dition of spring green dropped into the vermilion and carelessly
stirred, so that it should be mixed but not incorporated. Over this
shaded and mixed colour for the space of three feet was stencilled a
fountain-like pattern in cream-white, the arches of the pattern rilled
in with almost a lace-work of design. The whole upper part had an
effect like carved alabaster and was indescribably light and graceful.

The bed and curtain-rods of silver-lacquer, and the abundant silver of
the dressing-table gave a frosty contrast which was necessary in a room
of so warm a general tone. This is an example of very delicate and truly
artistic treatment of stencil-work, and one can easily see how it can be
used either in simple or elaborate fashion with great effect.

Irregularly placed floating forms of Persian or Arabic design are often
admirably stencilled in colour upon a painted wall; but in this case the
colours should be varied and not too strong. A group of forms floating
away from a window-frame or cornice can be done in two shades of the
wall colour, one of which is positively darker and one lighter than the
ground. If to these two shades some delicately contrasting colour is
occasionally added the effect is not only pleasing, but belongs to a
thoroughly good style.

One seldom tires of a good stencilled wall; probably because it is
intrinsic, and not applied in the sense of paper or textiles. It carries
an air of permanency which discourages change or experiment, but it
requires considerable experience in decoration to execute it worthily;
and not only this, there should be a strong feeling for colour and taste
and education in the selection of design, for though the form of the
stencilled pattern may be graceful, and gracefully combined, it must
always--to be permanently satisfactory--have a geometrical basis. It is
somewhat difficult to account for the fact that what we call natural
forms, of plants and flowers, which are certainly beautiful and graceful
in themselves, and grow into shapes which delight us with their freedom
and beauty, do not give the best satisfaction as motives for interior
decoration. Construction in the architectural sense--the strength and
squareness of walls, ceilings, and floors--seem to reject the yielding
character of design founded upon natural forms, and demand something
which answers more sympathetically to their own qualities. Perhaps it is
for this reason that we find the grouping and arran