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  THE 
  FACT 
  OF 
  BEAUTY 
  

  

  in 
  natural 
  individualities 
  are 
  such 
  that 
  they 
  evoke 
  in 
  us 
  

   an 
  activity 
  a 
  disinterested 
  contemplative 
  activity 
  which, 
  

   as 
  we 
  have 
  said 
  ; 
  is 
  almost 
  the 
  best 
  of 
  us. 
  This 
  is 
  a 
  note- 
  

   worthy 
  correspondence. 
  

  

  9. 
  Beauty 
  of 
  Animal 
  Artifice. 
  

  

  When 
  we 
  pass 
  from 
  incorporated 
  or 
  incarnate 
  beauty 
  to 
  

   that 
  of 
  artifice, 
  we 
  experience 
  a 
  delight 
  in 
  which 
  there 
  seems 
  

   to 
  be 
  a 
  deeper 
  note 
  than 
  any 
  that 
  we 
  have 
  yet 
  sounded. 
  

   When 
  we 
  study 
  the 
  nests 
  of 
  birds, 
  'the 
  webs 
  of 
  spiders, 
  the 
  

   architecture 
  of 
  the 
  termitary, 
  the 
  combs 
  of 
  bees, 
  the 
  work 
  

   of 
  tube-building 
  worms, 
  the 
  arenaceous 
  encasements 
  of 
  some 
  

   Foraminifera, 
  we 
  recognise 
  skill 
  in 
  the 
  use 
  of 
  materials, 
  or 
  

   selection 
  of 
  fit 
  and 
  congruent 
  materials, 
  or 
  a 
  triumphing 
  over 
  

   material 
  difficulties, 
  or 
  an 
  expression 
  of 
  individuality 
  at 
  a 
  

   level 
  almost 
  reaching 
  to 
  art. 
  Then 
  in 
  a 
  new 
  way 
  deep 
  calls 
  

   to 
  deep, 
  we 
  have 
  a 
  sympathetic 
  joy 
  in 
  the 
  creature's 
  mas- 
  

   tery 
  of 
  its 
  materials, 
  in 
  its 
  circumvention 
  or 
  solution 
  of 
  

   technical 
  difficulties. 
  We 
  enjoy 
  a 
  vicarious 
  victory 
  of 
  

   mind 
  over 
  matter. 
  Let 
  us 
  consider 
  once 
  more 
  the 
  arena- 
  

   ceous 
  Forminifera, 
  organless, 
  tissueless 
  creatures, 
  with 
  

   little 
  visible 
  complexity. 
  When 
  a 
  Technitella 
  makes 
  for 
  it- 
  

   self 
  an 
  encasement 
  of 
  minute 
  Echinoderm 
  plates, 
  when 
  an- 
  

   other 
  species 
  makes 
  a 
  two-layered 
  warp 
  and 
  woof 
  of 
  sponge 
  

   spicules, 
  when 
  a 
  Reophax 
  makes 
  a 
  chain-armour 
  of 
  mica 
  

   platelets 
  cemented 
  at 
  their 
  margin 
  with 
  chitin, 
  when 
  a 
  

   Marsipella 
  twists 
  its 
  borrowed 
  sponge 
  spicules 
  in 
  a 
  spiral 
  

   probably 
  anticipating 
  the 
  prehistoric 
  genius 
  who 
  invented 
  

   string, 
  we 
  venture 
  to 
  think 
  that 
  in 
  such 
  moments 
  of 
  en- 
  

   'deavour 
  and 
  adventure 
  in 
  dealing 
  with 
  inorganic 
  materials, 
  

   artistic 
  consciousness 
  finds 
  its 
  first 
  glimmering 
  expression. 
  

   We 
  have 
  argued 
  that 
  organisms 
  are 
  psycho-physical 
  individ- 
  

  

  