THE FERN PARADISE. 



plants into the dwelling-house has been exercised 

 more freely than usual, it is seldom that the 

 effect produced is striking. The conservatory 

 when an adjunct of the drawing-room, and imme- 

 diately contiguous to it supplies in some degree 

 the requirements of a refined taste ; but dwelling- 

 rooms are mostly subjected to the despotic sway 

 of a system of conventional ornamentation. Even 

 rigid conventionalism, however, pays homage to 

 Nature by calling artistic effort into requisition in 

 order to produce petrified imitations of leaves and 

 flowers. The high art of the painter and sculptor, 

 and the ruder arts of house decorating, are employed 

 in this work of imitation ; but the result often 

 beautiful and striking as an artistic success 

 pales before the exquisite reality of Nature itself. 



Why then do we not sweep away from our 

 dwelling-houses the rigid conventionalism which 

 is content to represent Nature in stereotyped 

 lines in places where she is only too ready to come 

 herself, in all her chaste and simple yet inimitable 

 loveliness ? Her image may still be preserved in 

 stereotype where she cannot come herself; but 

 away with the folly of setting up lifeless imitations 





