et (the
Bedlam of crazy furniture), now have descended in all the prestige of
antiquarian and family interest. Their history is recorded; the old
embroideries are restored, named, and honoured. What is not beautiful,
is credited with being "quaint"--the "quaint" is more easily imitated
than the beautiful; and we have elected this for the characteristic of
our new decorations. To be quaint, is really to be funny without
intending it, and its claim to prettiness is its _naivete_, which is
sometimes touching as well as amusing: this was the special
characteristic of the revival in the Middle Ages. To imitate
quaintness must be a mistake in art; as in life it is absurd to
imitate innocence.

The nineteenth century "Queen Anne" has its merits.[72] It combines
simplicity, roominess and comfort, colour, light and shade. Soft
colouring to harmonize the new furniture with the tender tints of the
faded quaintnesses just restored to society; care in grouping even the
commonest objects, so as to give pleasure to the eye; a revived taste
for embroidered instead of woven materials, giving scope to the
talents of the women of the house;--all these are so much gained in
every-day domestic decoration. The poorest and most trivial
arrangements are striving to attain to a something artistic and
agreeable. This is still confined to the educated classes; but as good
and bad alike have to begin on the surface, and gradually filter
through to the dregs of society, we may hope that the women who wore
the last chignon and the last crinoline may yet solace their sordid
lives in flowing or tight woollen garments, adorned with their own
needlework; and that the dark-stained floor of the cottage or humble
lodging will set off the shining brass kettle, and the flower in a
brown or blue pot, consciously selected with a view to the
picturesque, and enjoyed accordingly.

From what we know, it would seem that a vital change in a national
style is never produced by the inspiration of one individual genius or
great original inventor. It invariably evolves itself slowly, by the
patient, persistent efforts of generations, polishing and touching up
the same motive, and at last reaching human perfection.

The annihilation of a style is oftenest caused by war passing over the
land, or revolution breaking up the fountains of social life, and
swamping the art and the artist.

But another cause of such an extinction--perhaps the saddest--is that
having reac