To the many, both acquaintances and strangers, who have volunteered assistance and have encouraged when discouragement was imminent, sending bracing letters and new-old pictures, I can only quote with heartfelt thanks the closing lines of the verse written by Foote, the English actor, to be posted conspicuously to attract an audience to his benefit-- Like a grate full of coals I'll glow A great full house to see; And if I am not grateful, too, A great fool I shall be. [Illustration] [Illustration] CONTENTS I Page FROM MUD WALLS AND CANVAS TENTS TO DECORATIVE PAPERS 1 II PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE ART 23 III EARLIEST WALL PAPERS IN AMERICA 41 IV WALL PAPERS IN HISTORIC HOMES 61 V NOTES FROM HERE AND THERE 85 VI REVIVAL AND RESTORATION OF OLD WALL PAPERS 103 [Illustration] [Illustration] LIST OF PLATES AND ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES Old English Figure paper--in Colors. Plate I Rural Scenes--Detail in Colors. II French paper, Watteau Style--Detail in Colors. III Adventures of a Gallant--Reduction. IV Adventures of a Gallant--Detail in Colors. V Racing paper--Timothy Dexter House. VI The Bayeux Tapestry--Burial of Edward. VII The Bayeux Tapestry--Harold hearing News. VIII Oldest English paper--Borden Hall, "A." IX Borden Hall paper, Design "B." X Early English Pictorial paper--Chester, Eng. XI Old Chinese paper, Cultivation of Tea--Dedham, Mass. XII-XIV Early American fresco--Westwood, Mass. XV-XVIII Early Stencilled paper--Nantucket, Mass. XIX A Peep at the Moon--Nantucket, Mass. XX Hand-colored Figures, repeated--Claremont, N. H. XXI Nature Scenes, repeated--Salem, Mass. XXII The Alhambra, repeated--Leicester, Mass. XXIII Cathedral Views, repeated--Ware, Mass. XXIV Cathedral Views, repeated on architectural background--Waltham, Mass. XXV Pictured Ruins, Hall and Stairway--Salem, Mass. XXVI Birds of Paradise and Peacocks--Waltham, Mass. XXVII Sacred to Washington--Mourning paper. XXVIII