[Footnote 13: I have lately seen a design for the embroidery of a
dress for a young lady of the Clan CAMPBELL; its characteristic
features are the Scottish Thistle and the Myrtle, the latter the
Badge of the Campbells. I may express my approval of the motive of
this design: others, as I have reason to believe, have approved the
treatment of it.]
It must be understood, however, that heraldic ornaments and devices,
unless they be of such a character that they are universally applicable,
must have a reference to the wearer, or they degenerate at once into
heraldic parodies. Personal ornaments, costume, furniture, if heraldic,
must display devices that have a significance as well as a beauty: such
costume and ornaments must be, not “becoming” only to the wearer, but
(in the heraldic acceptation of that term) “belonging” also. And so in
every instance.
For purposes of universal decoration and adornment, Heraldry is no less
applicable now than when EDWARD III. or HENRY IV. reigned in England.
Happily, a taste for furniture and all the appliances of every-day life
in the Gothic style is gradually becoming prevalent; and this is
inseparable from the use of Heraldry for the purposes of ornamentation.
I presume that the fallacy of regarding the Gothic style of Art as
exclusively ecclesiastical in its associations and uses, or as no less
necessarily inseparable from mediæval sentiments and general usages, is
beginning to give way to more correct views, as the true nature of the
Gothic and its original universal employment are better understood.
I consider it to be unnecessary for me, therefore, to enter here, in
support of my own sentiments, into any detailed explanations to show
that the revival of a Style of Art which flourished in bygone ages, and
with it the revival of Heraldry as it was invented and grew into its
early dignity and popularity, are in no way or degree whatever connected
with an implied return to the mode of life of four, five, or six
centuries ago. We have used Roman and even what we intended to be Greek
Architecture in nineteenth-century England; we are still in the habitual
use of Roman and Greek designs for every variety of decoration; and of
late we have added Egyptian and Scandinavian works of Art to the
deservedly prized collections of models, that we have formed for the
express purpose of imitating them: and yet we do not consider that we
thus in any way bind ourselves to adopt Roman, or Greek, or Egyptian, or
Scandinavian costumes or customs; nor in our use of the Arts of
Antiquity do we perceive any demonstration of retrogression in
ourselves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account