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Inquiries into Human Faculty
individual who sees them. The influence of the mood of the moment is
shown in the curves that are felt appropriate to the various emotions, as
the lank drooping lines of grief; which make the weeping willow so—fit
an emblem of it. In constructing fire-faces it seems to me that the eye in
its wanderings tends to follow a favourite course, and it especially dwells
upon the marks that happen to coincide with that course. It feels its way,
easily diverted by associations based on what has just been noticed, until
at last, by the unconscious practice of a system of “trial and error,” it hits
upon a track that will suit—one that is easily run over and that strings
together accidental marks in a way that happens to form a well-connected
picture. This fancy picture is then dwelt upon; all that is incongruous with
it becomes disregarded, while all deficiencies in it are supplied by the
fantasy. The latest stages of the process might be represented by a
diorama. Three lanterns would converge on the same screen. The first
throws an image of what the imagination will discard, the second of that
which it will retain, the third of that which —it will supply. Turn on the
first and second, and the picture on the screen will be identical with that
which fell on the retina. Shut off the first and turn on the third, and the
picture will be identical with the illusion.
Turner the painter made frequent use of a practice analogous to that of
looking for fire-faces in the burning coals he was known to give colours to
children to daub in play on paper, while he keenly watched for suggestive
but accidental combinations.
I have myself had frequent experience of the automatic construction of
fantastic figures, through a practice I have somewhat encouraged for the
purpose, of allowing my hand to scribble at its own will, while I am
giving my best attention to what is being said by others, as at small
committees. It is always a surprise to me to see the result whenever I turn
my thoughts on what I have been subconsciously doing! I can rarely
recollect even a few of the steps by which the drawings were made; they
grew piecemeal, with some almost forgotten notice, from time to time, of
the sketch as a whole. I can trace no likeness between what I draw and the
images that present themselves to me
