file which includes the original illustrations4 ,see #chhff-;h4htm or #chhff-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/cache_/epu b_/#chhff_/pg#chhff-;images4html7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/files_/#ch hff_/chhff-;h4zip7 ,images of the original pages are available through ,internet ,archive4 ,see http3_/_/www4archive4org_/details_/evolu tionofphoto#jjwerguoft ,transcriber's note3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics 7italics74 ,text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face 7bold74 ,whole and fractional parts of numbers are displayed as #d-e_/h for four and five-eights or as a decimal number4 ,several of the advertisements display another type of 'fraction' to represent shillings and pence3 #a_/a-a_/b for one shilling and one and one-half pence2 and #a_/- is #a shilling and no pence4 ,illustration3 ,,first ,,period4 ,,paper1 ,,asphaltum1 ,c4 ,,thomas ,,wedgwood4 ,from a ,plaster ,cast4 ,,joseph ,,nicephore ,,niepce4 ,from a ,painting by ,l4 ,berger4 ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,,reade4 ,from a ,photograph by ,maull ,fox4 ,,henry ,,fox ,,talbot4 ,from a ,calotype4 ,,sir ,,john ,,herschel4 ,from a ,daguerreotype4 ,,the ,,evolution ,,of ,,photography4 ,with a ,chronological ,record of ,discoveries1 ,inventions1 ,etc41 ,contributions to ,photographic ,literature1 and ,personal ,reminiscences ,extending over ,forty ,years4 by ,,john ,,werge4 ,illustrated4 ,london3 ,piper ,carter1 #e1 ,furnival ,street1 ,holborn1 ,e4,c42 and ,john ,werge1 #aa;,a1 ,berners ,street1 ,oxford ,street1 ,w4 #ahij4 ,all ,rights ,reserved4 ,printed by ,piper ,carter1 #e1 ,furnival ,street1 ,holborn1 ,london1 ,e4,c4 ,,preface4 ,no previous history of photography1 that ,i am aware of1 has ever assumed the form of a reminiscence1 nor have ,i met with a photographic work1 of any description1 that is so strictly built upon a chronological foundation as the one now placed in the hands of the reader4 ,i therefore think1 and trust1 that it will prove to be an acceptable and readable addition to photographic literature4 ,it was never intended that this volume should be a text-book1 so ,i have not entered into elaborate descriptions of the manipulations of this or that process1 but have endeavoured to make it a comprehensive and agreeable summary of all that has been done in the past1 and yet convey a perfect knowledge of all the processes as they have appeared and effected radical changes in the practice of photography4 ,the chronological record of discoveries1 inventions1 appliances1 and publications connected with the art will1 it is hoped1 be received and considered as a useful and interesting table of reference2 while the reminiscences1 extending over forty years of unbroken contact with every phase of photography1 and some of its pioneers1 will form a vital link between the long past and immediate present1 which may awaken pleasing recollections in some1 and give encouragement to others to enter the field of experiment1 and endeavour to continue the work of evolution4 ,at page #aj it is stated1 on the authority of the late ,robert ,hunt1 that some of ,niepce's early pictures may be seen at the ,british ,museum4 ,that was so1 but unfortunately it is not so now4 ,on making application1 very recently1 to examine these pictures1 ,i ascertained that they were never placed in the care of the curator of the ,british ,museum1 but were the private property of the late ,dr4 ,robert ,brown1 who left them to his colleague1 ,john ,joseph ,bennett1 and that at the latter's death they passed into the possession of his widow4 ,i wrote to the lady making enquiries about them1 but have not been able to trace them further2 there are1 however1 two very interesting examples of ,niepce's heliographs1 and one photo-etched plate and print1 lent by ,mr4 ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson1 on view at ,south ,kensington1 in the ,western ,gallery of the ,science ,collection4 ,for the portrait of ,thomas ,wedgwood1 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,godfrey ,wedgwood2 for that of ,joseph ,nicephore ,niepce1 to the ,mayor of ,chalons-sur-,saone2 for the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade's1 to ,mr4 ,fox2 for ,sir ,john ,herschel's1 to ,mr4 ,h4 ,h4 ,cameron2 for ,john ,frederick ,goddard's1 to ,dr4 ,jabez ,hogg2 and for ,frederick ,scott ,archer's1 to ,mr4 ,alfred ,cade2 and to all those gentlemen ,i tender my most grateful acknowledgments4 ,also to the ,autotype ,company1 for their care and attention in carrying out my wishes in the reproduction of all the illustrations by their beautiful ,collotype ,process4 ,,john ,,werge4 ,london1 ,june1 #ahij4 ,,contents4 ,,introduction #a ,,first ,,period4 ,the ,dark ,ages #c ,,second ,,period4 ,publicity and ,progress #bg ,,third ,,period4 ,collodion ,triumphant #eh ,,fourth ,,period4 ,gelatine ,successful #ie ,,chronological ,,record4 ,inventions1 ,discoveries1 etc4 #abf ,,contributions ,,to ,,photographic ,,literature4 #adj ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,frontispiece ,portrait of ,thomas ,wedgwood4 ,portrait of ,joseph ,nicephore ,niepce4 ,portrait of ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade4 ,portrait of ,henry ,fox ,talbot4 ,portrait of ,sir ,john ,herschel4 #bg ,portrait of ,l4 ,j4 ,m4 ,daguerre4 #bg ,portrait of ,john ,frederick ,goddard4 #bg ,copy of ,instantaneous ,daguerreotype4 #eh ,portrait of ,frederick ,scott ,archer4 #eh ,hever ,castle1 ,kent4 #ie ,portrait of ,dr4 ,r4 ,l4 ,maddox4 #ie ,portrait of ,richard ,kennett4 ,,index4 ,archer1 ,frederick ,scott1 #eh-fi ,argentic ,gelatino-,bromide ,paper1 #ajf ,abney's ,translation of ,pizzighelli and ,hubl's ,booklet1 #aji ,a ,string of ,old ,beads1 #cji ,bacon1 ,roger1 #c ,bennett1 ,charles1 #ajb ,boston1 #ea ,bromine ,accelerator1 #bi ,bingham1 ,robert ,j41 #hg ,burgess1 ,j41 #ic ,cabinet ,portraits1 #hd ,camera-,obscura1 #c ,chronological ,record1 #abf-aci ,convention of #ahhi1 #abb ,claudet1 ,a4 ,f4 ,j41 #bi1 #hf ,chlorine ,accelerator1 #bi ,collodion ,process 7,archer's71 #fh ,collodio-,chloride ,printing ,process1 #ha ,davy1 ,sir ,h41 #i ,daguerre1 ,l4 ,j4 ,m41 #i1 #dc ,daguerreotype ,process1 #bc1 #bd1 #be ---- ,apparatus ,imported1 #bi ,diaphanotypes1 #ga ,dolland1 ,j41 #d ,donkin1 ,w4 ,f41 #abj ,draper1 ,dr41 #ajg ,dublin ,exhibition1 #bje-bbf ,eburneum ,process1 #hb ,elliott ,fry1 #if ,eosine1 c41 #aji ,errors in ,pictorial ,backgrounds1 #bca ,first ,photographic ,portrait1 #ajg ,fizeau1 ,m41 #f1 #bh ,flash-light ,pictures1 #aah ,gelatino-,bromide ,experiments1 #ia ,globe ,lens1 #gh ,goddard1 ,john ,frederick1 #bh1 #gi ,harrison1 ,w4 ,h41 #hg ,heliographic ,process1 #aa1 #ab1 #ac ,heliochromy1 #hh ,herschel1 ,dr41 #f ,herschel1 ,sir ,john1 #id ,hillotypes1 #ga ,hughes1 ,jabez1 #ee1 #ge ,hunt1 ,robert1 #aag ,international ,exhibitions1 #db1 #gg1 #hb1 #aaa ,johnson1 ,j4 ,r41 #ajg ,kennett1 ,r41 #if ,lambert1 ,leon1 #ih ,laroche1 ,sylvester1 #aaf ,lea1 ,carey1 #aja ,lux ,graphicus on the ,wing1 #bgc-bii ,lights and ,lighting1 #caa ,maddox1 ,dr4 ,r4 ,l41 #ia ,magic ,photographs1 #hc ,mawson1 ,john1 #he ,mayall1 ,j4 ,e41 #ed ,macbeth1 ,norman1 #abj ,montreal1 #ea ,morgan and ,kidd1 #ajf ,newton1 ,sir ,isaac1 #c ,new ,york1 #dh1 #ga ,niagara1 #ej ,niepce1 ,j4 ,nicephore1 #i1 #aa ,niepce de ,st4 ,victor1 #hh ,niagara1 ,pictures of1 #adj-aeh ,notes on ,pictures in ,national ,gallery1 #bde ,orthochromatic ,plates1 #aae ,panoramic ,lens and ,camera1 #gf ,pistolgraph1 #gf ,pensions to ,daguerre and ,niepce1 #cc ,philadelphia1 #di ,ponton1 ,mungo1 #bb1 #ajc ,poitevin1 ,m41 #he1 #ajh ,porta1 ,baptista ,g41 #c ,potash ,bichromate1 #bb ,pouncy ,process1 #gh ,pictures of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 #aeh-afi ,pinhole ,camera1 #aag ,pizzighelli's ,platinum ,printing1 #aah ,pictures of the ,potomac1 #ahc-aif ,photography in the ,north1 #bbf-bca ,perspective1 #bcg-bdd ,photography and the ,immured ,pompeiians1 #cjc ,rambles among ,studios1 #aif-bjd ,reade1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,b41 #ae-bb1 #ij ,rejlander1 ,o4 ,g41 #ih ,ritter1 ,john ,wm41 #e ,rumford1 ,count1 #e ,russell1 ,col41 #aag ,sable ,island1 #dg ,salomon1 ,adam1 #hd ,sawyer1 ,j4 ,r41 #aba ,scheele1 ,c4 ,w41 #d1 #e ,senebier1 #e ,simpson1 ,george ,wharton1 #ge1 #ajc ,soda ,sulphite1 #aji ,swan's ,carbon ,process1 #hj ,stannotype1 #ajg ,sutton1 ,thomas1 #ajj ,spencer1 ,j4 ,a41 #ajb ,stereoscopic ,pictures1 #aai ,sharpness and ,softness v4 ,hardness1 #bdi ,simple ,mode of ,intensifying ,negatives1 #cjg ,talbot1 ,henry ,fox1 #ad1 #aja ,talbot versus ,laroche1 #ed ,taylor1 ,professor ,alfred ,swaine1 #ajd ,the ,hudson ,river1 #afi-ahc ,the ,society's ,exhibition1 #bfj ,the ,use of ,clouds in ,landscapes1 #bfe ---- as ,backgrounds in ,portraiture1 #bfi ,union of the ,north and ,south ,london ,societies1 #bec ,vogel1 ,dr4 ,h4 ,w41 #aji ,washington1 #di ,wedgwood ,controversy1 #hj ,wedgwood1 ,thomas1 #g1 #h1 #i ,whipple ,gallery1 #eb ,wolcott ,reflecting ,camera1 #bh ,wollaston's ,diaphragmatic ,shutter1 #aae ,wollaston1 ,dr41 #f ,woodbury ,process1 #hb ,wothlytype ,printing ,process1 #ha ,,introduction4 ,photography1 though young in years1 is sufficiently aged to be in danger of having much of its early history1 its infantile gambols1 and vigorous growth1 obscured or lost sight of in the glitter and reflection of the brilliant success which surrounds its maturity4 ,scarcely has the period of an average life passed away since the labours of the successful experimentalists began2 yet1 how few of the present generation of workers can lay their fingers on the dates of the birth1 christening1 and phases of the delightful vocation they pursue4 ,many know little or nothing of the long and weary travail the minds of the discoverers suffered before their ingenuity gave birth to the beautiful art-science by which they live4 ,what form the infant art assumed in the earlier stages of its life2 or when1 where1 and how1 it passed from one phase to another until it arrived at its present state of mature and profitable perfection4 ,born with the art1 as ,i may say1 and having graduated in it1 ,i could1 if ,i felt so disposed1 give an interesting1 if not amusing1 description of its rise and progress1 and the many difficulties and disappointments that some of the early practitioners experienced at a time when photographic ,a ,b ,c's were not printed2 its principles and practice anything but familiarly explained2 and when the dark room was as dark as the grave1 and as poisonous as a charnel-house1 and only occasionally illumined by the glare of a bull's-eye4 ,but it is not my intention to enter the domain of romance1 and give highly coloured or extravagant accounts of the growth of so beautiful and fascinating an art-science4 ,photography is sufficiently facetious in itself1 and too versatile in its powers of delineation of scenes and character1 to require any verbose effort of mine to make it attractive4 ,a record of bare facts is all ,i aim at4 ,whatever is doubtful ,i shall leave to the imagination of the reader1 or the invention of the romance writer4 ,to arrange in chronological order the various discoveries1 inventions1 and improvements that have made photography what it is2 to do honour to those who have toiled and given1 or sold1 the fruits of their labour for the advancement of the art2 to set at rest1 as far as dates can succeed in doing so1 any questionable point or order of precedence of merit in invention1 application1 or modification of a process1 and to enable the photographic student to make himself acquainted with the epochs of the art1 is the extent of my ambition in compiling these records4 ,with the hope of rendering this work readily referable and most comprehensive1 ,i shall divide it into four periods4 ,the first will deal broadly and briefly with such facts as can be ascertained that in any way bear on the accidental discovery1 early researches1 and ultimate success of the pioneers of photography4 ,the second will embrace a fuller description of their successes and results4 ,the third will be devoted to a consideration of patents and impediments2 and the fourth to the rise and development of photographic literature and art4 ,a strict chronological arrangement of each period will be maintained1 and it is hoped that the advantages to be derived from travelling some of the same ground over again in the various divisions of the subject will fully compensate the reader1 and be accepted as sufficient excuse for any unavoidable repetition that may appear in the work4 ,with these few remarks ,i shall at once enter upon the task of placing before the reader in chronological order the origin1 rise1 progress1 and development of the science and art of photography4 ,,first ,,period4 ,,the ,,dark ,,ages4 ,more than three hundred years have elapsed since the influence and actinism of light on chloride of silver was observed by the alchemists of the sixteenth century4 ,this discovery was unquestionably the first thing that suggested to the minds of succeeding chemists and men of science the possibility of obtaining pictures of solid bodies on a plane surface previously coated with a silver salt by means of the sun's rays2 but the alchemists were too much absorbed in their vain endeavours to convert the base metals into royal ones to seize the hint1 and they lost the opportunity of turning the silver compounds with which they were acquainted into the mine of wealth it eventually became in the nineteenth century4 ,curiously enough1 a mechanical invention of the same period was afterwards employed1 with a very trifling modification1 for the production of the earliest sun-pictures4 ,this was the camera-obscura invented by ,roger ,bacon in #abig1 and improved by a physician in ,padua1 ,giovanni ,baptista ,porta1 about #aejj1 and afterwards remodelled by ,sir ,isaac ,newton4 ,two more centuries passed away before another step was taken towards the revelation of the marvellous fact that ,nature possessed within herself the power to delineate her own beauties1 and1 as has recently been proved1 that the sun could depict his own terrible majesty with a rapidity and fidelity the hand of man could never attain4 ,the second step towards this grand achievement of science was the construction of the double achromatic combination of lenses by ,j4 ,dolland4 ,with single combinations of lenses1 such pictures as we see of ourselves to-day1 and such portraits of the sun as the astronomers obtained during the late total eclipse1 could never have been produced4 ,j4 ,dolland1 the eminent optician1 was born in ,london #agjf1 and died #agfb2 and had he not made that important improvement in the construction of lenses1 the eminent photographic opticians of the present day might have lived and died unknown to wealth and fame4 ,the observations of the celebrated ,swedish chemist1 ,scheele1 formed the next interesting link between the simple and general blackening of a lump of chloride of silver1 and the gradations of blackening which ultimately produced the photographic picture on a piece of paper possessing a prepared surface of nitrate of silver and chloride of sodium in combination4 ,scheele discovered in #aggg that the blackening of the silver compound was due to the reducing power of light1 and that the black deposit was reduced silver2 and it is precisely the same effect of the action of light upon chloride of silver passing through the various densities of the negative that produces the beautiful photographic prints with which we are all familiar at the present time4 ,scheele was also the first to discover and make known the fact that chloride of silver was blackened or reduced to various depths by the varying action of the prismatic colours4 ,he fixed a glass prism in a window1 allowed the refracted sunbeams to fall on a piece of paper strewn with luna cornua--fused chloride of silver--and saw that the violet ray was more active than any of the other colours4 ,anyone1 with a piece of sensitised paper and a prism1 or piece of a broken lustre1 can repeat and see for themselves ,scheele's interesting discovery2 and anyone that can draw a head or a flower may catch a sunbeam in a small magnifying glass1 and make a drawing on sensitised paper with a pencil1 as long as the sun is distant from the earth4 ,it is the old story of ,columbus and the egg--easy to do when you are shown or told how4 ,charles ,william ,scheele was born at ,stralsund1 ,sweden1 ,december #aith1 #agdb1 and died at ,koeping1 on lake ,moeler1 ,may #bast1 #aghf4 ,he was the real father of photography1 for he produced the first photographic picture on record without camera and without lens1 with the same chemical compound and the same beautiful and wonderful combination of natural colours which we now employ4 ,little did he dream what was to follow4 ,but photography1 like everything else in this world1 is a process of evolution4 ,senebier followed up ,scheele's experiments with the solar spectrum1 and ascertained that chloride of silver was darkened by the violet ray in fifteen minutes1 while the red rays were sluggish1 and required twenty minutes to produce the same result4 ,john ,wm4 ,ritter1 born at ,samitz1 in ,silesia1 corroborated the experiments of ,scheele1 and discovered that chloride of silver was blackened beyond the spectrum on the violet side4 ,he died in #ahaj2 but he had observed what is now called the fluorescent rays of the spectrum--invisible rays which unquestionably exert themselves in the interests and practice of photography4 ,many other experiments were made by other chemists and philosophers on the influence of light on various substances1 but none of them had any direct bearing on the subject under consideration until ,count ,rumford1 in #agih1 communicated to the ,royal ,society his experiments with chloride of gold4 ,count ,rumford wetted a piece of taffeta ribbon with a solution of chloride of gold1 held it horizontally over the clear flame of a wax candle1 and saw that the heat decomposed the gold solution1 and stained the ribbon a beautiful purple4 ,though no revived gold was visible1 the ribbon appeared to be coated with a rich purple enamel1 which showed a metallic lustre of great brilliancy when viewed in the sunlight2 but its photographic value lay in the circumstance of the hint it afterwards afforded ,m4 ,fizeau in applying a solution of chloride of gold1 and1 by means of heat1 depositing a fine film of metallic gold on the surface of the ,daguerreotype image1 thereby increasing the brilliancy and permanency of that form of photographic picture4 ,a modification of ,m4 ,fizeau's chloride of gold fixing process is still used to tone1 and imparts a rich purple colour to photographic prints on plain and albumenized papers4 ,in #ahjj1 ,dr4 ,herschel's ,memoirs on the ,heating ,power of the ,solar ,spectrum were published1 and out of his observations on the various effects of differently coloured darkening glasses arose the idea that the chemical properties of the prismatic colours1 and coloured glass1 might be as different as those which related to heat and light4 ,his suspicions were ultimately verified1 and hence the use of yellow or ruby glass in the windows of the dark room1 as either of those coloured glasses admit the luminous ray and restrain the violet or active photographic ray1 and allow all the operations that would otherwise have to be performed in the dark1 to be seen and done in comfort1 and without injury to the sensitive film4 ,the researches of ,dr4 ,wollaston1 in #ahjb1 had very little reference to photography beyond his examination of the chemical action of the rays of the spectrum1 and his observation that the yellow stain of gum guaiacum was converted to a green colour in the violet rays1 and that the red rays rapidly destroyed the green tint the violet rays had generated4 #ahjb is1 however1 a memorable year in the dark ages of photography1 and the disappointment of those enthusiastic and indefatigable pursuers of the sunbeam must have been grievous indeed1 when1 after years of labour1 they found the means of catching shadows as they fell1 and discovered that they could not keep them4 ,thomas ,wedgwood1 son of the celebrated potter1 was not only the first that obtained photographic impressions of objects1 but the first to make the attempt to obtain sun-pictures in the true sense of the word4 ,scheele had obtained the first photographic picture of the solar spectrum1 but it was by accident1 and while pursuing other chemical experiments2 whereas ,wedgwood went to work avowedly to make the sunbeam his slave1 to enlist the sun into the service of art1 and to compel the sun to illustrate art1 and to depict nature more faithfully than art had ever imitated anything illumined by the sun before4 ,how far he succeeded everyone should know1 and no student of photography should ever tire of reading the first published account of his fascinating pastime or delightful vocation1 if it were but to remind him of the treasures that surround him1 and the value of hyposulphite of soda4 ,what would ,thomas ,wedgwood not have given for a handful of that now common commodity8 ,there is a mournfulness in the sentence relative to the evanescence of those sun-pictures in the ,memoir by ,wedgwood and ,davy that is peculiarly impressive and desponding contrasted with our present notions of instability4 ,we know that sun-pictures will1 at the least1 last for years1 while they knew that at the most they would endure but for a few hours4 ,the following extracts from the ,memoir published in ,june1 #ahjb1 will1 it is hoped1 be found sufficiently interesting and in place here to justify their insertion4 ,white paper1 or white leather moistened with solution of nitrate of silver1 undergoes no change when kept in a dark place1 but on being exposed to the daylight it speedily changes colour1 and after passing through different shades of grey and brown becomes at length nearly black4444 ,in the direct beams of the sun1 two or three minutes are sufficient to produce the full effect1 in the shade several hours are required1 and light transmitted through different coloured glasses acts upon it with different degrees of intensity4 ,thus it is found that red rays1 or the common sunbeams passed through red glass1 have very little action upon it2 yellow and green are more efficacious1 but blue and violet light produce the most decided and powerful effects4444 ,when the shadow of any figure is thrown upon the prepared surface1 the part concealed by it remains white1 and the other parts speedily become dark4 ,for copying paintings on glass1 the solution should be applied on leather1 and in this case it is more readily acted on than when paper is used4 ,after the colour has been once fixed on the leather or paper1 it cannot be removed by the application of water1 or water and soap1 and it is in a high degree permanent4 ,the copy of a painting or the profile1 immediately after being taken1 must be kept in an obscure place2 it may indeed be examined in the shade1 but in this case the exposure should be only for a few minutes2 by the light of candles or lamps as commonly employed it is not sensibly affected4 ,no attempts that have been made to prevent the uncoloured parts of the copy or profile from being acted upon by the light have as yet been successful4 ,they have been covered by a thin coating of fine varnish1 but this has not destroyed their susceptibility of becoming coloured1 and even after repeated washings1 sufficient of the active part of the saline matter will adhere to the white parts of leather or paper to cause them to become dark when exposed to the rays of the sun4444 ,the images formed by means of a camera-obscura have been found to be too faint to produce1 in any moderate time1 an effect upon the nitrate of silver4 ,to copy these images was the first object of ,mr4 ,wedgwood1 in his researches on the subject1 and for this purpose he first used the nitrate of silver1 which was mentioned to him by a friend1 as a substance very sensible to the influence of light2 but all his numerous experiments as to their primary end proved unsuccessful4 ,from the foregoing extracts from the first lecture on photography that ever was delivered or published1 it will be seen that those two eminent philosophers and experimentalists despaired of obtaining pictures in the camera-obscura1 and of rendering the pictures obtained by superposition1 or cast shadows1 in any degree permanent1 and that they were utterly ignorant and destitute of any fixing agents4 ,no wonder1 then1 that all further attempts to pursue these experiments should1 for a time1 be abandoned in ,england4 ,although ,thomas ,wedgwood's discoveries were not published until #ahjb1 he obtained his first results in #agia1 and does not appear to have made any appreciable advance during the remainder of his life4 ,he was born in #agga1 and died in #ahje4 ,sir ,humphry ,davy was born at ,penzance #aggh1 and died at ,geneva in #ahbh1 so that neither of them lived to see the realization of their hopes4 ,from the time that ,wedgwood and ,davy relinquished their investigation1 the subject appears to have lain dormant until #ahad1 when ,joseph ,nicephore ,niepce1 of ,chalons-sur-,saone1 commenced a series of experiments with various resins1 with the object of securing or retaining in a permanent state the pictures produced in the camera-obscura1 and in #ahbd1 ,l4 ,j4 ,m4 ,daguerre turned his attention to the same subject4 ,these two investigators appear to have carried on their experiments in different ways1 and in total ignorance of the existence and pursuits of the other1 until the year #ahbf1 when they accidentally became acquainted with each other and the nature of their investigations4 ,their introduction and reciprocal admiration did not1 however1 induce them to exchange their ideas1 or reveal the extent of their success in the researches on which they were occupied1 and which both were pursuing so secretly and guardedly4 ,they each preserved a marked reticence on the subject for a considerable time1 and it was not until a deed of partnership was executed between them that they confided their hopes and fears1 their failures with this substance1 and their prospects of success with that2 and even after the execution of the deed of partnership they seem to have jealously withheld as much of their knowledge as they decently could under the circumstances4 ,towards the close of #ahbg ,m4 ,niepce visited ,england1 and we receive the first intimation of his success in the production of light-drawn pictures from a note addressed to ,mr4 ,bauer1 of ,kew4 ,it is rather curious and flattering to find that the earliest intimation of the ,frenchman's success is given in ,england4 ,the note which ,m4 ,niepce wrote to ,mr4 ,bauer is in ,french1 but the following is a translation of the interesting announcement3--,kew1 #aith ,november1 #ahbg4 ,sir1--,when ,i left ,france to reside here1 ,i was engaged in researches on the way to retain the image of objects by the action of light4 ,i have obtained some results which make me eager to proceed4444 ,nicephore ,niepce4 ,this is the first recorded announcement of his partial success4 ,in the following ,december he communicated with the ,royal ,society of ,london1 and showed several pictures on metal plates4 ,most of these pictures were specimens of his successful experiments with various resins1 and the subjects were rendered visible to the extent which the light had assisted in hardening portions of the resin-covered plates4 ,some were etchings1 and had been subjected to the action of acid after the design had been impressed by the action of light4 ,several of these specimens1 ,i believe1 are still extant1 and may be seen on application to the proper official at the ,british ,museum4 ,m4 ,niepce named these results of his researches ,heliography1 and ,mr4 ,robert ,hunt gives their number1 and a description of each subject1 in his work entitled1 ,researches on ,light4 ,m4 ,niepce met with some disappointment in ,england on account of the ,royal ,society refusing to receive his communication as a secret1 and he returned to ,france rather hurriedly4 ,in a letter dated ,chalons-sur-,saone1 #ast ,march1 #ahbh1 he says1 ,we arrived here #bfth ,february2 and1 in a letter written by ,daguerre1 ,february #crd1 #ahbh1 we find that savant consoling his brother experimentalist for his lack of encouragement in ,england4 ,in ,december1 #ahbi1 the two ,french investigators joined issue by executing a deed of co-partnery1 in which they agreed to prosecute their researches in future in mutual confidence and for their joint advantage2 but their interchange of thought and experience does not appear to have been of much value or advantage to the other2 for an examination of the correspondence between ,,mm4 ,niepce and ,daguerre tends to show that the one somewhat annoyed the other by sticking to his resins1 and the other one by recommending the use of iodine4 ,m4 ,niepce somewhat ungraciously expresses regret at having wasted so much time in experimenting with iodine at ,m4 ,daguerre's suggestion1 but ultimate results fully justified ,daguerre's recommendation1 and proved that he was then on the right track1 while ,m4 ,niepce's experiments with resins1 asphaltum1 and other substances terminated in nothing but tedious manipulations1 lengthy exposures1 and unsatisfactory results4 ,to ,m4 ,niepce1 most unquestionably1 is due the honour of having produced the first permanent sun-pictures1 for we have seen that those obtained by ,wedgwood and ,davy were as fleeting as a shadow1 while those exhibited by ,m4 ,niepce in #ahbg are still in their original condition1 and1 imperfect as they are1 they are likely to retain their permanency for ever4 ,their fault lay in neither possessing beauty nor commercial applicability4 ,as ,m4 ,niepce died at ,chalons-sur-,saone in #ahcc1 and does not appear to have improved his process much1 if any1 after entering into partnership with ,m4 ,daguerre1 and as ,i may not have occasion to allude to him or his researches again1 ,i think this will be the most fitting place to give a brief description of his process1 and his share in the labours of bringing up the wonderful baby of science1 afterwards named ,photography1 to a safe and ineffaceable period of its existence4 ,the ,heliographic process of ,m4 ,niepce consists of a solution of asphaltum1 bitumen of ,judea1 being spread on metal or glass plates1 submitted to the action of light either by superposition or in the camera1 and the unaffected parts dissolved away afterwards by means of a suitable solvent4 ,but1 in case any student of photography should like to produce one of the first form of permanent sun-pictures1 ,i shall give here the details of ,m4 ,niepce's own modus operandi for preparing the solution of bitumen and coating the plate3-- ,i about half fill a wine-glass with this pulverised bitumen2 ,i pour upon it1 drop by drop1 the essential oil of lavender until the bitumen is completely saturated4 ,i afterwards add as much more of the essential oil as causes the whole to stand about three lines above the mixture1 which is then covered and submitted to a gentle heat until the essential oil is fully impregnated with the colouring matter of the bitumen4 ,if this varnish is not of the required consistency1 it is to be allowed to evaporate slowly1 without heat1 in a shallow dish1 care being taken to protect it