes 

 through the form of being better than it is. Sand 

 in its place is useful, even beautiful, but its place 

 Is not Inside of the sugar-bowl. And so I would 

 avoid In and about the garden all those pretenses 



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