MAMMALS 73 



But play is most advanced in character when the 

 playing animal is conscious of its pretended activity ; 

 when it knows it is only playing a part. Play is in 

 itself only a pretence, since there is no serious occasion 

 for the exercise of the instinct. We have to learn next, 

 therefore, if the animal knows that it is only making 

 pretence. 



This cannot be seriously questioned. Every dog 

 that pretends to bite its companions or master knows 

 that it is playing. We could give many such instances. 

 Remember, too, how animals can dissemble : how a dog 

 that has broken something will pretend to be engrossed 

 in some action or other, with the most innocent face in 

 the world. In this consciousness of pretence we have 

 imagination, or the faculty of taking to be real something 

 that only exists in idea. In play, therefore, we have a 

 conscious self-deception. 



Here we find ourselves at the threshold of art, and 

 it will not be without interest to take a peep into this 

 field. 



In art we have a conscious self-deception, and play 

 and art are intimately connected, as the very words 

 " playing the piano," "playing a drama," etc., indicate. 

 The impulse to play is the real source of artistic 

 activity both in primitive races and in children. Thus 

 the animal is brought to the very verge of artistic pro- 

 duction by its delight in pretence. It does not cross the 

 threshold; because for real artistic creation the aim to 

 influence others by one's make-believe is necessary. 

 This purpose is not present in normal play. 



The conscious self-deception in play and art is due to 



