XXXIV
AMERICAN PREFACE.
improving the quality of our manufactures, and by consuming a
larger proportion of our raw materials at home.
9. Price can be increased ouly by increasing the quality of
manufactures; and the quality can be increased only by an in
creased expenditure of skill and taste, especially of taste as dis-
played in the form of the object or of its decoration.
10. Skill and taste are mainly the product of educatiön. It is
only upon workmen who have been suitably educated in Science
and art, especially in art, that we can securely count to carry our
manufactures to any high pitch of excellence. Back of the skilled,
artistic workman, needs to be a public taste to create a demand for
his products, and to stimulate him to greater efforts.
ART-INDUSTRIAL EDUCATIÖN THE PRIME NECESSITY.
According to the condition of things which has been descrihed,
the future growth and prosperity of the United States must come
largely from the growth and prosperity of her artisan classes.
The growth and prosperity of these classes will depend on the
success with which tliey can meet the competition of the world ;
and this success will depend largely on the school educatiön tliey
have received, and especially onthe art element of that educatiön.
Europe is putting into her industries millions of men and women
trained in art and science, but especially in art; and she is making
vast and systematic efforts to elevate as well the public taste as
that of the artisans. We can do no less ; we can meet such com
petition only in kind ; our people must be educated in art. Now,
the basis upon which all instruction in art must rest is drawing,
the representation of form. Many, taking some one feature of
drawing to be all there is of it, greatly misapprehend its true
scope. For example, drawing may be thought to consist simply
in the representation of objects which already exist; whereas for
industrial purposes drawing must be mainly employed for the rep
resentation of objects which do not exist, but which are to be
made. An account of the different 'kinds of drawing, with their
manifold applications, would be interesting, but it is not necessary
to give it here.
As to the general manner, however, of conducting instruction
in drawing and art, a few words may not be out of place. It