For the truly mad are those souls devoured with ambition, while the faithful and loyal are called fools. Anthony Esolen

Beauty: The Embroidery Page at Watts & Co. and The Royal School of Needlework

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Watts & Co. London
After watching a couple of episodes of one of those reality TV shows, in those idle moments into which one momentarily descends after a long and taxing day, a show about gold hunters in Western Australia, this blogger found himself inspired by the delight of those who, though motivated by materialistic concerns and fixated on finding gold, thrill at the discovery of their sought after prize.

One can and should admire people who work very, very hard to succeed at their chosen profession. Obviously, however, an appreciation of effort and achievement does not mean one should redefine avarice as a virtue.

Pursuing A Truer Gold

One can find a host of beautiful liturgical gems and the people who produce them if one grabs some text and, entering said text into a search engine, sifts through the dirt of the web, the vast pile of sand and grit in which treasures can be buried and lost.

Those who seek a truer gold, a gold that points beyond itself to the One Who possesses truth, goodness and beauty to an infinite degree - that is, God - would do well to embrace the passion of the gold prospector and apply that passion to the discovery and promotion of the transcendentals.

This blogger thrilled at the discovery of the Royal School of Needlework (RSN) identified at the Watts & Co embroidery sub-site. As stated at the Watts & Co site, many of the seamstresses employed at Watts & Co are trained at the RSN.


It is highly satisfying to see a younger generation of artists taking up needle and thread and practicing a craft that provides a feast for the senses and anchors the mind to beauty.


Works of beauty purify the visual sense and through sight the mind.

Watts & Co. London
A blurb from the RSN site:
The Royal School of Needlework is the international centre of excellence for the art of hand embroidery and offers a range of courses for beginners through to advanced. Founded in 1872, the RSN is steeped in history with unrivalled expertise in the techniques of hand embroidery. We are based at the magnificent Hampton Court Palace in south west London. In addition, we teach across the UK in Exeter, Bristol, Rugby, Durham and Glasgow, and internationally in Ireland, North America and Japan. The Royal School of Needlework also offers Embroidery Services at its Studio in Hampton Court Palace creating beautiful bespoke commissions for the future as well as restoring historical textiles and bringing heirlooms back to life.

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