THE MEASURE OF MAN. 109
shown by many experiments that every object radiates forces which impress an image of itself upon surrounding objects. "If we lay a key upon a smooth metal plate for a short time, and then remove it, the image of the key may be evoked by heating the plate. And this may be done years after the contact." Whether conscious or not, the objects of the universe are thus continually recording their history in these marvelous pictures. A room becomes atmosphere(] and vitalized by the character of its occupants. The trouping of members, in the mansion, their daily life and employments, at length results in establishing definite currents of vital force from room to room around the mansion. It becomes, to an extent, like a living organism.
The laws of form, color and serial harmony become important elements in making a perfect dwelling. These laws must have a short consideration here.
BEAUTY OF THE FORM. The curves of the head, face and body seldom terminate abruptly, but gracefully blend with each other, like the organs at the surface of the brain. The number and perfect arrangement of these curves gives to the human form its wonderful beauty, so far surpassing that of all other physical objects that we cannot conceive of anything more beautiful. And our highest inspirations attribute the same form to beings in realms of existence more exalted than our own.
The Ellipse is the great curve upon which the brain is constructed. Each kind of a curve derives its properties from the fact that it has been produced by certain forces, acting with definite ratios and directions. A curve is an embodiment of forces.
The organs and signs of sex-love in the brain, the face and the body, form elliptical curves; the parental, filial and some of the intellectual, form parabolic; the ambitious organs form hyperbolic, and the religious and reasoning faculties form epicycloidal curves. It follows that these curves have spiritual or mental qualities and influences. Their normal use in archi
tecture can be readily understood.
The most beautiful face and
figure is one in which all of the faculties are the most fully and evenly developed. If any organs or signs of a curve are deficient in size, this will destroy the regularity and consequently the beauty of the curve. The most beautiful liv
ing object is the one having the fullest and freest manifestation of life. For " Life is a principle of responsive unity," and the more complete the relation and harmony of its parts, the more perfect is the manifestation of life, in any living being.
Living creatures appear ugly and deformed when the free play of life seems obstructed in them. The line of beauty is that which presents the least obstruction to free movement, like the double parabola of the geometrician. A line that is crooked instead of curved, must have been produced by disturbed or interrupted forces. More force must be expended in turning at an abrupt angle than in passing around a gentle curve.
THE HUMAN HEAD, drawn in profile with an outlay of straight lines and angles, will give us a scale of twelve, The opening of the ear lies against
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