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AMERICAN  PREFACE.

master;  in  the  second,  he  ignores  all  the  formative  processes  of
nature.
Mention  lias  now  been  made  of  a  few  essential  elements  of  art
knowledge,  —  elements  which  can  be  scientifically  treated,  and
therefore  taught  with  that  precision  demanded  by  sound  educational
  principles.  It  will  be  observed  that  industrial  art  and  fine
art  have,  in  the  main,  the  same  elementary  basis;  hence  that
whatever  promotes  the  former  must  promote  the  latter  directly  or
indirectly,  —  directly  by  educating  the  artist,  indirectly  by  educating
  the  public  taste  and  judgment.  But,  while  industrial  art
leads  to  fine  art,  the  latter  exerts  a  reflex  influence  upon  the  former,
because  it  elevates  the  public  taste,  and  because  the  instruction
specially  required  by  fine  art  often  proves  of  Service  as  a  discipline
to  the  artisan.  Thus  the  drawing  of  the  human  figure  is  an  excellent
  discipline  for  the  artisan  because  of  the  subtle  training  whieh
it  affords  the  eye  and  hand.  But  to  make  the  human  figure  the
foundation  of  all  art,  to  expect,  for  example,  by  persistently
drawing  it  fully  to  develop  the  power  of  seeing,  or  to  produce  a
good  industrial  designer  or  decorative  artist  of  any  kind,  is  the
height  of  educational  absurdity.
how  CAN  INSTRUCTION  IN  ART  BE  BEST  GIVEN?
Finally,  how  can  instruction  in  the  teachable  elements  of  art  be
best  given  ?  The  answer  shall  be  brief,  —  so  brief  that  it  will
perhaps  appear  dogmatic.  As  the  whole  people  should  be  reached,
the  means  must  be  adequate  to  the  end  desired.  There  must  be
books,  drawing-copies,  models,  casts,  and,  for  some  of  the  advanced
  work,  special  school  accommodations.  The  forms  given
to  be  drawn,  whether  flat  copies  or  solid,  should  be  scrupulously
exact,  should  have  pronounced  character,  and,  if  tliey  are  to  aflect
the  taste,  should  be  as  beautiful  as  it  is  possible  to  make  them.
They  should,  of  course,  be  graded  according  to  sound  educational
principles.  Then  the  forms  to  be  drawn,  especially  in  the  earlier
stages  of  each  department,  should  be  accompanied  by  a  printed
text,  on  whose  preparation  the  utmost  care  should  be  bestowed,  to
the  end  that  not  only  the  requisite  Information  may  be  given,  but
that  all  inaccurate  and  slovenly  use  of  language  may  be  avoided
as  in  the  preparation  of  a  grammar,  rhetoric,  or  other  school-book.