2 THE HORSE. 



I am not ignoring the fact that the unchecked 

 reproduction of a defective attitude, conventionally- 

 accepted for many years, is more easy ; but, in the 

 instance of the horse, I do not believe that, at our epoch, 

 contentment should be permissible at the following reply, 

 frequently made to me : — " What does the theory of 

 animal locomotion matter ? The sculptor and artist 

 adopt what the public, the principal judge, is accustomed 

 to accept as movement. The artist portrays a horse 

 which appears to walk, and that suffices him." 



This brings us back to the admission that we shall 

 always rest under the influence of the not very consolatory 

 phrase of the American philosopher, Emerson : — " The 

 public above all else demands conformity. It has little 

 affection for realities, but much for conventions and 

 customs." 



Therefore, it is the public who must be enlightened, 

 since it is they who see and observe. 



So far as all connected with the representation of 

 animals is concerned, everything has remained stationary 

 for a long time past. Custom recapitulated the vitality 

 of movement in certain positions of the members, 

 convention compelling the draughtsman to confine himself 

 within the limitations of this restricted animation. Now 

 progress in this respect must be pointed out. Some 

 have even attained to the mathematical observation of 

 the gaits. 



Dr. Marey, quite recently, in a lecture at the 

 Sorbonne, detailed to his auditors experiments made 

 upon the gaits of the horse. The learned physiologist 

 who has succeeded in the circumscription of the rhythm 

 of the imprints in a graphic notation, affirmed that the 

 artists who, at the present day, make such laudable 

 endeavours to correctly delineate the horse, can derive 

 great benefit from a process which offers the double 

 advantage of representing the gaits with exactitude, as 

 well as the numerous variations of outline. 



This would be a valuable expedient for truthful 

 representations ; for imperfection in art is not solely 

 dependent upon errors which may be committed, as often 

 an artist, when acquainted with an attitude which to him 

 appears exact, repeats it with lamentable monotony. 



