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The various Shaker communities, in the period of their greatest creative activity, gave us abundant evidence of their profound understanding of purposeful designing in their architecture and crafts.

It was well understood, and convincingly demonstrated by them, in house or table, that rightness of proportions, due regard for its' efficiency in the use to which it was applied and the carrying out of the plan by means of skilled craftsmanship and careful consideration for the material used, made embellishment superfluous. 

Ornament applied to conceal uncertainty of basic construction, is revealing rather than concealing. 

They would seem almost to have [[strikethrough]] a [[/strikethrough]] had mathematical