(Sprödigkeit), “Modesty” (Bescheidenheit), “Shame” (Scham), etc. Biologists will note the adoption of “Rudiment” for Anlage in its biological sense. Intrinsically the work will be found a worthy companion to The Play of Animals, a book which has already become famous. J. MARK BALDWIN. PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, _February, 1901_. AUTHOR’S PREFACE In this work my aim is to present the anthropological aspects of the same subject treated of in my psychological investigation of animal play, published in 1896, which may be said to have been a pioneer attempt in its department. In the discussion of human play, however, I am supported by valuable philosophical works, among which I acknowledge myself especially indebted to those of Schaller, Lazarus, and Colozza. In regard to the standpoint from which I approach the general problem of play, it is hardly necessary for me to speak at length here. It is the same practice theory on which I intrenched myself in the earlier work. The difficulties in its way, arising from our as yet imperfect understanding of human impulse life, are fully allowed for in the introduction to the first section, and I am convinced that the results attained by its adoption will, on the whole, justify the method of treatment which I have chosen. Since it was my interest in æsthetics which first induced me to turn my attention to the subject of play, it is natural that the æsthetic phase of the question should be conspicuous in this volume. Still, I wish it to be distinctly understood that my inquiry has not been conducted solely in obedience to such leadings, nor should it be judged exclusively by æsthetic criteria. I have intentionally left many questions open for more mature consideration, at some future time, when I can give to them more thought than was possible in the year’s study which I have devoted to play phenomena. KARL GROOS. BASEL, _December, 1898_. CONTENTS PAGE EDITOR’S PREFACE iii AUTHOR’S PREFACE v THE SYSTEM OF PLAY—INTRODUCTION 1 PART I _PLAYFUL EXPERIMENTATION_ I. PLAYFUL ACTIVITY OF THE SENSORY APPARATUS 7 1. Sensations of contact 7 2. Sensations of temperature 14 3. Sensations of taste 14 4. Sensations of smell 16 5. Sensations of hearing 18 (_a_) Receptive sound-play 19 (_b_) Productive sound-play 31 6. Sensations of sight 48 (_a_) Sensations of brightness 50 (_b_) The perception of colour 54 (_c_) Perception of form 60 (_d_) Perception of movement 67 II. PLAYFUL USE OF THE MOTOR APPARATUS 74 A. Playful movement of the bodily organs 75 B. Playful movement of foreign bodies 95 1. Hustling things about 95 2. Destructive (analytic) movement-play 97 3. Constructive (synthetic) movement-play 99 4. Playful exercise of endurance 101 5. Throwing plays 103 (_a_) Simple throwing 105 (_b_) Throwing with the help of a stroke or blow 107 (_c_) Rolling, spinning, shoving, and skipping foreign bodies 110 (_d_) Throwing at a mark 114 6. Catching 118 III. PLAYFUL USE OF THE HIGHER MENTAL POWERS 121 A. Experimentation with the mental powers 122 1. Memory 122 (_a_) Recognition 122 (_b_) Reflective memory 128 2. Imagination 131 (_a_) Playful illusion 131 (_b_) Playful transformation of the memory-content 135 3. Attention 144 4. Reason 152 B. Experimentation with the feelings 158 1. Physical pain 159 2. Mental suffering 160 3. Surprise 163 4. Fear 166 C. Experimentation with the will 169 PART II _THE PLAYFUL EXERCISE OF IMPULSES OF THE SECOND OR SOCIONOMIC ORDER_ I. FIGHTING PLAY 173 1. Direct physical fighting play 174 2. Direct mental contests 186 3. Physical rivalry 197 4. Mental rivalry 201 5. The destructive impulse 217 6. Teasing 220 7. Enjoyment of...