Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1894-11-15
WHAT REAL TASTE Is.
Merely Clever Appreciation OF "the
Eternal Fitness of Things"

WHAT. REAL LAS u 70.
Merely Clever Appreciation OF "the
Eternal Fitness of Things
From whence that most suggestive
and admirable phrase, .'the eternal lit
ness of things" is derived, must own
myself at loss to say, but whoever
first originated it deserves our heartiest
thanks for expressing so clearly and IN
so small compass what we instlnc-
lively feel to be a great truth. For,
though eternal fitness is probably one
of the mighty laws which govern this
universe itself, it is so all-embraclng
that it applies with equal force to our
own little lives, and ought to res ulate
even if it does not-our mode OF garb-
ing ourselves and decorating our homes.
Indeed. if only some of us could remem-
Der oftener than we do, that 0such
quality does actually exist, this world
would be good deal freer than it is
now from the ridiculous mistakes and
terrible eyesores which are continually
annoying us!
For instance, who has not expert
enced feeling of vexation at seeing
some such error in taste as too lavish
display of jewels at the breakfast Ia
BILE, or silken and trailing skirt IN
the street on a particularly muddy day?
Worse STILL do not many of us number
among the houses we visit one or two
where somehow the tout ensemble is
not restful or pleasing to the eye,
where the furniture is too aggressively
I, L. - ~ nd
hostess herself over-dressed? The ex-
PLANTATION of all this is generally not
far to seek-the eternal fitness OF
things has been violated-that is all.
But strangely enough the mere parve-
nus are not the only sinners in this
respect, for people of culture and what
they are pleased to consider taste have
been known ere now to commit the
most terrible solecisms. I am writing
more particularly about mistakes made
in furnishing, and, as a passing remark,
let me venture to say that attempting
to improve what already approaches as
nearly as possible to perfection is one
of the snares we most easily fall into.
Many an old world drawing room, once
haunted with dim, sweet memories of
the first empire, has been transformed
into something like bric-a-brac shop
by an inartistic crowding of Japanese
or Indian curios! And many a tiny
modern room has been tortured into a
caricature of the aforesaid empire sa-
Ion, with an utter obliviousness of the
fact that this style demands lofty cell
ings and long perspectives! A terrible
instance of mistaken energy of this
kind came to my notice the other day.
I was visiting friends house in ]
where, if report said true, good Queen
Bess' had once actually dined, and the
young pretender sought refuge from
his enemies. expected to find it both
quaint and interesting. Upon entering
the long, low hall, with its hangings of
exquisitely tinted tapestries and wealth
of blue china displayed above the old
fashioned chimney-piece, it seemed as
if my most sanguine expectations were
about to be fulfilled; but alas! down
ward glance showed that the beautiful
oak floor was almost entirely hidden
by staring Indian rugs, and in one
corner stood a terrible japanese jar,
doing duty as an umbrella stand.
But the drawing room was sight to
make angels-at least those endowed
with anything like artistic proclivities
It was a small room, paneled
from, floor to ceiling, and it had mag
nifcently carved chimney piece, in the
center of which the portrait of some
ancient worthy had evidently once
been framed. Not that trace of it re.
manned now, for it had carefully been
removed and replaced by meaning
less square of lowered brocade, while
every scrap of oak paneling and carving
had been painted ivory-white!
inquired my volatile friend, as the
writer of this article stood speeches.
with what she doubtless thought was
admiration. ''You cannot have any
idea how different this room looks since
1 took it in hand" she continued. "It
was all that horrid, dark oak, you
know, and looked ever so. dirty, but it
really is wonderful what difference
enamel judiciously applied will make,
duu Vic "1ACiS C1ASSG 1S SullS ulOutTA
now, is it not?"
assented.
Taste is not peculiar property
which some people may have and
others may lack, it is merely true
appreciation of the eternal fitness Of
things and this everybody by the ex-
ercise of that most precious gift, com
mon sense, may attain. For instance,
if we consider that the primary object
of a picture is to be seen and not mere
ly to cover the walls, we shall never
sky such works of art as we happen
to possess, nor nail up a quantity OF
cheap fans in every nook and corner,
where they are absolutely useless
From a careful regard for such details
it will naturally follow that the CLASH
cal definition Of beauty, ''the greatest
number of objects in the greatest pos
sible unity" shall find fulfillment in
harmonious furnishing of our homes. -
n. Y. Advertiser.