Much progress has been made of late years not only in the study of the arts of the Renaissance in England but in their application to modern conditions of life, and the improvement in architecture, furniture and decoration during the last ten years is, to a great extent, owing to the better knowledge of the styles which prevailed during the best periods. Different branches of the subject have been dealt with by various writers, yet certain aspects seem to have been overlooked, and the accompanying treatise may prove of service since it aims at embracing the treatment of walls, of ceilings, of floors and of furniture in short, the development of the whole scheme of interior decoration in England during the seventeenth and especially during the earlier part of the eighteenth century.

Few English houses built during those times retain interiors which owing to alterations to suit requirements or fancies of successive generations have not lost many of the characteristics of their period. An author is therefore face to face with the problem of obtaining an unbroken series of examples representative of the wide range which the subject embraces.

As the house where this collection is exhibited is itself of considerable interest, some particulars of its past associations and surroundings are given before commencing to deal with the main subject to which this work is devoted. The site was originally part of a ten-acre field at the back of the gardens of Burlington House. In the earliest records it is referred to as Nowell Street, but no doubt "Noel" was intended, the family name of the wife of the second Earl of Burlington; but in 1736, when the street was nearly rebuilt, the name was changed as a compliment to Richard, the third Earl (born 1694, died 1753), the distinguished architect and patron of artists, then living at Burlington House. Cork Street was also named after his second title, and Savile Row after the Lady Dorothy Savile whom he had married. Most of its houses have at different periods been altered or rebuilt, but some of the faded grandeur of the Georgian days still seems to linger in the immediate locality.

During the whole of the eighteenth century Old Burlington Street was the home of famous statesmen, soldiers and public chara6lers, men and women who helped to make the history of their day. On the site now occupied by the branch Bank of England formerly stood the mansion which Leoni designed for the third Duke of Queensberry, in which the poet Gay occupied an apartment.

The effed of the Italian Renaissance was beginning to be felt in this country when the disowning of Papal authority by Henry VIII (known as the Reformation) caused England, except during the brief reign of Queen Mary, to be practically cut off from all intercourse with Italy for the greater part of a century. The ereclion of ecclesiastical edifices, which in previous centuries had found occupation for a large proportion of the population, also suddenly ceased, and, by the latter part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth ,craftsmen versed in the old Gothic arts hardly existed and even the traditions of the building industry of that period were almost forgotten. During Elizabeth's long reign the country gradually became more settled and prosperous; the dissolution of the monasteries caused wealth to circulate in many new channels; with the downfall of the Hanseatic League the wool and cloth trades suddenly developed, and the discovery of new Continents stimulated maritime enterprise and brought riches to the merchant adventurers, so that England seemed ripe for a new style of architecture to fulfil the altered requirements. The Netherlands was then the recognized centre of art in Northern Europe; her traders travelled everywhere and were well acquainted with the developments of the Renaissance movement in Florence, Rome, Genoa and Venice. The Flemings, however, possessed the tradition of past glories in Gothic art under their Burgundian rulers, and they could not, or would not (like their French neighbours), accept forthwith the new classic forms to the entire exclusion of their former taste. The result was the intermingling of the two styles, as may be seen to-day in the Town Halls of the old cities of Belgium. With the persecutions of Philip II, many thousands of their best citizens sought refuge in this country and, in addition to establishing numerous trades, taught us their architecture.

Records show how much our great nobles were indebted to these Flemings for assistance in the erection of such palaces as Burleigh, Hatfield and Longleat; but the merchants and traders, then becoming rich and important, whilst accepting the semi-classic art of the Netherlands as their authority, had to rely more upon local conditions and talent. Prosperity had given an impetus to building and, by the accession of James I, practically a new architecture was established, a style which has been aptly termed the "Early English Renaissance."

From whatever sources or influences this new style was derived, and whether the carvinor and ornament were due to Flemish or to English craftsmen, it is certain that nothing we possess is more characteristic of this country than the houses (and especially the small manor-houses) erecled during this period.

The accompanying views illustrate a room typical of the principal apartment or living room of an English house built during the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth or under the early Stuart Kings. Of the various coats-of. arms which ornament the chimney-piece in the room, the centre one was borne by King James I, and those on either side by the Chartered Companies of Merchant Adventurers and Spanish Traders respectively , illustrating the loyalty and occupation of the owner. These characteristic carvings and the elaborate surrounding ornamentation show the importance always attached to the decoration of the English fireside. Examples of chimney-pieces so ornate as the one referred to are naturally somewhat rare; another specimen also carved in oak is therefore given on page 5 , as typical of less important work at about the same date.

