92
ART ED UCATION.
directed upon the object of instruction, i.e., on freehand Ornament
in its development. Long practice of outlines as such is veiy sel-
dom seen.
As it is the aim of all French art to interest, to grasp the mo-
ment in its focus, and to please the e3'e by a wealth of variety, it
is not stränge that we should find this national trait distinctly ex-
pressed even in the first aids for teaehing. It must undoubtedly
be beneflcial in many respects, if, during the earlier years of child-
hood, the imagination is fed upon forms which have been
taten directly from life, and if the drawing-book answers first of
all the purposes of an instructive picture-book, while at the same
time it offers an opportunity for the ready imitation of the forms.
To awaken and to retain the interest for the beautiful at a time
when the activity of the mind still xmfolds itself more or less
unconsciously, is certainly a piece of pedagogical legerdemain;
but suecess may surely be counted upon if the material selected
for instruction is made to conform elosely to the instinctive ele-
mcnts in human nature. Drawing, the same as any otlier sub-
ject, demands a certain maturity of mind for each of its stages.
Learning to see, however, which is the principal discipline in
drawing can only be attained by means of highly developed and
adequate object-teaching.
Ol later publications for the first stage of instruction in form,
we must confine ourselves to those issued by the more prominent
among the active Parisian publishers. “ L’ficolier Parisien,
simples Modeles de Dessin avec Esquisse ” (Monrocq), offers'
in small books, a Collection of the more simple forms in the
various branches of drawing, and, according to the motto upon
the titlepage, aims at instructing the hand in drawing lines,
and educating the eye for form. The figures are executed in
xigoious outlines, and are repeated at the side towards the right,
in line lines, which at first are simply to be gone over; later on,
the pupil copies more independently. The low price (ten Centimes
each) at which these books (sixty thus far) are sold, is astonish-
ing-
“Le Dessin pour Tons (Methode Cassagne) ” is similarly ar-
ranged, but in addition the books are furnished with a short
explanatory text. The whole work, indeed, far exceeds the ex-