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In the late 1870s Morris gave a series of lectures entitled Hopes and Fears
for Art. The fourth lecture, given to the Trades' Guild of Learning and the
Birmingham Society of Arts, was entitled (in a somewhat pessimistic way) 'Making
the best of it'. In his introduction he asks 'By what forethought, pains, and
patience, can we make endurable those strange dwellings, the basest, the
ugliest, and the most inconvenient that men have ever built for themselves, and
which our own haste, necessity, and stupidity compel almost all of us to live
in?' So, if you need advice on, in particular, decorating your house, this
lecture is for you.
I have taken the
passage on choosing colours for your walls for this eight-page booklet - sound
advice if you plan to rid your house of all that brilliant white emulsion. The
text is hand-set in 14pt Fournier and printed on a Magnani laid paper, sewn into
a cover of blue Canson. (I thought a little French and Italian input would be
good at this moment of Europhobia.)
Subscribers of the
Press will receive their copy with our compliments. Copies are available at £10
each plus post and packing.
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