638 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



character. But it is evident that the resemblance is quite sug- 

 gestive enough to confuse the crowd, and to provide mud for the 

 ever-ready hand of the religious controversialist. Let it be re- 

 membered, also, that we are not dealing here with any of the 

 deeper results of the complications which arise owing to the 

 diverse functions of the machinery of emotion. Dean Swift, in 

 his ruffianly onslaught on the revivalists of his day, had enough 

 truth on his side to give point to his parable. In our relig- 

 ious devotee the physical results of excitement do not break 

 through the barrier set up by the inhibitory centers, and come 

 into the region of conduct. 



Having had occasion to make free use of the word " artist," it 

 may be worth while to devote a few words to the class most 

 generally known by that name. In the case of most painters, 

 and all sculptors, another and most important expression factor 

 comes into play. I allude to the effect of unconscious imitation. 



This subject was touched upon in my previous article, when 

 an explanation was attempted of the remarkable resemblance 

 which often becomes apparent between persons who live to- 

 gether. 



There appears good reason for believing that even an unsub- 

 stantial ideal face which is always before the mind's eye will 

 influence the expression muscles in a like manner. Among the 

 majority of artists who paint or model the human figure certain 

 standards of perfection, generally founded upon the old Greek 

 masterpieces, are ever present to the mind more so, probably, 

 than the face of any human companion. Now when we strive to 

 realize a mental picture of another face, whether it be that of a 

 god or a costermonger, we unconsciously imitate it. Careful 

 observation of a considerable number of artists' faces has con- 

 vinced me that such involuntary mimicry is a considerable factor 

 in determining that classic cast of visage which is certainly more 

 common among men of this profession than among those of any 

 other. On the other hand, we find that caricaturists and all low 

 comedians of the pencil tend to develop an eccentric expression. 

 Those who have lived long enough to watch the development of 

 certain well-known faces in the artistic world will, I think, agree 

 with me that in most cases the acquired expressions are broadly 

 reflections of those chosen ideals which have been occupying the 

 thoughts and employing the hands of the artists. 



Landscape and genre painters are of course free from this 

 kind of influence. There is nothing in their work or in their 

 ideals that can be reproduced by the mechanism of the body, and 

 any reaction of the nervous system must be akin to that of ordi- 

 nary sensuous impressions. These, as we have seen in the case of 

 the musician, do not conduce to personal beauty. It seems prob- 