from moisture1 by which it is injured and at last decomposed4 ,in winter1 or in rainy weather1 the precaution is doubly necessary4 ,a tablet of plated silver1 or well cleaned and warm glass1 is to be highly polished1 on which a thin coating of the varnish is to be applied cold1 with a light roll of very soft skin2 this will impart to it a fine vermilion colour1 and cover it with a very thin and equal coating4 ,the plate is then placed upon heated iron1 which is wrapped round with several folds of paper1 from which1 by this method1 all moisture had been previously expelled4 ,when the varnish has ceased to simmer1 the plate is withdrawn from the heat1 and left to cool and dry in a gentle temperature1 and protected from a damp atmosphere4 ,in this part of the operation a light disc of metal1 with a handle in the centre1 should be held before the mouth1 in order to condense the moisture of the breath4 ,in the foregoing description it will be observed how much importance ,m4 ,niepce attached to the necessity of protecting the solution and prepared plate from moisture1 and that no precautions are given concerning the effect of white light4 ,it must be remembered1 however1 that the material employed was very insensitive1 requiring many hours of exposure either in the camera or under a print or drawing placed in contact with the prepared surface1 and consequently such precaution might not have been deemed necessary4 ,probably ,m4 ,niepce worked in a subdued light1 but there can be no doubt about the necessity of conducting both the foregoing operations in yellow light4 ,had ,m4 ,niepce performed his operations in a non-actinic light1 the plates would certainly have been more sensitive1 and the unacted-on parts would have been more soluble2 thus rendering both the time of exposure and development more rapid4 ,after the plate was prepared and dried1 it was exposed in the camera1 or by superposition1 under a print1 or other suitable subject1 that would lie flat4 ,for the latter1 an exposure of two or three hours in bright sunshine was necessary1 and the former required six or eight hours in a strong light4 ,even those prolonged exposures did not produce a visible image1 and the resultant picture was not revealed to view until after a tedious process of dissolving1 for it could scarcely be called development4 ,m4 ,niepce himself says1 ,the next operation then is to disengage the shrouded imagery1 and this is accomplished by a solvent4 ,the solvent consisted of one measure of the essential oil of lavender and ten of oil of white petroleum or benzole4 ,on removing the tablet from the camera or other object1 it was plunged into a bath of the above solvent1 and left there until the parts not hardened by light were dissolved4 ,when the picture was fully revealed1 it was placed at an angle to drain1 and finished by washing it in water4 ,except for the purpose of after-etching1 ,m4 ,niepce's process was of little commercial value then1 but it has since been of some service in the practice of photo-lithography4 ,that1 ,i think1 is the fullest extent of the commercial or artistic advantages derived from the utmost success of ,m4 ,niepce's discoveries2 but what he considered his failures1 the fact that he employed copper plates coated with silver for his heliographic tablets1 and endeavoured to darken the clean or clear parts of the silvered plates with the fumes of iodine for the sake of contrast only1 may be safely accepted as the foundation of ,daguerre's ultimate success in discovering the extremely beautiful and workable process known as the ,daguerreotype4 ,m4 ,niepce appears to have done very little more towards perfecting the heliographic process after joining ,daguerre2 but the latter effected some improvements1 and substituted for the bitumen of ,judea the residuum obtained by evaporating the essential oil of lavender1 without1 however1 attaining any important advance in that direction4 ,after the death of ,m4 ,nicephore ,niepce1 a new agreement was entered into by his son1 ,m4 ,isidore ,niepce1 and ,m4 ,daguerre1 and we must leave those two experimentalists pursuing their discoveries in ,france while we return to ,england to pick up the chronological links that unite the history of this wonderful discovery with the time that it was abandoned by ,wedgwood and ,davy1 and the period of its startling and brilliant realization4 ,in #ahcd1 ,mr4 ,henry ,fox ,talbot1 of ,lacock ,abbey1 ,wilts1 began to put in practice1 as he informs us in his memoir read before the ,royal ,society1 a method which he had devised some time previously1 for employing to purposes of utility the very curious property which has been long known to chemists to be possessed by the nitrate of silver--namely1 to discolouration when exposed to the violet rays of light4 ,the statement just quoted places us at once on the debateable ground of our subject1 and compels us to pause and consider to what extent photography is indebted to ,mr4 ,talbot for its further development at this period and five years subsequently4 ,in the first place1 it is not to be supposed for a moment that a man of ,mr4 ,talbot's position and education could possibly be ignorant of what had been done by ,mr4 ,thomas ,wedgwood and ,sir ,humphry ,davy4 ,their experiments were published in the ,journal of the ,royal ,institution of ,great ,britain in ,june1 #ahjb1 and ,mr4 ,talbot or some of his friends could not have failed to have seen or heard of those published details2 and1 in the second place1 a comparison between the last records of ,wedgwood and ,davy's experiments1 and the first published details of ,mr4 ,talbot's process1 shows not only that the two processes are identically the same1 but that ,mr4 ,talbot published his process before he had made a single step in advance of ,wedgwood and ,davy's discoveries2 and that his fixing solution was not a fixer at all1 but simply a retardant that delayed the gradual disappearance of the picture only a short time longer4 ,mr4 ,talbot has generally been credited with the honour of producing the first permanent sun-pictures on paper2 but there are grave reasons for doubting the justice of that honour being entirely1 if at all1 due to him1 and the following facts and extracts will probably tend to set that question at rest1 and transfer the laurel to another brow4 ,to the late ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade is incontestably due the honour of having first applied tannin as an accelerator1 and hyposulphite of soda as a fixing agent1 to the production and retention of light-produced pictures2 and having first obtained an ineffaceable photograph upon paper4 ,mr4 ,talbot's gallate of silver process was not patented or published till #ahda2 whereas the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade produced paper negatives by means of gallic acid and nitrate of silver in #ahcg4 ,it will be remembered that ,mr4 ,wedgwood had discovered and stated that the chloride of silver was more sensitive when applied to white leather1 and ,mr4 ,reade1 by inductive reasoning1 came to the conclusion that tanned paper and silver would be more sensitive to light than ordinary paper coated with nitrate of silver could possibly be4 ,as the reverend philosopher's ideas on that subject are probably the first that ever impregnated the mind of man1 and as his experiments and observations are the very earliest in the pursuit of a gallic acid accelerator and developer1 ,i will give them in his own words4--,no one can dispute my claim to be the first to suggest the use of gallic acid as a sensitiser for prepared paper1 and hyposulphite of soda as a fixer4 ,these are the keystones of the arch at which ,davy and ,young had laboured--or1 as ,i may say in the language of another science1 we may vary the tones as we please1 but here is the fundamental base4 ,my use of gallate of silver was the result of an inference from ,wedgwood's experiments with leather1 'which is more readily acted upon than paper' 7,journal of the ,royal ,institution1 vol4 i41 p4 #aga74 ,mrs4 ,reade was so good as to give me a pair of light-coloured leather gloves1 that ,i might repeat ,wedgwood's experiment1 and1 as my friend ,mr4 ,ackerman reminds me1 her little objection to let me have a second pair led me to say1 ',then ,i will tan paper4' ,accordingly ,i used an infusion of galls in the first instance in the early part of the year #ahcg1 when ,i was engaged in taking photographs of microscopic objects4 ,by a new arrangement of lenses in the solar microscope1 ,i produced a convergence of the rays of light1 while the rays of heat1 owing to their different refractions1 were parallel or divergent4 ,this fortunate dispersion of the calorific rays enabled me to use objects mounted in balsam1 as well as cemented achromatic object glasses2 and1 indeed1 such was the coolness of the illumination1 that even infusoria in single drops of water were perfectly happy and playful 7vide abstracts of the ',philosophical ,transactions1' ,december #bbnd1 #ahcf74 ,the continued expense of an artist--though1 at first1 ,i employed my friend1 ,lens ,aldons--to copy the pictures on the screen was out of the question4 ,i therefore fell back1 but without any sanguine expectations as to the result1 upon the photographic process adopted by ,wedgwood1 with which ,i happened to be well acquainted4 ,it was a weary while1 however1 before any satisfactory impression was made1 either on chloride or nitrate paper4 ,i succeeded better with the leather2 but my fortunate inability to replenish the little stock of this latter article induced me to apply the tannin solution to paper1 and thus ,i was at once placed1 by a very decided step1 in advance of earlier experimenters1 and ,i had the pleasure of succeeding where ,talbot acknowledges that he failed4 ,naturally enough1 the solution which ,i used at first was too strong1 but1 if you have ever been in what ,i may call the agony of a find1 you can conceive my sensations on witnessing the unwilling paper become in a few seconds almost as black as my hat4 ,there was just a passing glimpse of outline1 'and in a moment all was dark4' ,it was evident1 however1 that ,i was in possession of all1 and more than all1 ,i wanted1 and that the dilution of so powerful an accelerator would probably give successful results4 ,the large amount of dilution greatly surprised me2 and1 indeed1 before ,i obtained a satisfactory picture1 the quantity of gallic acid in the infusion must have been quite homoeopathic2 but this is in exact accordance with modern practice and known laws4 ,in reference to this point1 ,sir ,john ,herschel1 writing from ,slough1 in ,april1 #ahdj1 says to ,mr4 ,redman1 then of ,peckham 7where ,i had resided71 ',i am surprised at the weak solution employed1 and how1 with such1 you have been able to get a depth of shadow sufficient for so very sharp a re-transfer is to me marvellous4' ,i may speak of ,mr4 ,redmond as a photographic pupil of mine1 and at my request1 he communicated the process to ,sir ,john1 which1 'on account of the extreme clearness and sharpness of the results1' to use ,sir ,john's words1 much interested him4 ,dr4 ,diamond also1 whose labours are universally appreciated1 first saw my early attempts at ,peckham in #ahcg1 and heard of my use of gallate of silver1 and was thus led to adopt what ,admiral ,smyth then called 'a quick mode of taking bad pictures'2 but1 as ,i told the ,admiral in reply1 he was born a baby4 ,whether our philosophical baby is 'out of its teens' may be a question2 at all events1 it is a very fine child1 and handles the pencil of nature with consummate skill4 ,but of all the persons who heard of my new accelerator1 it is most important to state that my old and valued friend1 the late ,andrew ,ross1 told ,mr4 ,talbot how first of all1 by means of the solar microscope1 ,i threw the image of the object on prepared paper1 and then1 while the paper was yet wet1 washed it over with the infusion of galls1 when a sufficiently dense negative was quickly obtained4 ,in the celebrated trial1 ,talbot versus ,laroche1 ,mr4 ,talbot1 in his cross-examination1 and in an almost breathless court1 acknowledged that he had received this information from ,ross1 and from that moment it became the unavoidable impression that he was scarcely justified in taking out a patent for applying my accelerator to any known photogenic paper4 ,the three known papers were those impregnated with the nitrate1 chloride1 and the iodide of silver--the two former used by ,wedgwood and ,young1 and the latter by ,davy4 ,it is true that ,talbot says of the iodide of silver that it is quite insensitive to light1 and so it is as he makes it2 but when he reduces it to the condition described by ,davy--viz41 affected by the presence of a little free nitrate of silver--then he must acknowledge1 with ,davy1 that 'it is far more sensitive to the action of light than either the nitrate or the muriate1 and is evidently a distinct compound4' ,in this state1 also1 the infusion of galls or gallic acid is1 as we all know1 most decided and instantaneous1 and so ,i found it to be in my early experiments4 ,of course ,i tried the effects of my accelerator on many salts of silver1 but especially upon the iodide1 in consequence of my knowledge of ,davy's papers on iodine in the ',philosophical ,transactions4' ,these ,i had previously studied1 in conjunction with my chemical friend1 ,mr4 ,hodgson1 then of ,apothecaries' ,hall4 ,i did not1 however1 use iodised paper1 which is well described by ,talbot in the ,philosophical ,magazine for ,march1 #ahch1 as a substitute for other sensitive papers1 but only as one among many experiments alluded to in my letter to ,mr4 ,brayley4 ,my pictures were exhibited at the ,royal ,society1 and also at ,lord ,northampton's1 at his lordship's request1 in ,april1 #ahci1 when ,mr4 ,talbot also exhibited his4 ,in my letter to ,mr4 ,brayley1 ,i did not describe iodised pictures1 and1 therefore1 it was held that exhibition in the absence of description left the process legally unknown4 ,mr4 ,talbot consequently felt justified in taking out a patent for uniting my known accelerator with ,davy's known sensitive silver compound1 adopting my method 7already communicated to him7 with reference to ,wedgwood's papers1 and adding specific improvements in manipulation4 ,whatever varied opinion may consequently be formed as to the defence of the patent in court1 there can be but one as to the skill of the patentee4 ,it is obvious that1 in the process so conducted by me with the solar microscope1 ,i was virtually within my camera1 standing between the object and the prepared paper4 ,hence the exciting and developing processes were conducted under one operation 7subsequently patented by ,talbot71 and the fact of a latent image being brought out was not forced upon my attention4 ,i did1 however1 perceive this phenomenon upon one occasion1 after ,i had been suddenly called away1 when taking an impression of the ,trientalis ,europaea--and surprised enough ,i was1 and stood in astonishment to look at it4 ,but with all this1 ,i was only1 as the judge said1 very hot4 ,i did not realize the master fact that the latent image which had been developed was the basis of photographic manipulation4 ,the merit of this discovery is ,talbot's1 and his only1 and ,i honour him greatly for his skill and earlier discernment4 ,i was1 indeed1 myself fully aware that the image darkened under the influence of my sensitiser1 while ,i placed my hand before the lens of the instrument to stop out the light2 and my solar mezzotint1 as ,i then termed it1 was1 in fact1 brought out and perfected under my own eye by the agency of gallic acid in the infusion1 rather than by the influence of direct solar action4 ,but the notion of developing a latent image in these microscopic photographs never crossed my mind1 even after ,i had witnessed such development in the ,trientalis ,europaea4 ,my original notion was that the infusion of galls1 added to the wet chloride or nitrate paper while the picture was thrown upon it1 produced only a new and highly sensitive compound2 whereas1 by its peculiar and continuous action after the first impact of light on the now sensitive paper1 ,i was also1 as ,talbot has shown1 employing its property of development as well as excitement4 ,my ignorance of its properties was no bar to its action4 ,however1 ,i threw the ball1 and ,talbot caught it1 and no man can be more willing than myself to acknowledge our obligations to this distinguished photographer4 ,he compelled the world to listen to him1 and he had something worth hearing to communicate2 and it is a sufficient return to me that he publicly acknowledged his obligation to me1 with reference to what ,sir ,david ,brewster calls 'an essential part of his patent' 7vide ,north ,british ,review1 ,no4 #ad article--',photography'74 ,talbot did not patent my valuable fixer4 ,here ,i had the advantage of having published my use of hyposulphite of soda1 which ,mr4 ,hodgson made for me in #ahcg1 when ,london did not contain an ounce of it for sale4 ,the early operators had no fixer2 that was their fix2 and1 so far as any record exists1 they got no further in this direction than 'imagining some experiments on the subject6' ,i tried ammonia1 but it acted too energetically on the picture itself to be available for the purpose4 ,it led me1 however1 to the ammonia nitrate process of printing positives1 a description of which process 7though patented by ,talbot in #ahdc7 ,i sent to a photographic brother in #ahci1 and a quotation from my letter of that date has already appeared in one of my communications to ,notes and ,queries4 ,on examining ,brande's ,chemistry1 under the hope of still finding the desired solvent which should have a greater affinity for the simple silver compound on the uncoloured part of the picture than for the portion blackened by light1 ,i happened to see it stated1 on ,sir ,john ,herschel's authority1 that hyposulphite of soda dissolves chloride of silver4 ,i need not now say that ,i used this fixer with success4 ,the world1 however1 would not have been long without it1 for1 when ,sir ,john himself became a photographer in the following year1 he first of all used hyposulphite of ammonia1 and then permanently fell back upon the properties of his other compound4 ,two of my solar microscope negatives1 taken in #ahcg1 and exhibited with several others by ,mr4 ,brayley in #ahci as illustrations of my letter and of his lecture at the ,london ,institution1 are now in the possession of the ,london ,photographic ,society4 ,they are1 no doubt1 the earliest examples of the agency of two chemical compounds which will be co-existent with photography itself1 viz41 gallate of silver and hyposulphite of soda1 and my use of them1 as above described1 will sanction my claim to be the first to take paper pictures rapidly1 and to fix them permanently4 ,such is a short account of my contribution to this interesting branch of science1 and1 in the pleasure of the discovery1 ,i have a sufficient reward4 ,these lengthy extracts from the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,reade's published letter render further comment all but superfluous1 but ,i cannot resist taking advantage of the opportunity here afforded of pointing out to all lovers of photography and natural justice that the progress of the discovery has advanced to a far greater extent by ,mr4 ,reade's reasoning and experiments than it was by ,mr4 ,talbot's ingenuity4 ,the latter1 as ,mr4 ,reade observes1 only caught the ball and threw it into the ,patent ,office1 with some improvements in the manipulations4 ,mr4 ,reade generously ascribes all honour and glory to ,mr4 ,talbot for his shrewdness in seizing what he had overlooked1 viz41 the development of the latent image2 but there is a quiet current of rebuke running all through ,mr4 ,reade's letter about the justice of patenting a known sensitiser and a known accelerator1 which he alone had combined and applied to the successful production of a negative on paper4 ,mr4 ,talbot's patent process was nothing more1 yet he endeavoured to secure a monopoly of what was in substance the discovery and invention of another4 ,mr4 ,talbot was either very precipitate1 or ill-advised1 to rush to the ,patent ,office with his modification1 and even at this distant date it is much to be regretted that he did so1 for his rash act has1 unhappily for photography1 proved a pernicious precedent4 ,mr4 ,reade gave his discoveries to the world freely1 and the pleasure of the discovery was a sufficient reward4 ,all honour to such discoverers4 ,they1 and they only1 are the true lovers of science and art1 who take up the torch where another laid it down1 or lost it1 and carry it forward another stage towards perfection1 without sullying its brightness or dimming the flame with sordid motives4 ,the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade lived to see the process he discovered and watched over in its embryo state1 developed with wondrous rapidity into one of the most extensively applied arts of this marvellous age1 and died1 regretted and esteemed by all who knew him1 ,december #abth1 #ahgj4 ,photographers1 your occupations are his monument1 but let his name be a tablet on your hearts1 and his unselfishness your emulation6 ,the year #ahch gave birth to another photographic discovery1 little thought of and of small promise at the time1 but out of which have flowed all the various modifications of solar and mechanical carbon printing4 ,this was the discovery of ,mr4 ,mungo ,ponton1 who first observed and announced the effects of the sun's rays upon bichromate of potash4 ,but that gentleman was unwise in his generation1 and did not patent his discovery1 so a whole host of patent locusts fell upon the field of research in after years1 and quickly seized the manna he had left1 to spread on their own bread4 ,mr4 ,mungo ,ponton spread a solution of bichromate of potash upon paper1 submitted it under a suitable object to the sun's rays1 and told all the world1 without charge1 that the light hardened the bichromate to the extent of its action1 and that the unacted-upon portions could be dissolved away1 leaving the object white upon a yellow or orange ground4 ,other experimenters played variations on ,mr4 ,ponton's bichromate scale1 and amongst the performers were ,m4 ,e4 ,becquerel1 of ,france1 and our own distinguished countryman1 ,mr4 ,robert ,hunt4 ,during the years that elapsed between the death of ,m4 ,niepce and the period to which ,i have brought these records1 little was heard or known of the researches of ,m4 ,daguerre1 but he was not idle1 nor had he abandoned his iodine ideas4 ,he steadily pursued his subject1 and worked with a continuity that gained him the unenviable reputation of a lunatic4 ,his persistency created doubts of his sanity1 but he toiled on solus1 confident that he was not in pursuit of an impossibility1 and sanguine of success4 ,that success came1 hastened by lucky chance1 and early in ,january1 #ahci1 ,m4 ,daguerre announced the interesting and important fact that the problem was solved4 ,pictures in the camera-obscura could be1 not only seen1 but caught and retained4 ,m4 ,daguerre had laboured1 sought1 and found1 and the bare announcement of his wonderful discovery electrified the world of science4 ,the electric telegraph could not then flash the fascinating intelligence from ,paris to ,london1 but the news travelled fast1 nevertheless1 and the unexpected report of ,m4 ,daguerre's triumph hurried ,mr4 ,talbot forward with a similar statement of success4 ,mr4 ,talbot declared his triumph on the #cast of ,january1 #ahci1 and published in the following month the details of a process which was little1 if any1 in advance of that already known4 ,daguerre delayed the publication of his process until a pension of six thousand francs per annum had been secured to himself1 and four thousand francs per annum to ,m4 ,isidore ,niepce for life1 with a reversion of one-half to their widows4 ,in the midst of political and social struggles ,france was proud of the glory of such a marvellous discovery1 and liberally rewarded her fortunate sons of science with honourable distinction and substantial emolument4 ,she was proud and generous to a chivalrous extent1 for she pensioned her sons that she might have the glory of endowing the world of science and of art with one of the most surprising discoveries that had been made on her soil2 and1 because she considered that the invention did not admit of being secured by patent2 but avarice and cupidity frustrated her noble and generous intentions in this country1 and ,england alone was harassed with injunctions and prosecutions1 while all the rest of the world participated in the pleasure and profits of the noble gift of ,france4 ,in ,july1 #ahci1 ,m4 ,daguerre divulged his secret at the request and expense of the ,french ,government1 and the process which bore his name was found to be totally different1 both in manipulation and effect1 from any sun-pictures that had been obtained in ,england4 ,the ,daguerreotype was a latent image produced by light on an iodised silver plate1 and developed1 or made visible1 by the fumes of mercury2 but the resultant picture was one of the most shimmering and vapoury imaginable1 wanting in solidity1 colour1 and firmness4 ,in fact1 photography as introduced by ,m4 ,daguerre was in every sense a wonderfully shadowy and all but invisible thing1 and not many removes from the dark ages of its creation4 ,the process was extremely delicate and difficult1 slow and tedious to manipulate1 and too insensitive to be applied to portraiture with any prospect of success1 from fifteen to twenty minutes' exposure in bright sunshine being necessary to obtain a picture4 ,the mode of proceeding was as follows3--,a copper plate with a coating of silver was carefully cleaned and polished on the silvered side1 that was placed1 silver side downwards1 over a vessel containing iodine in crystals1 until the silvered surface assumed a golden-yellow colour4 ,the plate was then transferred to the camera-obscura1 and submitted to the action of light4 ,after the plate had received the requisite amount of exposure1 it was placed over a box containing mercury1 the fumes of which1 on the application of a gentle heat1 developed the latent image4 ,the picture was then washed in salt and water1 or a solution of hyposulphite of soda1 to remove the iodide of silver1 washed in clean water afterwards1 and dried1 and the ,daguerreotype was finished according to ,daguerre's first published process4 ,the development of the latent image by mercury subliming was the most marvellous and unlooked-for part of the process1 and it was for that all-important thing that ,daguerre was entirely indebted to chance4 ,having put one of his apparently useless iodized and exposed silver plates into a cupboard containing a pot of mercury1 ,daguerre was greatly surprised1 on visiting the cupboard some time afterwards1 to find the blank looking plate converted into a visible picture4 ,other plates were iodized and exposed and placed in the cupboard1 and the same mysterious process of development was repeated1 and it was not until this thing and the other thing had been removed and replaced over and over again1 that ,daguerre became aware that quicksilver1 an article that had been used for making mirrors and reflecting images for years1 was the developer of the invisible image4 ,it was indeed a most marvellous and unexpected result4 ,daguerre had devoted years of labour and made numberless experiments to obtain a transcript of nature drawn by her own hand1 but all his studied efforts and weary hours of labour had only resulted in repeated failures and disappointments1 and it appeared that ,nature herself had grown weary of his bungling1 and resolved to show him the way4 ,the realization of his hopes was more accidental than inferential4 ,the compounds with which he worked1 neither produced a visible nor a latent image capable of being developed with any of the chemicals with which he was experimenting4 ,at last accident rendered him more service than reasoning1 and occult properties produced the effect his mental and inductive faculties failed to accomplish2 and here we observe the great difference between the two successful discoverers1 ,reade and ,daguerre4 ,at this stage of the discovery ,i ignore ,talbot's claim in toto4 ,reade arrived at his results by reasoning1 experiment1 observation1 and judiciously weakening and controlling the re-agent he commenced his researches with4 ,he had the infinite pleasure and disappointment of seeing his first picture flash into existence1 and disappear again almost instantly1 but in that instant he saw the cause of his success and failure1 and his inductive reasoning reduced his failure to success2 whereas ,daguerre found his result1 was puzzled1 and utterly at a loss to account for it1 and it was only by a process of blind-man's bluff in his chemical cupboard that he laid his hands on the precious pot of mercury that produced the visible image4 ,that was a discovery1 it is true2 but a bungling one1 at best4 ,daguerre only worked intelligently with one-half of the elements of success2 the other was thrust in his way1 and the most essential part of his achievement was a triumphant accident4 ,daguerre did half the work--or1 rather1 one-third--light did the second part1 and chance performed the rest1 so that ,daguerre's share of the honour was only one-third4 ,reade did two-thirds of the process1 the first and third1 intelligently2 therefore to him alone is due the honour of discovering practical photography4 ,his was a successful application of known properties1 equal to an invention2 ,daguerre's was an accidental result arising from unknown causes and effects1 and consequently a discovery of the lowest order4 ,to ,england1 then1 and not to ,france1 is the world indebted for the discovery of photography1 and in the order of its earliest1 greatest1 and most successful discoverers and advancers1 ,i place the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade first and highest4 ,illustration3 ,,second ,,period4 ,,daguerreotype4 ,l4 ,j4 ,m4 ,,daguerre4 ,used ,iodine1 #ahci4 ,,john ,,frederick ,,goddard4 ,applied ,bromine1 #ahdj4 ,,new ,,york4 ,copy of ,instantaneous ,daguerreotype1 #ahed4 ,,second ,,period4 ,,publicity ,,and ,,progress4 #ahci has generally been accepted as the year of the birth of ,practical ,photography1 but that may now be considered an error4 ,it was1 however1 the ,year of ,publicity1 and the progress that followed with such marvellous rapidity may be freely received as an adversely eloquent comment on the principles of secrecy and restriction1 in any art or science1 like photography1 which requires the varied suggestions of numerous minds and many years of experiment in different directions before it can be brought to a state of workable certainty and artistic and commercial applicability4 ,had ,reade concealed his success and the nature of his accelerator1 ,talbot might have been bungling on with modifications of the experiments of ,wedgwood and ,davy to this day2 and had ,daguerre not sold the secret of his iodine vapour as a sensitiser1 and his accidentally discovered property of mercury as a developer1 he might never have got beyond the vapoury images he produced4 ,as it was1 ,daguerre did little or nothing to improve his process and make it yield the