> [!NOTE]+ Meta > Author:: [[William Morris]] > Reference:: **4 December 1877;** before the Trades Guild of Learning in 'a dismal hole near Oxford St' (William Morris, Collected Letters Vol 1, No. 461). > Date:: 1877 > Tags:: #warp #UK/England > WeftLinks:: [[Peace and justice value of craft]] > Claim:: [[Claim - Craft provides a peaceful means of championing justice.]] > [!SUMMARY] Summary > The Arts & Crafts Movement saw craft as an essentially egalitarian activity. ### Highlights > That art will make our streets as beautiful as the woods, as elevating as the mountain-sides: it will be a pleasure and a rest, and not a weight upon the spirits to come from the open country into a town; every man’s house will be fair and decent, soothing to his mind and helpful to his work: all the works of man that we live amongst and handle will be in harmony with nature, will be reasonable and beautiful: yet all will be simple and inspiriting, not childish or enervating; for as nothing of beauty and splendour that man’s mind and hand may compass shall be wanted from our public buildings, so in no private dwelling will there be any signs of waste, pomp, or insolence, and every man will have his share of the best.