218 ON TASTE IN ORNAMENTAL DESIGN. Paet II. 



assure us that they are the "newest" (instead of the "best,") 

 and when good things go out of fashion to give way to some 

 fanciful novelty, we may vainly hope for taste either in the 

 maker or the public. The Greeks, on the contrary, repeated 

 the same favourite design for years, when once pronounced 

 good ; and when brought within the reach of all, it was com- 

 mon without being considered "vulgar :" old types were also 

 reproduced under new forms, and new ones were not devised 

 by them because new ones were required, but because they 

 were suggested by their genius. There was not a manufac- 

 ture of novelties, nor did their talents pander to the cravings 

 of wealthy caprice, and neglect the more important duty 

 of beautifying objects of daily use and humble life.] Even 

 the fickle Athenian, with all his rage for new ideas and sj)ecu- 

 lations, did not allow his love of " some new thing " to influ- 

 ence his taste, or induce him to discard good works of art for 

 some fashionable novelty ; and he did not prefer the foreign 

 to what was Grreek. 



29. [Among the common errors of people deficient in 

 judgment, and particularly of the English, are a blind admi- 

 ration for the works of foreigners, (often without the necessary 

 inquiry into their merits,) and a disregard for greater talent in 

 their own countrymen. Nowhere is this more striking than 

 in the little honour paid to the wonderful genius of our Flax- 

 man ; who, had he been Herr Flackmann, or Herr Flaccus, 

 might have obtained the praise he merits here, and receives 

 abroad. We disregard the "prophet in his own country," 

 and take the "ignotum pro magnifico" with complacent 

 innocence ; as we pronounce many manufactured articles im- 

 ported from France to be far superior to our own, without 

 dreaming of their being the re-imported productions of En- 

 glish artisans ; and a vocalist might have less chance of 

 admiration under the name of Mrs. Green than under that of 

 Signora Verde. 



