230 



ON TASTE IN ORNAMENTAL DESIGN. 



Part II. 



double, life size. Nor are these confined to the sides or the 

 foot of a stone Maltese vase, but are met with in works of 

 far higher pretensions. 



35. [The putting together of different objects to form a 

 design is a common fault; and we may see a chandelier, 

 / 1 o \ composed of a concatenation of vases, lyres, and 

 other things ; the whole attached to, or separated 

 from the ceiling by a misplaced eagle, a hand, or 

 other object quite at variance .with the rest.] A 

 chandelier is, after all, only excusable for its utility 

 in giving light, not easily obtained in the same 

 quantity with equal convenience ; but when, in 

 addition to the general objection of cutting the 

 ^-H5f§3^ room in half, it is frightful in form, it becomes 

 intolerable. A vase, mounted on a pedestal, with 

 branches springing out of its mouth to form a candlestick, is 

 another instance of inconsistency ; generally made worse by 

 being of elongated proportion, and made both of 

 metal and porcelain, combined with a profusion 

 of gilding. Some too, who undertake to make 

 designs, show their incapacity by repeating the 

 same idea in every work they produce ; and there 

 is a similar want of real genius in those who can- 

 not vary the same subject in painting, — so dif- 

 ferent from the fertility of invention that marks 

 Raphael's varied treatment of the Madonna. 



[To copy some utensil in order to make one for 

 a totally different purpose, and in a different ma- 

 terial, is another sign of poverty of invention ; as 

 when a porcelain bowl imitates the yellow colour 

 and the construction of a wooden tub, which 

 is rendered still more objectionable if it affects 

 to be bound with blue ribbons in lieu of hoops. 

 False pretences are always bad, both in a 



