NATURAL DECORATIONS.

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what they seem, founded on them an argument in support oftheir visionary art ; but, gilded gewgaws as in this respectscience proves them, let us submit them to the moral crucible,and see if we cannot extract from them a something better thanashes, or even grains of gold. We have noticed already that inthe addition of colour to the gift of light—consequently in allthe paintings and gildings, carvings also, of natural objects—there are to be acknowledged so many calls upon our gratitudeto the Giver of all the gratuitous pleasures thence derived.In the fulness of their gracious purpose, they are not alonerecreations to the eye, but illuminated missals to the mind.In taking a review of these natural decorations, we seem alsoto discern in them at once a pattern and an apology for ournatural love of ornament. This, when restrained within duelimits, is not, as we take it, so much a weakness as a graceful-ness of our nature. All devices of ornament are so manyembodiments of taste; and the more these are sought for, themore does the mind of the million require refinement for theirproduction, and acquire a greater measure of it by producing.Our schools of design, what are they but branch establish-ments from the grand academy of nature, whence come alltheir models ?

The cunning artificers amongst God ’s peculiar people, the“ wise-hearted ” in whom “the Spirit of God” had put it “todevise curious works in gold and'in silver,” were expressly di-rected to draw' their patterns from the natural, in particular