CHAPTER I THE POINT OF VIEW While there is a great deal of literary reference in all the following argument, I realize, looking back over many attempts to paraphrase it for various audiences, that its appeal is to those who spend the best part of their student life in classifying, and judging, and producing works of sculpture, painting, and architecture.

I find the eyes of all others wandering when I make talks upon the plastic artist's point of view.
This book tries to find that fourth dimension of architecture, painting, and sculpture, which is the human soul in action, that arrow with wings which is the flash of fire from the film, or the heart of man, or Pygmalion's image, when it becomes a woman.
The 1915 edition was used by Victor O.Freeburg as one of the text-books in the Columbia University School of Journalism, in his classes in photoplay writing.

I was invited several times to address those classes on my yearly visits to New York.

I have addressed many other academic classes, the invitation being based on this book.

Now I realize that those who approach the theory from the general University standpoint, or from the history of the drama, had best begin with Freeburg's book, for he is not only learned in both matters, but presents the special analogies with skill.