e it should be used as a picture would be, for an independent bit of
decoration.

To return to simple things, the rule of contrast as applied to papered
walls, covered with design, ordains that the curtains should undoubtedly
be plain and of the most pronounced tint used in the paper. If the walls
of a room are simply tinted or painted, figured stuffs of the same
general tone, or printed silks, velvets, or cottons in which the
predominant tint corresponds with that of the wall should be used. These
relieve the simplicity of the walls, and give the desirable variation.

Transparent silk curtains are of great value in colouring the light
which enters the room, and these should be used in direct reference to
the light. If the room is dark or cold in its exposure, to hang the
windows with sun-coloured silk or muslin will cheat the eye and
imagination into the idea that it is a sunny room. If, on the contrary,
there is actual sunshine in the room, a pervading tint of rose-colour or
delicate green may be given by inner curtains of either of those
colours. These are effects, however, for which rules can hardly be
given, since the possible variations must be carefully studied, unless,
indeed, they are the colour-strokes of some one who has that genius for
combination or contrast of tints which we call "colour sense."

After colour in draperies come texture and quality, and these need
hardly be discussed in the case of silken fabrics, because silk fibre
has inherent qualities of tenacity of tint and flexibility of substance.
Pure silk, that is silk unstiffened with gums, no matter how thickly and
heavily it is woven, is soft and yielding and will fall into folds
without sharp angles. This quality of softness is in its very substance.
Even a single unwoven thread of silk will drop gracefully into loops,
where a cotton or linen or even a woollen thread will show stiffness.

Woollen fibre seems to acquire softness as it is gathered into yarns and
woven, and will hang in folds with almost the same grace as silk; but
unfortunately they are favourite pasture grounds as well as
burying-places for moths, and although these co-inhabitants of our
houses come to a speedy resurrection, they devour their very graves, and
leave our woollen draperies irremediably damaged. It is a pity that
woollen fabrics should in this way be made undesirable for household
use, for they possess in a great degree the two most valuable qualities
of silk: col