[We need a writer] who would give gaiety to his dry details of archaeological fact, blending with them so much humour, and so many bright truths of unfamiliar social history, that, when treating of old cabinets and tables and of other household relics of a past civilisation, he would make real to us some forgotten episodes of home life in remote periods. And we should feel in all he said that a noteworthy style of old domestic furniture should not be studied merely as a curio, nor simply as an expression of genuine art. Taken up by the imagination, it should be thought of in connection with the social needs and customs
that prevailed among the people who made it their own style....Fine examples of old furniture...cannot be valued too much as objects of patient and humble study. To find out the plastic secrets of their fortunate shapes will ever be a liberal education.
Inspiration for time travel
AKA studying archaeology and such...and writing on it! I hope that I have approached this ideal in my South Asian ancient lifestyles book (which, by the way, is delayed a bit in its release due to technical problems -- but it will appear asap!)...From the 1901 Modern British Domestic Architecture and Decoration, edited by Charles Holme, in its section "A Few Words on Domestic Furniture":
