in suspended animation and supported by blocks, &c. In
so far as this was accurately done, all this mechanical training of eye
and hand was excellent; but it was not enough. And when with an eye
trained to the closest mechanical accuracy the author visited the
galleries of the Continent and studied the drawings of the old masters,
it soon became apparent that either his or their ideas of drawing were
all wrong. Very few drawings could be found sufficiently "like the
model" to obtain the prize at either of the great schools he had
attended. Luckily there was just enough modesty left for him to realise
that possibly they were in some mysterious way right and his own
training in some way lacking. And so he set to work to try and climb the
long uphill road that separates mechanically accurate drawing from
artistically accurate drawing.

Now this journey should have been commenced much earlier, and perhaps it
was due to his own stupidity that it was not; but it was with a vague
idea of saving some students from such wrong-headedness, and possibly
straightening out some of the path, that he accepted the invitation to
write this book.

In writing upon any matter of experience, such as art, the possibilities
of misunderstanding are enormous, and one shudders to think of the
things that may be put down to one's credit, owing to such
misunderstandings. It is like writing about the taste of sugar, you are
only likely to be understood by those who have already experienced the
flavour; by those who have not, the wildest interpretation will be put
upon your words. The written word is necessarily confined to the things
of the understanding because only the understanding has written
language; whereas art deals with ideas of a different mental texture,
which words can only vaguely suggest. However, there are a large number
of people who, although they cannot be said to have experienced in a
full sense any works of art, have undoubtedly the impelling desire which
a little direction may lead on to a fuller appreciation. And it is to
such that books on art are useful. So that although this book is
primarily addressed to working students, it is hoped that it may be of
interest to that increasing number of people who, tired with the rush
and struggle of modern existence, seek refreshment in artistic things.
To many such in this country modern art is still a closed book; its
point of view is so different from that of the art they have been