Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-12-20
HOUSE FURNISHING.

II j, astonishing how completely we sur
render our houses 10 the dominion oi fashion
and 10 the hands of arl2ans, when IN tins
business world of ours, they afford almost the
only field for the exercise of that taste and
poetry, which should be in the heart of every
iuman being. Show Us drawing room and,
nj glance we will inform you what manner
Of man lis owner j., for nine cases ont ot ten
II ma,'s house is the chart OF the intellect
md refinement 10 be found in himself and
his household. We never yet saY coarse
minded man or woman AT the head OF taste
fully arranged or well regulated house. On
the contrary, we believe 1t TO be impossible
@for person of true refinement not to lavish
something Of mind on the "household gods
which gather about the altar Of his domestic
affections. II he has taste or originality in
his nature. il will be called forth IN selecting
and arranging those articles Of comfort or OF
beauty with which he loves 10 surround the
objects of his care aud the most lofty genius
NAV be well excrtcd in decorating that one
sacred spot, which gives something of i'm
portance and dominion to the most lowly, and
10 which the most exalted must turn for all
they can hope of true happiness. Home is
the poor mans shelter. and the rich mans
place ofrest If content is not to be found
there he may seek for it in vain on earth. If
his affections do not prompt him to embelIish
that home in every raiionul and prudent way,
lie lacks both the feeling and the taste neces-
sary for lis highest enjoyment. Taste, that
quality which lends portion of its own beau
" 10 every thing II touches, Is rare endow-
ment, and when IL does exist, II Is by lar too
often rendered subseryient TO fashion, or loot
in the gorgeous display of wealth When
this ceases TO be the case-when taste will
dare to show itself independently. the fash
ionabe districts OF our city will take very
different aspect 10 that which they now pre-
sent; our dwellings will cease to be the
exact counterpart ofits neighbor, and it will
be necessary 20 go beyond a mans doorstep
to know what his house contains; every
mansion will partake something Of the char
meter Of its DosscSsOr, and we shall be saved
the eternal sameness Of tail mirrors, reflect
ing each other through pair Of open folding
doors-of sofas all of pattern, and chairs
which hold a relationship IN color and form
10 those o! every acquaintance you happen
to have in the city. We shall be saved the
torment Of looking over the same gllded
books on dozen different tables. and of see
ing easy chairs and couches multiplied with
the exactness of a Chinese tea set. In short,
men and women will furnish their own houses
dependent taste will throw something of in
dividuali,y into the decorations of hIs home,
which will stamp it as his own, independent
Of the plate on his door, or Of his family por-
traits even.
While score Of different manufacturers
are engaged in separate articles Of furniture,
each fashioning and a,tiring his own object
of workmanship without regard to the form
or structure of other articles necessary to the
same room-wnc one artisan plans sofa,
another a chair-while 4 third cxerts his in
genuiiy on a bookcase or table, each inde-
pondcntly Of the othcr-it is next to impossi-
BILE, that house should be furnished with n
strict conformity To fashion, and yet with u
nice regard to fitness and beauty.
10 fiji up a house well-to make it at once
elegant aud comfortable, requires no slight
/, fi1rt of judemcnt--nUy, of genius even.-
The mind which can perform this work per-
feciy. might compose picture or originate
poem. The idcaliiy. taste and power OF
creation requisite for the one, is also neces-
sorry 10 tho other Comfort is TO be blended
with brsnty, the useful ard the ornamental
are 10 be combined. In short. well orrang-
ed room is proof of high refinement in lis
psscssor. A hnc eye for color knowledge
ot light and shadow, Of distances and of
grouping. are as essential TO its completion,
ns they are To- the landscape or TO the listori-
cal picture. Tho cabinet maker. the uphols.
teter, the painter aud the rlazer. may all
exhaust iheir skll without produ, ing he de.
sfed elect. master mind is nee, ssnry to
regulate the tack Of each. to see tha, their
separate labors blend into graceful Keeping
that the color on tho wall hnrmonizes with
the farpot and the window drapery-tha, pic.
tures-fur We can scarcely cone, iyc of n well
furnished honsc without them-hayo tho ex
net degree Of light, which viii best throw on,
their beauties, and are appropriate IN snbicc,
and size TO The aparimen;--,hai au article OF
ornament or use, is arranged With u refer, ne
90 is effect on others. II fitness AND sym
mety are preserved, one can afford t. be IN