HOUSES AND GARDENS 



the modern Churchman, with no faculty for deciphering the language of the 



building committed to his care, defaces its ancient glories under the excuse of 



restoration, with just the same kind of innocent indifference as the child who 



burns a precious manuscript in the fire and claps its hands at the blaze. 



the unsuspecting vicar expands with pleasurable delight over these devastating 



restorations of his. 



Or again, it you wish to understand the romantic spirit of ancient chivalry, 

 where will you find it so well inscribed as in the ancient Norman and 

 Edwardian castles ? And so on to our own times, each subtle change in the 

 time spirit is duly recorded in terms of bricks and mortar. The mellowing 

 and broadening of the somewhat narrow and intense Gothic spirit which took 

 place with that sudden influx of classic lore which gave England her golden 

 age how well we find it inscribed in many an old manor and farm of the 

 period ! And then one may trace the gradual fading of that light till the chill 

 frosts of commerce and the machine made building such as we find it to-day. 



Few things are indeed so strange as this thaumaturgic art of the builder. 

 He places stones in certain positions cuts them in certain ways, and behold 

 they begin to speak with tongues a language of their own, with meanings too 

 deep for words. 



CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 



FURNISHING 



f AVING built a small house on the principles which have been 

 advocated, it would seem a relatively simple matter to obtain 

 the necessary movable furniture to complete its interior. 

 Already the house with its cupboards and seats will be partially 

 furnished, and the additional furniture required, being not 

 essential for effect but merely for use, will not include those unnecessary 

 articles, which are merely so many stumbling-blocks for the occupants. 

 Such furniture cannot be bought in shops any more than the kind of house I 

 have endeavoured to describe can be found ready built. The shops will 

 merely offer a choice between the ugly furniture made to meet the demands 

 of those as yet innocent of artistic cravings, and the " Art " furniture made 

 for those who are presumed to be better informed. 



But the New Art as interpreted by the shops is more to be avoided than the 



old ugliness. Whatever Art may be admitted to the house it must be 



genuine Art and not Trade Art. The best way to secure a satisfactory result 



in furnishing is to have the furniture made specially for its position a few things 



soundly and simply constructed which shall seem a part of the whole scheme. 



In many parts of the country old furniture of a simple type gate tables, 



rush-bottomed chairs, bureaus, &c. may be obtained at a very reasonable 



40 



