Many people believed that this was all waste of money and time, and, quite unknown to me, at their instigation an inquiry was made of all the teachers in the public schools as to the standing of my art pupils in their other classes, it being confidently anticipated that they would be found to have fallen behind.  And the result of the investigation was that the two hundred were in advance of the one hundred and ten thousand in every branch—­geography, arithmetic, history, and so on.

It was not remarkable, because boys and girls who had, at an average age of twelve or thirteen, learned the principles of design and its practical application to several kinds of handiwork, and knew the differences and characteristics of Gothic, Arabesque, or Greek patterns, all developed a far greater intelligence in general thought and conversation than others.  They had at least one topic on which they could converse intelligently with any grown-up person, and in which they were really superior to most.  They soon found this out.  I have often been astonished in listening to their conversation among themselves to hear how well they discussed art.  They all well knew at least one thing, which is far from being known among aesthetes in London, which is that in Decorative Art, however you may end in all kinds of mixtures of styles, you must at least begin with organic development, and not put roots or flowers at both ends of a branch or vine.

The secret of it all is that those who from an early age develop the constructive faculty (especially if this be done in a pleasing, easy manner, with agreeable work) also develop with it the Intellect, and that very rapidly to a very remarkable degree.  There are reasons for this.  Drawing when properly taught stimulates visual perception or eye memory; this is strikingly the case when the pupil has a model placed in one room, and, after studying it, goes into another room to reproduce it from memory.  Original design, which when properly taught is learned with incredible ease by all children, stimulates observation to a remarkable degree.  The result of such education is to develop a great general quickness of perception and thought.

Now, be it observed, that if anyone desires to learn design or any art, it may be greatly facilitated by the application to it of Will and Foresight, and in the beginning, Self-Suggestion.  He who understands the three as one, sees in it a higher or more energetic kind of self-discipline than most people practise.  In the end they come to the same as a vigorous effort of the Will.

Thus, having mastered the very easy principles of design which govern all organic development or vegetable growth (as set forth in a plant with roots, offshoots, or crochets, and end ornaments, flowers, or finials, with the circle, spiral, and offshooting ornaments; rings made into vines and wave patterns; all of which can be understood in an hour with diagrams), let the beginner attempt a design, the simpler the better, and reproduce it from memory.  If on going to bed he will impress it on his mind that on the morrow he would like to make more designs, or that it must be done, he will probably feel the impulse and succeed.  This is the more likely because patterns impress themselves very vividly on the memory or imagination, and when studied are easily recalled after a little practice.