extremely vigorous and beautiful results it did in after years4 ,as in ,mr4 ,reade's case with the ,calotype process1 ,daguerre threw the ball and others caught it4 ,daguerre's advertised improvements of his process were lamentable failures and roundabout ways to obtain sensitive amalgams--exceedingly ingenious1 but excessively bungling and impractical4 ,to make the plates more sensitive to light1 and1 as ,daguerre said1 obtain pictures of objects in motion and animated scenes1 he suggested that the silver plate should first be cleaned and polished in the usual way1 then to deposit successively layers of mercury1 and gold1 and platinum4 ,but the process was so tedious1 unworkable1 and unsatisfactory1 no one ever attempted to employ it either commercially or scientifically4 ,in publishing his first process1 with its working details1 ,daguerre appears to have surrendered all that he knew1 and to have been incapable of carrying his discovery to a higher degree of advancement4 ,without ,mr4 ,goddard's bromine accelerator and ,m4 ,fizeau's chloride of gold fixer and invigorator1 the ,daguerreotype would never have been either a commercial success or a permanent production4 #ahdj was almost as important a period in the annals of photography as the year of its enunciation1 and to the two valuable improvements and one interesting importation1 the ,daguerreotype process was indebted for its success all over the world2 and photography1 even as it is practised now1 is probably indebted for its present state of advancement to ,mr4 ,john ,frederick ,goddard1 who applied bromine1 as an accelerator1 to the ,daguerreotype process this year4 ,in the early part of the ,daguerreotype period it was so insensitive there was very little prospect of being able to take portraits with it through a lens4 ,to meet this difficulty ,mr4 ,wolcott1 an ,american optician1 constructed a reflecting camera and brought it to ,london4 ,it was an ingenious contrivance1 but did not fully answer the expectations of the inventor4 ,it certainly did not require such a long exposure with this camera as when the rays from the image or sitter passed through a lens2 but1 as the sensitised plate was placed between the sitter and the reflector1 the picture was necessarily small1 and neither very sharp nor satisfactory4 ,this was a mechanical contrivance to shorten the time of exposure1 which partially succeeded1 but it was chemistry1 and not mechanics1 that effected the desirable result4 ,both ,mr4 ,goddard and ,m4 ,antoine ,f4 ,j4 ,claudet1 of ,london1 employed chlorine as a means of increasing the sensitiveness of the iodised silver plate1 but it was not sufficiently accelerative to meet the requirements of the ,daguerreotype process4 ,subsequently ,mr4 ,goddard discovered that the vapour of bromine1 added to that of iodine1 imparted an extraordinary degree of sensitiveness to the prepared plate1 and reduced the time of sitting from minutes to seconds4 ,the addition of the fumes of bromine to those of iodine formed a compound of bromo-iodide of silver on the surface of the ,daguerreotype plate1 and not only increased the sensitiveness1 but added to the strength and beauty of the resulting picture1 and ,m4 ,fizeau's method of precipitating a film of gold over the whole surface of the plate still further increased the brilliancy of the picture and ensured its permanency4 ,i have many ,daguerreotypes in my possession now that were made over forty years ago1 and they are as brilliant and perfect as they were on the day they were taken4 ,i fear no one can say the same for any of ,fox ,talbot's early prints1 or even more recent examples of silver printing4 ,another important event of this year was the importation of the first photographic lens1 camera1 c41 into ,england4 ,these articles were brought from ,paris by ,sir ,hussey ,vivian1 present ,m4,p4 for ,glamorganshire 7#ahhi74 ,it was the first lot of such articles that the ,custom ,house officers had seen1 and they were at a loss to know how to classify it4 ,finally they passed it under the general head of ,optical ,instruments4 ,sir ,hussey told me this1 himself1 several years before he was made a baronet4 ,what changes fifty years have wrought even in the duties of ,custom ,house officers1 for the imports and exports of photographic apparatus and materials must now amount to many thousands per annum6 ,having described the conditions and state of progress photography had attained at the time of my first contact with it1 ,i think ,i may now enter into greater details1 and relate my own personal experiences from this period right up to the end of its jubilee celebration4 ,i was just fourteen years old when photography was made practicable by the publication of the two processes1 one by ,daguerre1 and the other by ,fox ,talbot1 and when ,i heard or read of the wonderful discovery ,i was fired with a desire to obtain a sight of these sun-pictures1 but the fire was kept smouldering for some time before my desire was gratified4 ,nothing travelled very fast in those days4 ,railroads had not long been started1 and were not very extensively developed4 ,telegraphy1 by electricity1 was almost unknown1 and ,i was a fixture1 having just been apprenticed to an engraving firm hundreds of miles from ,london4 ,but at last ,i caught sight of one of those marvellous drawings made by the sun in the window of the ,post ,office of my native town4 ,it was a small ,daguerreotype which had been sent there along with a notice that a licence to practise the art could be obtained of the patentee4 ,i forget now what amount the patentee demanded for a licence1 but ,i know that at the time referred to it was so far beyond my means and hopes that ,i never entertained the idea of becoming a licencee4 ,i believe some one in the neighbourhood bought a licence1 but either could not or did not make use of it commercially4 ,some time after that1 a ,miss ,wigley1 from ,london1 came to the town to practise ,daguerreotyping1 but she did not remain long1 and could not1 ,i think1 have made a profitable visit4 ,if so1 it could scarcely be wondered at1 for the sun-pictures of that period were such thin1 shimmering reflections1 and distortions of the human face divine1 that very few people were impressed either by the process or the newest wonder of the world4 ,at that early period of photography1 the plates were so insensitive1 the sittings so long1 and the conditions so terrible1 it was not easy to induce anyone either to undergo the ordeal of sitting1 or to pay the sum of twenty-one shillings for a very small and unsatisfactory portrait4 ,in the infancy of the ,daguerreotype process1 the sitters were all placed out-of-doors1 in direct sunshine1 which naturally made them screw up or shut their eyes1 and every feature glistened1 and was painfully revealed4 ,many amusing stories have been told about the trials1 mishaps1 and disappointments attending those long and painful sittings1 but the best that ever came to my knowledge was the following4 ,in the earliest of the forties1 a young lady went a considerable distance1 in ,yorkshire1 to sit to an itinerant ,daguerreotypist for her portrait1 and1 being limited for time1 could only give one sitting4 ,she was placed before the camera1 the slide drawn1 lens uncapped1 and requested to sit there until the ,daguerreotypist returned4 ,he went away1 probably to put his mercury box in order1 or to have a smoke1 for it was irksome--both to sitter and operator--to sit or stand doing nothing during those necessarily long exposures4 ,when the operator returned1 after an absence of fifteen or twenty minutes1 the lady was sitting where he left her1 and appeared glad to be relieved from her constrained position4 ,she departed1 and he proceeded with the development of the picture4 ,the plate was examined from time to time1 in the usual way1 but there was no appearance of the lady4 ,the ground1 the wall1 and the chair whereon she sat1 were all visible1 but the image of the lady was not2 and the operator was completely puzzled1 if not alarmed4 ,he left the lady sitting1 and found her sitting when he returned1 so he was quite unable to account for her mysterious non-appearance in the picture4 ,the mystery was1 however1 explained in a few days1 when the lady called for her portrait1 for she admitted that she got up and walked about as soon as he left her1 and only sat down again when she heard him returning4 ,the necessity of remaining before the camera was not recognised by that sitter4 ,i afterwards reversed that result myself by focussing the chair1 drawing the slide1 uncapping the lens1 sitting down1 and rising leisurely to cap the lens again1 and obtained a good portrait without showing a ghost of the chair or anything else4 ,the foregoing is evidence of the insensitiveness of the plates at that early period of the practice of photography2 but that state of inertion did not continue long1 for as soon as the accelerating properties of bromine became generally known1 the time of sitting was greatly reduced1 and good ,daguerreotype views were obtained by simply uncapping the lens as quickly as possible4 ,i have taken excellent views in that manner myself in ,england1 and1 when in ,america1 ,i obtained instantaneous views of ,niagara ,falls and other places quite as rapidly and as perfect as any instantaneous views made on gelatine dry plates1 one of which ,i have copied and enlarged to #ab by #aj inches1 and may possibly reproduce the small copy in these pages4 ,in #ahde ,i came into direct contact with photography for the first time4 ,it was in that year that an ,irishman named ,mc,ghee came into the neighbourhood to practise the ,daguerreotype process4 ,he was not a licencee1 but no one appeared to interfere with him1 nor serve him with an injunction1 for he carried on his little portrait business for a considerable time without molestation4 ,the patentee was either very indifferent to his vested interests1 or did not consider these intruders worth going to law with1 for there were many raids across the borders by camera men in those early days4 ,several circumstances combined to facilitate the inroads of ,scotch operators into the northern counties of ,england4 ,firstly1 the patent laws of ,england did not extend to ,scotland at that time1 so there was a far greater number of ,daguerreotypists in ,edinburgh and other ,scotch towns in the early days of photography than in any part of ,england1 and many of them made frequent incursions into the forbidden land without troubling themselves about obtaining a licence1 but somehow they never remained long at a time2 they were either afraid of consequences1 or did not meet with patronage sufficient to induce them to continue their sojourns beyond a few of the summer weeks4 ,for many years most of the early ,daguerreotypists were birds of passage1 frequently on the wing4 ,among the earliest settlers in ,london1 were ,mr4 ,beard 7patentee71 ,mr4 ,claudet1 and ,mr4 ,j4 ,e4 ,mayall--the latter is still alive1 #ahhi--;and in ,edinburgh1 ,messrs4 ,ross and ,thompson1 ,mr4 ,howie1 ,mr4 ,poppawitz1 and ,mr4 ,tunny--the latter was a ,calotypist--with most of whom it was my good fortune to become personally acquainted in after years4 ,secondly1 a great deal of ill-feeling and annoyance were caused by the incomprehensible and somewhat underhanded way in which the ,english patent was obtained1 and these feelings induced many to poach on photographic preserves1 and even to defy injunctions2 and1 while lawsuits were pending1 it was not uncommon for non-licencees to practise the new art with the impunity and feelings common to smugglers4 ,mr4 ,beard1 the ,english patentee1 brought many actions at law against infringers of his patent rights1 the most memorable of which was that where ,mr4 ,egerton1 #a1 ,temple ,street1 ,whitefriars1 the first dealer in photographic materials1 and agent for ,voightlander's lenses in ,london1 was the defendant4 ,during that trial it came out in evidence that the patentee had earned as much as forty thousand pounds in one year by taking portraits and fees from licencees4 ,though the judgment of the ,court was adverse to ,mr4 ,egerton1 it did not improve the patentee's moral right to his claim1 for the trial only made it all the more public that the ,french ,government had allowed ,m4 ,daguerre six thousand francs 7,l#bdj71 and ,m4 ,isidore ,niepce four thousand francs 7,l#afj7 per annum1 on condition that their discoveries should be published1 and made free to all the world4 ,this trial did not in any way improve ,mr4 ,beard's financial position1 for eventually he became a bankrupt1 and his establishments in ,king ,william ,street1 ,london ,bridge1 and the ,polytechnic ,institute1 in ,regent ,street1 were extinguished4 ,mr4 ,beard1 who was the first to practise ,daguerreotyping commercially in this country1 was originally a coal merchant4 ,i think ,mr4 ,claudet practised the process in ,london without becoming a licencee1 either through previous knowledge1 or some private arrangement made with ,daguerre before the patent was granted to ,mr4 ,beard4 ,it was while photography was clouded with this atmosphere of dissatisfaction and litigation1 that ,i made my first practical acquaintance with it in the following manner3-- ,being anxious to obtain possession of one of those marvellous sun-pictures1 and hoping to get an idea of the manner in which they were produced1 ,i paid a visit1 one sunny morning1 to ,mr4 ,mc,ghee1 the ,daguerreotypist1 dressed in my best1 with clean shirt1 and stiff stand-up collar1 as worn in those days4 ,i was a very young man then1 and rather particular about the set of my shirt collar1 so you may readily judge of my horror when1 after making the financial arrangements to the satisfaction of ,mr4 ,mc,ghee1 he requested me to put on a blue cotton quasi clean dickey1 with a limp collar1 that had evidently done similar duty many times before4 ,you may be sure ,i protested1 and inquired the reason why ,i should cover up my white shirt front with such an objectionable article4 ,i was told if ,i did not put it on my shirt front would be solarized1 and come out blue or dirty1 whereas if ,i put on the blue dickey my shirt front would appear white and clean4 ,what solarized meant1 ,i did not know1 nor was it further explained1 but1 as ,i very naturally wished to appear with a clean shirt front1 ,i submitted to the indignity1 and put on the limp and questionably clean dickey4 ,while the ,daguerreotypist was engaged with some mysterious manipulations in a cupboard or closet1 ,i brushed my hair1 and contemplated my singular appearance in the mirror somewhat ruefully4 ,o1 ye sitters and operators of to-day6 congratulate yourselves on the changes and advantages that have been wrought in the practice of photography since then4 ,when ,mr4 ,mc,ghee appeared again with something like two wooden books in his hand1 he requested me to follow him into the garden2 which was only a back yard4 ,at the foot of the garden1 and against a brick wall with a piece of grey cloth nailed over it1 ,i was requested to sit down on an old chair2 then he placed before me an instrument which looked like a very ugly theodolite on a tripod stand--that was my first sight of a camera--and1 after putting his head under a black cloth1 told me to look at a mark on the other side of the garden1 without winking or moving till he said done4 ,how long ,i sat ,i don't know1 but it seemed an awfully long time1 and ,i have no doubt it was1 for ,i know that ,i used to ask people to sit five and ten minutes1 afterwards4 ,the sittings over1 ,i was requested to re-enter the house1 and then ,i thought ,i would see something of the process2 but no4 ,again ,mr4 ,mc,ghee went into the mysterious chamber1 and shut the door quickly4 ,in a little time he returned and told me that the sittings were satisfactory--he had taken two--and that he would finish and deliver them next day4 ,then ,i left without obtaining the ghost of an idea of the modus operandi of producing portraits by the sun1 beyond the fact that a camera had been placed before me4 ,next day the portraits were delivered according to promise1 but ,i confess ,i was somewhat disappointed at getting so little for my money4 ,it was a very small picture that could not be seen in every light1 and not particularly like myself1 but a scowling-looking individual1 with a limp collar1 and rather dirty-looking face4 ,whatever would mashers have said or done1 if they had gone to be photographed in those days of photographic darkness8 ,i was1 however1 somewhat consoled by the thought that ,i1 at last1 possessed one of those wonderful sun-pictures1 though ,i was ignorant of the means of production4 ,soon after having my portrait taken1 ,mr4 ,mc,ghee disappeared1 and there was no one left in the neighbourhood who knew anything of the mysterious manipulations of ,daguerreotyping4 ,i had1 nevertheless1 resolved to possess an apparatus and obtain the necessary information1 but there was no one to tell me what to buy1 where to buy it1 nor what to do with it4 ,at last an old friend of mine who had been on a visit to ,edinburgh1 had purchased an apparatus and some materials with the view of taking ,daguerreotypes himself1 but finding that he could not1 was willing to sell it to me1 though he could not tell me how to use it1 beyond showing me an image of the house opposite upon the ground glass of the camera4 ,i believe my friend let me have the apparatus for what it cost him1 which was about ,l#ae1 and it consisted of a quarter-plate portrait lens by ,slater1 mahogany camera1 tripod stand1 buff sticks1 coating and mercury boxes of the roughest description1 a few chemicals and silvered plates1 and a rather singular but portable dark room4 ,of the uses of the chemicals ,i knew very little1 and of their nature nothing which led to very serious consequences1 which ,i shall relate in the proper place4 ,having obtained possession of this marvellous apparatus1 my next ardent aspiration was to make a successful use of it4 ,i distinctly remember1 even at this distant date1 with what nervous curiosity ,i examined all the articles when ,i unpacked them in my father's house1 and with what wonder1 not unmixed with apprehension1 my father looked upon that display of unknown1 and to him apparently nameless and useless toys4 ,more like a lot of conjuror's traps than anything else1 he exclaimed1 after ,i had set them all out4 ,and a few days after he told one of my young friends that he thought ,i had gone out of my mind to take up with that ,daggertype business2 the name itself was a stumbling block in those days1 for people called the process dagtype1 docktype1 and daggertype more frequently than by its proper name1 ,daguerreotype4 ,what a contrast now-a-days1 when almost every father is an amateur photographer1 and encourages both his sons and daughters to become the same4 ,my father was a very good parent1 in his way1 and encouraged me1 to the fullest extent of his means1 in the study of music and painting1 and even sent me to the ,government ,school of ,design1 where ,i studied drawing under ,w4 ,b4 ,scott2 but the new-fangled method of taking portraits did not harmonise with his conservative and practical notions4 ,one cause of his disapprobation and dissatisfaction was1 doubtless1 my many failures2 in fact1 ,i may say1 inability to show him any result4 ,i had acquired an apparatus of the roughest and most primitive construction1 but no knowledge of its use or the behaviour of the chemicals employed1 beyond the bare numerical order in which they were to be used1 and there was no one within a hundred miles of where ,i lived1 that ,i knew of1 who could give me lessons or the slightest hint respecting the process4 ,i had worn out the patience of all my relations and friends in fruitless sittings4 ,i had set fire to my singular dark room1 and nearly set fire to the house1 by attempting to refill the spirit lamp while alight1 and ,i was ill and suffering from salivation through inhaling the fumes of mercury in my blind1 anxious1 and enthusiastic endeavours to obtain a sun-picture4 ,it is not long since an eminent photographer told me that ,i was an enthusiast1 but if he had seen me in those days he would1 in all probability1 have told me that ,i was mad4 ,though ill1 ,i was not mad2 ,i was only determined not to be beaten4 ,i was resolved to keep pegging away until ,i obtained a satisfactory result4 ,my friends laughed at me when ,i asked them to sit for a trial1 and they either refused1 or sat with a very bad grace1 as if it really were a trial to them2 but fancy1 fair and kindly readers1 what it must have been to me6 ,finding that my living models fought shy of me and my trials1 ,i then thought of getting a lay figure1 and borrowed a large doll--quite as big as a baby--of one of my lady friends4 ,i stuck it up in a garden and pegged away at it for nearly six months4 ,at the end of that time ,i was able to produce a portrait of the doll with tolerable certainty and success4 ,then ,i ventured to ask my friends to sit again1 but my process was too slow for life studies1 and my live sitters generally moved so much1 their portraits were not recognisable4 ,there were no head-rests in those days1 at least ,i did not possess one1 or it might have been pleasanter for my sitters and easier for myself4 ,what surprised me very much--and ,i thought it a singular thing at the time--was my success in copying an engraving of ,thorburn's ,miniature of the ,queen4 ,i made several good and beautiful copies of that engraving1 and sent one to an artist friend1 then in ,devonshire1 who wrote to say that it was beautiful1 and that if he could get a ,daguerreotype portrait with the eyes as clear as that1 he would sit at once2 but all the ,dagtypes he had hitherto seen had only black holes where the eyes should be4 ,unfortunately1 that was my own experience4 ,i could copy from the flat well enough1 but when ,i went to the round ,i went wrong4 ,ultimately ,i discovered the cause of all that1 and found a remedy1 but oh6 the weary labour and mental worry ,i underwent before ,i mastered the difficulties of the most troublesome and uncertain1 yet most beautiful and permanent of all the photographic processes that ever was discovered or invented2 and now it is a lost art4 ,no one practises it1 and ,i don't think that there are half-a-dozen men living--myself included--that could at this day go through all the manipulations necessary to produce a good ,daguerreotype portrait or picture2 yet1 when the process was at the height of its popularity1 a great number of people pursued it as a profession in all parts of the civilized world1 and in the ,united ,states of ,america alone it was estimated in #ahed that there were not less than thirty thousand people making their living as ,daguerreans4 ,few1 if any1 of the photographers of to-day--whether amateur or professional--know anything of the forms or uses of plates1 buffs1 lathes1 sensitising or developing boxes1 gilding stands1 or other ,daguerreotype appliances2 and ,i am quite certain that there is not a dealer in all ,england that can furnish at this date a complete set of ,daguerreotype apparatus4 ,it was in #ahdi that ,i gilded my first picture--a portrait of one of my friends playing a guitar4 ,i possess that picture now1 and1 after a lapse of forty years1 it is as good and bright as it was on the day that it was taken4 ,it was not a first-class production1 but ,i hoped to do better soon1 and on the strength of that hope determined to commence business as a professional ,daguerreotypist4 ,while ,i was considering whether ,i should pitch my tent permanently in my native town1 or take to a nomadic kind of life1 similar to what other ,daguerreotypists were pursuing1 ,i was helped to a decision by the sudden appearance of a respectable and experienced ,daguerreotypist who came and built a glass house--the first of its kind--in my native town4 ,this somewhat disarranged my plans1 but on the whole it was rather opportune and advantageous than otherwise1 for it afforded me an unexpected opportunity of gaining a great deal of practical experience on easy terms4 ,the new comer was ,mr4 ,george ,brown1 who had been an operator for ,mr4 ,beard1 in ,london1 and as he exhibited much finer specimens of the ,daguerreotype process than any ,i had hitherto seen1 ,i engaged myself to assist him for six months at a small salary4 ,i showed him what ,i had done1 and he showed and told me all that he knew in connection with photography1 and thus commenced a business relation that ripened into a friendship that endured as long as he lived4 ,at the end of the six months' engagement ,i left ,mr4 ,brown1 to commence business on my own account1 but as neither of us considered that there was room for two ,daguerreotypists in a town with a population of one hundred and twenty thousand1 ,i was driven to adopt the nomadic mode of life peculiar to the itinerant photographer of the period4 ,that was in #ahej4 ,up to that time ,i had done nothing in ,calotype work4 ,mr4 ,brown was strictly a ,daguerreotypist1 but ,mr4 ,parry1 at that time a glass dealer and amateur photographer1 was working at the ,calotype process1 but not very successfully1 for nearly all his efforts were spoiled by decomposition1 which he could not then account for or overcome1 but he eventually became one of the best ,calotypists in the neighbourhood1 and ,i became the possessor of some of the finest ,calotype negatives he ever produced1 many of which are still in my possession4 ,mr4 ,parry relinquished his glass business1 and became a professional photographer soon after the introduction of the collodion process4 ,another amateur photographer that ,i met in those early days was a flute player in the orchestra of the theatre4 ,he produced very good ,calotype negatives with a single lens1 and was very enthusiastic1 but extremely reticent on all photographic matters4 ,about this period ,i made the acquaintance of ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan3 ,i had known him for some time previously when he was apprentice and assistant to ,mr4 ,mawson1 chemist1 in ,mosley ,street1 ,newcastle-on-,tyne4 ,neither ,mr4 ,mawson nor ,mr4 ,swan were known to the photographic world at that time4 ,mr4 ,mawson was most popular as a dealer in ,german yeast1 and ,i think it was not until after ,archer published his process that they began to make collodion and deal in photographic materials--at any rate1 ,i did not buy any photographic goods of them until #aheb1 when ,i first began to use ,mawson's collodion4 ,in ,october1 #ahej1 ,i went to ,hexham1 about twenty miles west of ,newcastle-on-,tyne1 to make my first appearance as a professional ,daguerreotypist4 ,i rented a sitting-room with a good window and clear view1 so as to take parlour portraits4 ,i could only take small pictures--two and a half by two inches--for which ,i charged half a guinea1 and was favoured with a few sittings2 but it was a slow place1 and ,i left it in a few weeks4 ,the next move ,i made was to ,seaham ,harbour1 and there ,i did a little better business1 but the place was too small and the people too poor for me to continue long4 ,half guineas were not plentiful1 even among the tradespeople1 and there were very few gentlefolk in the neighbourhood4 ,some of the townspeople were very kind to me1 and invited me to their homes1 and although my sojourn was not very profitable1 it was very pleasant4 ,i had many pleasant rambles on the sands1 and often looked at ,seaham ,hall and thought of ,byron and his matrimonial disappointment in his marriage with ,miss ,milbank4 ,from ,seaham ,harbour ,i went to ,middlesborough1 hoping to do more business among a larger population1 but it appeared as if ,i were only going from bad to worse4 ,at that date the population was about thirty thousand1 but chiefly people of the working classes1 employed at ,balchow and ,vaughn's and kindred works4 ,i made portraits of some of the members of ,mr4 ,balchow's family1 ,mr4 ,geordison1 and some of the resident ,quakers1 but altogether ,i did not do much more than pay expenses4 ,i managed1 however1 to stay there till the year #ahea1 when ,i caught the ,world's ,fair fever1 so ,i packed up my apparatus and other things ,i did not require immediately1 and sent them to my father's house1 and with a few changes in my carpet-bag1 and a little money in my pocket1 ,i started off to see the ,great ,exhibition in ,london4 ,i went by way of ,york and ,hull1 with the two-fold object of seeing some friends in both places1 and to prospect on the business chances they might afford4 ,at ,york ,i found ,mr4 ,pumphrey was located1 but as he did not appear to be fully occupied with sitters--for ,i found him trying to take a couple of boys fighting in a back yard--,i thought there was not room for another ,daguerreotypist in ,york4 ,in a few days ,i went to ,hull1 but even there the ground was preoccupied1 so ,i took the first steamer for ,london4 ,we sailed on a ,saturday night1 and after a pleasant voyage arrived at the wharf below ,london ,bridge early on ,sunday evening4 ,i put up at the ,yorkshire ,grey1 in ,thames ,street1 where ,i met several people from the ,north1 also on a visit to ,london to see the ,great ,exhibition4 ,this being my first visit to ,london1 ,i was anxious to get a sight of the streets and crowds therein1 so1 after obtaining some refreshment1 ,i strolled out with one of my fellow passengers to receive my first impressions of the great metropolis4 ,the evening was fine1 and1 being nearly the longest day1 there was light enough to enable me to see the ,god-forsaken appearance of ,thames ,street1 the dismal aspect of ,fish ,street ,hill1 and the gloomy column called ,the ,monument that stands there to remind citizens and strangers of the ,great ,fire of #afff2 but ,i was both amazed and amused with the life and bustle ,i saw on ,london ,bridge and other places in the immediate neighbourhood1 but my eyes and ears soon became fatigued with the sights and sounds of the lively and noisy thoroughfares4 ,after a night's rest1 which was frequently broken by cries of ,stop thief6 and the screams of women1 ,i arose and made an early start for the ,great ,exhibition of #ahea4 ,of all the wonderful things in that most wonderful exhibition1 ,i was most interested in the photographic exhibits and the beautiful specimens of ,american ,daguerreotypes1 both portraits and landscapes1 especially the views of ,niagara ,falls1 which made me determine to visit ,america as soon as ever ,i could make the necessary arrangements4 ,while examining and admiring those very beautiful ,daguerreotypes1 ,i little thought that ,i was standing1 as it were1 between the birth of one process and the death of another2 but so it was1 for the newly-born collodion process very soon annihilated the ,daguerreotype1 although the latter process had just reached the zenith of its beauty4 ,in the ,march number of the ,chemist1 ,archer's ,collodion ,process was published1 and that was like the announcement of the birth of an infant ,hercules1 that was destined to slay a beautiful youth whose charms had only arrived at maturity4 ,but there was really a singular and melancholy coincidence in the birth of the ,collodion ,process and the early death of the ,daguerreotype1 for ,daguerre himself died on ,july #ajth1 #ahea1 so that both ,daguerre and his process appeared to receive their death blows in the same year4 ,i don't