workhouse sheeting, imitating certain fabrics
of the sixteenth century, and which it has been the fashion of late to
cover with embroidery, do not repay, by effective beauty, the trouble
bestowed upon them.

5. GOLD.

A somewhat profane French writer, giving his ideas on the Creation,
says that gold, the latest metal, was expressly created for the
demoralization of mankind. This is an ugly version of the fact that it
is found on the surface of the earth's crust, and that its beauty and
worth makes it a desirable possession for which men will ever contend.

Gold adorns every work of the artistic animal--man. It is the most
becoming setting to all other beautiful things, the most gorgeous
reflection of light and colour, the richest and softest background,
the most harmonious medium for high lights. In all works of decoration
it represents sunshine where it is not, and doubles it where it is.
The word "illumination" in books belongs to the gilded illustrations
of immortal thoughts.

In embroideries, as grounding or as pattern, gold gives the glory:
"Her clothing is of wrought gold." The raiment of needlework is
comparatively ineffective without golden lights or background. As
colour, it never can offend the eye, except when used to accentuate
aggressively a vulgar pattern, or when it flashes and dazzles from
over-polish and too lavish expenditure.

Silver follows gold as a splendid element in decoration,[190] but it
is not of such universal application and use; and when employed
together, the proportion of gold should preponderate. Golden tissues
belong to the earliest civilizations.

Sir G. Birdwood says that "The art of gold brocades is older than the
Code of Manu.... The excellence of the art passed in the long course
of ages, from one place to another; and Babylon, Tarsus, Alexandria,
Baghdad, Damascus, Antioch, Tabriz, Sicily, and Tripoli successively
became celebrated for their gold and silver-wrought tissues, silks,
and brocades.... Through every disguise (and mingling of style) it is
not impossible to infer the essential identity of the brocades with
the fabrics of blue, purple, and scarlet, worked in gold, of ancient
Babylonian art."[191]

The Israelites wove gold with their coloured woollens for the use of
the sanctuary, and probably brought the art from Egypt; though I am
not aware of any gold-woven stuffs from Egyptian tombs.[192]

Indian and Chinese stuffs were from time immemorial woven with gold.