National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-18
A WONDERFUL HOUSE.

ITS INTERIOR RIYALING IN COSTLY
ADORNMENT THE SPLENDORS OF THE
ORIENT.
In the city of London there is q mansion Of
ordinary exterior, the dwelling Of Mr.. Alfred
Morrison, having an interior so unique and costly
that we eondense an account Of It from a recent
description by a visitor. It Is a square, lead-eol-
cred building, externally unnotleeable; 'but pass
the doorway snd in an instant every fair CLINE
surrounds you" Entering room for reading
and writing we are conscious Of certain warmth
Of reception even from the walls. They are Of
silk, made in Lyons after designs by Oven Jones'
an EDglishman Of great reputation for interior
decoration. The design suggests an endless Sc
ries Of GmPhorG, (oval-shaped vases,) whose out
lines have suddenly budded OF into little
branches. The surface is Persian, and the seuti-
ment Of the room is Oriental, without presenting
a single instance where Oriental work has been
copied. The carpet is Persian, also designed by
Jones, the most noticeable figure being the
crossed squares in star shape to match a similar
one on the eoffered ceiling.
There is also q blue room, yellow room apink
room, but In none Of these are there any loud or
Rarisb tnts.. The ceiling Of the reading room is
after the fashion Of Italian work OF the fifteenth
century, which ceased to be need on account OF
its great weight and consequent liability to fall.
1t was composed Of heavy mOuldings in deep
relief; but Jones revived il and rendered it safe
by inventing material called hbrOus plaster
with canvas, to which lie applied many coats Of
plaster, well rubbed down in any shape he wished
and aiterward painted. The Golfers In this house
are star-shaped, and in each is cOnvoluted shell
of gold. But neither the wonderful hangings
nor the elaborate eeiliRgs are comparable with
the manner In which rare ald precious woods are
used. In the dado iambs and chaiT-bolrding we
md no carving, but simply ebOniZed aud natural
eolored woods. Some Of these are so fine that
the closest inspection fails to detect any grain.
All the rOsettes the chimney pieces Gatherings
about the doors and cappings for the dAdos are
brown, OF all shades, in the natural WOOD not
stained or painted in any way. Even the chairs
and tables are made OF precious woods
In the library the boOkshelyes do duty as dadOs
around the room, and have doors Of alternate
glass and wood. The latter are adOrEed with
ioliatiOn over two feet high, growing from the
bottom OF the panel and leading out the top,
which cannot be surpassed by any ancient mar
quetTy. Above these the green aud gold lustres
early Tudor ceiling Of checker pattern, between
relieis Of large star, with four shadings of diff
teTent cOlors; or star within star, golden,
dark and white The chimney-pieee gives the
impression Of large arched cabinet, with a fire.
CRATE beneath, having two wings, In which are
contained specimens OF porcelain from Persia and
peaIanee Of having been designed for the room.
The decorator never saw them until they were
brought in by the owner Of the mansion. The
drawing room has tretted ceiling, frleze Of
dRmasS, picked out with gold; inlaid cabinet
work dadO surrounded the room like a necklace.
The chimney pieces are by Lepec, Of Paris one of
them occupying two years to inish.
In the matter OF metal work, Mr.. Morrison be-
ing on tour in Spain, found in a humble village
a workman named Zouloaga, who he felt sure
was capable Of great things If he had chance,
so he gave him commission Of 5000 to execute
something, and the result was a Golfer or chest,
nine ieet by three, Zouloaga worked on for four
years. When Morrison received It he acknOWl-
edged at once that he had paid caiy an INSTALL
ment Of the value Of this marvellous work. It is
simply described as being covered with all man
ner Of scrolls and figures in irCn, with wonder
iul finish that 1t must be seen to be appreciated.
Morrison found the best metal-WOrkeTs in Spain,
the best ornamenterS in Paris and silks in Lyons,
but for cabinet and wOOd-wOrkers he had no Oeea-
sion to go cut OF England. There is nothing in
the house inharmOniOus with its purpose. Even
the chairs are works of art constructed Of pre-
cocs woods ana nearly all differing from each
other, some suggesting the perforated chairs Of
the Delhi palaces, others the Saxon throne In
Westminster Abbey.
About all, there Is no sham in this house; no
wood pretending to be metal, no iron affecting to
be marble. Each part Of the house has its proper
relation TO the whole, and each detail exhibits
the same harmony and matchesS art, the table
leg as truly as the Lebee mantelpiece. Ascend
the magnificent stairway, pass the GLOBES Of light
upheld by bronze candelabra seven feet high, aud
you will md the same painstaking, careful work.
manship every where, even in the closets and nur-
seTy. Some Of the best ornamentatiOn in the
house is a pale blue and gold scroll surrounding
the sEylight at the ton.