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 
408 
