Of the many thousands of persons who handle our silver dollar,
but few happen to observe the lion's head which lies concealed in
the representation of the familiar head of Liberty; frequently
even a careful examination fails to detect this hidden emblem of
British rule; but, as before, when once found, it is quite obvious
(Fig. 1).[10] For similar reasons it is a great aid in looking
for an object to know what to look for; to be readily found, the
object, though lost to sight, should be to memory clear. Searching
is a mental process similar to the matching of a piece of fabric
in texture or color, when one has forgotten the sample and must
rely upon the remembrance of its appearance. If the recollection
is clear and distinct, recognition takes place when the judgment
decides that what the physical eye sees corresponds to the image
in the mind's eye; with an indistinct mental image the recognition
becomes doubtful or faulty. The novice in the use of the microscope
experiences considerable difficulty in observing the appearance which
his instructor sees and describes, and this because his conception
of the object to be seen is lacking in precision. Hence his training
in the use of the microscope is distinctly aided by consulting the
illustrations in the textbook, for they enable his mental eye to
realize the pictures which it should entertain. He may be altogether
too much influenced by the pictures thus suggested to his mental
vision, and draw what is really not under his microscope at all; much
as the young arithmetician will manage to obtain the answer which the
book requires even at the cost of a resort to very unmathematical
processes. For training in correct and accurate vision it is
necessary to acquire an alert mental eye, that observes all that is
objectively visible, but does not permit the subjective to add to or
modify what is really present.
II
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--In order to see the lion's
head, look at the above cut upside down, and the
head will be discovered facing the left, as above
outlined. It is clearer on the coin itself than in this
representation.]
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--These letters should not be
seen at all until they have been observed at a distance
of eight to twelve feet. An interesting method of
testing the activity of the mind's eye with these
letters is described in the text.]
[Illustration: FIG. 2_a_.]
[Illustration: FIG. 2_b_.]
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--For description, see text, page
282.]
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