T. H. Pear, Xumber-Fo 



rms 



to the left of the hne between his eye and the ship, at the 

 level of the horizon, and at twenty feet distance. Again, 

 we may suppose that he would see the figure 7 invariably 

 half a point to the left of the ship, at an altitude equal to 

 the sun's diameter above the horizon, and at thirty feet 

 distance; similarly for all the other figures. Consequently, 

 when he thinks of the series of numerals i, 2, 3, 4, etc., thev 

 show themselves in a definite pattern that always occupies 

 an identical position in his field of view with respect to the 

 direction in which he is looking. 



" The pattern or ' Form ' in which the numerals are seen 

 is by no means the same in different persons, but assumes 

 the most grotesque variety of shapes, which run in all sorts 

 of angles, bends, curves and zigzags, as represented in the 

 various illustrations to this chapter. The drawings, however, 

 fail in giving the idea of their apparent size to those who 

 see them ; they usually occupv a wider range than the mental 

 eye can take in at a glance, and compel it to wander. 

 wSometimes they are nearlv panoramic." 



To the person who possesses no vestige of a number-form 

 such a description mav seem far-fetched. He is, however, 

 likely to discover on investigation that it has been fetched 

 from no farther than next door. Yet manv people who 

 possess no number-form iridubitablv show the undeveloped 

 foundations of one; for number-forms are by no means rare. 

 Of 525 persons who were questioned 35, Qr 6.7%, were found 

 to possess them. ^Moreover, the answers of many people who 

 possess no number-form imply that the undeveloped founda- 

 tions of one are present in their mind. Phillips (4), for example, 

 found that of 250 adults, who believed that they possessed no 

 number-form, not less than 210 had a feeling that numbers 

 in some way recede from them. Many reported that they 

 have an upward movement. For others thev appeared to go 

 straight in front or at an angle of 45 degrees. 



It is the striking absence of such vagueness. howev<n', 

 which usually characterises the description of a number-form 

 by its possessor. He will readily assent to a suggestion 

 that he should make a tri-dimensional wire model of it. The 

 quick look of intelligence with which he answers your 

 questions ;— as if, writes Galton, some chord had been struck 

 which had not been struck before ; — and the rapidity and 

 preciseness of his replies impress one only a little less than 

 the frequent confession that up to that moment he had 

 supposed everyone else to possess his gift. 



