colour, but have each their
own value, and never tarnish, even in the coal smoke of London. Pure
silver, too, is beautiful, and if it is really pure, can be kept
bright with bread crumbs.

In composing the altar decoration for the cathedral or the village
church, we ought to take into consideration what is suitable for the
surrounding architecture. In great spaces, the majestic altar-cloth or
frontal, shining with gold and silver, and glowing with silken
embroideries, recalls the splendid altar "palli" encrusted with gems
in St. Mark's, St. Peter's, and other ancient churches; and is in
perfect keeping with the high and gorgeous reredos, the rich screen,
the fretted roof and clustered ornaments of a great cathedral choir.
Such glories are unattainable in the modest village church.

But though we may subdue the brilliancy of our decoration, we should
try to make it yet a work of art. The design may have as much
intention, the work be as refined and individual, and the gold as
pure, as in larger works. The precious metals may be confined to small
spaces in the parts we desire to accentuate, such as the cross in the
centre, or the edges of the orphreys, or they may be entirely replaced
with fine silk work.

The altar-cloth we desire to present, may be simply a gift, so that we
may choose any design that will agree with the date of the building.
We may prefer any subsequent style, but not one anterior to that of
the architecture. It would be a mistake to imitate Anglo-Saxon
ornaments in a church of the flamboyant style.

Perhaps the altar-cloth we are discussing may be intended as a sort of
votive offering, a memorial of a baptism, a wedding, or a funeral.

For the first, white silk worked in gold and silver, or gold-coloured
silk, or parseme with conventional spring flowers would be
appropriate. For a marriage, crimson, rose-colour, blue and gold, or a
mixture of all these, to produce a festive and gorgeous effect. For a
funeral, purple or violet silk or velvet, with palms and the crown of
thorns in gold or silver.[549] These would serve at the festivals of
the Church: the purple for Good Friday,[550] the crimson for Saints'
days, the white for Christmas and Easter Sunday.

The reredos, or the screen curtain behind the altar, should be made
available for enhancing its effect, as well as for enlarging the area
of textile coloured decoration.

As this is intended for a background, it should be either subdued or
els