suppose that ,daguerre died from a shock to his system1 caused by the publication of a rival process1 for it is not likely that he knew anything about the invention of a process that was destined1 in a very few years1 to abolish his own--living as he was in the retirement of his native village1 and enjoying his well-earned pension4 ,as ,daguerre was the first of the successful discoverers of photography to be summoned by death1 ,i will here give a brief sketch of his life and pursuits prior to his association with ,nicephore ,niepce and photography4 ,louis ,jacques ,mande ,daguerre was born at ,cormeilles1 near ,paris1 in #aghg1 of poor and somewhat careless parents1 who appear to have bestowed upon him more names than attention4 ,though they did not endow him with a good education1 they had the good sense to observe the bent of his mind and apprentice him to a theatrical scene painter4 ,in that situation he soon made his mark1 and his artistic and mechanical abilities1 combined with industry1 painstaking1 and boldness of conception1 soon raised him to the front rank of his profession1 in which he gained both honour and profit4 ,like all true artists1 he was fond of sketching from nature2 and1 to save time and secure true proportion1 he employed such optical appliances as were then at his command4 ,some of his biographers say that he1 like ,fox ,talbot1 employed the camera lucida2 others the camera-obscura2 as there is a considerable difference between the two it would be interesting to know which it really was4 ,at any rate it was one of these instruments which gave him the notion and created the desire to secure the views as they were presented by the lens or reflector4 ,much of his time was devoted to the painting and construction of a diorama which was first exhibited in #ahbb1 and created quite a sensation in ,paris4 ,as early as #ahbd he commenced his photographic experiments1 with very little knowledge on the subject2 but with the hope and determination of succeeding1 by some means or other1 in securing the pictures as ,nature painted them on the screen or receiver4 ,doubtless he was sanguine enough then to hope to be able to obtain colours as well as drawings1 but he died without seeing that accomplished1 and so will many others4 ,what he did succeed in accomplishing was marvellous1 and quite entitled him to all the honour and emolument he received1 but he only lived about twelve years after his discovery4 ,he was1 however1 saved the mortification of seeing his beautiful discovery discarded and cast away in the hey-day of its beauty and perfection4 ,after a few weeks sojourn in ,london1 seeing all the sights and revisiting all the ,daguerreotype studios1 ,i turned my back on the great city and my footsteps homewards again4 ,as soon as ,i reached home ,i unpacked my apparatus and made arrangements for another campaign with the camera at some of the sea-side resorts1 with the hope of making up for lost time and money through visiting ,london4 ,i had looked at ,scarborough and found the ,brothers ,holroyd located there2 at ,whitby1 ,mr4 ,stonehouse2 and ,i did not like the appearance of ,redcar1 so ,i settled upon ,tynemouth1 and did fairly well for a short season4 ,about the end of ,october ,i went on to ,carlisle1 but a ,scotchman had already preceded me there1 and ,i thought one ,daguerreotypist was quite enough for so small a place1 and pushed on to ,penrith1 where ,i settled for the winter and gradually worked up a little connection1 and formed some life-long friendships4 ,i was the first ,daguerreotypist who had visited the town of ,penrith1 and while there ,i made ,daguerreotypes of ,sir ,george and ,lady ,musgrave and family1 and some members of the ,lonsdale family4 ,it was through the kindness of ,miss ,lowther that ,i was induced to go to ,whitehaven1 but ,i did not do much business there1 so1 after a bad winter1 ,i resolved to go to ,america in the spring1 and made arrangements for the voyage immediately4 ,thinking that ,i would find better apparatus and appliances in ,america1 ,i disposed of my ,tent and ,kit1 closed up my affairs1 bid adieu to my relatives and friends1 and departed4 ,to obtain the benefit and experience of a long sea voyage1 ,i secured a cabin passage in a sailing ship named the ,amazon1 and sailed from ,shields towards the end of ,april1 #ahec4 ,we crossed the ,tyne bar late in the evening with a fair wind1 and sailed away for the ,pentland ,frith so as to gain the ,atlantic by sailing all round the ,north of ,scotland4 ,i was rather upset the first night1 but recovered my appetite next morning4 ,we entered the ,pentland ,frith on the ,saturday afternoon1 and were running through the ,channel splendidly1 when the carpenter came to report water in the well--,i forget how many feet--but he thought it would not be safe to attempt crossing the ,atlantic4 ,i was a little alarmed at this1 but the captain took it very coolly1 and ordered the ship to be pumped every watch4 ,being the only passenger1 ,i became a kind of chum and companion to the captain1 and as we sat over our grog that night in the cabin our conversation naturally turned upon the condition of the ship1 when he remarked that he was disappointed1 and that he expected he had got a sound ship under his feet this time4 ,these words did not make much impression upon me then1 but ,i had reason to comprehend their meaning afterwards4 ,i was awoke early on the ,sunday morning by the noise caused by the working of the pumps1 and on going on deck found that we were becalmed1 lying off the coast of ,caithnesshire1 and the water pouring out of the pump-hole in a continuous stream4 ,after breakfast1 and while sitting on the taffrail of the quarterdeck along with the captain1 waiting for a breeze1 ,i asked him if he intended to cross the ,atlantic in such a leaky vessel4 ,he answered ,yes1 and the men are all willing4 ,so ,i thought if these men were not afraid of the ship foundering1 ,i need not be2 but ,i had reasons afterwards for coming to an opposite conclusion4 ,towards evening the breeze sprang up briskly1 and away we went1 the ship heading ,w4,n4,w41 as the captain said he wanted to make the northern passage4 ,next morning we were in a rather rough sea1 and a gale of wind blowing4 ,one of the yards was broken with the force of the wind1 and the sail and broken yard dangled about the rigging for a considerable time before the sail could be hauled in and the wreckage cleared up4 ,we had several days of bad weather1 and one morning when ,i got up ,i found the ship heading ,east4 ,i naturally concluded that we were returning1 but the captain said that he had only turned the ship about to enable the men to stop a leak in her bows4 ,the carpenter afterwards told me that the water came in there like a river during the night4 ,thus we went on through variable weather until at last we sighted two huge icebergs1 and then ,newfoundland1 when the captain informed me that he intended now to coast up to ,new ,york4 ,we got out of sight of land occasionally1 and one day1 after the captain had taken his observations and worked out the ship's position1 he called my attention to the chart1 and observed that he intended to sail between an island and the mainland1 but as the ,channel was subject to strong and variable currents1 it was a rather dangerous experiment4 ,being in such a leaky ship1 ,i thought he wanted to hug the land as much as possible1 which ,i considered a very wise and safe proceeding2 but he had ulterior objects in view1 which the sequel will reveal4 ,on the night of the #cast of ,may1 after a long yarn from the captain about how he was once wrecked on an iceberg1 ,i turned in with a feeling of perfect safety1 for the sea was calm1 the night clear1 and the wind fair and free2 but about daylight next morning ,i was awoke with a shock1 a sudden tramping on deck1 and the mate shouting down the companion stairs1 ,captain1 the ship's ashore4 ,both the captain and ,i rushed on deck just as we jumped out of our berths1 but we could not see anything of the land or shore1 for we were enveloped in a thick fog4 ,we heard the breakers and felt the thud of the waves as they broke upon the ship1 but whether we had struck on a rock or grounded on a sandy beach we could not then ascertain4 ,the captain ordered the sails to be slewed back and a hawser to be thrown astern1 but all efforts to get the ship off were in vain1 for with every wave the ship forged more and more on to the shore4 ,as the morning advanced1 the fog cleared away a little1 which enabled us to see dimly through the mist the top of a bank of yellow sand4 ,this sight settled the doubt as to our whereabouts1 and the captain immediately gave the order ,prepare to abandon the ship4 ,the long boat was at once got ready1 and lowered with considerable difficulty1 for the ship was then more among the breakers4 ,after a good deal of delay and danger1 we all succeeded in leaving the ship and clearing the breakers4 ,we were exposed in the open boats all that day and night1 and about ten o'clock next morning we effected a landing on the lee side of the island1 which we ascertained to be ,sable ,island1 a bald crown of one of the banks of ,newfoundland4 ,here we received help1 shelter1 and provisions1 all provided by the ,home and ,colonial ,governments1 for the relief of shipwrecked people1 for this island was one of the places where ships were both accidentally and wilfully wrecked4 ,we were obliged to stay there sixteen days before we could get a vessel to take us to ,halifax1 ,nova ,scotia1 the nearest port1 and would possibly have had to remain on the island much longer1 but for a mutiny among the crew4 ,i could describe some strange and startling incidents in connection with the wreck and mutiny1 but ,i will not allow myself to be tempted further into the vale of divergence1 as the chief object ,i have in view is my reminiscence of photography4 ,on leaving ,sable ,island ,i was taken to ,halifax1 where ,i waited the arrival of the ,cunard steamer ,niagara1 to take me on to ,boston2 thence ,i proceeded by rail and steamer to ,new ,york1 where ,i arrived about the end of ,june1 #ahec4 ,on landing in ,new ,york ,i only knew one individual1 and not knowing how far ,i should have to go to find him ,i put up at an hotel on ,broadway1 but soon found that too expensive for my means1 and went to a private boarding house as soon as ,i could4 ,visiting all the leading ,daguerreotypists on ,broadway1 ,i was somewhat astonished at their splendid reception rooms1 and the vast number of large and excellent specimens exhibited4 ,their plain ,daguerreotypes were all of fine quality1 and free from the buff lines so noticeable in ,english work at that period2 but all their attempts at colouring were miserable failures1 and when ,i showed one of my coloured specimens to ,mr4 ,gurney1 he said1 ,well1 if you can colour one of my pictures like that ,i'll believe you2 which ,i soon did1 and very much to his astonishment4 ,in those days ,i prepared my own colours1 and ,mr4 ,gurney bought a box immediately4 ,the principal ,daguerreotypists in ,new ,york at that time were ,messrs4 ,brady1 ,gurney1 ,kent1 ,lawrence1 ,mead ,brothers1 and ,samuel ,root1 and ,i called upon them all before ,i entered into any business arrangements1 finally engaging myself to ,messrs4 ,mead ,brothers as a colourist and teacher of colouring for six months1 and while fulfilling that engagement ,i gave lessons to several ,daguerreans1 and made the acquaintance of men from all parts of the ,union1 for ,i soon obtained some notoriety throughout the ,states in consequence of a man named ,humphrey attacking me and my colouring process in a photographic journal which bore his name1 as well as in the ,new ,york ,tribune4 ,i replied to his attack in the columns of the ,tribune1 but ,i saw that he had a friend on the staff1 and ,i did not feel inclined to continue the controversy4 ,mr4 ,humphrey knew nothing about my process1 but began and continued the discussion on his knowledge of what was known as the ,isinglass ,process1 which was not mine4 ,after completing my engagements with ,messrs4 ,mead ,brothers1 ,i made arrangements to supply the stock dealers with my prepared colours1 and travel the ,states myself to introduce them to all the ,daguerreans residing in the towns and cities ,i should visit4 ,in the principal cities ,i found all the ,daguerreans quite equal to the best in ,new ,york1 and all doing good business1 and ,i gave lessons in colouring to most of them4 ,in ,newark ,i met ,messrs4 ,benjamin and ,polson2 in ,philadelphia1 ,marcus ,root and ,dr4 ,bushnell4 ,i encountered a great many doctors and professors in the business in ,america4 ,in ,baltimore1 ,maryland--then a slave ,state--many of the ,daguerreans owned slaves4 ,in ,washington ,d4,c41 ,i renewed my acquaintance with ,mr4 ,george ,adams1 one of the best ,daguerreans in the ,city2 and while visiting him a very curious thing occurred4 ,one of the representatives of the ,south came in to have his portrait taken1 and the first thing he did was to lay a revolver and a bowie knife on the table beside him4 ,he had just come from the ,house of ,representatives4 ,his excuse for such a proceeding was that he had bought some slaves at the market at ,alexandria1 and was going to take them home that night4 ,he was a very tall man1 and when he stood up against the background his head was above it4 ,as he wanted to be taken standing1 this put ,mr4 ,adams into a dilemma1 and he asked what he should do4 ,i thought the only thing that could be done was to move the background up and down during exposure1 which we did1 and so obviated the appearance of a line crossing the head4 ,while staying in ,washington ,i attended one of the levees at the ,white ,house1 and was introduced to ,president ,pearce4 ,there was no fuss or difficulty in gaining admission4 ,i had only to present my card at the door1 and the ,city ,marshall at once led me into the room where the ,president1 surrounded by some of his ,cabinet1 was waiting to receive1 and ,i was introduced4 ,after a cordial shake of his hand1 ,i passed on to another saloon where there was music and promenading in mixed costumes1 for most of the men were dressed as they liked1 and some of the ladies wore bonnets4 ,it was the weekly sans ceremonie reception4 ,finding many of the people of ,washington very agreeable and hospitable1 ,i stayed there a considerable time4 ,when ,i started on the southern journey ,i did intend to go on to ,new ,orleans1 but ,i stayed so long in ,philadelphia and ,washington the summer was too far advanced1 and as a rather severe outbreak of yellow fever had occurred1 ,i returned to ,new ,york and took a journey northward1 visiting ,niagara ,falls1 and going on to ,canada4 ,i sailed up the ,hudson ,river1 stopping at ,albany and ,troy4 ,at the latter place ,i met an ,englishman1 named ,irvine1 a ,daguerrean who treated me hospitably1 and for whom ,i coloured several ,daguerreotypes4 ,he wanted me to stay with him1 but that ,i declined4 ,thence ,i proceeded to ,rochester1 and there found that one of my ,new ,york pupils had been before me1 representing himself as ,werge the colourist1 for when ,i introduced myself to the principal ,daguerrean he told me that ,werge--a very different man--had been there two or three weeks ago4 ,i discovered who the fellow was1 and that he had practised a piece of ,yankee smartness for which ,i had no redress4 ,from ,rochester ,i proceeded to ,buffalo1 where ,i met with another instance of ,yankee smartness of a different kind4 ,i had sold some colours to a man there who paid me in dollar bills1 the usual currency of the country1 but when ,i tendered one of these bills for payment at the hotel1 it was refused4 ,i next offered it on board a steamboat1 but there it was also declined4 ,when ,i had an opportunity ,i returned it to the man who gave it to me1 and requested him to send me a good one instead4 ,he was honest enough to do that1 and impudent enough to tell me that he knew it was bad when he gave it to me1 but as ,i was a stranger he thought ,i might pass it off easily4 ,i next went to ,niagara ,falls1 where it was my good fortune to encounter two very different specimens of ,american character in the persons of ,mr4 ,easterly and ,mr4 ,babbitt1 the former a visitor and the latter a resident ,daguerrean1 who held a monopoly from ,general ,porter to ,daguerreotype the ,falls and visitors4 ,he had a pavilion on the ,american side of the ,falls1 under which his camera was in position all day long1 and when a group of visitors stood on the shore to survey the ,falls from that point1 he took the group--without their knowledge--and showed it to the visitors before they left4 ,in almost every instance he sold the picture at a good price2 the people were generally delighted to be taken at the ,falls4 ,i need hardly say that they were all taken instantaneously1 and embraced a good general view1 including the ,american ,fall1 ,goat ,island1 the ,horse ,shoe ,fall1 and the ,canadian shore4 ,many of these views ,i coloured for ,mr4 ,babbitt1 but there was always a beautiful green colour on the brink of the ,horse ,shoe ,fall which ,i never could match4 ,for many years ,i possessed one of ,mr4 ,babbitt's ,daguerreotype views1 as well as others taken by ,mr4 ,easterly and myself1 but ,i had the misfortune to be deprived of them all by fire4 ,some years after ,i lent them to an exhibition in ,glasgow1 which was burnt down1 and all the exhibits destroyed4 ,after a delightful sojourn of three weeks at ,niagara ,falls1 ,i took steamer on the lower ,niagara ,river1 sailed down to ,lake ,ontario1 and down the ,river ,st4 ,lawrence1 shooting the ,lachine ,rapids1 and on to ,montreal4 ,in the ,canadian ,city ,i did not find business very lively1 so after viewing the fine ,cathedral of ,notre ,dame1 the mountain1 and other places1 ,i left ,montreal and proceeded by rail to ,boston4 ,the difference between the two cities was immense4 ,montreal was dull and sleepy1 ,boston was all bustle and life1 and the people were as unlike as the cities4 ,on my arrival in ,boston1 ,i put up at the ,quincy ,adams ,hotel1 and spent the first few days in looking about the somewhat quaint and interesting old city1 hunting up ,franklin ,associations1 and revolutionary landmarks1 ,bunker ,hill1 and other places of interest4 ,having satisfied my appetite for these things1 ,i began to look about me with an eye to business1 and called upon the chief ,daguerreans and photographers in ,boston4 ,messrs4 ,southworth and ,hawes possessed the largest ,daguerreotype establishment1 and did an excellent business4 ,in their ,saloon ,i saw the largest and finest revolving stereoscope that was ever exhibited4 ,the pictures were all whole-plate ,daguerreotypes1 and set vertically on the perpendicular drum on which they revolved4 ,the drum was turned by a handle attached to cog wheels1 so that a person sitting before it could see the stereoscopic pictures with the utmost ease4 ,it was an expensive instrument1 but it was a splendid advertisement1 for it drew crowds to their saloon to see it and to sit1 and their enterprise met with its reward4 ,at ,mr4 ,whipple's gallery1 in ,washington ,street1 a dual photography was carried on1 for he made both ,daguerreotypes and what he called crystallotypes1 which were simply plain silver prints obtained from collodion negatives4 ,mr4 ,whipple was the first ,american photographer who saw the great commercial advantages of the collodion process over the ,daguerreotype1 and he grafted it on the elder branch of photography almost as soon as it was introduced4 ,indeed1 ,mr4 ,whipple's establishment may be considered the very cradle of ,american photography as far as collodion negatives and silver prints are concerned1 for he was the very first to take hold of it with spirit1 and as early as #ahec he was doing a large business in photographs1 and teaching the art to others4 ,although ,i had taken collodion negatives in ,england with ,mawson's collodion in #aheb1 ,i paid ,mr4 ,whipple fifty dollars to be shown how he made his collodion1 silver bath1 developer1 printing1 c41 c41 for which purpose he handed me over to his active and intelligent assistant and newly-made partner1 ,mr4 ,black4 ,this gave me the run of the establishment1 and ,i was somewhat surprised to find how vast and varied were his mechanical appliances for reducing labour and expediting work4 ,the successful practice of the ,daguerreotype art greatly depended on the cleanness and highly polished surface of the silvered plates1 and to secure these necessary conditions1 ,mr4 ,whipple had1 with characteristic and ,yankee-like ingenuity1 obtained the assistance of a steam engine which not only drove all the circular cleaning and buffing wheels1 but an immense circular fan which kept the studio and sitters delightfully cool4 ,machinery and ingenuity did a great many things in ,mr4 ,whipple's establishment in the early days of photography4 ,long before the ,ambrotype days1 pictures were taken on glass and thrown upon canvas by means of the oxyhydrogen light for the use of artists4 ,at that early period of the history of photography1 ,messrs4 ,whipple and ,black did an immense printing and publishing trade1 and their facilities were something considerable4 ,their toning1 fixing1 and washing baths were almost worthy the name of vats4 ,messrs4 ,masury and ,silsby were also early producers of photographs in ,boston1 and in #ahed employed a very clever operator1 ,mr4 ,turner1 who obtained beautiful and brilliant negatives by iron development4 ,on the whole1 ,i think ,boston was ahead of ,new ,york for enterprise and the use of mechanical appliances in connection with photography4 ,i sold my colours to most of the ,daguerreotypists1 and entered into business relations with two of the dealers1 ,messrs4 ,french and ,cramer1 to stock them1 and then started for ,new ,york to make arrangements for my return to ,england4 ,when ,i returned to ,new ,york the season was over1 and everyone was supposed to be away at ,saratoga ,springs1 ,niagara ,falls1 ,rockaway1 and other fashionable resorts2 but ,i found the ,daguerreotype galleries all open and doing a considerable stroke of business among the cotton planters and slave holders1 who had left the sultry south for the cooler atmosphere of the more northern ,states4 ,the ,daguerreotype process was then in the zenith of its perfection and popularity1 and largely patronised by gentlemen from the south1 especially for large or double whole-plates1 about #af by #ab inches1 for which they paid fifty dollars each4 ,it was only the best houses that made a feature of these large pictures1 for it was not many of the ,daguerreans that possessed a mammoth tube and box--i4e41 lens and camera--or the necessary machinery to get up such large surfaces1 but all employed the best mechanical means for cleaning and polishing their plates1 and it was this that enabled the ,americans to produce more brilliant pictures than we did4 ,many people used to say it was the climate1 but it was nothing of the kind4 ,the superiority of the ,american ,daguerreotype was entirely due to mechanical appliances4 ,having completed my business arrangements and left my colours on sale with the principal stock dealers1 including the ,scovill ,manufacturing ,company1 ,messrs4 ,anthony1 and ,levi ,chapman4 ,i sailed from ,new ,york in ,october #ahed1 and arrived in ,england in due time without any mishap1 and visiting ,london again as soon as ,i could1 ,i called at ,mr4 ,mayall's gallery in ,regent ,street to see ,dr4 ,bushnell1 whom ,i knew in ,philadelphia1 and who was then operating for ,mr4 ,mayall4 ,while there ,mr4 ,mayall came in from the ,guildhall1 and announced the result of the famous trial1 ,talbot versus ,laroche1 a verbatim report of which is given in the ,journal of the ,photographic ,society for ,december #bast1 #ahed4 ,mr4 ,mayall was quite jubilant1 and well he might be1 for the verdict for the defendant removed the trammels which ,mr4 ,fox ,talbot attempted to impose upon the practice of the collodion process1 which was ,frederick ,scott ,archer's gift to photographers4 ,that was the first time that ,i had met ,mr4 ,mayall1 though ,i had heard of him and followed him both at ,philadelphia and ,new ,york1 and even at ,niagara ,falls4 ,at that time ,mr4 ,mayall was relinquishing the ,daguerreotype process1 though one of the earliest practitioners1 for he was in business as a ,daguerreotypist in ,philadelphia from #ahdb to #ahdf1 and ,i know that he made a ,daguerreotype portrait of ,james ,anderson1 the tragedian1 in ,philadelphia1 on ,sunday1 ,may #ahth1 #ahde4 ,during part of the time that he was in ,philadelphia he was in partnership with ,marcus ,root1 and the name of the firm was ,highschool and ,root1 and about the end of #ahdf ,mr4 ,mayall opened a ,daguerreotype studio in the ,adelaide ,gallery1 ,king ,william ,street1 ,strand1 ,london1 under the name of ,professor ,highschool1 and soon after that he opened a ,daguerreotype gallery in his own name in the ,strand1 which establishment he sold to ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes in #ahee4 ,the best ,daguerreotypists in ,london in #ahed were ,mr4 ,beard1 ,king ,william ,street1 ,london ,bridge2 ,messrs4 ,kilburn1 ,t4 ,r4 ,williams and ,claudet1 in ,regent ,street2 and ,w4 ,h4 ,kent1 in ,oxford ,street4 ,the latter had just returned from ,america1 and brought all the latest improvements with him4 ,messrs4 ,henneman and ,malone were in ,regent ,street doing calotype portraits4 ,henneman had been a servant to ,fox ,talbot1 and worked his process under favourable conditions4 ,mr4 ,lock was also in ,regent ,street1 doing coloured photographs4 ,he offered me a situation at once1 if ,i could colour photographs as well as ,i could colour ,daguerreotypes1 but ,i could not1 for the processes were totally different4 ,m4 ,manson1 an old ,frenchman1 was the chief ,daguerreotype colourist in ,london1 and worked for all the principal ,daguerreotypists4 ,i met the old gentleman first in #ahea1 and knew him for many years afterwards4 ,he also made colours for sale4 ,not meeting with anything to suit me in ,london1 ,i returned to the ,north1 calling at ,birmingham on my way1 where ,i met ,mr4 ,whitlock1 the chief ,daguerreotypist there1 and a ,mr4 ,monson1 who professed to make ,daguerreotypes and all other types4 ,paying a visit to ,mr4 ,elisha ,mander1 the well-known photographic case maker1 ,i learnt that ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes1 then in business in ,glasgow1 was in want of an assistant1 a colourist especially4 ,having met ,mr4 ,hughes in ,glasgow in #aheb1 and knowing what kind of man he was1 ,i wrote to him1 and was engaged in a few days4 ,i went to ,glasgow in ,january1 #ahee1 and then commenced business relations and friendship with ,mr4 ,hughes that lasted unbroken until his death in #ahhd4 ,my chief occupation was to colour the ,daguerreotypes taken by ,mr4 ,hughes1 and occasionally take sitters1 when ,mr4 ,hughes was busy1 in another studio4 ,i had not1 however1 been long in ,glasgow1 when ,mr4 ,hughes determined to return to ,london4 ,at first he wished me to accompany him1 but it was ultimately arranged that ,i should purchase the business1 and remain in ,glasgow1 which ,i did1 and took possession in ,june1 ,mr4 ,hughes going to ,mr4 ,mayall's old place in the ,strand1 ,london4 ,mr4 ,hughes had been in ,glasgow for nearly seven years1 and had done a very good business1 going first as operator to ,mr4 ,bernard1 and succeeding to the business just as ,i was doing4 ,while ,mr4 ,hughes was in ,glasgow he was very popular1 not only as a ,daguerreotypist1 but as a lecturer4 ,he delivered a lecture on photography at the ,literary and ,philosophical ,society1 became an active member of the ,glasgow ,photographic ,society1 and an enthusiastic member of the ,st4 ,mark's ,lodge of ,freemasons4 ,only a day or two before he left ,glasgow1 he occupied the chair at a meeting of photographers1 comprising ,daguerreotypists and collodion workers1 to consider what means could be adopted to check the downward tendency of prices even in those early days4 ,i was present1 and remember seeing a lady ,daguerreotypist among the company1 and she expressed her opinion quite decidedly4 ,efforts were made to enter into a compact to maintain good prices1 but nothing came of it4 ,like all such bandings together1 the band was quickly and easily broken4 ,i had the good fortune to retain the best of ,mr4 ,hughes's customers1 and make new ones of my own1 as well as many staunch and valuable friends1 both among what ,i may term laymen and brother ,masons1 while ,i resided in ,glasgow4 ,most of my sitters were of the professional classes1 and the elite of the city1 among whom were ,sir ,archibald ,alison1 the historian1 ,col4 7now ,general7 ,sir ,archibald ,alison1 ,dr4 ,arnott1 ,professor ,ramsey1 and many of the princely merchants and manufacturers4 ,some of my other patrons--for ,i did all kinds of photographic work--were the late ,norman ,macbeth1 ,daniel ,mc,nee 7afterwards ,sir ,daniel71 and ,president of the ,scottish ,academy of ,art1 and also ,her ,majesty the ,queen1 for she bought two of my photographs of ,glasgow ,cathedral1 and a copy of my illustration of ,hood's ,song of the ,shirt1 copies of which ,i possess now1 and doubtless so does ,her ,majesty4 ,one of the most interesting portraits ,i remember taking while ,i was in ,glasgow was that of ,john ,robertson1 who constructed the first marine steam engine4 ,he was associated with ,henry ,bell1 and fitted the ,comet with her engine4 ,mr4 ,napier senr41 the celebrated engineer on the ,clyde1 brought ,robertson to sit to me1 and ordered a great many copies4 ,i also took a portrait of ,harry ,clasper1 of rowing and boat-building notoriety1 which was engraved and published in the ,illustrated ,london ,news4 ,several of my portraits were engraved both on wood and steel1 and published4 ,at the photographic exhibition in connection with the meeting of the ,british ,association held in ,glasgow1 in #ahee1 ,i saw the largest collodion positive on glass that ever was made to my knowledge4 ,the picture was thirty-six inches long1 a view of ,gourock1 or some such place down the ,clyde1 taken by ,mr4 ,kibble4 ,the glass was ,british plate1 and cost about ,l#a4 ,i thought it a great evidence of ,british pluck to attempt such a size4 ,when ,i saw ,mr4 ,kibble ,i told him so1 and expressed an opinion that ,i thought it a waste of time1 labour1 and money not to have made a negative when he was at such work4 ,he took the hint1 and at the next photographic exhibition he showed a silver print the same size4 ,mr4 ,kibble was an undoubted enthusiast1 and kept a donkey to drag his huge camera from place to place4 ,my pictures frequently appeared at the ,glasgow exhibition1 but at one1 which was burnt down1 ,i lost all my ,daguerreotype views of ,niagara ,falls1 ,whipple's views of the moon1 and many other valuable pictures1 portraits1 and views1 which could never be replaced4 ,illustration3 ,,third ,,period4 ,,collodion4 ,,frederick ,,scott ,,archer4 ,from ,glass ,positive by ,r4 ,cade1 ,ipswich4 #ahee4 ,,hever ,,castle1 ,,kent4 ,copy of ,glass ,positive taken by ,f4 ,scott ,archer in #ahdi4 ,,third ,,period4 ,,collodion ,,triumphant4 ,in #aheg ,i abandoned the ,daguerreotype process entirely1 and took to collodion solely2 and1 strangely