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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.