190 ON TASTE IN ORNAMENTAL DESIGN. Paet II. 



sible, and he will take means to find out what is best ; and 

 the simplest mode of selecting him would be by ballot among 

 the members of the committee itself, who would thus be 

 relieved from the too common habit of giving way to some 

 troublesome, overbearing, member of their body, who, being 

 the most busy and tiresome in the inverse ratio of his talents, 

 gets his own way, in opposition to less assuming and more 

 capable men.] As an additional mode of remedying this 

 abuse, each member of a committee should be obliged to put 

 down his opinions in writing, and give his reasons for them ; 

 for when several subscribe to the decision of one, that is not 

 really their own opinion, founded on any reason of their own, 

 but a mere echo, and often the result of ignorance or idleness. 



[And how are committees too often formed ? Some mem- 

 bers are chosen because their reputation pronounces them to 

 be well informed, perhaps on this, perhaps on some other, 

 subject; some because their incapacity is overbalanced by a 

 sounding title ; and some for various reasons, which may or 

 may not be valid ; while many of them, when appointed, do 

 not attend at all, and none are responsible even if they do. 

 Hence we may pronounce this verdict, when their decision is 

 bad : — that sums of money have been thrown away, and the 

 taste of the country degraded, by the doings of " some person 

 or persons unknown." 



What great undertaking could be expected to succeed when 

 directed by such a council, without a responsible head ? How- 

 ever useful a council of war for consultation, an army would 

 find it a poor substitute for a general in the field ; and in a 

 country where the necessity of one chief is acknowledged by its 

 institutions it does seem rather inconsistent to leave questions 

 of importance to the chance decision of numerous individuals, 

 without a responsible president.] Unfortunately, however, 

 the want of a head, in our various state and other depart- 

 ments, is quite as much felt as in the direction of taste ; and 



