Let us consider how we paint our doors, cupboards, &c., at the present time. For our best houses, the stiles of our doors are painted French white; and the panels, pink, or salmon colour! For cheaper houses, the doors, cupboards, window linings, &c., are generally two shades of what is called “stone colour” (as if stone was always the same colour), and badly executed into the bargain: the best rooms having the woodwork grained in imitation of oak, or satin-wood, &c. And such imitations! Mahogany and oak are now even imitated on leather and paper-hangings. Wood, well and cleanly varnished, stained, or, better still, French polished, must surely look better than these daubs. But French polish is not extensively used in England: it is confined to cabinet pieces and furniture, except in the houses of the aristocracy. Clean, colourless varnish ought to be more generally used to finish off our woodwork, instead of the painting now so common. The varnish should be clean and colourless, as the yellow colour of the ordinary varnishes greatly interferes with the tints of the light woods. In the Imperial Palace, at Berlin, one or two of the Emperor’s private rooms are entirely fitted up with deal fittings; doors, windows, shutters, and everything else of fir-wood. “Common deal,” if well selected, is beautiful, cheap, and pleasing. We have seen the offices of Herr Krauss (architect to Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse), who resides at Mayence, and they are fitted up, or rather the walls and ceilings are lined, with picked pitch pine-wood, parts being carved, and the whole French polished, and the effect is much superior to any paint, be it “stone colour,” “salmon colour,” or even “French white.” The reception-room, where the Emperor of Germany usually transacts business with his ministers, and receives deputations, &c., as well as the adjoining cabinets, are fitted with deal, not grained and painted, but well French polished. The wood is, of course, carefully selected, carefully wrought, and excellently French polished, which is the great secret of the business. In France, it is a very common practice to polish and wax floors. The late Sir Anthony Carlisle had the interior woodwork of his house, in Langham Place, London, varnished throughout, and the effect of the varnished deal was very like satin-wood. About forty years since, Mr. J. G. Crace, when engaged on the decoration of the Duke of Hamilton’s house, in the Isle of Arran, found the woodwork of red pine so free from knots, and so well executed, that instead of painting it, he had it only varnished. It was a great success, and ten years after looked nearly as well as when first done.