Our homes, and how to beautify them . o crowd his house with expensive antiques and curios, not in the leastbecause he appreciates them, but because hethinks they will give him the cachet of culture. Ifhis purchases be made from, or through, high-classdealers with access to the best markets, his outlaywill probably secure him a certain degree ofreflected distinction. No man can be the possessorof beautiful and unique works of art without en-joying some artistic importance. His admirationof them may be assumed, his knowledge of theirpoints learnt by rote, but nevertheless, as the ownerof rare a
Our homes, and how to beautify them . o crowd his house with expensive antiques and curios, not in the leastbecause he appreciates them, but because hethinks they will give him the cachet of culture. Ifhis purchases be made from, or through, high-classdealers with access to the best markets, his outlaywill probably secure him a certain degree ofreflected distinction. No man can be the possessorof beautiful and unique works of art without en-joying some artistic importance. His admirationof them may be assumed, his knowledge of theirpoints learnt by rote, but nevertheless, as the ownerof rare and precious things, he is a owner of old , old porcelain, oldivories, if they be of the choice kind, will never bejudged a fool because he spends money freely onother peoples recommendation in the acquisition oftreasures which personally he is not able to distin- ?i r • r ? 1 T^ • ^1 1 ??? S8. SILVKR , guish from inferior exami)les. It is the huyer encmsii, 1=63 (south ).. 200 AND HOW TO BEAUTIFY THEM. who, lacking the qualities of taste and experience, relies on his own unaidedjudgment, or suffers himself to be misled by ignorant or unscrupulous agents,who adventures into the boundless arena of folly. The judicious buyer, unlike the poet, is fit non nascitur. He does notcome into the world, like Minerva, fully equipped. He has to learn much—indeed, he is always learning ; and in the earlier stages he generally has to paypretty dearly for his education. His standard is always growing higher, hisjudgment more exacting. He begins with purchases which, however .satisfyingat the time, are charged with saddening memories when, a few years later, he hassounder views and a riper knowledge. As Byron .says of ones experimentalsweethearts— * Ah, how much colder,A few years older,Will they behold herFor whom they sigh. The first fruits of the curio-buyers investment inspire, when his taste ismaturer, even more disdainful feelings. T
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectinterio, bookyear1902
