Supplement to Bulletins Nos. 2 and 3. 429 



frolic; for how can she help it, with all the stimulating influences 

 about her. 



First, there is a cauldron on its tripod. What does it contain? 

 Surely not potatoes and cabbage, or pork and beans, but something akin 

 to the contents of the witches' cauldron m Macbeth, yet not dreadful like 

 that. Kach may surmise for himself what is in it that brews the spirit 

 of mischief for a maid so tender. Perhaps among the rest the impertinent 

 caw of a crow, the saucy whisk of a squirrel's tail, and maybe just a 

 hair from tlie tip of the tail of Old Nick himself. Whatever is in the 

 pot, it is plain that it is mischief that is brewing; for who feeds the fire? 

 A lot of brownie imps, as innocently audacious as the little mistress they 

 serve, ihey bring the brush to feed the hre, and blow the flame that 

 boils the brew that helps the maid to make the mischief. 



And on the other side, what have we ? A witchlet's broom and conical 

 hat; under which crouches a kitten bewitched, ready for a wild charge 

 upon granddaddy-long-legs in front. Finally, in the rear rises the moon 

 ready to give full backing to all mad freaks of the little lunatics in front. 

 Everything contributes to the central idea, the unity of the whole — 

 the fertile mind of childhood, the freedom generated by the outdoor 

 gypsy life, the mischief-brewing pot, the mischievous implets that keep 

 it boiling, the symbolic hat and broom, the frolicsome kitten, and then old 

 Luna herself, who is renowned for infusing the minds of maids, both 

 young and full-grown, with a touch of madcap spirits. 



So important is this idea of unity in variety, or to put it the other 

 way, variety in unity, that many have considered the resulting harmony 

 of the whole to be the chief characteristic of beauty. Yet we shall have 

 to say that there is something else, for what would harmony amount to 

 if it expressed nothing? Art always has a meaning, and this meaning 

 is of and for the mind. Fundamentally, as Ruskin and many others 

 claim, a work of art has worth and meaning, primarily for the significance 

 of the ideas that it expresses, and only secondarily for the excellence of 

 their expression in form and color. 



This picture is certainly good art. It is good, because the idea 

 revealed is an interesting aspect of the mental life of childhood, and 

 because it is an usually successful example of the unity possible among 

 a number of contributing details. 



A successful costume exhibits the same elements of unity in variety. 

 For household labor, the neat print, the becoming apron, the natty cap 

 to protect the head, together set ofif and adorn a comely face and cheerful 

 expression. A hat for holiday outing, will match the color and style of the 

 outer garments, and will crown with grace and dignity the whole costume. 

 Even if not the greatest thing in art, unity and variety of parts are 

 at, all events necessary attributes. 