enough1 that was the year that ,frederick ,scott ,archer1 the inventor1 died4 ,like ,daguerre1 he did not long survive the publication and popularity of his invention1 nor did he live long enough to see his process superseded by another4 ,in years1 honours1 and emoluments1 he fell far short of ,daguerre1 but his process had a much longer existence1 was of far more commercial value1 benefitting private individuals and public bodies1 and creating an industry that expanded rapidly1 and gave employment to thousands all over the world2 yet he profited little by his invention1 and when he died1 a widow and three children were left destitute4 ,fortunately a few influential friends bestirred themselves in their interest1 and when the appeal was made to photographers and the public to the ,archer ,testimonial1 the following is what appeared in the pages of ,punch1 ,june #acth1 #aheg3-- ,to the ,sons of the ,sun4 ,the inventor of collodion has died1 leaving his invention unpatented1 to enrich thousands1 and his family unportioned to the battle of life4 ,now1 one expects a photographer to be almost as sensitive as the collodion to which ,mr4 ,scott ,archer helped him4 ,a deposit of silver is wanted 7gold will do71 and certain faces1 now in the dark chamber1 will light up wonderfully1 with an effect never before equalled by photography4 ,a respectable ancient writes that the statue of ,fortitude was the only one admitted to the ,temple of the ,sun4 ,instead whereof1 do you1 photographers1 set up ,gratitude in your little glass temples of the sun1 and sacrifice1 according to your means1 in memory of the benefactor who gave you the deity for a household god4 ,now1 answers must not be negatives4 ,the result of that appeal1 and the labours of the gentlemen who so generously interested themselves on behalf of the widow and orphans1 was highly creditable to photographers1 the ,photographic ,society1 ,her ,majesty's ,ministers1 and ,her ,majesty the ,queen4 ,what those labours were1 few now can have any conception2 but ,i think the very best way to convey an idea of those labours and their successful results will be to reprint a copy of the final report of the committee4 ,the ,report of the ,committee of the ,archer ,testimonial4 ,the ,committee of the ,archer ,testimonial1 considering it necessary to furnish a statement of the course pursued towards the attainment of their object1 desire to lay before the subscribers and the public generally a full report of their proceedings4 ,shortly after the death of ,mr4 ,f4 ,scott ,archer1 a preliminary meeting of a few friends was held1 and it was determined that a printed address should be issued to the photographic world4 ,sir ,william ,newton1 cordially co-operating in the movement1 at once made application to ,her ,most ,gracious ,majesty4 ,the ,queen1 with her usual promptitude and kindness of heart1 forwarded a donation of ,l#bj towards the ,testimonial4 ,the ,photographic ,society of ,london1 at the same time1 proposed a grant of ,l#ej1 and this liberality on the part of the ,society was followed by an announcement of a list of donations from individual members1 which induced your ,committee to believe that if an appeal were made to the public1 and those practising the photographic art1 a sum might be raised sufficiently large1 not only to relieve the immediate wants of the widow and children1 but to purchase a small annuity1 and thus in a slight degree compensate for the heavy loss they had sustained by the premature death of one to whom the photographic art had already become deeply indebted4 ,to aid in the accomplishment of this design1 ,mr4 ,mayall placed the use of his rooms at the service of a committee then about to be formed4 ,sir ,william ,newton and ,mr4 ,roger ,fenton consented to act as treasurers to the fund1 and the ,union1 and ,london and ,westminster ,banks kindly undertook to receive subscriptions4 ,your ,committee first met on the #hth day of ,june1 #aheg1 ,mr4 ,digby ,wyatt being called to the chair1 when it was resolved to ask the consent of ,professors ,delamotte and ,goodeve to become joint secretaries4 ,these duties were willingly accepted1 and subscription lists opened in various localities in furtherance of the ,testimonial4 ,your ,committee met on the #hth day of ,july1 and again on the #dth day of ,september1 when1 on each occasion1 receipts were announced and paid into the bankers4 ,the ,society of ,arts having kindly offered1 through their ,secretary1 the use of apartments in the house of the ,society for any further meetings1 your ,committee deemed it expedient to accept the same1 and passed a vote of thanks to ,mr4 ,mayall for the accommodation previously afforded by that gentleman4 ,your ,committee1 believing that the interests of the fund would be better served by a short delay in their proceedings1 resolved on deferring their next meeting until the month of ,november1 or until the ,photographic ,society should resume its meetings1 when a full attendance of members might be anticipated2 it being apparent that individually and collectively persons in the provinces had withheld their subscriptions until the grant of the ,photographic ,society of ,london had been formally sanctioned at a special meeting convened for the purpose1 and that their object--the purchase of an annuity for ,mrs4 ,archer and her children--could only be effected by the most active co-operation among all classes4 ,your ,committee again met on the #bfth of ,november1 when it was resolved to report progress to the general body of subscribers1 and that a public meeting be called for the purpose1 at which the ,lord ,chief ,baron ,pollock should be requested to preside4 ,to this request the ,lord ,chief ,baron most kindly and promptly acceded2 and your ,committee determined to seek the co-operation of their photographic friends and the public to enable them to carry out in its fullest integrity the immediate object of securing some small acknowledgment for the eminent services rendered to photography by the late ,mr4 ,archer4 ,at this meeting it was stated that an impression existed1 which to some extent still exists1 that ,mr4 ,archer was not the originator of the ,collodion ,process2 your ,committee1 therefore1 think it their duty to state emphatically that they are fully satisfied of the great importance of the services rendered by him1 as an original inventor1 to the art of photography4 ,professor ,hunt1 having studied during twenty years the beautiful art of photography in all its details1 submitted to the ,committee the following explanation of ,mr4 ,archer's just right3-- ',as there appears to be some misconception of the real claim of ,mr4 ,archer to be considered as a discoverer1 it is thought desirable to state briefly and distinctly what we owe to him4 ,there can be no doubt that much of the uncertainty which has been thought by some persons to surround the introduction of collodion1 has arisen from the unobtrusive character of ,mr4 ,archer himself1 who deferred for a considerable period the publication of the process of which he was the discoverer4 ',when ,professor ,schoenbein1 of ,basle1 introduced gun-cotton at the meeting of the ,british ,association at ,southampton in #ahdf1 the solubility of this curious substance in ether was alluded to4 ,within a short time collodion was employed in our hospitals for the purposes of covering with a film impervious to air abraded surfaces on the body2 its peculiar electrical condition was also known and exhibited by ,mr4 ,hall1 of ,dartford1 and others4 ',the beautiful character of the collodion film speedily led to the idea of using it as a medium for receiving photographic agents1 and experiments were made by spreading the collodion on paper and on glass1 to form with it sensitive tablets4 ,these experiments were all failures1 owing to the circumstance that the collodion was regarded merely as a sheet upon which the photographic materials were to be spread2 the dry collodion film being in all cases employed4 ',to ,mr4 ,archer1 who spent freely both time and money in experimental research1 it first occurred to dissolve in the collodion itself the iodide of potassium4 ,by this means he removed every difficulty1 and became the inventor of the collodion process4 ,the pictures thus obtained were exhibited1 and some of the details of the process communicated by ,mr4 ,scott ,archer in confidence to friends before he published his process4 ,this led1 very unfortunately1 to experiments by others in the same direction1 and hence there have arisen claims in opposition to those of this lamented photographer4 ,everyone1 however1 acquainted with the early history of the collodion process freely admits that ,mr4 ,archer was the sole inventor of iodized collodion1 and of those manipulatory details which still1 with very slight modifications1 constitute the collodion process1 and he was the first person who published any account of the application of this remarkable accelerating agent1 by which the most important movement has been given to the art of photography4' ,your committee1 in ,may last1 heard with deep regret of the sudden death of the widow1 ,mrs4 ,archer1 which melancholy event caused a postponement of the general meeting resolved upon in ,november last4 ,sir ,wm4 ,newton thereupon resolved to make another effort to obtain a pension for the three orphan children1 now more destitute than ever1 and so earnestly did he urge their claim upon the ,minister1 ,lord ,derby1 that a reply came the same day from his lordship's private secretary1 saying1 ',the ,queen has been pleased to approve of a pension of fifty pounds per annum being paid from the ,civil ,list to the children of the late ,mr4 ,frederick ,scott ,archer1 in consideration of the scientific discoveries of their father1' his lordship adding his regrets 'that the means at his disposal have not enabled him to do more in this case4' ,your committee1 to mark their sense of the value of the services rendered to the cause by ,sir ,william ,newton1 thereupon passed a vote of thanks to him4 ,in conclusion1 your committee have to state that a trust deed has been prepared1 free of charge1 by ,henry ,white1 ,esq41 of #g1 ,southampton ,street1 which conveys the fund collected to trustees1 to be by them invested in the public securities for the sole benefit of the orphan children4 ,the sum in the ,union ,bank now amounts to ,l#edi #aas4 #d;d41 exclusive of interest1 and the various sums--in all about ,l#fh--paid over to ,mrs4 ,archer last year4 ,thus far1 the result is a subject for congratulation to the subscribers and your committee1 whose labours have hitherto not been in vain4 ,your committee are1 nevertheless1 of opinion that an appeal to ,parliament might be productive of a larger recognition of the claim of these orphan children--a claim not undeserving the recognition of the ,legislature1 when the inestimable boon bestowed upon the country is duly considered4 ,since ,march #ahea1 when ,mr4 ,archer described his process in the pages of the ,chemist1 how many thousands must in some way or other have been made acquainted with the immense advantages it offers over all other processes in the arts1 and how many instances could be adduced in testimony of its usefulness8 ,for instance1 its value to the ,government during the last war1 in the engineering department1 the construction of field works1 and in recording observations of historical and scientific interest4 ,your committee noticed that an attractive feature of the ,photographic ,society's last exhibition was a series of drawings and plans1 executed by the ,royal ,engineers1 in reduction of various ordnance maps1 at a saving estimated at ,l#cj1jjj to the country4 ,the non-commissioned officers of this corps are now trained in this art1 and sent to different foreign stations1 so that in a few years there will be a network of photographic stations spread over the world1 and having their results recorded in the ,war ,department1 and1 in a short time1 all the world will be brought under the subjugation of art4 ,mr4 ,warren ,de la ,rue exhibited to the ,astronomical ,society1 ,november1 #aheg1 photographs of the moon and ,jupiter1 taken by the collodion process in five seconds1 of which the ,astronomer-,royal said1 'that a step of very great importance had been made1 and that1 either as regards the self-delineation of clusters of stars1 nebulae1 and planets1 or the self-registration of observations1 it is impossible at present to estimate the value4' ,when admiring the magnificent photographic prints which are now to be seen in almost every part of the civilized world1 an involuntary sense of gratitude towards the discoverer of the collodion process must be experienced1 and it cannot but be felt how much the world is indebted to ,mr4 ,archer for having placed at its command the means by which such beautiful objects are presented4 ,how many thousands amongst those who owe their means of subsistence to this process must have experienced such a feeling of gratitude8 ,it is upon such considerations that the public have been1 and still are1 invited to assist in securing for the orphan children of the late ,mr4 ,archer some fitting appreciation of the service which he rendered to science1 art1 his country--nay1 to the whole world4 ,m4 ,digby ,wyatt1 ,chairman1 ,jabez ,hogg1 ,secretary to ,committee4 ,society of ,arts1 ,july1 #aheh4 ,after reading that report1 and especially ,mr4 ,hunt's remarks1 it will appear evident to all that even that act of charity1 gratitude1 and justice could not be carried through without someone raising objections and questioning the claims of ,frederick ,scott ,archer as the original inventor of the ,collodion process4 ,nearly all the biographers and historians of photography have coupled other names with ,archer's1 either as assistants or co-inventors1 but ,i have evidence in my possession that will prove that neither ,fry nor ,diamond afforded ,archer any assistance whatever1 and that ,archer preceded all the other claimants in his application of collodion4 ,in support of the first part of this statement1 ,i shall give extracts from ,mrs4 ,archer's letter1 now in my possession1 which1 ,i think1 will set that matter at rest for ever4 ,mrs4 ,archer1 writing from ,bishop ,stortford on ,december #gth1 #aheg1 says1 ,when ,mr4 ,a4 prepared pupils for ,india he always taught the paper process as well as the ,collodion1 for fear the chemicals should cause disappointment in a hot climate1 as ,i believe that the negative paper he prepared differed from that in general use4 ,i enclosed a specimen made in our glass house4 ,in ,mr4 ,hunt's book1 as well as ,mr4 ,horne's1 ,mr4 ,fry's name is joined with ,mr4 ,archer's as the originators of the ,collodion process4 ,should ,mr4 ,hunt seem to require any corroboration of what ,i have stated respecting ,mr4 ,fry1 ,i can send you many of ,mr4 ,fry's notes of invitation1 when ,mr4 ,a4 merely gave him lessons in the application of collodion1 and ,mr4 ,brown gave me the correspondence which passed between him and ,mr4 ,fry on the subject at the time ,mr4 ,home's book was published4 ,i did not send up those papers1 for1 unless required1 it is useless to dwell on old grievances1 but ,i should like such a man as ,mr4 ,hunt to understand how the association of the two names originated4 ,as to priority of application1 the following letter ought to settle that point3-- ,alma ,cottage1 ,bishop ,stortford4 #ith ,december1 #aheg4 ,sir1--,my hunting has at length proved successful4 ,in the enclosed book you will find notes respecting the paper pulp1 albumen1 tanno-gelatine1 and collodion4 ,you will therein see ,mr4 ,archer's notes of iod-collodion in #ahdi4 ,you may wonder that ,i could not find this note-book before1 but the numbers of papers that there are1 and the extreme disorder1 defy description4 ,my head was in such a deplorable state before ,i left that ,i could arrange nothing4 ,those around me were most anxious to destroy all the papers1 and ,i had great trouble to keep all with ,mr4 ,archer's handwriting upon them1 however dirty and rubbishing they might appear1 so they were huddled together1 a complete chaos4 ,i look back with the greatest thankfulness that my brain did not completely lose its balance1 for ,i had not a single relative who entered into ,mr4 ,archer's pursuits1 so that they could not possibly assist me4 ,mr4 ,archer being of so reserved a character1 ,i had to find out where everything was1 and my search has been amongst different things4 ,i need not tell you that ,i hope this dirty enclosure will be taken care of4 ,the paper pulp occupied much time2 in fact1 notes were only made of articles which had been much tried1 which might probably be brought into use4--,i am1 sir1 yours faithfully1 ,j4 ,hogg1 ,esq4 ,f4 ,g4 ,archer4 ,if the foregoing is not evidence sufficient1 ,i have by me a very good glass positive of ,hever ,castle1 ,kent1 which was taken in the spring of #ahdi1 and two collodion negatives made by ,mr4 ,archer in the autumn of #ahdh2 and these dates are all vouched for by ,mr4 ,jabez ,hogg1 who was ,mr4 ,archer's medical attendant and friend1 and knew him long before he began his experiments with collodion--whereas ,i cannot find a trace even of the suggestion of the application of collodion in the practice of photography either by ,gustave ,le ,gray or ,j4 ,r4 ,bingham prior to #ahdi2 while ,mr4 ,archer's note-book proves that he was not only iodizing collodion at that date1 but making experiments with paper pulp and gelatine2 so that ,mr4 ,archer was not only the inventor of the collodion process1 but was on the track of its destroyer even at that early date4 ,he also published his method of bleaching positives and intensifying negatives with bichloride of mercury4 ,frederick ,scott ,archer was born at ,bishop ,stortford in #ahac1 but there is little known of his early life1 and what little there is ,i will allow ,mrs4 ,archer to tell in her own way4 ,dear ,sir1--,i do not know whether the enclosed is what you require2 if not1 be kind enough to let me know1 and ,i must try to supply you with something better4 ,i thought you merely required particulars relating to photography4 ,otherwise ,mr4 ,archer's career was a singular one3 ,losing his parents in childhood1 he lived in a world of his own2 ,i think you know he was apprenticed to a bullion dealer in the city1 where the most beautiful antique gems and coins of all nations being constantly before him1 gave him the desire to model the figures1 and led him to the study of numismatics4 ,he worked so hard at nights at these pursuits that his master gave up the last two years of his time to save his life4 ,he only requested him to be on the premises1 on account of his extreme confidence in him4 ,many other peculiarities ,i could mention1 but ,i dare say you know them already4 ,i will send a small case to you1 containing some early specimens and gutta-percha negatives1 with a copy of ,mr4 ,a4's portrait1 which ,i found on leaving ,great ,russell ,street1 and have had several printed from it4 ,it is not a good photograph1 but ,i think you will consider it a likeness4 ,i am1 yours faithfully1 ,j4 ,hogg1 ,esq4 ,f4 ,g4 ,archer4 ,frederick ,scott ,archer pursued the double occupation of sculptor and photographer at #aje1 ,great ,russell ,street4 ,it was there he so persistently persevered in his photographic experiments1 and there he died in ,may1 #aheg1 and was interred in ,kensal ,green ,cemetery4 ,a reference to the report of the ,committee will show what was done for his bereaved family--a widow and three children4 ,mrs4 ,archer followed her husband in ,march1 #aheh1 and two of the children died early2 but one1 ,alice 7unmarried71 is still alive and in receipt of the ,crown pension of fifty pounds per annum4 ,while the collodion episode in the history of photography is before my readers1 and especially as the process is rapidly becoming extinct1 ,i think this will be a suitable place to insert ,archer's instructions for making a soluble gun-cotton1 iodizing collodion1 developing1 and fixing the photographic image4 ,gun-,cotton 7or ,pyroxaline1 as it was afterwards named74 ,take of dry nitre in powder #dj parts ,sulphuric acid #fj ,cotton #b ,the sulphuric acid and the nitre were mixed together1 and immediately the latter was all dissolved1 the gun-cotton was added and well stirred with a glass rod for about two minutes2 then the cotton was plunged into a large bowl of water and well washed with repeated changes of water until the acid and nitre were washed away4 ,the cotton was then pressed and dried1 and converted into collodion by dissolving #cj grains of gun-cotton in #ah fluid ounces of ether and #b ounces of alcohol--putting the cotton into the ether first1 and then adding the alcohol2 the collodion allowed to settle and decanted prior to iodizing4 ,the latter operation was performed by adding a sufficient quantity of iodide of silver to each ounce of the plain collodion4 ,mr4 ,archer tells how to make the iodide of silver1 but the quantity is regulated by the quantity of alcohol in the collodion4 ,when the iodized collodion was ready for use1 a glass plate was cleaned and coated with it1 and then sensitised by immersion in a bath of nitrate of silver solution--#cj grains of nitrate of silver to each ounce of distilled water4 ,from three to five minutes' immersion in the silver bath was generally sufficient to sensitise the plate4 ,this1 of course1 had to be done in what is commonly called a dark room4 ,after exposure in the camera1 the picture was developed by pouring over the surface of the plate a solution of pyrogallic acid of the following proportions3-- ,pyrogallic acid #e grains ,distilled water #aj ounces ,glacial acetic acid #dj minims ,after the development of the picture it was washed and fixed in a solution of hyposulphite of soda1 #d ounces to #a pint of water4 ,the plate was then washed and dried4 ,this is an epitome of the whole of ,archer's process for making either negatives or positives on glass1 the difference being effected by varying the time of exposure and development4 ,of course the process was somewhat modified and simplified by experience and commercial enterprise4 ,later on bromides were added to the collodion1 an iron developer employed1 and cyanide of potassium as a fixing agent2 but the principle remained the same from first to last4 ,when pyrogallic acid was first employed in photography1 it was quoted at #bas4 per oz41 and1 if ,i remember rightly1 ,i paid #cs4 for the first drachm that ,i purchased4 ,on referring to an old price list ,i find ,daguerreotype plates1 #b-a_/b by #b inches1 quoted at #abs4 per dozen2 nitrate of silver1 #es4 #f;d4 per oz42 chloride of gold1 #es4 #f;d4 for #ae grains2 hyposulphite of soda at #es4 per lb42 and a half-plate rapid portrait lens by ,voightlander1 of ,vienna1 at ,l#fj4 ,those were the days when photography might well be considered expensive1 and none but the wealthy could indulge in its pleasures and fascinations4 ,while ,i lived in ,glasgow1 competition was tolerably keen1 even then1 and amongst the best glass positive men were ,messrs4 ,bibo1 ,bowman1 ,j4 ,urie1 and ,young and ,sun1 as the latter styled himself2 and in photographic portraiture1 plain and coloured1 by the collodion process1 were ,messrs4 ,macnab and ,j4 ,stuart4 ,from the time that ,i relinquished the ,daguerreotype process1 in #aheg1 ,i devoted my attention to the production of high-class collodion negatives4 ,i never took kindly to glass positives1 though ,i had done some as early as #aheb4 ,they were never equal in beauty and delicacy to a good ,daguerreotype1 and their low tone was to me very objectionable4 ,i considered the ,ferrotype the best form of collodion positive1 and did several of them1 but my chief work was plain and coloured prints from collodion negatives1 also small portraits on visiting cards4 ,early in ,january1 #ahfj1 my home and business were destroyed by fire1 and ,i lost all my old and new specimens of ,daguerreotypes and photographs1 all my ,daguerreotype and other apparatus1 and nearly everything ,i possessed4 ,as ,i was only partially insured1 ,i suffered considerable loss4 ,after settling my affairs ,i decided on going to ,america again and trying my luck in ,new ,york4 ,family ties influenced this decision considerably1 or ,i should not have left ,glasgow1 where ,i was both prosperous and respected4 ,to obtain an idea of the latest and best aspects of photography1 ,i visited ,london and ,paris4 ,the carte-de-visite form of photography had not exhibited much vitality at that period in ,london1 but in ,paris it was beginning to be popular4 ,while in ,london ,i accompanied ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes to the meeting of the ,photographic ,society1 ,feb4 #gth1 #ahfj1 the ,right ,honorable the ,lord ,chief ,baron ,pollock in the chair1 when the report of the ,collodion ,committee was delivered4 ,the committee1 consisting of ,f4 ,bedford1 ,p4 ,delamotte1 ,dr4 ,diamond1 ,roger ,fenton1 ,jabez ,hughes1 ,t4 ,a4 ,malone1 ,j4 ,h4 ,morgan1 ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson1 ,alfred ,rosling1 ,w4 ,russell ,sedgefield1 ,j4 ,spencer1 and ,t4 ,r4 ,williams1 strongly recommended ,mr4 ,hardwich's formula4 ,that was my first visit to the ,society1 and ,i certainly did not think then that ,i should ever see it again1 or become and be a member for twenty-two years4 ,i sailed from ,liverpool in the ss4 ,city of ,baltimore in ,march1 and reached ,new ,york safely in ,april1 #ahfj4 ,i took time to look about me1 and visited all the galleries on ,broadway1 and other places1 before deciding where ,i should locate myself4 ,many changes had taken place during the six years ,i had been absent4 ,nearly all the old ,daguerreotypists were still in existence1 but all of them1 with the exception of ,mr4 ,brady1 had abandoned the ,daguerreotype process1 and ,mr4 ,brady only retained it for small work4 ,most of the chief galleries had been moved higher up ,broadway1 and a mania of magnificence had taken possession of most of the photographers4 ,mr4 ,anson was the first to make a move in that direction by opening a superb gallery on the ground floor in ,broadway right opposite the ,metropolitan ,hotel1 filling his windows with life-sized photographs coloured in oil at the back1 which he called ,diaphanotypes4 ,he did a large business in that class of work1 especially among visitors from the ,southern ,states2 but that was soon to end1 for already there were rumours of war1 but few then gave it any serious consideration4 ,messrs4 ,gurney and ,sons' gallery was also a very fine one1 but not on the ground floor4 ,their saloon was upstairs1 ,this house was one of the oldest in ,new ,york in connection with photography4 ,in the very early days1 ,mr4 ,gurney1 senr41 was one of the most eminent professors of the ,daguerreotype process1 and was one of the committee appointed to wait upon the ,rev4 ,wm4 ,hill1 a preacher in the ,catskills1 to negotiate with the reverend gentlemen 787 for his vaunted secret of photography in natural colours4 ,as the art progressed1 or the necessity for change arose1 ,mr4 ,gurney was ready to introduce every novelty1 and1 in later years1 in conjunction with ,mr4 ,fredericks1 then in partnership with ,mr4 ,gurney1 he introduced the ,hallotype1 not ,hillotype1 and the ,ivorytype4 ,both these processes had their day4 ,the former was photography spoiled by the application of ,canada balsam and very little art2 the latter was the application of a great deal of art to spoil a photograph4 ,the largest of all the large galleries on ,broadway was that of ,messrs4 ,fredericks and ,co4 ,the whole of the ground and first floor were thrown into one crystal front1 and made a very attractive appearance4 ,the windows were filled with life-sized portraits painted in oil1 crayons1 and other styles1 and the walls of the interior were covered with life-sized portraits of eminent men and beautiful women4 ,the floor was richly carpeted1 and the furnishing superb4 ,a gallery ran round the walls to enable the visitors to view the upper pictures1 and obtain a general view of the saloon1 the tout ensemble of which was magnificent4 ,from the ground floor an elegant staircase led to the galleries1 toilet and waiting rooms1 and thence to the operating rooms or studios4 ,some of the ,parisian galleries were fine1 but nothing to be compared with ,fredericks'1 and the finest establishment in ,london did not bear the slightest comparison4 ,mr4 ,brady was another of the early workers of the ,daguerreotype process1 and probably the last of his confreres to abandon it4 ,he commenced business in the early forties in ,fulton ,street1 a long way down ,broadway1 but as the sea of commerce pressed on and rolled over the strand of fashion1 he was obliged to move higher and higher up ,broadway1 until he reached the corner of ,tenth ,street1 nearly opposite ,grace ,church4 ,mr4 ,brady appeared to set the ,franklin maxim1 ,three removes as bad as a fire1 at defiance1 for he had made three or four moves to my knowledge--each one higher and higher to more elegant and expensive premises1 each remove entailing the cost of more and more expensive furnishing1 until his latest effort in upholstery culminated in a superb suite of black walnut and green silk velvet2 in short1 ,longfellow's ,excelsior appeared to be the motto of ,mr4 ,brady4 ,messrs4 ,mead ,brothers1 ,samuel ,root1 ,james ,cady1 and ,george ,adams ought to receive honourable mention in connection with the art in ,new ,york1 for they were excellent operators in the ,daguerreotype days1 and all were equally good manipulators of the collodion process and silver printing4 ,after casting and sounding about1 like a mariner seeking a haven on a strange coast1 ,i finally decided on buying a half interest in the gallery of ,mead ,brothers1 #hje1 ,broadway2 ,harry ,mead retaining his1 or his wife's share of the business1 but leaving me to manage the uptown branch4 ,this turned out to be an unfortunate speculation1 which involved me in a lawsuit with one of ,mead's creditors1 and compelled me to get rid of a very unsatisfactory partner in the best way and at any cost that ,i could4 ,mead's creditor1 by some process of law that ,i could never understand1 stripped the gallery of all that belonged to my partner1 and even put in a claim for half of the fixtures4 ,over this ,i lost my temper1 and had to pay1 not the piper1 but the lawyer4 ,i also found that ,mrs4 ,henry ,mead had a bill of sale on her husband's interest in the business1 which ,i ended by buying her out4 ,husband and wife are very seldom one in ,america4 ,soon after getting the gallery into my own hands1 refurnishing and rearranging1 the ,prince of ,wales's visit to ,new ,york was arranged1 and as the windows of my gallery commanded a good view of ,broadway1 ,i let most of them very advantageously1 retaining the use of one only for myself and family4 ,there were so many delays1 however1 at the ,city ,hall and other places on the day of the procession1 that it was almost dark when the ,prince reached #hje1 ,broadway1 and all my guests were both weary of waiting so long1 and disappointed at seeing so little of ,england's future ,king4 ,when ,i recommenced business on ,broadway on my own account there was only one firm taking cartes-de-visite1 and ,i introduced that form of portrait to my customers1 but they did not take very kindly to it1 though a