g, therefore, no status, has no
education; and it is almost impossible to find in England an artist to
accept orders for thoughtful ecclesiastical designs. Hundreds of boys
and girls are taught "freehand drawing," and having copied some casts
and lithographs and drawn some flower-pieces, without any particular
aim, find a precarious living by designing frightful wall-papers for
the million. These poor creatures, from whose lives all ambition and
originality have been effaced, are our decorative artists.

Still a beautiful original design can sometimes be obtained, and if
that is beyond our reach, we may courageously copy from ancient
models, selecting judiciously what is most suitable for our purpose.

The ecclesiastical artist should be well informed in the modes of
working a design. The stitch if selected without experience may mar
the effect of the whole composition, as some stitches of themselves
convey the meaning of shadow, and others that of light.

In ecclesiastical work which is intended to be effective in the
distance, as well as perfect in detail, it is worth while to weigh the
claims of the architectural low-relief motive, i.e. a flat raised
surface, with an edge sufficiently accentuated to catch a light on one
side, and cast a sharp shadow on the other. All flat _raised_ stitches
conduce also to this effect, especially if edged with a cord, and it
is much more striking than in stuffed work (on the stamp), which has
not the incisive effect that is given by the tool to the sharp edge of
stone or wood carvings.

If we can afford to give to our church without stint, let us seek for
the most beautiful textiles, such as are again woven in imitation of
the old fabrics; gratefully acknowledging all that Pugin, Ruskin, and
the foreign manufacturers, especially those at Lyons, have done in the
revival of woven designs. Let us avoid those materials which are
easily spoiled by sunshine, dust, and smoke, and all those that fray
easily. Woollens are not long lived. Crewels, beautiful as they are,
are not salient in their effect. Silks, satins and velvet, and gold
brocades,[548] or groundings worked in with gold thread, are the only
materials worthy of bearing fine embroidery, fit to receive them, and
capable of keeping them for centuries. Plushes and worsted velvets are
unworthy, indeed they are worthless.

The gold we employ must be either pure "passing," or else the Chinese
or Japanese gold threads which differ in