This is the fourth collection of essays by a distinguished Professor Emeritus of the Psychology of Art at Harvard University. In it he explores the nature of structure: how it comes about, its incentives and objectives, and how it celebrates perfection. While the brief, gemlike essays do not fulfill such grand goals, they do succeed in lucidly presenting a play of theories and do consistently hold the interest of the reader.

The search for structure unites artist and scientist—the former in