house not far from me was doing a very good business in that style at three dollars a dozen1 and ,messrs4 ,rockwood and ,co4 appeared to be monopolising all the carte-de-visite business that was being done in ,new ,york2 but eventually ,i got in the thin edge of the wedge by exhibiting four for one dollar4 ,this ruse brought in sitters1 and ,i began to do very well until ,abraham ,lincoln issued his proclamation calling for one hundred thousand men to stamp out the ,southern rebellion4 ,i remember that morning most distinctly4 ,it was a miserably wet morning in ,april1 #ahfa1 and all kinds of business received a shock4 ,people looked bewildered1 and thought of nothing but saving their money and reducing their expenses4 ,it had a blighting effect on my business1 and ,i1 not knowing1 like others1 where it might land me1 determined to get rid of my responsibilities at any cost1 so ,i sold my business for a great deal less than it was worth1 and at a very serious loss4 ,the outbreak of that gigantic civil war and a severe family bereavement combined1 induced me to return to ,england as soon as possible4 ,before leaving ,america1 in all probability for ever1 ,i went to ,washington to bid some friends farewell1 and while there ,i went into ,virginia with a friend on ,sunday morning1 ,july #bast1 and in the afternoon saw the smoke and heard the cannonading of the first battle of ,bull ,run1 and witnessed1 next morning1 the rout and rush into ,washington of the demoralised fragments of the ,federal army4 ,i wrote and sent a description of the stampede to a friend in ,glasgow1 which he handed over to the ,glasgow ,herald for publication1 and ,i have reason to believe that my description of that memorable rout was the first that was published in ,great ,britain4 ,as soon as ,i could settle my affairs ,i left ,new ,york with my family1 and arrived in ,london on the #aeth of ,september1 #ahfa4 ,it was a beautiful sunny day when ,i landed1 and1 after all the trouble and excitement ,i had so recently seen and experienced1 ,london1 despite its business and bustle1 appeared like a heaven of peace4 ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes was about the last to wish me ,god speed when ,i left ,england1 so he was the first ,i went to see when ,i returned4 ,i found1 to my disappointment1 that he was in ,paris1 but ,mrs4 ,hughes gave me a hearty welcome4 ,after a few days' sojourn in ,london ,i went to ,glasgow with the view of recommencing in that city1 where ,i had many friends2 but while there1 and on the very day that ,i was about to sign for the lease of a house1 ,mr4 ,hughes wrote to offer me the management of his business in ,oxford ,street4 ,it did not take me long to decide1 and by return post that same night ,i wrote accepting the offer4 ,i concluded all other arrangements as quickly as possible1 returned to ,london1 and entered upon my managerial duties on the #ast ,november1 #ahfa4 ,i had long wished and looked out for an opportunity to settle in ,london and enlarge my circle of photographic acquaintance and experience1 so ,i put on my new harness with alacrity and pleasure4 ,among the earliest of my new acquaintances was ,george ,wharton ,simpson1 ,editor of the ,photographic ,news4 ,he called at ,oxford ,street one evening while ,i was the guest of ,mr4 ,hughes1 by whom we were introduced1 and we spent a long1 chatty1 and pleasant evening together1 talking over my ,american experience and matters photographic2 but1 to my surprise1 much of our conversation appeared in the next issue of his journal 7vide ,photographic ,news1 ,october #aath1 #ahfa1 pp4 #dhj-a74 ,but that was a power1 ,i afterwards ascertained1 which he possessed to an eminent degree1 and which he utilized most successfully at his ,wednesday evenings at home1 when he entertained his photographic friends at ,canonbury ,road1 ,n4 ,very delightful and enjoyable those evenings were1 and he never failed to cull paragraphs for the ,photographic ,news from the busy brains of his numerous visitors4 ,he was a genial host1 and his wife was a charming hostess2 and his daughter ,eva1 now the wife of ,william ,black the novelist1 often increased the charm of those evenings by the exhibition of her musical abilities4 ,it is often a wonder to me that other editors of photographic journals don't pursue a similar plan1 for those social re-unions were not only pleasant1 but profitable to old friend ,simpson4 ,through ,mr4 ,simpson's at homes1 and my connection with ,mr4 ,hughes1 ,i made the acquaintance of nearly all the eminent photographers of the time1 amongst whom may be mentioned ,w4 ,g4 ,lacy1 of ,ryde1 ,i4,w4 ,the latter was a very sad and brief acquaintanceship1 for he died in ,mr4 ,hughes's sitting-room on the #bast ,november1 #ahfa1 in the presence of ,g4 ,wharton ,simpson1 ,jabez ,hughes1 and myself1 and1 strangely enough1 it was entirely through this death that ,mr4 ,hughes went to ,ryde1 and became photographer to the ,queen4 ,mr4 ,lacy made his will in ,mr4 ,hughes's sitting-room1 and ,mr4 ,simpson sole executor1 who sold ,mr4 ,lacy's business in the ,arcade1 ,ryde1 ,i4,w41 to ,mr4 ,hughes1 and in the ,march following he took possession1 leaving me solely in charge of his business in ,oxford ,street1 ,london4 ,about this time ,mr4 ,skaife introduced his ingenious pistolgraph1 but it was rather in advance of the times1 for the dry plates then in the market were not quite quick enough for snap shots1 though ,i have seen some fairly good pictures taken with the apparatus4 ,at this period a fierce controversy was raging about lunar photography1 but it was all unnecessary1 as the moon had photographed herself under the guidance of ,mr4 ,whipple1 of ,boston1 ,u4,s41 as early as #ahec1 and all that was required to obtain a lunar picture was sufficient exposure4 ,on ,december #crd1 #ahfa1 ,thomas ,ross read a paper and exhibited a panoramic lens and camera at a meeting of the ,photographic ,society1 and on the #aeth ,october1 #ahhi1 ,i saw the same apparatus1 in perfect condition1 exhibited as a curiosity at the ,photographic ,society's ,exhibition4 ,no wonder the apparatus was in such good condition1 for ,i should think it had never been used but once4 ,the plates were #aj inches long1 and curved like the crescent of a new moon4 ,cleaning board1 dark slide1 and printing-frame1 were all curved4 ,fancy the expense and trouble attending the use of such an apparatus2 ,i should think it had few buyers4 ,certainly ,i never sold one1 and ,i never met with any person who had bought one4 ,amateurs have ever been the most restless and discontented disciples of the ,fathers of ,photography1 always craving for something new1 and seeking to lessen their labours and increase their facilities1 and to these causes we are chiefly indebted for the marvellous development and radical changes of photography4 ,no sooner was the ,daguerreotype process perfected than it was superseded by wet collodion1 and that was barely a workable process when it became the anxiety of every amateur to have a dry collodion process1 and multitudes of men were at work endeavouring to make1 modify1 or invent a means that would enable them to use the camera as a sort of sketch-book1 and make their finished picture at home at their leisure4 ,hence the number of ,dry ,plate processes published about this period1 and the controversies carried on by the many enthusiastic champions of the various methods4 ,beer was pitted against tea and coffee1 honey against albumen1 gin against gum1 but none of them were equal to wet collodion4 ,the ,international ,exhibition of #ahfb did little or nothing in the interests of photography4 ,it is true there was a scattered and skied exhibition at the top of a high tower1 but as there was no lift1 ,i suspect very few people went to see the exhibits4 ,i certainly was not there more than once myself4 ,among the exhibitors of apparatus were the names of ,messrs4 ,mc,lean1 ,melhuish and ,co41 ,murray and ,heath1 ,p4 ,meagher1 ,t4 ,ottewill and ,co41 but there was nothing very remarkable among their exhibits4 ,there was some very good workmanship1 but the articles exhibited were not beyond the quality of the every-day manufacture of the best camera and apparatus makers4 ,the chief contributors to the exhibition of photographs were ,messrs4 ,mayall1 ,t4 ,r4 ,williams1 and ,herbert ,watkins in portraiture2 and in landscapes1 c41 ,messrs4 ,francis ,bedford1 ,rejlander1 ,rouch1 ,stephen ,thompson1 ,james ,mudd1 ,william ,mayland1 ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson1 and ,breeze4 ,by some carelessness or stupidity on the part of the attendants or constructors of the ,exhibition1 nearly all ,mr4 ,breeze's beautiful exhibits--stereoscopes and stereoscopic transparencies--were destroyed by the fall of a skylight4 ,perhaps the best thing that the ,international ,exhibition did for photography was the issue of the ,jurors' ,report1 as it was prefaced with a brief ,history of ,photography up to date1 not perfectly correct regarding the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade's labours1 but otherwise good1 the authorship of which ,i attribute to the late ,dr4 ,diamond2 but the awards--ah6 well1 awards never were quite satisfactory4 ,commendees thought they should have been medalists1 and the latter thought something else4 ,thomas ,ross1 ,j4 ,h4 ,dallmeyer1 and ,negretti and ,zambra were the ,english recipients of medals1 and ,voightlander and ,son and ,c4 ,dietzler received medals for their lenses4 ,early in #ahfb the ,harrison ,globe ,lens was attracting attention1 and1 as much was claimed for it both in width of angle and rapidity1 ,i imported from ,new ,york a #e by #d and a whole-plate as samples4 ,the #e by #d was an excellent lens1 and embraced a much wider angle than any other lens known1 and ,mr4 ,hughes employed it to photograph the bridal bed and suite of apartments of the ,prince and ,princess of ,wales at ,osborne1 ,isle of ,wight1 and ,i feel certain that no other lens would have done the work so well4 ,i have copies of the photograph by me now4 ,they are circular pictures of five inches in diameter1 and every article and decoration visible in the chambers are as sharp and crisp as possible4 ,i showed the lens to ,mr4 ,dallmeyer1 and he thought he could make a better one2 his ,wide-,angle ,rectilinear was the result4 ,mr4 ,john ,pouncy1 of ,dorchester1 introduced his patent process for permanent printing this year1 but it never made much headway4 ,it was an oleagenous process1 mixed with bichromate of potash1 or bitumen of ,judea1 and always smelt of bad fat4 ,i possessed examples at the time1 but took no care of them1 and no one else did in all probability2 but it appeared to me to be the best means of transferring photographic impressions to wood blocks for the engraver's purpose4 ,thomas ,sutton1 ,b4,a41 published a book on ,pouncy's process and carbon printing1 but the process had inherent defects which were not overcome1 so nothing could make it a success4 ,sutton's ,history of ,carbon ,printing was sufficiently interesting to attract both readers and buyers at the time4 ,i have previously stated that ,daguerre introduced and left his process in an imperfect and uncommercial condition1 and that it was ,john ,frederick ,goddard1 then lecturer at the ,adelaide ,gallery1 ,london1 and inventor of the polariscope1 who discovered the accelerating properties of bromine1 and by which1 with iodine1 he obtained a bromo-iodide of silver on the surface of the silvered plate employed in the ,daguerreotype process1 thereby reducing the time of exposure from twenty minutes to twenty seconds1 and making the process available for portraiture with an ordinary double combination lens4 ,somehow or other1 this worthy gentleman had fallen into adverse circumstances1 and was obliged to eat the bread of charity in his old age4 ,the facts of this sad case coming to the knowledge of ,mr4 ,hughes and others1 an appeal1 written by ,mr4 ,hughes1 was published in the ,photographic ,news1 ,december #aath1 #ahfc4 ,as ,mr4 ,hughes and myself had benefitted by ,mr4 ,goddard's improvement in the practice of the ,daguerreotype1 we took an active interest in the matter1 and1 by canvassing friends and customers1 succeeded in obtaining a considerable proportion of the sum total subscribed for the relief of ,mr4 ,goddard4 ,enough was obtained to make him independent and comfortable for the remainder of his life4 ,mr4 ,t4 ,r4 ,williams was appointed almoner by the committee1 but his office was not for long1 as ,mr4 ,goddard died ,dec4 #bhth1 #ahff4 ,on the #eth of ,april1 #ahfd1 ,i attended a meeting of the ,photographic ,society at ,king's ,college1 and heard ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan read a paper on his new patent carbon process4 ,it was a crowded meeting1 and an intense interest pervaded the minds of both members and visitors4 ,the examples exhibited were very beautiful1 but at that early stage they began to show a weakness1 which clung to the collodion support as long as it was employed4 ,some of the specimens which ,i obtained at the time left the mounting boards1 and the films were torn asunder by opposing forces1 and the pictures completely destroyed4 ,i have one in my possession now in that unsatisfactory condition4 ,mr4 ,swan's process was undoubtedly an advance in the right direction1 but it was still imperfect1 and required further improvement4 ,many of the members failed to see where the patent rights came in1 and ,mr4 ,swan himself appeared to have qualms of conscience on the subject1 for he rather apologetically announced in his paper1 that he had obtained a patent1 though his first intention was to allow it to be practised without any restriction4 ,i think myself it would have been wiser to have adhered to his original intention2 however1 it was left to others to do more to advance the carbon process than he did4 ,during this year 7#ahfe7 an effort was made to establish a claim of priority in favour of ,thomas ,wedgwood for the honour of having made photographs on silver plates1 and negatives on paper1 and examples of such alleged early works were submitted to the inspection of members of the ,photographic ,society1 but it was most satisfactorily determined that the photographs on the silver plates were weak ,daguerreotypes of a posterior date1 and that the photographic prints1 on paper1 of a breakfast table were from a calotype negative taken by ,fox ,talbot4 ,messrs4 ,henneman and ,dr4 ,diamond proved this most conclusively4 ,other prints then exhibited1 and alleged to be photographs1 were nothing but prints from metal plates1 produced by some process of engraving1 probably ,aquatint4 ,i saw some of the examples at the time1 and1 as recently as ,nov4 #ast1 #ahhi1 ,i have seen some of them again1 and ,i think the ,breakfast ,table and a view of ,wedgwood's ,pottery are silver prints1 though very much faded1 from calotype negatives4 ,the other prints1 such as the ,piper and ,a ,vase1 are from engraved plates4 ,no one can desire to lessen ,thomas ,wedgwood's claims to pre-eminence among the early experimentalists with chloride of silver1 but there cannot now be any denial to the claims of the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade in #ahcg1 and ,fox ,talbot in #ahdj1 of being the earliest producers of photographic negatives on paper1 from which numerous prints could be obtained4 ,the ,wothlytype printing process was introduced to the notice of photographers and the public this year3 first1 by a blatant article in the ,times1 which was both inaccurate and misleading1 for it stated that both nitrate of silver and hyposulphite of soda were dispensed within the process2 secondly1 by the issue of advertisements and prospectuses for the formation of a ,limited ,liability ,company4 ,i went to the ,patent ,office and examined the specification1 and found that both nitrate of silver and hyposulphite of soda were essential to the practice of the process1 and that there was no greater guarantee of permanency in the use of the ,wothlytype than in ordinary silver printing4 ,on ,march #adth1 #ahfe1 ,george ,wharton ,simpson1 editor and proprietor of the ,photographic ,news1 read a paper at a meeting of the ,photographic ,society on a new printing process with collodio-chloride of silver on paper4 ,many beautiful examples were exhibited1 but the method never became popular1 chiefly on account of the troubles of toning with sulpho-cyanide of ammonium4 ,the same or a similar process1 substituting gelatine for collodion1 is known and practised now under the name of ,aristotype1 but not very extensively1 because of the same defects and difficulties attending the ,simpsontype4 ,another new method of positive printing was introduced this year by ,mr4 ,john ,m4 ,burgess1 of ,norwich1 which he called ,eburneum4 ,it was not in reality a new mode of printing1 but an ingenious application of the collodion transfer1 or stripping process4 ,the back of the collodion positive print was coated with a mixture of gelatine and oxide of zinc1 and when dry stripped from the glass4 ,the finished picture resembled a print on very fine ivory1 and possessed both delicate half-tones and brilliant shadows4 ,i possess some of them now1 and they are as beautiful as they were at first1 after a lapse of nearly quarter of a century4 ,it was a very troublesome and tedious process1 and ,i don't think many people practised it4 ,certainly ,i don't know any one that does so at the present time4 ,this was the year of the ,dublin ,international ,exhibition4 ,i went to see it and report thereon1 and my opinions and criticisms of the photographic and other departments will be found and may be perused in ,contributions to ,photographic ,literature4 ,on the whole1 it was a very excellent exhibition1 and ,i thoroughly enjoyed the trip4 ,a new carbon process by ,m4 ,carey ,lea was published this year4 ,the ingredients were similar to those employed by ,swan and others1 but differently handled4 ,no pigment was mixed with the gelatine before exposure1 but it was rubbed on after exposure and washing1 and with care any colour or number of colours might be applied1 and so produce a polychromatic picture1 but ,i don't know any one that ever did so4 ,i think it could easily be applied to making photographic transfers to blocks for the use of wood engravers4 ,december #eth1 #ahfe1 ,mr4 ,walter ,woodbury demonstrated and exhibited examples of the beautiful mechanical process that bears his name to the members of the ,photographic ,society4 ,the process was not entirely photographic4 ,the province of photography ceased on the production of the gelatine relief4 ,all that followed was strictly mechanical4 ,it is somewhat singular that a majority of the inventions and modifications of processes that were introduced this year related to carbon and permanency4 ,thursday1 ,january #aath1 #ahff1 ,i read1 at the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 a paper on ,errors in ,pictorial ,backgrounds4 ,as the paper1 as well as the discussion thereon1 is published in extenso in the journals of the period1 it is not necessary for me to repeat it here1 but ,i may as well state briefly my reasons for reading the paper4 ,at that time pictorial backgrounds and crowded accessories were greatly in use1 and it was seldom1 if ever1 that the horizontal line of the painted background1 and the horizontal line indicated by the position of the camera1 coincided4 ,consequently the photographic pictures obtained under such conditions invariably exhibited this incongruity1 and it was with the hope of removing these defects1 or violations of art rules and optical laws1 that ,i ventured to call attention to the subject and suggest a remedy4 ,a little later1 ,i wrote an article1 ,notes on ,pictures in the ,national ,gallery1 which was published in the ,photographic ,news of ,march #bith1 in support of the arguments already adduced in my paper on ,errors in ,pictorial ,backgrounds1 and ,i recommend every portrait photographer to study those pictures4 ,february #acth ,i was elected a member of the ,photographic ,society of ,london4 ,quite a sensation was created in the ,spring of this year by the introduction of what were termed ,magic ,photographs4 ,some one was impudent enough to patent the process1 although it was nothing but a resurrection of what was published in #ahdj by ,sir ,john ,herschel1 which consisted of bleaching an ordinary silver print to invisibility with bichloride of mercury1 and restoring it by an application of hyposulphite of soda4 ,i introduced another form of magic photograph1 in various monochromatic colours1 similar to ,sir ,john ,herschel's cyanotype1 and ,i have several of these pictures in my possession now1 both blue1 purple1 and red1 dated #ahff1 as bright and beautiful as they were the day they were made4 ,but the demand for these magic photographs was suddenly stopped by someone introducing indecent pictures4 ,in all probability these objectionable pictures came from abroad1 and the most scrupulous of the home producers suffered in consequence1 as none of the purchasers could possibly know what would appear when the developer or redeveloper was applied4 ,on ,june #adth ,mr4 ,f4 ,w4 ,hart read a paper1 and demonstrated before the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 on his method of rendering silver prints permanent4 ,a consummation devoutly to be wished1 but unfortunately some prints in my possession that were treated to a bath of his eliminator show unmistakable signs of fading4 ,in my opinion1 there is nothing so efficacious as warm water washing1 and some prints that ,i toned1 fixed1 and washed myself over thirty years ago1 are perfect4 ,the cabinet form of portrait was introduced this year by ,mr4 ,f4 ,r4 ,window1 and it eventually became the fashionable size1 and almost wiped out the carte-de-visite4 ,the latter1 however1 had held its position for about nine years1 and the time for change had arrived4 ,beyond the introduction of the cabinet portrait1 nothing very novel or ingenious had been introduced1 but a very good review of photography up to date appeared in the ,october issue of the ,british ,quarterly ,review4 ,this was a very ably written article from the pen of my old friend1 ,mr4 ,george ,wharton ,simpson4 ,no radical improvement or advance in photography was made in #ahfg1 but ,m4 ,adam-,salomon created a little sensation by exhibiting some very fine samples of his work in the ,paris ,exhibition4 ,they were remarkable chiefly for their pose1 lighting1 retouching1 and tone4 ,a few of them were afterwards seen in ,london1 and that of ,dr4 ,diamond was probably the most satisfactory4 ,m4 ,salomon was a sculptor in ,paris1 and his art training and feeling in that branch of the ,fine ,arts naturally assisted him in photography4 ,the ,duc de ,luynes's prize of #h1jjj francs for the best mechanical printing process was this year awarded to ,m4 ,poitevin4 ,in making the award1 the ,commission gave a very excellent resume of all that had previously been done in that direction1 and endeavoured to show why they thought ,m4 ,poitevin entitled to the prize2 but for all that ,i think it will be difficult to prove that any of ,m4 ,poitevin's mechanical processes ever came into use4 ,on ,june #acth1 in the absence of ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes1 ,i read his paper1 ,about ,leptographic ,printing1 before the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society4 ,this ,leptographic paper was claimed to be the invention of two photographers in ,madrid1 but it was evidently only a modification of ,mr4 ,simpson's collodio-chloride of silver process4 ,about this period ,i got into a controversy--on very different subjects1 it is true--but it made me determine to abandon for the future the practice of writing critical notices under the cover of a nom de plume4 ,i had1 under the nom de plume of ,union ,jack1 written in favour of a union of all the photographic societies then in ,london4 ,this brought ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4 ,wall down on me1 but that did not affect me very much1 nor was ,i personally distressed about the other1 but ,i thought it best to abandon a dangerous practice4 ,under the nom de plume of ,lux ,graphicus ,i had contributed a great many articles to the ,photographic ,news1 and1 in a review of the ,society's exhibition1 published ,nov4 #bbnd1 #ahfg1 ,i expressed an honest opinion on ,mr4 ,robinson's picture entitled ,sleep4 ,it was not so favourable and flattering1 perhaps1 as he would have liked1 but it was an honest criticism1 and written without any intention of giving pain or offence4 ,the close of this year was marked by a very sad catastrophe intimately associated with photography1 by the death of ,mr4 ,mawson at ,newcastle-on-,tyne2 he was killed by an explosion of nitro-glycerine4 ,mr4 ,mawson1 in conjunction with ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan1 was one of the earliest and most successful manufacturers of collodion1 and1 as early as #aheb1 ,i made negatives with that medium1 though ,i did not employ collodion solely until #aheg1 when ,i abandoned for ever the beautiful and fascinating ,daguerreotype4 ,on ,friday1 ,december #bgth1 ,antoine ,jean ,francois ,claudet1 ,f4,r4,s41 c41 c41 died suddenly in the #gast year of his age4 ,he was one of the earliest workers and improvers of the ,daguerreotype process in this country1 and one of the last to relinquish its practice in ,london4 ,mr4 ,claudet bought a share of the ,english patent of ,mr4 ,berry1 the agent1 while he was a partner in the firm of ,claudet and ,houghton in #ahdj1 and commenced business as a professional ,daguerreotypist soon afterwards4 ,before the introduction of bromine as an accelerator by ,mr4 ,goddard1 ,mr4 ,claudet had discovered that chloride of iodine increased the sensitiveness of the ,daguerreotype plate1 and he read a paper on that subject before the ,royal ,society in #ahda4 ,he was a member of the council of the ,photographic ,society for many years1 and a copious contributor to its proceedings1 as well as to photographic literature4 ,in his intercourse with his confreres he was always courteous1 and when ,i called upon him in #ahea he received me most kindly1 ,i met him again in ,glasgow1 and many times in ,london1 and always considered him the best specimen of a ,frenchman ,i had ever met4 ,towards his clients he was firm1 respectful1 and sometimes generous1 as the following characteristic anecdote will show4 ,he had taken a portrait of a child1 which1 for some reason or other1 was not liked1 and demurred at4 ,he said1 ,ah6 well1 the matter is easily settled4 ,i'll keep the picture1 and return your money2 and so he thought the case was ended2 but by-and-by the picture was asked for1 and he refused to give it up4 ,proceedings were taken to compel him to surrender it1 which he defended4 ,in stating the case1 the counsel remarked that the child was dead4 ,mr4 ,claudet immediately stopped the counsel and the case by exclaiming1 ,ah6 they did not tell me that before4 ,now1 ,i make the parents a present of the portrait4 ,i am happy to say that ,i possess a good portrait of ,mr4 ,claudet1 taken in ,november1 #ahfg1 with his ,topaz lens1 #e_/h-;inch aperture4 ,strangely enough1 ,mr4 ,claudet's studio in ,regent ,street was seriously damaged by fire within a month of his death1 and all his valuable ,daguerreotypes1 negatives1 pictures1 and papers destroyed4 ,on ,april #ith1 #ahfh1 ,i exhibited1 at the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 examples of nearly all the types of photography then known1 amongst them a ,daguerreotype by ,daguerre1 many of which are now in the ,science ,department of the ,south ,kensington ,museum1 and were presented by me to form the nucleus of a national exhibition of the rise and progress of photography1 for which ,i received the thanks of the ,lords of the ,council on ,education1 dated ,april #bbnd1 #ahhf4 ,there was nothing very remarkable done in #ahfh to forward the interests or development of photography1 yet that year narrowly escaped being made memorable1 for ,mr4 ,w4 ,h4 ,harrison1 now editor of the ,photographic ,news1 actually prepared1 exposed1 and developed a gelatino-bromide dry plate1 but did not pursue the matter further4 #ahfi also passed without adding much to the advancement of photography1 and ,i fear the same may be said of #ahgj1 with the exception of the publication1 by ,thos4 ,sutton1 of ,gaudin's gelatino-iodide process4 ,on ,february #bast1 #ahgj1 ,robert ,j4 ,bingham died in ,brussels4 ,when the ,daguerreotype process was first introduced to this country1 ,mr4 ,bingham was chemical assistant to ,prof4 ,faraday at the ,royal ,institution4 ,he took an immediate interest in the wonderful discovery1 and made an improvement in the application of bromine vapour1 which entitled him to the gratitude of all ,daguerreotypists4 ,when ,mr4 ,goddard applied bromine to the process1 he employed bromine water1 but1 in very hot weather1 the aqueous vapour condensed upon the surface of the plate1 and interrupted the sensitising process4 ,mr4 ,bingham obviated this evil by charging hydrate of lime with bromine vapour1 which not only removed the trouble of condensation1 but increased the sensitiveness of the prepared plate4 ,this was a great boon to all ,daguerreotypists1 and many a time ,i thanked him mentally long before ,i had the pleasure of meeting him in ,london4 ,mr4 ,bingham also wrote a valuable manual on the ,daguerreotype and other photographic processes1 which was published by ,geo4 ,knight and ,sons1 ,foster ,lane1 ,cheapside4 ,some years before his death1 ,mr4 ,bingham settled in ,paris1 and became a professional photographer1 but chiefly as a publisher of photographic copies of paintings and drawings4 ,abel ,niepce de ,st4 ,victor1 best known without the ,abel1 died suddenly on ,april #fth1 #ahgj4 ,born at ,st4 ,cyr1 ,july #bfth1 #ahje4 ,after passing through his studies at the ,military ,school of ,saumur1 he became an officer in a cavalry regiment4 ,being studious and fond of chemistry1 he was fortunate enough to effect some saving to the ,government in the dyeing of fabrics employed in making certain military uniforms1 for which he received compensation and promotion4 ,his photographic fame rests upon two achievements3 firstly1 his application of iodized albumen to glass for negative purposes in #ahdh1 a process considerably in advance of ,talbot's paper negatives1 but it was quickly superseded by collodion2 secondly1 his researches on heliochromy1 or photography in natural colours4 ,niepce de ,st4 ,victor1 like others before and since1 was only partially successful in obtaining some colour reproductions1 but totally unsuccessful in rendering those colours permanent4 ,in proof of both these statements ,i will quote from the ,juror's ,report1 on the subject1 of the ,international ,exhibition1 #ahfb3--,the obtaining of fixed natural colours by means of photography still remains1 as was before remarked1 to be accomplished2 but the jurors have pleasure in recording that some very striking results of experiments in this direction were forwarded for their inspection by a veteran in photographic research and discovery1 ,m4 ,niepce de ,st4 ,victor4 ,these1 about a dozen in number1 #c-a_/b by #b-a_/b inches1 consisted of reproductions of prints of figures with parti-coloured draperies4 ,each tint in the pictures