The Editor of this work, by Her Majesty's Artiste, MRS. PEACHEY, fairly
entitled the ROYAL GUIDE TO WAX FLOWER MODELLING, would fain leave the
introduction, written by the same hand which rivals nature in her
varying adornments, to unfold its historic, its poetic, its moral, and
its suggestive graces--for it combines these; but having accepted the
part, without which, since the days of Plato, no book is deemed
complete, he essays a few prefatory observations and remarks.
Brevity, it has been said, is the soul of wit; but we may be brief when
we know what is to follow, and for whom the following pages are
designed.
Our fair readers will intuitively perceive that the scope of the
instructive portion of this self-commending little volume is to
facilitate their acquisition of an accomplishment at once royal and
feminine in its origin and progress, and therefore worthy of their
attention.
This elegant art requires but the fairy touch of a delicate hand to fill
each available space in the chamber or drawing-room with the most
perfect and beautiful imitations of the flower-garden.
"The morning flowers display their sweets,
And gay their silken leaves unfold,
As careless of the noontide heats,
As fearless of the winter cold.
"Nipped by the wind's unkindly blast,
Parched by the sun's directer ray,
The momentary glories waste,
The short-lived beauties die away."
Unaffected by change or climate, wax flower modelling perpetuates the
transient glories of the floral seasons; places all the tender varieties
under the immediate glance of the ever gratified eye of the artist, who
can thus in the depth of winter exhibit to an admiring foreign guest the
exotics of the far hemisphere, or the indigenous plants of her own loved
land.
Who that has watched by the side of an invalid mother, would not feel an
exalted pleasure in creating around her the magical representations of
those flowerets and rosebuds her maternal hand was wont to rear? Who, in
such a moment of ministering affection, would not feel how sweet the
reward of a father's love, as his approving gaze spoke more than many
words his thanks to the duteous child returning the early care of the
fond partner of his griefs and joys? Contemplating such a scene as this,
one cannot refrain from citing the language of the poet:--
"O! if there be a tear,
From passion's dross refined and clear;
A tear so limpid and so meek,
It would not stain an angel's cheek;
'Tis that which pious fathers shed
Upon a duteous daughter's head."
The copious table of contents possesses great attraction for persons of
refined taste, embracing every variety of flower usually modelled in
wax: its arrangement is calculated to lead the learner, by easy steps,
from the most simple to the most elaborate accomplishment of a very
delightful task.
The sketch of her artistic life, with which the talented though
unpretending authoress has favoured the public, cannot fail to prove
useful and encouraging to the beginner, as it fully justifies the good
old proverb, that "where there is a will, there is a way;" and that way
is clearly and forcibly pointed out in the ROYAL GUIDE, so as to direct
with perfect ease the willing fingers of the modeller to the attainment
of her object, to excel in giving form and substance to her innate
perceptions of the beautiful. Nor is this a selfish pleasure. These
productions of skilled labour--if we may apply the word labour to an
amusement--please the beholder, as they do the mind which calls forth
the exquisite fancy which pencils these flowers.
The unanimous verdict of the Press will be found recorded at the end of
the instructions. It is a remarkable fact, that so many Journals, giving
in their separate awards, should have all concurred in opinion. This
opinion is highly favourable to the Artiste and the art. The very
language in which it is couched partakes of floweriness--if we may be
pardoned for coining a word to express our meaning; indeed, we strongly
commend for perusal these elegant notices of the Press; the writers
evidently have been influenced by national considerations; for they
speak of what they have seen as those convinced that, although there may
be several wax flower modellers, there is but one MRS. PEACHEY--Her
Majesty's Artiste, and an Englishwoman.
It is with no insular feeling that we express the same sentiment; but,
nevertheless, we do feel it to be something to boast of, that our
countrywomen will not have to learn the art of Wax Flower Modelling from
foreigners, many of whom however have been amongst the now nearly 50,000
visitors attracted to the collection, by the notices of the Press, and
who have expressed equal approbation.
The ROYAL GUIDE is essentially a domestic national instructor. But its
teaching will not be bounded by our island shores. We venture to
predict, that the ROYAL GUIDE TO WAX FLOWER MODELLING will, ere long,
establish for itself a more than European fame.
The Editor would now conclude the task he has undertaken, and performed,
as well as more immediate professional calls upon his time would permit,
to the best of his abilities; but, beyond changing or transposing a word
or term here and there, introducing some poetic gems, and correcting the
press, he does not claim any merit for the work from his hands, that
properly belongs to the Authoress, who has been called into the field,
and to whom the reader is now fairly introduced, as to a pleasing and
accomplished instructress in this Art.