New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-12
THE IDEAL HOUSE.
A DELIGHTFUL BOOK.


toct Ifou.e Those who have not cSSayed i are
nropc 70 imagine that Il they had command of
unlimited wealth the; cou,i compass il easily
Those who having ample means, have expert
mented practically know that the object sought
is as elusive as that garment Of the happy man
which the old Sultan of the Eastern apologize was
instructed to find and About the ideal
house therefore the fancy Of the initiated may
PLAY freely, yet nowhere have we seen the
fascinating subject treated with the delightful
grace, learning. variety of knowledge, prodieal
imagination and hcauty of thought and dlctlon
brought to bear in Mr. Ellwaneer's altogether
charming little volume From the opulence OF
highly cultivated mind he l0vishes treasures of
suggestion upon the great problem, and certainly
the wealth of ten-millionarc would he required
IN materialize the magnifcence of domestic luxury
and beauty so freely sketched in these pages
When, however. one undertakes the erection of a
castle in Spain there is obviously no necessary
limit to expenditure but that constituted by the
bounds of the architects knowledge of how TO spend
wisely and well In this case the builder has at
command so rare magazine of the best material
for every constructive and decorative purpose
that there seems to he reason why he should
pausc in his work of creation until he has sur
passed in magnifcence of effect and fulneSS OF com
fort and luxury the most ambitious designs OF
either the Old World the New.
There is however, normal limit to Mr.. ELL
wanger's expansion, and it resides in the sound
ness and sureness of his taste. This guards him
against all decline into mere vulgar foridncss ana
keeps him true to the highest principles OF arr
and the truest refinement throughout his ireeS'
divagations There is little set plan in his
book Each initial idea. Of the form and III
terror arrangement of the house, of the various
chambers or departments such as the library
the study the dining-rOOm, the hall, the green
houses, seems peg on which to hang most
eloauent and erudite talks about cognatc matters
There is a chapter Oriental rugs for instance,
which shows so intimate and reconcile knowl-
edge of the subject that the writer, one thinks
mirht very well and very se1Sonahly. too, pre-
marc q manual for the instruction and guidance
of amateur cOllectorS-too many of whom waste
time and money in bringing together inferior rugs
at great prices. The chapter on the ideal am
ingroom, again. is a gastronomc essay OF me most
agreeable and even mastery character: an essay
of which Brillat-Sayarn might have been proud,
and which eliminates in an account OF niue
violet salad the very conception of which IS
masterpiece in its kind. Other chapters reveal
new and unexpected lines of research and show
the author to be an >l-round man in quite
novel way For il is one of the rarest coniunc
tions to find a writer equally at home in Nature
and Art and Literature: who can discourse with
the enthusiasm and the minute knowledge of
Thoreau or Jeferics upon all outdoor phcnom-
ena. upon the habits of birds and animals, upon
flowers and trees and grasses. upon the aspects
Of nature and the changes Of the seasons. and
signs of the weather. who knows how the f"A
hunts and where the grouse has her hauntS. ana
when the swamp-frog opens his spring concerts,
and what birds first appear, and what the flow
crs do when il rains; yet who possesses not
Il ofi p1n u
gastronomy and decoration and music and paint
Ing and books.
The many-sdednesS of Mr.. Fllwanger is how
ever but one of his charms Mere meditation is
tedious and oppressive if not handled with deit
ness and judgment. man OF letters and learn
ing may he either an architect or a brcklaycr. If
he does not know how 10 use his store Of ma
terial he can only be the latter But Mr.
Ellwanger is an architect, and his knowledge SIS
lightly upon him. His varying moods VIII no
doubt please very different classes of readers. but
it will be strange if all do not lind in his pages
something concenia1 charming. happily expressed
To us every chapter in tie book has appealed, 1t
not with equal attraction Yet find il difficult L
decide between the interior and tie exterior
pictures Surely no has written more freshly
ard bree4y of the country than This author. or
with more genuine love OF nature or with fuller
apprehension Of her phenomena. We can ONLY
compane him with Richard JchcreS tor enthusiasm.
keenness OF observation and pictuIesqucncss Of
description. Here is an extract from the chapter
entitled When Leaves Grow Serc," which il
lustraes the qualities spoken of:
Within tie shelter vi the wood. beneath the
refuge OF the eVCTgrcens and undrr-To"tn. II IS
VAIN without. the gale may r)Ne, and, above. the
tree-tops wall a requiem: for th" depari NJ year;
but here below it is protected a. within the walls
of building. ON either lmnd est nj tAr green
arcades OF tie hcmlQcks like Tie nave anu
trausepts Of Cathedral The GoWnI wo'dp,'Hci
and titmnuSc are here cvcJ present as cAorlsItTs;
the wild life OF the WOODS is Aelc, the c0hrtnO.-
ship OF bird and beast aId dormant Nr-ctabc
life TheIc is lie beating bcicath the uIO5Ij. DE
meath the snowy manlc-tlc ermiGc with whirl
Nature keeps her treasures warn. There : Me
-nimblc feet. and s'lTM9-3boEe the iei-1 Ic
SNOW That is a los track lcadn- u III tn
on the hillside, tie return tra!i Of Reward Who's
sort;c toward the harnYa1dS You previously no
ticcd. Wien he started on his ior2N ms pace wa
q walk. his footsteps close together reveal
Warilv he YVES proceeding under cover Of TIE
darkness planning the best means OF Inerc,S u
his callDaceous eOal All the caution OF a SIX LED
general on the eve II decisive battle is apparent
in his skulliUg footprints HIS dreaded enemies
are well known. Only yesterday the hounds Wrr"
10; IN his pursuit. and the echoes rcverociatcd
with the vOlley Of b.Hbaroqs Vulpchd's. winch
happily fell wide of ~ marx h. lac vi. , oHi,
him The danger Of traps and gins; hi feet foot
has long borne him through many II lOopholc 81
escape. The storks invitation 70 dine must neeGs
he deity p'rlumed and framed on am unusialiv
tempting card 20 induce him TO take his cEIct
out Of long-nccked 'carol"S' or lis pete &c
lo.c gras' from metal 'urccnS. The tracks
leading back from the iamyam show
HIM 10 have been logging along AT more
rapid gait. The prints are Tie same, except that
they are further apart. following directly he
hind the other Indian flcWisc in almost straight
Itc Ills object accomplished. there WAS 10
further need OF extreme cautious dalhoncc. From
II safe distance he had watched the lights in the
farmhouse till. one by one they we've cNtnguishcd
lad waited until all was silent, and his keen scent
apprsed him that danger was past. II was then
an easy matter 10 pOunCc upon and bear Oh the
uEsuspccting prey. Along his return trail there
are feathers StrcWcd here and there. attcstng coz
rusively that his raid vas successful. Lightly
he tripppd along. with elevated brush. tie booty
sung over his shoulder 10 The safeguard Of rs
den. Obviously, before reaching his haven ne