An Experimental Study of Writing Movements. 259 
It lies beyond^ the scope of this paper to deal with the relation 
of the writing movements to the conscious processes which they express. 
It may be indicated, however, that movements which have become 
automatic in the way described, are especially well adapted to the 
work that is required of them in expressing ideas. Attention is not 
engaged in the control of the movement itself, and is, therefore, 
free to take up other contents and to dwell upon the relations which 
are appropriate to these new contents. The writing movements thus 
become, after being developed through conscious control, the means 
of expressing entirely new contents, not originally connected in any 
way with the form of the movements or mode of their development. 
The process of shifting consciousness from form to the new content, 
is a process which logically follows the process traced in this paper. 
As a matter of experience there is of course no distinct point in time 
when the reduction to automatism is complete and the growth of ex¬ 
pression begins. The processes go on together. As soon as automatism 
has gone far enough to free attention in a degree, this freedom is 
employed in its degree in taking up new content. 
The purposes of this paper are, however, attained without treating 
of the second phase of this subject, if only the first phase of the 
process has been in a measure elucidated, and if the data gathered 
have served to reduce the great variety of individual forms of writing 
to a few more thoroughly analyzed, and fully described types. 
17*