Chimney-pieces at this period were as frequently made in stone as in wood, the carving in both cases being equally elaborate. Probably the original intention was always to paint and gild such stonework, although no doubt in many cases, owing to troublous times or lack of means, this work was omitted; but so many traces of old gilding and painting are found that, considering the early Renaissance love of bright colours, it would seem probable such was the case; this applies not only to the chimney-pieces but also to plaster ceilings and friezes, as well as oak panelling, chests and other furniture of the period. The fad of such colouring being usually executed in distemper would account in a great measure for its subsequent disappearance.

Occasionally in districts where chalk is found, early Jacobean chimney- pieces are met with carved out of this most suitable material. The one here illustrated still exists in an old manor-house in Wiltshire; another well-known example is at Stockton, the detail of ornament on both being so similar that possibly they were carved by the same craftsman.

The variety of the patterns of oak panelling, with which the principal rooms were wainscoted, is remarkable. The designs display considerable originality and illustrate the various influences which then affected English art. The subject of wood panelling, however, is dealt with in a separate chapter.

The sixteenth century Flemish tapestry which occupies the whole of one wall of the room referred to represents the sacrifice of Iphigenia, daughter of Early English Agamemnon. The possession of such a tapestry would be a sign of the wealth Renaissance and position of the lord of the manor, and it would be specifically bequeathed by him in his will. A separate illustration of this is given in another chapter dealing with the whole subject of tapestries.

The wall opposite the window in this apartment is hung with bright-coloured hand-made needlework (see page 6). The importance of this particular form of material during the early Stuart period is seldom realized; it was often employed for wall hangings, and served equally for bed curtains and coverings of chairs and couches. Pictorial tapestries were never a successful English industry (even at the Mortlake fadory Flemish weavers were always employed), but this eminently effective needlework had the merit of being produced in this country. It is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, certainly it somewhat resembles the painting (said to imitate hangings) with which buildings in northern Europe were often ornamented. Another variety of the same material was manufactured in Italy, principally at Perugia.

The windows on the other side of the room are fitted with "sash frames," which were introduced towards the end of the reign of James I. As in all earlier examples, the panes are small and the oak bars heavy, probably be- cause the cost of glass was then an important item. The floor is covered with rush-matting, made by hand in the old method.

The corner screen, an interesting survival of the house planning of the Tudor period, whenever employed, formed an important decorative feature, and the example in this apartment, like the chimney-piece, is richly carved and decorated with various coats-of-arms.

No feature is more peculiarly English than the Early Renaissance plaster ceilings; they show the survival of native traditions, which, though affected to some extent by Italian influences, always retain their own individuality; indeed, in no other country can the same development of design of ceilings be traced; but these, together with the elaborate friezes characteristic of this period, are dealt with separately under the heading of "Plaster Ornamentation."

The Italian influence during the reign of Henry VII, and the earlier part of that of his successor, was more widespread in this country than is generally supposed; witness the numerous wood carvings which still exist bearing traces of classic influence. This resulted from two separate sources: firstly, the desire of those rulers to imitate the fashions which contemporary monarchs were Early English bringing from Italy to their own courts, but far more owing to the increasing Renaissance intercourse between the representatives of the Church in England and their superiors in Rome. Gothic art had, however, become deeply rooted in this country, and the intermingling of the two clearly marks the work of the period, and in nothing more distinctly than in the carvings with which the choir stalls, coffers, chests and other woodwork were ornamented.

During the troublous times which followed the quarrels with Rome, the style of the previous generation would seem to have almost disappeared and the arrival of the Flemings marks a distinct change, not only in architecture, but in the carved ornamentation of chests, chairs, beds, and such other articles of furniture as then existed. In addition they introduced, or at all events extended the use of, other pieces such as buffets, draw tables and cupboards in imitation of those which for a previous century had existed in their own country. Naturally, owing to altered requirements, features distinctive to this country soon began to appear, and by the accession of Charles I, notwithstanding the continued arrival oi the e'm/gres, English furniture possessed considerable individuality. On page 7 are illustrated a few examples such as were in use during his reign; in each case these are of oak, in fact this wood was almost universally employed. Previous to the Restoration, extremely little furniture was considered necessary even for the greatest houses, chairs were limited in number, stools, benches, and chests providing the necessary further seating accommodation.

The comparatively few specimens we possess (such as some chairs at Knole and the bed at Berkeley Castle) of upholstered or what may be termed luxurious furniture known to have existed in this country at the beginning of the seventeenth century are, although often described as English, undoubtedly of foreign origin. If English craftsmen had been capable of doing such work, more traces would have remained of their handicraft, whereas the actual specimens are few and vary considerably from each other. However, England at that period equalled any other country in needlework and embroideries; such work seems to have formed the principal occupation of ladies of position, and numerous specimens which remain of hangings and coverlets of beds, coverings of furniture, panels and book-covers are amongst the most characteristic examples of art during the reigns of the first two Stuarts.