movement. These instances, however, do not clear up the undeniable
contrast between an acoustic and a motor melody, particularly as in
the first, motor accompaniments are entirely wanting. This is probably
the case in a much higher degree for æsthetic enjoyment than for mere
recollection.
I pass finally to the consideration of the æsthetic impression of
objects at rest, giving first two examples from the article already
cited, by Vernon Lee and Anstruther-Thomson, who seem to stand aside
altogether from the conflict raging among our own students of æsthetics
and psychology at present devoting themselves to this subject. They
are more under the influence of the Lange-James sensation theory, in
the pursuance of which they have little in common with the theory of
symbolism as advanced here, and do not even make use of the term inner
imitation. Yet the fact of it leads them to the expression “to mime”
in attempting to characterize æsthetic perception. Their observations
undoubtedly transcend the normal (particularly in motor types), and
in some instances practice comes to the aid of natural endowment,
while auto-suggestion occasionally plays a part. These extreme cases,
however, may serve to call the reader’s attention to the normal
conditions, which are not so obvious.
The first example relates to the inspection of a jar. “Here is a jar
equally common in antiquity and in modern peasant ware. Looking at this
jar one has a specific sense of a whole. One’s bodily sensations are
extraordinarily composed, balanced, correlated in their diversity. To
begin with, the feet press on the ground, while the eyes fix the base
of the jar. Then one accompanies the _lift up_, so to speak, of the
body of the jar by a _lift up_ of one’s own body; and one accompanies
by a slight sense of downward pressure of the head the downward
pressure of the widened rim on the jar’s top. Meanwhile, the jar’s
equal sides bring both lungs into equal play; the curve outward of the
jar’s two sides is simultaneously followed by an inspiration as the
eyes move up to the jar’s widest point. Then expiration begins, and
the lungs seem closely to collapse as the curve inward is followed
by the eyes, till, the narrow part of the neck being reached, the
ocular following of the widened-out top provokes a short inspiration.
Moreover, the shape of the jar provokes movement of balance, the left
curve a shifting on to the left foot, and _vice versa_. A complete
and equally distributed set of bodily adjustments has accompanied the
ocular side of the jar; this totality of movements and harmony of
movements in ourselves answers to the intellectual fact, of finding
that the jar is a harmonious whole.”[615]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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