. The century illustrated monthly magazine . ourse much ofthe picturesqueness had been wrought byNature, and wrought in one of her most rarelyartistic moods. But her gifts were hedgedabout with hindrances that from a practicalpoint of view seemed all but prohibitory, orseemed to necessitate for their overcoming agreat mutilation of her charm. Yet the househas been built and well built, and her charmis but increased by it. The spot could neverhave seemed so lovely while it lacked thishouse, which nestles on the one hand in thevery heart of the woods and on the other seesthe sky and the close-ly
. The century illustrated monthly magazine . ourse much ofthe picturesqueness had been wrought byNature, and wrought in one of her most rarelyartistic moods. But her gifts were hedgedabout with hindrances that from a practicalpoint of view seemed all but prohibitory, orseemed to necessitate for their overcoming agreat mutilation of her charm. Yet the househas been built and well built, and her charmis but increased by it. The spot could neverhave seemed so lovely while it lacked thishouse, which nestles on the one hand in thevery heart of the woods and on the other seesthe sky and the close-lying ocean over aforeground of rugged rocks and through acrowding tracery of pine-branches — its wide,low windows framing pictures such as we hadonly known before in some drawing from Ja-pan. Even had the practical conditions beenless difficult, it would still be great praise tosay that while Mr. Emersons house is thor-oughly good as a house,— as a dwelling-placefor its own especial owner,— it also seems 2IO AMERICAN COUNTRY PARLOR FIRE-PLACE IN HOUSE OF H. VICTOR NEWCOMB, ESQ., SUNNY SANDS, ELBERON, N. J. almost as much a part of natures first inten-tions as do the rocks and trees themselves ;to say that while it has material fitness it hasalso such artistic fitness that its site and itssurroundings seem to have been designed forits sole sake and service. In these two cases (which I cite as typesof many more) nature gave rich gifts, butthe designer had to mold them carefully tohis purpose. But even when her aid is stillmore freely given, even when it is hamperedby no patent difficulties, even then there isno smallest cause to underrate the designersshare in any ultimate success. For if a goodchance always meant a good result, then Na-ture only would deserve the name of eyes are unintelligent and hands un-skillful, a good chance merely means a chancefor doubly sinful failure. But, on the other hand, there are manytimes when even the intelligent,
Size: 1762px × 1419px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectamerica, bookyear1882