exhibited1 they were assured1 was a faithful reproduction of the original4 ,amongst the colours were blues1 yellows1 reds1 greens1 c41 all very vivid4 ,some of the tints gradually faded and disappeared in the light whilst under examination1 and a few remained permanent for some hours4 ,the possibility of producing natural colour thus established is a fact most interesting and important1 and too much praise cannot be awarded to the skilful research which has been to this extent crowned with success4 ,the jury record their obligations to their chairman1 ,baron ,gross1 at whose personal solicitation they were enabled to obtain a sight of these remarkable pictures4 ,such was the condition of photography in natural colours towards the close of #ahfb1 and so it is now after a lapse of twenty-eight years4 ,in #ahgj several examples of ,niepce de ,st4 ,victor's heliochromy were sent to the ,photographic ,society of ,london1 and ,i had them in my hands and examined them carefully in gas-light2 they could not be looked at in daylight at all4 ,i certainly saw faint traces of colour1 but whether ,i saw them in their original vigour1 or after they had faded1 ,i cannot say4 ,all ,i can say is that the tints were very feeble1 and that they had not been obtained through the lens4 ,they were1 at their best1 only contact impressions of coloured prints obtained after many hours of exposure4 ,the examples had been sent to the ,photographic ,society with the hope of selling them for the benefit of the widow1 but the ,society was too wise to invest in such evanescent property4 ,however1 a subscription was raised both in ,england and ,france for the benefit of the widow and orphans of ,niepce de ,st4 ,victor4 ,december1 #ahgj1 was marked by the death of one of the eminent pioneers of photography4 ,on the #abth1 the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade passed away at ,bishopsbourne ,rectory1 ,canterbury1 in the sixty-ninth year of his age4 ,i have already1 ,i think1 established ,mr4 ,reade's claim to the honour of being the first to produce a photographic negative on paper developed with gallic acid1 and ,i regret that ,i am unable to trace the existence of those two negatives alluded to in ,mr4 ,reade's published letter4 ,mr4 ,reade told me himself that he gave those two historic negatives to ,dr4 ,diamond1 when ,secretary to the ,photographic ,society1 to be lodged with that body for safety1 proof1 and reference2 but they are not now in the possession of the ,photographic ,society1 and what became of them no one knows4 ,several years ago ,i caused enquiries to be made1 and ,dr4 ,diamond was written to by ,mr4 ,h4 ,baden ,pritchard1 then ,secretary1 but ,dr4 ,diamond's reply was to the effect that he had no recollection of them1 and that ,mr4 ,reade was given to hallucinations4 ,considering the positions that ,mr4 ,reade held1 both in the world and various learned and scientific societies1 ,i don't think that he could ever have been afflicted with such a mental weakness4 ,he was a clergyman in the ,church of ,england1 an amateur astronomer and microscopist1 one of the fathers of photography1 and a member of ,council of the ,photographic ,society1 and ,president of the ,microscopical ,society at the time of his death4 ,i had many a conversation with him years ago1 and ,i never detected either weakness or wandering in his mind2 therefore ,i could not doubt the truth of his statement relative to the custodianship of the first paper negative that was taken through the lens of a solar microscope4 ,mr4 ,reade was a kind and affable man2 and1 though a great sufferer on his last bed of sickness1 he wrote loving1 grateful1 and ,christian like letters to many of his friends1 some of which ,i have seen1 and ,i have photographed his signature to one of them to attach to his portrait1 which ,i happily possess4 ,in #ahga the coming revolution in photography was faintly heralded by ,dr4 ,r4 ,l4 ,maddox1 publishing in the ,british ,journal of ,photography1 ,an ,experiment with ,gelatino-,bromide4 ,successful as the experiment was it did not lead to any extensive adoption of the process at the time1 but it did most unquestionably exhibit the capabilities of gelatino-bromide4 ,as that communication to the ,british ,journal of ,photography contained and first made public the working details of a process that was destined to supersede collodion1 ,i will here insert a copy of ,dr4 ,maddox's letter in extenso4 ,an ,experiment with ,gelatino-,bromide4 ,the collodio-bromide processes have for some time held a considerable place in the pages of the ,british ,journal of ,photography1 and obtained such a prominent chance of being eventually the process of the day in the dry way1 that a few remarks upon the application of another medium may perhaps not be uninteresting to the readers of the journal1 though little more can be stated than the result of somewhat careless experiments tried at first on an exceedingly dull afternoon4 ,it is not for a moment supposed to be new1 for the chances of novelty in photography are small1 seeing the legion of ardent workers1 and the ground already trodden by its devotees1 so that for outsiders little remains except to take the result of labours so industriously and largely circulated through these pages1 and be thankful4 ,gelatine1 which forms the medium of so many printing processes1 and which doubtless is yet to form the base of many more1 was tried in the place of collodion in this manner3--,thirty grains of ,nelson's gelatine were washed in cold water1 then left to swell for several hours1 when all the water was poured off1 and the gelatine set in a wide-mouthed bottle1 with the addition of four drachms of pure water1 and two small drops of aqua regia1 and then placed in a basin of hot water for solution4 ,eight grains of bromide of cadmium dissolved in half a drachm of pure water were now added1 and the solution stirred gently4 ,fifteen grains of nitrate of silver were next dissolved in half a drachm of water in a test tube1 and the whole taken into the dark room1 when the latter was added to the former slowly1 stirring the mixture the whole time4 ,this gave a fine milky emulsion1 and was left for a little while to settle4 ,a few plates of glass well cleaned were next levelled on a metal plate put over a small lamp2 they were1 when fully warmed1 coated by the emulsion spread to the edges by a glass rod1 then returned to their places1 and left to dry4 ,when dry1 the plates had a thin opalescent appearance1 and the deposit of bromide seemed to be very evenly spread in the substance of the substratum4 ,these plates were printed from1 in succession1 from different negatives1 one of which had been taken years since on albumen with oxgall and diluted phosphoric acid1 sensitised in an acid nitrate1 and developed with pyrogallic acid1 furnishing a beautiful warm brown tint4 ,the exposure varied from the first plate thirty seconds to a minute and a half1 as the light was very poor4 ,no vestige of an outline appeared on removal from the printing-frame4 ,the plates were dipped in water to the surface1 and over them was poured a plain solution of pyrogallic acid1 four grains to the ounce of water4 ,soon a faint but clean image was seen1 which gradually intensified up to a certain point1 then browned all over2 hence1 the development in the others was stopped at an early stage1 the plate washed1 and the development continued with fresh pyro1 with one drop of a ten-grain solution of nitrate of silver1 then re-washed and cleared by a solution of hyposulphite of soda4 ,the resulting tints were very delicate in detail1 of a colour varying between a bistre and olive tint1 and after washing dried with a brilliant surface4 ,the colour of the print varied greatly according to the exposure4 ,from the colour and delicacy it struck me that with care to strain the gelatine1 or use only the clearest portion1 such a process might be utilised for transparencies for the lantern1 and the sensitive plates be readily prepared4 ,some plates were fumed with ammonia2 these fogged under the pyro solution4 ,the proportions set down were only taken at random1 and are certainly not as sensitive as might be procured under trials4 ,the remaining emulsion was left shut up in a box in the dark room1 and tried on the third day after preparation2 but the sensibility had1 it seems1 greatly diminished1 though the emulsion1 when rendered fluid by gently warming1 appeared creamy1 and the bromide thoroughly suspended4 ,some of this was now applied to some pieces of paper by means of a glass rod1 and hung up to surface dry1 then dried fully on the warmed level plate1 and treated as sensitised paper4 ,one kind of paper1 that evidently was largely adulterated by some earthy base1 dried without any brilliancy1 but gave1 under exposure of a negative for thirty seconds1 very nicely toned prints when developed with a weak solution of pyro4 ,some old albumenized paper of ,marion's was tried1 the emulsion being poured both on the albumen side1 and1 in other pieces1 on the plain side2 but the salting evidently greatly interfered1 the resulting prints being dirty-looking and greyed all over4 ,these papers1 fumed with ammonia1 turned grey under development4 ,they printed very slowly1 even in strong sunlight1 and were none of them left long enough to develop into a full print4 ,after washing they were cleared by weak hypo solution4 ,it is very possible the iron developer may be employed for the glass prints1 provided the acidification does not render the gelatine soft under a development4 ,the slowness may depend in part on the proportions of bromide and nitrate not being correctly balanced1 especially as the ordinary1 not the anhydrous1 bromide was used1 and on the quantities being too small for the proportion of gelatine4 ,whether the plates would be more sensitive if used when only surface dry is a question of experiment2 also1 whether other bromides than the one tried may not prove more advantageous in the presence of the neutral salt resulting from the decomposition1 or the omission or decrease of the quantity of aqua regia4 ,very probably also the development by gallic acid and acetate of lead developer may furnish better results than the plain pyro4 ,as there will be no chance of my being able to continue these experiments1 they are placed in their crude state before the readers of the ,journal1 and may eventually receive correction and improvement under abler hands4 ,so far as can be judged1 the process seems quite worth more carefully conducted experiments1 and1 if found advantageous1 adds another handle to the photographer's wheel4 ,r4 ,l4 ,maddox1 ,m4,d4 ,after perusing the above1 it will be evident to any one that ,dr4 ,maddox very nearly arrived at perfection in his early experiments4 ,the slowness that he complains of was caused entirely by not washing the emulsion to discharge the excess of bromide1 and the want of density was due to the absence of a restrainer and ammonia in the developer4 ,he only made positive prints from negatives2 but the same emulsion1 had it been washed1 would have made negatives in the camera in much less time4 ,thus1 it will be seen1 that ,dr4 ,maddox1 like the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade1 threw the ball1 and others caught it2 for the gelatine process1 as given by ,dr4 ,maddox1 is only modified1 not altered1 by the numerous dry plate and gelatino-bromide paper manufacturers of to-day4 ,meanwhile collodion held the field1 and many practical men thought it would never be superseded4 ,in this year ,sir ,john ,herschel died at a ripe old age1 seventy-nine4 ,photographers should revere his memory1 for it was he who made photography practical by publishing his observation that hyposulphite of soda possessed the power of dissolving chloride and other salts of silver4 ,illustration3 ,,fourth ,,period4 ,,gelatine4 ,dr4 ,r4 ,l4 ,,maddox4 ,from ,photograph by ,j4 ,thomson4 ,,gelatino-,,bromide ,,emulsion #ahga4 ,r4 ,,kennett4 ,from ,photograph by ,j4 ,werge1 #ahhg4 ,,gelatino-,,bromide ,,pellicle #ahgc ,,dry-,,plates #ahgd ,,fourth ,,period4 ,,gelatine ,,successful4 ,in #ahgc1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,burgess1 of ,peckham1 ,london1 advertised his gelatino-bromide emulsion1 but as it would not keep in consequence of decomposition setting in speedily1 it was not commercial1 and therefore unsuccessful4 ,it evidently required the addition of some preservative1 or antiseptic1 to keep it in a workable condition1 and ,mr4 ,j4 ,traill ,taylor1 editor of the ,british ,journal of ,photography1 made some experiments in that direction by adding various essential oils2 but ,mr4 ,gray--afterwards the well-known dry plate maker--was most successful in preserving the gelatine emulsion from decomposition by the addition of a little oil of peppermint1 but it was not the emulsion form of gelatino-bromide of silver that was destined to secure its universal adoption and success4 ,at a meeting of the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 held in the large room of the ,society of ,arts1 ,john ,street1 ,adelphi1 ,mr4 ,burgess endeavoured to account for his emulsion decomposing1 but he did not suggest a remedy1 so the process ceased to attract further attention4 ,mr4 ,kennett was present1 and it was probably ,mr4 ,burgess's failure with emulsion that induced him to make his experiments with a sensitive pellicle4 ,be that as it may1 ,mr4 ,kennett did succeed in making a workable gelatino-bromide pellicle1 and obtained a patent for it on the #bjth of ,november1 #ahgc4 ,i procured some1 and tried it at once4 ,it gave excellent results1 but preparing the plates was a messy and sticky operation1 which ,i feared would be prejudicial to its usefulness and success4 ,this ,i reported to ,mr4 ,kennett immediately1 and found that his own experience corroborated mine1 for he had already received numerous complaints of this objection1 while others failed through misapprehension of his instruction2 and very comical were some of these misinterpretations4 ,one attempted to coat the plates with the end of the stirring-rod1 while another set them to drain in a rack1 and those that did succeed in coating the plates properly1 invariably spoiled them by over-exposure or in development4 ,he was overwhelmed with correspondence and visitors1 and to lessen his troubles ,i strongly advised him to prepare the plates himself1 and sell them in that form ready for use4 ,he took my advice1 and in ,march1 #ahgd1 issued his first batch of gelatino-bromide dry plates2 but even that did not remove his vexation of spirit1 nor lessen his troublesome correspondence4 ,most of his clients were sceptical1 and exposed the plates too long1 or worked under wet-plate conditions in their dark rooms1 and fog and failure were the natural consequences4 ,most1 if not all1 of his clients at that time were amateurs1 and it was not until years after1 that professional photographers adopted the dry and abandoned the wet process4 ,in fact1 it is doubtful if the profession ever tried ,mr4 ,kennett's dry plates at all1 for it was not until ,j4 ,w4 ,swan and ,wratten and ,wainwright issued their dry plates1 that ,i could induce any professional photographer to give these new plates a trial1 and ,i have a very vivid recollection of the scepticism and conservatism exhibited by the most eminent photographers on the first introduction of gelatino-bromide dry plates4 ,for example1 when ,i called upon ,messrs4 ,elliott and ,fry to introduce to their notice these rapid plates1 ,i saw ,mr4 ,fry1 and told him how rapid they were4 ,he was incredulous1 and smilingly informed me that ,i was an enthusiast4 ,it was a dull ,november morning1 #ahgh1 and ,i challenged him1 not to fight1 but to give me an opportunity of producing as good a picture in quarter the time they were giving in the studio1 no matter what that time was4 ,this rather astonished him1 and he invited me up to the studio to prove my statement4 ,i ascertained that they were giving ninety seconds--a minute and a half6--on a wet collodion plate1 #aj by #h4 ,i knew their size1 and had it with me1 as well as the developer4 ,mr4 ,fry stood and told the operator1 ,mr4 ,benares1 to take the time from me4 ,looking at the quality of the light1 ,i gave twenty seconds1 but ,mr4 ,benares was disposed to be incredulous also1 and1 after counting twenty1 went on with one for the plate1 and one more for ,mr4 ,werge1 but ,i told him to stop1 or ,i would have nothing more to do with the business4 ,the plate had twenty-two or three seconds' exposure1 and when ,i developed in their dark room1 it was just those two or three seconds over-exposed4 ,nevertheless1 ,mr4 ,fry brought me a print from that negative in a few days1 and acknowledged that it was one of the finest negatives he had ever seen4 ,they were convinced1 and adopted the new dry plates immediately4 ,but it was not so with all1 for many of the most prominent photographers would not at first have anything to do with gelatine plates1 and remained quite satisfied with collodion2 but the time came when they were glad to change their opinion1 and give up the wet for the dry plates2 but it was a long time1 for ,mr4 ,kennett introduced his dry plates in #ahgd1 and it was not until #ahgi and #ahhj that professional photographers had adopted and taken kindly to gelatine plates generally4 ,with amateurs it was very different1 and many of their exhibits in the various exhibitions were from gelatine negatives obtained upon plates prepared by themselves1 or commercial makers4 ,in the ,london ,photographic ,society's exhibition of #ahgd1 and following1 several prints from gelatine negatives were exhibited1 and in #ahgi they were pretty general4 ,among the many exhibited that year was ,mr4 ,gale's swallow-picture1 which created at the time a great deal of interest and controversy1 and ,mr4 ,gale was invited over and over again to acknowledge whether the appearance of the bird was the result of skill1 accident1 or trickery2 but ,i don't think that he ever gratified anyone's curiosity on the subject4 ,i can1 however1 state very confidently that he was innocent of any trickery in introducing the bird by double printing1 for the late ,mr4 ,dudley ,radcliffe told me at the time that he 7,mr4 ,radcliffe7 not only prepared the plate1 but developed the negative1 and was surprised to see the bird there4 ,this may have been the reason why ,mr4 ,gale was so reticent on the subject2 but ,i am anticipating1 and must go back to preserve my plan of chronological progression4 ,in #ahge a considerable impetus was given to carbon printing1 both for small work and enlarging by the introduction of the ,lambertype process4 ,similar work had been done before1 but1 as ,mr4 ,leon ,lambert used to say1 he made it facile2 and he certainly did so1 and induced many photographers to adopt his beautiful1 but troublesome1 chromotype process4 ,there were two ,lamberts in the tent--one a very clever manipulator1 the other a clever advertiser--and between the two they managed to sell a great many licences1 and carry away a considerable sum of money4 ,i was intimate with them both while they remained in ,england1 and they were both pleasant and honourable men4 ,on ,january #ahth1 #ahge1 ,o4 ,g4 ,rejlander died1 much to the regret of all who took an interest in the art phase of photography4 ,rejlander has himself told us how1 when1 and where he first fell in love with photography4 ,in #ahea he was not impressed with the ,daguerreotypes at the great exhibition1 nor with reddish landscape photographs that he saw in ,regent ,street2 but when in ,rome1 in #aheb1 he was struck with the beauty of some photographs of statuary1 which he bought and studied1 and made up his mind to study photography as soon as he returned to ,england4 ,how he did that will be best told by himself3--,in #ahec1 having inquired in ,london for the best teacher1 ,i was directed to ,henneman4 ,we agreed for so much for three or five lessons2 but1 as ,i was in a hurry to get back to the country1 ,i took all the lessons in one afternoon6 ,three hours in the calotype and waxed-paper process1 and half-an-hour sufficed for the collodion process66 ,he spoke1 ,i wrote2 but ,i was too clever4 ,it would have saved me a year or more of trouble and expense had ,i attended carefully to the rudiments of the art for a month4 ,his first attempt at double printing was exhibited in ,london in #ahee1 and was named in the catalogue1 group printed from three negatives4 ,again1 ,i must allow ,mr4 ,rejlander to describe his reasons for persevering in the art of double printing3--,i had taken a group of two4 ,they were expressive and composed well4 ,the light was good1 and the chemistry of it successful4 ,a very good artist was staying in the neighbourhood1 engaged on some commission4 ,he called2 saw the picture2 was very much delighted with it1 and so was ,i4 ,before he left my house he looked at the picture again1 and said it was 'marvellous1' but added1 ',now1 if ,i had drawn that1 ,i should have introduced another figure between them1 or some light object1 to keep them together4 ,you see1 there is where you photographers are at fault4 ,good morning6' ,i snapped my fingers after he left--but not at him--and exclaimed aloud1 ',i can do it6' ,two days afterwards ,i called at my artist-friend's hotel as proud as--anybody4 ,he looked at my picture and at me1 and took snuff twice4 ,he said1 ',this is another picture4' ',no1' said ,i1 'it is the same1 except with the addition you suggested4' ',never1' he exclaimed2 'and how is it possible8 ,you should patent that6' ,rejlander was too much of an artist to take anything to the ,patent ,office4 ,when ,i first saw his celebrated composition picture1 ,the ,two ,ways of ,life1 in the ,art ,treasures ,exhibition at ,manchester in #aheg1 ,i wondered how he could have got so many men and women to become models1 and be able to sit or stand in such varied and strained positions for the length of time then required by the wet collodion process2 but my wonder ceased when ,i became acquainted with him in after years1 and ascertained that he had the command of a celebrated troupe1 who gave tableaux vivants representations of statues and groups from paintings under the direction and name of ,madame ,wharton's pose plastique troupe4 ,what became of the original ,two ,ways of ,life ,i do not know1 but the late ,henry ,greenwood possessed it at the time of ,rejlander's death1 for ,i remember endeavouring to induce ,mr4 ,greenwood to allow it to be offered as a bait to the highest contributor to the ,rejlander fund2 but ,mr4 ,greenwood's characteristic reply was1 ,take my purse1 but leave me my ',two ,ways of ,life4' ,mr4 ,rejlander kindly gave me a reduced copy of his ,two ,ways of ,life1 and many other examples of his works1 both in the nude and semi-nude4 ,fortunately ,rejlander did not confine himself to such productions1 but made hundreds of draped studies1 both comic and serious1 such as ,ginx's ,baby1 ,did ,she81 ,beyond the ,bible1 and ,homeless4 ,where are they all now8 ,i fear most of them have faded away1 for ,rejlander was a somewhat careless operator1 and he died before the more permanent process of platinum printing was introduced4 ,when ,rejlander died1 his widow tried to make a living by printing from his negatives1 but ,i fear they soon got scattered4 ,rejlander was a genial soul and a pleasant companion1 and he had many kind friends among members of the ,solar ,club1 as well as other clubs with which he was associated4 ,there is one more death in this year to be recorded1 that of ,thomas ,sutton1 ,b4,a41 the founder and for many years editor of ,photographic ,notes1 and the inventor of a panoramic camera of a very clumsy character that bore his name1 and that was all4 ,mr4 ,sutton was a very clever man with rather warped notions1 and in the management of his ,photographic ,notes he descended to the undignified position of a caricaturist1 and published illustrations of an uncomplimentary description1 some of which were offensive in the extreme1 and created a great deal of irritation in some minds at the time4 ,in #ahgg ,carey ,lea gave his ferrous-oxalate developer to the world1 but it was not welcomed by many ,english photographers for negative development1 though it possessed many advantages over alkaline pyro4 ,it was1 however1 generally employed by foreign photographers1 and is now largely in use by ,english photographers1 especially for the development of bromide paper1 either for contact printing or enlargements4 ,in the early part of this year1 ,messrs4 ,wratten and ,wainwright commenced to make gelatino-bromide dry plates1 and during the hot summer months ,mr4 ,wratten found it necessary to precipitate the gelatine emulsion with alcohol4 ,this removed the necessity of dialysing1 and helped to lessen the evils of decomposition and frilling4 ,the most noticeable death in the photographic world of this year was that of ,henry ,fox ,talbot4 ,he was born on ,february the #aath1 #ahjj1 and died ,september #agth1 #ahgg1 thus attaining a ripe old age4 ,i am not disposed to deny his claims to the honour of doing a great deal to forward the advancement of photography1 but what strikes me very much is the mercenary spirit in which he did it1 especially when ,i consider the position he occupied1 and the pecuniary means at his command4 ,in the first place1 he rushed to the ,patent ,office with his gallo-nitrate developer1 and then every little improvement or modification that he afterwards made was carefully protected by patent rights4 ,with a churlishness of spirit and narrow-mindedness it is almost impossible to conceive or forgive1 he tried his utmost to stop the formation of the ,london ,photographic ,society1 and it was only after pressing solicitations from ,sir ,charles ,eastlake1 ,president of the ,royal ,academy1 and first ,president of the ,london ,photographic ,society1 that he withdrew his objections4 ,the late ,peter le ,neve ,foster1 ,secretary of the ,society of ,arts1 told me this years after1 and when it was proposed to make ,fox ,talbot an honorary member of the ,photographic ,society1 ,mr4 ,foster was opposed to the proposition4 ,then the action that he brought against ,sylvester ,laroche was unjustifiable1 for there really was no resemblance between the collodion and calotype means of making a negative1 except in the common use of the camera1 and the means of making prints was the same as that employed by ,thomas ,wedgwood1 while the fixing process with hyposulphite of soda was first resorted to by the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade1 on the published information of ,sir ,john ,herschel4 ,on ,march #bith1 #ahgh1 ,mr4 ,charles ,bennett published his method of increasing the sensitiveness of gelatino-bromide plates4 ,it may be briefly described as a prolonged cooking of the gelatine emulsion at a temperature of #ij deg41 and1 according to ,mr4 ,bennett's experience1 the longer it was cooked the more sensitive it became1 with a corresponding reduction of density when the prepared plates were exposed and developed4 ,april #bjth of this year ,mr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,spencer died1 after a lingering illness1 of cancer in the throat4 ,mr4 ,spencer was1 at one period in the history of photography1 the largest manufacturer of albumenized paper in this country1 and carried on his business at ,shepherd's ,bush4 ,in #ahff he told me that he broke about #b1jjj eggs daily1 merely to obtain the whites or albumen4 ,the yolks being of no use to him1 he sold them1 when he could1 to glove makers1 leather dressers1 and confectioners1 but they could not consume all he offered for sale1 and he buried the rest in his garden until his neighbours complained of the nuisance1 so that it became ultimately a very difficult thing for him to dispose of his waste yolks in any manner4 ,after the introduction of ,swan's improved carbon process1 he turned his attention to the manufacture of carbon tissue1 and in a short time he became one of the partners in the ,autotype ,company1 and the name of the firm at that period was ,spencer1 ,sawyer1 and ,bird2 but he ceased to be a partner some time before his death4 ,at the ,south ,london ,technical ,meeting1 held in the great hall of the ,society of ,arts1 ,i exhibited my non-actinic developing tray1 and developed a gelatine dry plate in the full blaze of gas-light4 ,a short extract from a leader in the ,photographic ,news of ,november #adth1 #ahgi1 will be sufficient to satisfy all who are interested in the matter4 ,amongst the many ingenious appliances exhibited at the recent ,south ,london meeting1 none excited greater interest than the developing tray of ,mr4 ,werge1 in which he developed in the full gas-light of the room a gelatine plate which had been exposed in the morning1 and exhibited to the meeting the result in a clean transparency1 without fog1 or any trace of the abnormal action of light4444 ,we can here simply record the fact1 interesting to many1 that the demonstration before the ,south ,london meeting was a perfect success4 #ahhj had a rather melancholy beginning1 for on ,january the #aeth1 ,mr4 ,george ,wharton ,simpson died suddenly1 which was a great shock to every one that knew him4 ,i had seen him only a few days before in his usual good health1 and he looked far more like outliving me than ,i him2 besides1 he was a year my junior4 ,the extract above quoted was the last time he honoured me by mentioning my name in his writings1 though he had done so many times before1 both pleasantly and in defending me against some ill-natured and unwarrantable attacks in the journal which he so ably conducted for twenty years4 ,mungo ,ponton died ,august #crd1 #ahhj4 ,though his discovery did little or nothing towards the development of photography proper1 it is impossible to allow him to pass out of this world without honourable mention1 for his discovery led to the creation and development of numerous and important photo-mechanical industries1 which give employment to numbers of men and women4 ,when ,mungo ,ponton announced his discovery in the ,edinburgh ,new ,philosophical ,journal in #ahci1 he probably never dreamt that it would be of any commercial value1 or he might have secured rights and royalties on all the patent processes that grew out of it2 for ,poitevin's patent1 #ahee1 ,beauregard's1 #aheg1 ,pouncy's1 #aheh and #ahfc1 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan's1 #ahfd1 ,woodbury's1 #ahff1 all the ,autotype and ,lambertype and kindred patents1 as well as all the forms of ,collotype printing1 are based on ,ponton's discovery4 ,but so it is3 the originator of anything seldom seeks any advantage beyond the honour attached to the making of a great invention or discovery4 ,it is generally the petty improvers that rush to the ,patent ,office to secure rights and emoluments1 regardless of the claims of the founders of their patented processes4 ,on ,march #bnd1 #ahhj1 ,i delivered a lecture on ,the ,origin1 ,progress1 and ,practice of ,photography before the ,lewisham and ,blackheath ,scientific ,association1 in which ,i reviewed the development of photography from its earliest inception up to date1 exhibited examples1 and gave demonstrations before a very attentive and apparently gratified audience4 ,on the #bgth ,may1 #ahhj1 ,professor ,alfred ,swaine ,taylor died at his residence1 #ae1 ,st4 ,james's ,terrace1 ,regent's ,park1 in his seventy-fourth year4 ,he was born on the #aath ,december1 #ahjf1 at ,northfleet in ,kent1 and in #ahbc he entered as a student the united hospitals of ,guy's and ,st4 ,thomas's1 and became the pupil of ,sir ,astley ,cooper and ,mr4 ,joseph ,henry ,green4 ,his success as a student and eminence as a professor1 lecturer1 and author are too well-known to require any comment from me on those subjects1 but it is not so generally known how much photography was indebted to him at the earliest period of its birth4 ,in #ahch ,dr4 ,taylor published his celebrated work1 ,the ,elements of ,medical ,jurisprudence1 and in #ahdj he published a pamphlet ,on the ,art of ,photogenic ,drawing1 in which he advocated the superiority of ammonia nitrate of silver over chloride of silver as a sensitiser1 and hyposulphite of lime over hyposulphite of soda as a fixer1 and the latter he advocated up to the year of his death1 as the following letter will show3-- ,st4 ,james's ,terrace1 ,february #ajth1 #ahhj4 ,mr4 ,werge4 ,dear ,sir1--,i have great pleasure in sending you for the purpose of your lecture some of my now ancient photographs4 ,they show the early struggles which we had to make4 ,the mounted drawings were all made with the ammonia nitrate of silver2 ,i send samples of the paper used4 ,in general the paper selected contained chloride enough to form ammonia chloride4 ,i send samples of unused paper1 procured in #ahci--some salted afterwards4 ,all these drawings 7which are dated7 have been preserved by the hyposulphite of lime 7not soda74 ,the hypo of lime does not form a definite compound with silver1 like soda2 hence it is easily washed away1 and this is why the drawings are tolerably preserved after forty years4 ,all are on plain paper4 ,ammonia nitrate does not answer well on albumenized paper4 ,the art of toning by gold was not known in those ancient days1 but the faded drawings on plain paper1 as you will see1 admit of restoration1 in dark purple1 by placing them in a very dilute solution of chloride of gold1 and putting them in the dark for twenty-four hours4 ,the gold replaces the reduced silver and sulphide of silver4 ,i send you the only copy ,i have of my photogenic drawing4 ,five hundred were printed1 and all were sold or given away4 ,please take care of it4 ,the loose photographs in red tape are scenes in ,egypt and ,greece1 taken about #ahej from wax-paper negatives 7camera views7 made by ,mr4 ,d4 ,colnaghi1 now ,english ,consul at ,florence4 ,if you can call here ,i shall be glad to say more to you on the matter4--,yours truly1 ,alfred ,s4 ,taylor4 ,the above was the last of many letters on photographic matters that ,i had received from ,dr4 ,taylor1 and the last time ,i had the pleasure of seeing him was when ,i returned the photographs and pamphlet alluded to therein1 only a short time before his death4 ,dr4 ,taylor never lost his interest in photography1 and was always both willing and pleased to enter into conversation on the subject4 ,he had worked at photography through all its changes1 despite his many professional engagements1 from its dawn in #ahci1 right up to the introduction of gelatino-bromide dry plates1 and in #ahgi he came and sat to me for his portrait on one of what he called these wonderful dry plates1 and watched the process of development with as much interest as any enthusiastic tyro would have done1 and ,i am proud to say that ,i had the pleasure of taking the portrait and exhibiting the process of development of the latest aspect of photography to one of its most enthusiastic and talented pioneers4 ,dr4 ,taylor was a man of remarkable energy and versatility4 ,he was a prolific writer and an admirable artist4 ,on his walls were numerous beautiful drawings1 and his windows were filled with charmingly illusive transparencies1 all the work of his own hands2 and once1 when expressing my wonder that he could find time to do so many things1 he remarked that a man could always find time to do anything he wished if his heart was with his work4 ,doubtless it is so1 and his life and what he did in it were proofs of the truth and wisdom of his observation4 ,hydroquinone as a developer was introduced this year by ,eder and ,toth1 but it did not make much progress at first4 ,it is more in use now1 but ,i do not consider it equal to oxalate of iron4 ,a considerable fillip was1 this year1 given to printing on gelatino-bromide paper by the issue of ,the ,argentic ,gelatino-,bromide ,worker's ,guide1 published by ,w4 ,t4 ,morgan and ,co4 ,the work was written by ,john ,burgess1 who made and sold a bromide emulsion some years before1 and it contained some excellent working instructions4 ,in the book is a modification and simplification of ,j4 ,m4 ,burgess's ,eburneum ,process1 though that process was the invention of ,mr4 ,j4 ,burgess1 of ,norwich2 but a recent application of the gelatino-bromide emulsion to celluloid slabs by ,mr4 ,fitch has made the ,ivorytype process as simple and certain as the exposure and development of gelatino-bromide paper4 ,on ,january #cjth1 #ahha1 died ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,johnson1 of pantascopic celebrity4 ,mr4 ,johnson was the inventor of many useful things1 both photographic and otherwise4 ,he was the chief promoter of the ,autotype ,company1 in which the late ,mr4 ,winsor was so deeply interested2 and his double transfer process1 published in #ahfi1 contributed greatly to the successful development and practice of the ,carbon process4 ,the invention of the ,pantascopic ,camera1 and what he did to forward the formation of the ,autotype ,company and simplify carbon printing1 may be considered the sum total of his claim to photographic recognition4 ,the chief photographic novelty of #ahha was ,mr4 ,woodbury's ,stannotype process1 a modification and simplification of what is best known as the ,woodburytype4 ,instead of forcing the gelatine relief into a block of type-metal by immense pressure to make the matrix1 he faced a reversed relief with tin-foil1 thus obtaining a printing matrix in less time and at less expense4 ,i have seen some very beautiful examples of this process1 but somehow or other it is not much employed4 ,the man who unquestionably made the first photographic portrait died on the #dth of ,january1 #ahhb1 and ,i think it is impossible for me to notice that event without giving a brief description of the circumstance1 even though ,i incur the risk of telling to some of my readers a tale twice told4 ,when ,daguerre's success was first announced in the ,academy of ,science in #ahci1 ,m4 ,arago stated that ,daguerre had not yet succeeded in taking portraits1 but that he hoped to do so soon4 ,the details of the process were not published until ,july1 and in the autumn of that year ,dr4 ,draper succeeded in obtaining a portrait of his assistant1 and that was the first likeness of a human being ever known to have been secured by photography4 ,it would be interesting to know if that ,daguerreotype is in existence now4 ,dr4 ,draper was ,professor of ,chemistry in the ,university of ,new ,york1 and as soon as the news of the discovery reached ,new ,york he fitted an ordinary spectacle lens into a cigar case1 and commenced his experiments first by taking views out of a window1 and afterwards by taking portraits4 ,to shorten the time of exposure for the latter1 he whitened the faces of his sitters4 ,in ,april1 #ahdj1 ,dr4 ,draper and ,professor ,morse opened a portrait gallery on the top of the ,university ,buildings1 ,new ,york1 and did a splendid business among the very best people of the ,city at the minimum price of five dollars a portrait1 and they would be very small even at that price4 ,one more of the early workers in photography died this year on the #dth of ,march4 ,louis ,alphonse ,poitevin was not a father of photography in a creative sense1 but1 like ,walter ,woodbury1 an appropriater of photography in furthering the development of photo-mechanical printing4 ,his first effort in that direction was to obtain copper plates1 or moulds1 from ,daguerreotype pictures by the aid of electrical deposits1 and he discovered a method of photo-chemical engraving1 for which he was awarded a silver medal by the ,societe d',encouragement des ,arts1 but the process was of no practical value4 ,his chief and most valuable experiments were with gelatine and bichromates1 and his labours in that direction were rewarded by the receipt of a considerable portion of the ,duc de ,luynes's prize for permanent photographic printing processes1 which consisted of photo-lithography and ,collotype printing4 ,born in #ahai1 he was sixty-three years old when he died4 ,a useful addition to the pyrogallic acid developer was this year given by ,mr4 ,herbert ,b4 ,berkeley4 ,hitherto1 nearly all pyro-developed gelatine plates were stained a deep yellow colour by the action of ammonia1 but the use of sulphite of soda1 as suggested by ,mr4 ,berkeley1 considerably lessened this evil4 ,in #ahhc1 ,captain ,abney rendered a signal service to the members of the ,photographic ,society1 and photographers in general1 by publishing in the ,journal of the ,society a translation of ,captain ,pizzighelli and ,baron ,a4 ,hubl's booklet on platinotype4 ,after giving a resume of the early experiments with platinum by ,herschel1 ,hunt1 and others1 the theory and practice of platinotype printing are clearly explained1 and it was undoubtedly due to the publication of this translation that platinotype printing was very much popularised4 ,in proof of the accuracy of this opinion1 every following photographic exhibition showed an increasing number of exhibits in platinotype4 ,no great novelty was brought into the world of photography in #ahhd1 but there were signs of a steady advance1 and an increasing number of workers with dry plates4 ,i should not1 however1 neglect allusion to the publication of ,dr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,vogel's experiments with eosine1 cyanocine1 and other kindred bodies by which he increased the sensitiveness of both wet collodion and gelatine plates to the action of the yellow rays considerably 7vide ,journal of ,society1 ,may #cjth74 ,the ,berlin ,society for the ,advancement of ,photography acquired and published these experiments for the general good1 and yet ,tailfer and ,clayton obtained patent right monopolies for making eosine gelatine plates in ,france1 ,austria1 and ,england4 ,this proceeding seems very much akin to the sharp practice displayed by ,mr4 ,beard in securing a patent right monopoly in the ,daguerreotype process which was given to the world by the ,french ,government in #ahci4 ,germany very properly refused to grant a patent under these circumstances4 ,on ,april #adth1 #ahhe1 ,mr4 ,walter ,bird read a paper at the meeting of the ,photographic ,society of ,great ,britain1 ,on the ,photographic ,reproductions of ,pictures in the ,national ,gallery1 by ,a4 ,braun et ,cie4 ,i was present1 and it appeared to me that the effects in some of the pictures exhibited were not produced by any chemical mode of translation of colour1 but by some method of after-treatment of the negative which was more likely to be by skilled labour than by any chemical process4 ,this belief induced me to read a paper at the next meeting--,may #abth--,on the ,after-,treatment of ,negatives1 in which ,i showed what could be done both by chemical means and art-labour to assist photography in translating the monographic effects of colour more in accordance with the scale of luminosity adopted and adhered to by the most eminent engravers both in line and mezzotint4 ,at the next meeting--,june #ith--,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,sawyer reopened the discussion on the above subject by reading a paper and exhibiting examples of his own experiments1 and ,mr4 ,sawyer admitted that he was bound to confess that while every effort should be made to discover chemical combinations which will give the utmost value that can be practicably obtained in the reproduction 787 of colours1 yet that1 in all probability1 art--and art not inferior to that of a competent engraver--will be necessary to assist photography in rendering the very subtle combinations of colour that present themselves in a fine painting2 and ,colonel ,h4 ,stuart ,wortley proved that the copy of ,turner's ,old ,temeraire was not only retouched1 but wrongly translated1 as the various shades of yellow in the original picture were represented in the copy as if they had been all of the same tint4 ,mr4 ,sawyer made use of the phrase reproduction of colours1 but that was an error4 ,he should have said--and undoubtedly meant--translation of colours1 for photography is1 unfortunately1 incapable of reproducing colours4 ,among ,mr4 ,sawyer's examples was a curious and contradictory evidence that isochromatic plates translated yellow tints better than ordinary bromide plates1 yet wrongly1 for three different shades of yellow were translated as if they had been all one tint4 ,i had noticed this myself when copying paintings and coloured prints1 but in photographing the natural colours of fruits and flowers the result was different1 and ,i attributed the mal-translation of pigment yellows to the amount of white with which they had been mixed by the painter4 ,be that as it may1 ,i always obtained the best translation from natural colours1 and a group of flowers which contained a beautiful sulphur coloured dahlia illustrates and confirms this statement in a most remarkable and satisfactory manner4 ,it is1 therefore1 the more to be regretted that there is any restriction placed upon the individual experiment and development of this interesting aspect of photography4 ,this was the year of ,the ,international ,inventions ,exhibition1 and the photographic feature of which was the historical collection exhibited by some of the members of the ,photographic ,society of ,great ,britain1 and ,i think that collection was sufficiently interesting to justify my giving1 in these pages1 the entire list as published in the ,photographic ,journal3-- ,we subjoin a full and complete statement of the whole of the exhibits1 with the names of the contributors3-- ,capt4 ,abney1 ,r4,e41 ,f4,r4,s4--,papyrotype process1 executed at the ,school of ,military ,engineering1 ,chatham4 ,w4 ,andrews--,wet collodion negatives1 intensified by the ,schlippes salt method4 ,t4 and ,r4 ,annan--,calotype process 7negative and print71 taken by ,d4 ,o4 ,hill4 ,f4 ,beasley1 jun4--,collodio-albumen negatives4 ,w4 ,bedford--,one of ,archer's first cameras for collodion process1 stereoscopic arrangement by ,archer to fit a larger camera4 ,valentine ,blanchard--,instantaneous views1 wet collodion1 #ahef-fe4 ,illustrations of a method of enlargement1 as proposed by ,v4 ,blanchard1 #ahgc4 ,modification of the ,brewster stereoscope by ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes4 ,bullock 7,bros47--,photo-lithography1 #ahff 7,bullock's patent74 ,t4 ,bolas1 ,f4,c4,s4--,detective camera1 #ahgf4 ,negative photograph on bitumen1 made insoluble by the action of light4 ,carbon negatives stripped by ,wenderoth's process4 ,e4 ,clifton--,portrait of ,daguerre4 ,crystallotype by ,j4 ,r4 ,whipple1 #ahed4 ,specimens from ,pretsch photo-galvano-graphic plates1 #ahef4 ,t4 ,s4 ,davis1 ,f4,c4,s4--,a combined preparation and wash bottle for gelatine emulsion4 ,adjustable gauge for cutting photographic glasses4 ,de la ,rue and ,co4--,surface printing from blocks executed by ,paul ,pretsch1 #ahfj4 ,w4 ,england--,old ,daguerreotype developing box4 ,old ditto sensitising box4 ,old camera1 #ahfj1 with rapid inside shutter4 ,instantaneous views in ,paris1 wet collodion1 #ahef-fe4 ,edinburgh ,photographic ,society--,archer's water lens4 ,james ,glaisher1 ,f4,r4,s4--,nature printing1 taken over thirty years ago4 ,g4 ,fowler ,jones--,prints from negatives by ,le ,gray's ceroline process4 ,r4 ,kennett--,skaife's pistolgraph4 ,globe lens4 ,dr4 ,maddox--,some of the earliest gelatino-bromide negatives1 by the originator of the process1 #ahga4 ,mudd and ,son--,collodio-albumen negatives4 ,r4 ,c4 ,murray--,early ,talbotype photographs1 #ahdd-de4 ,h4 ,neville--,camera with ,sutton's patent panoramic lens4 ,mrs4 ,h4 ,baden ,pritchard--,impressions from pewter plates of heliographic drawing1 by ,nicephore ,niepce1 #ahbg4 ,original letter1 by ,nicephore ,niepce1 sent to the ,royal ,society1 #ahbg4 ,view of ,kew1 taken by ,nicephore ,niepce1 #ahbg4 ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson--,heliographic picture1 by ,nicephore ,niepce1 #ahbf4 ,photo-etched plate 7from a print71 by ,niepce in #ahbg4 ,heliograph 7from a print71 by ,niepce1 #ahbg4 ,one of the earliest printing-frames1 made for ,fox ,talbot's photogenic drawing1 #ahci4 ,the first nitrate of silver bath used by ,scott ,archer in his discovery of the collodion process1 #ahej4 ,ross and ,co4--,one of ,archer's earliest fluid lenses4 ,the first photographic compound portrait lens1 made by ,andrew ,ross1 #ahda4 ,photographic camera1 believed to be the first made in ,england4 ,sands and ,hunter--,old lens1 with adjustable diaphragm1 by ,archer1 #ahea4 ,old stereoscopic camera1 with mechanical arrangement for transferring plates to and from the dark slide4 ,t4 ,l4 ,scowen--,parallel bar stereoscopic camera4 ,latimer ,clarke4 ,john ,spiller1 ,f4,c4,s41 ,f4,i4,c4--,the first preserved plates 7three to twenty-one days71 #ahed4 ,illustrations of the ,french ,pigeon ,post4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan1 ,f4,c4,s4--,electro intaglios from carbon reliefs 7,thorwalsden's ,night and ,morning74 ,photo-mezzotints were taken from these in gelatinous inks1 #ahfj1 by ,j4 ,w4 ,swan1 by the process now known as ,woodburytype4 ,plaster cast from a carbon print of ,kenilworth1 showing the relief1 taken in #ahfd1 by ,j4 ,w4 ,swan4 ,carbon prints twenty years old 7photographed and printed in various colours by ,j4 ,w4 ,swan74 ,old print 7in red7 by ,t4 and ,r4 ,annan1 by ,swan's process4 ,carbon print1 twenty years old 7printed in #ahfd7 by double transfer4 ,b4 ,b4 ,turner--,talbotype4 ,negatives and prints from same4 ,single lens made by ,andrew ,ross1 #ahea4 ,j4 ,werge--,examples of printing with various metals on plain paper1 #ahci-db4 ,the ,fathers of ,photography4 ,examples and dates of the introduction of early photographs4 ,daguerreotype1 #ahci4 ,collodion positive1 #ahea4 ,ambrotype1 #ahec4 ,ferrotype1 #ahee4 ,w4 ,willis1 ,jun4--,specimen of aniline process4 ,historical illustrations of the development of the platinotype process4 ,w4 ,b4 ,woodbury--,photo-relief printing process4 ,woodbury mould and ,woodburytype print from same1 #ahff4 ,stannotype printing-press1 with mould4 ,machine for measuring reliefs4 ,woodbury lantern slides4 ,early ,daguerreotype on copper4 ,positive photograph on glass4 ,woodbury balloon camera4 ,microscopical objects in plaster from gelatine reliefs4 ,woodbury collographic process4 ,woodbury photo-chromograph system1 coloured from the back1 #ahfi4 ,woodbury actinometer4 ,despatch-box camera4 ,watermark or photo-filigrain process4 ,transparency on gelatine4 ,the first specimen of ,woodbury printing exhibited1 including the first mould printed from1 and also proofs backed with luminous paint4 ,colonel ,h4 ,stuart ,wortley--,early photo-zincographs1 #ahfa-b4 ,experimental prints with uranium collodion1 #ahfg 7modification of ,wothly's process74 ,set of apparatus complete for making gelatine emulsion1 and preparing gelatine plates1 #ahgg-h4 ,no4 #a4 ,apparatus for cutting gelatine plates either by hand-turning or treadle4 ,no4 #b4 ,stove for keeping emulsion warm for any time at a fixed temperature in pure air1 and for the final drying of the plates4 ,no4 #c4 ,apparatus for squeezing emulsion out into water4 ,no4 #d4 ,apparatus for mixing emulsion4 ,instantaneous shutter1 with horizontal motion by finger or pneumatic tube2 adjustable wings for cutting off sky1 and varying length of exposure4 ,it is a very remarkable circumstance that none of the contributors to that historical collection could include among their interesting exhibits portraits of either ,nicephore ,niepce or ,frederick ,scott ,archer4 ,among my ,fathers of ,photography were portraits of ,daguerre1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade1 ,fox ,talbot1 ,dr4 ,alfred ,swaine ,taylor1 and ,sir ,john ,herschel4 ,it was suggested that those historical exhibits should be left at the close of the exhibition to form a nucleus to a permanent photographic exhibition in ,kensington ,museum4 ,i readily contributed my exhibits towards such a laudable object4 ,they were accepted1 and these exhibits may be seen at any time in the ,west ,gallery of the ,science ,department of the ,south ,kensington ,museum4 ,at the exhibition of the ,photographic ,society of ,great ,britain this year1 ,i exhibited ,wollaston's ,diaphragmatic ,shutter1 in my opinion the best snap shutter that ever was invented1 but it had two very serious drawbacks1 for it was both heavy and expensive4 ,in #ahhf more than usual interest was exhibited by photographers in what was misnamed as the isochromatic1 or orthochromatic process1 and this interest was probably created by the papers read and discussions that followed at the meetings of the ,photographic ,society in the previous year4 ,messrs4 ,dixon and ,gray--the latter a young man in the employ of ,messrs4 ,dixon and ,son--commenced a series of experiments with certain dyes with the hope of obtaining a truer translation of colour when copying oil paintings or water-colour drawings1 a class of work in which they were largely interested1 and had obtained a considerable reputation for such reproductions as photography was then capable of rendering1 and one of the results of these experiments was exhibited1 and obtained a medal1 at the exhibition of the ,photographic ,society in ,october4 ,messrs4 ,dixon and ,sons' exhibit was a very surprising one1 and created quite a sensation1 as nothing equal to it had ever been shown before4 ,the subject was a drawing of a yellow flower and green leaves against a blue ground--the yellow the most luminous1 the green next1 and the blue the darkest4 ,in ordinary wet or dry plate photography these effects would have been reversed1 but by ,dixon and ,gray's process the relative luminosities of these three colours were almost perfectly translated4 ,messrs4 ,dixon and ,gray did not publish their process1 but prepared existing gelatine dry plates by their method1 and sold them at an enhanced price4 ,they were not1 however1 permitted to supply anyone long1 for ,b4 ,j4 ,edwards1 who had obtained a monopoly of ,tailfer and ,clayton's patent rights in ,england1 served them with an injunction1 or threatened them with legal proceedings1 so they discontinued preparing their orthochromatic plates for sale4 ,by some special arrangement they were allowed to prepare plates for their own use1 provided they used ,edwards' ,,xl dry plates4 ,it so happened1 however1 that this proviso was not a hardship1 for ,mr4 ,dixon told me himself that he had found ,edwards' plates the most suitable for their process4 ,the hardship lay in not being able to apply their own discovery or preparation to any dry plates for sale for the public use and benefit4 ,this prohibition was the more to be regretted because no other commercial isochromatic or orthochromatic plates had or have appeared to possess the same qualities of translation4 ,the suppression of the ,dixon and ,gray preparation of plates is the more surprising when ,i find eosine is mentioned in the ,clayton and ,tailfer claim1 whereas ,mr4 ,dixon assured me that eosine was not employed by them4 ,mr4 ,edwards only acquired his monopoly and right to interfere with the commercial application of an independent discovery on ,nov4 #ahth1 #ahhf1 and there is little to be gained in ,england by the publication of the experiments of such men as ,vogel1 ,eder1 ,ives1 and ,abney1 if one man can prevent all others making use of them4 ,this year death removed from our midst one1 and perhaps the greatest1 of the martyrs of photography--,sylvester ,laroche4 ,this was the man that fought the battle for freedom from the shackles of monopoly4 ,he won the fight1 but lost his money1 and the photographers of the day failed to make him a suitable recompense4 ,there was one honourable exception1 and ,mr4 ,sylvester told me himself that ,mr4 ,j4 ,e4 ,mayall gave him ,l#ajj towards his legal expenses4 ,laroche's surname was ,sylvester1 but as there was a whole family of that name photographers1 he added ,laroche to distinguish himself from his brothers4 ,sylvester ,laroche was an artist1 and worked very cleverly in pastel1 but somehow or other he never appeared to prosper4 ,nothing particular marked the photographic record of #ahhg1 but death was busy in removing men who had made their mark both in the early and later days of photography4 ,first1 on ,march #aith1 ,robert ,hunt1 the most copious writer on photography in its earlier period4 ,as early as #ahdd he published the first edition of his ,researches on ,light1 in which he was considerably assisted by ,sir ,john ,herschel1 and it is astonishing to find what a mine of photographic information that early work contains4 ,the next was ,colonel ,russell1 better known1 photographically1 as ,major ,russell4 ,he was born in #ahbj1 and died on ,may #afth1 #ahhg4 ,he was best known for his tannin process and alkaline developer1 with a bromide solution as a restrainer4 ,for a long time his tannin process was very popular among collodion dry plate workers1 and very beautiful pictures were taken on ,russell's ,tannin ,plates1 but it is many years since they were ruthlessly brushed aside1 like all other collodion dry plates1 by the now universally employed gelatino-bromide plates or films4 ,a revival of interest in pinhole photography was awakened this year1 and several modes of constructing a pinhole camera were published2 but ,i remember seeing a wonderful picture by a keyhole camera long before ,i became a photographer4 ,i had called to see an old lady who lived opposite a mill and farm4 ,it was a bright1 sunny afternoon1 and1 when ,i was leaving1 ,i was astonished to see a beautiful picture of the mill and farm on the wall of the hall4 ,ah6 said the old lady2 that's my camera-obscura4 ,when the sun shines on the mill at this time of day1 ,i am sure to have a picture of the mill brought through the keyhole4 ,it was something like this that suggested the camera-obscura to ,roger ,bacon and ,baptista ,porta4 ,so it is not necessary to have such a small hole to obtain a picture1 but it is necessary to have the smallest hole possible to obtain the sharpest picture4 ,pizzighelli's visible platinotype printing paper was introduced this year1 and ,i welcomed it as a boon1 for the double reasons of its simplicity and permanency4 ,i had been longing for years for such a process1 for ,i1 like ,roger ,fenton1 had come to the conclusion that there was no future for photography1 in consequence of the instability of silver prints4 ,they would be much more durable than they are if they were only washed in several changes of warm water1 but few people will be at the trouble to do that1 some because they don't know the efficacy of warm water1 and others because it lowers the tone4 ,an eminent photographer once asked me how to render silver prints permanent2 but when ,i told him there was nothing equal to warm water washing1 he exclaimed1 ,oh6 but that spoils the tone4 ,when a photographer sacrifices durability to tone1 he is scarcely acting honestly towards his customers4 ,admitted that there is nothing so beautiful in photography as a good silver print when it has its first bloom on it1 neither is there anything so grievously disappointing as a silver print in its last stage of decay4 ,it is quite time that the durability of a photograph should be the first consideration of every photographer1 as well as the amateur4 ,years ago ,i proposed and published a plan of raising a fund to induce chemists and scientists to consider the subject1 but not a single photographer responded by subscribing his guinea4 ,a very simple and interesting means of making photographs at night was introduced this year by ,dr4 ,piffard1 an amateur photographer of ,new ,york1 and the extreme simplicity and efficacy of his method was surprising4 ,for good portraiture it is not equal to the electric light1 but for family groups1 at home occupations or amusements1 it is superior1 and ,i have taken such groups with ,piffard's magnesium flash-light1 which no other means of lighting would have enabled me to produce4 ,i have taken groups of people playing at cards1 billiards1 and other games in their own homes with the simplest of apparatus1 the ordinary lens and camera1 plus an old tea tray--but to obtain the best results1 the quickest lens and the quickest dry plates should be employed1 and ,i have always found the best position for the light to be on the top of the camera4 #ahhh is chiefly remarkable for the attempted revival of the stereoscope1 and ,mr4 ,w4 ,f4 ,donkin read an interesting and instructive paper on the subject1 in which he endeavoured to account for its disappearance1 explain its principles1 and give an historical account of its early construction1 and modern or subsequent improvements4 ,as to its immense popularity thirty to thirty-five years ago1 that was due to its novelty1 and the marvellous effect of solidity the pictures assumed when viewed in the stereoscope2 but it soon ceased to be popular when the views became stale1 and people grew tired of looking at them2 to keep up the interest they had to be continually buying fresh ones1 and of this they soon got tired also2 and when hosts saw that their guests were bored with sights so often seen1 they put them out of sight altogether1 and ,i fear that nothing will1 for the same reasons1 bring about a revival of the revolving or any other form of stereoscopes1 for views4 ,it is becoming much the same now with lantern slides--possessors and their friends grow weary of the subjects seen so frequently1 and hiring instead of buying slides is becoming the practice of those who own an optical lantern4 ,with stereoscopic portraits it was not so1 for there was always a personal and family interest attached to them1 and ,i made a great many stereoscopic portraits by the ,daguerreotype process2 but even they were somewhat ruthlessly and precipitately displaced when the carte-de-visite mania took possession of the public mind4 ,however1 ,i see no reason why stereoscopic portraiture should not be revived if good pictures were produced on ivoryine1 and it appears to me that substance is most suitable for the purpose1 as the pictures can be examined either by reflected or transmitted light4 ,everyone interested in stereoscopic photography should read1 mark1 learn1 and inwardly digest1 the late ,mr4 ,donkin's able and instructive paper on ,stereoscopes and ,binocular ,vision1 published in the journal of the ,photographic ,society1 ,january #bgth1 #ahhh4 ,this was unhappily the last paper that ,mr4 ,donkin read at the ,photographic ,society1 for he was unfortunately lost in the ,caucasus the following autumn4 ,w4 ,f4 ,donkin1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,c4,s41 ,f4,i4,c41 was for several years ,honorary ,secretary of the ,photographic ,society and of the ,alpine ,club1 and1 at the ,november meeting of the ,photographic ,society1 the ,president1 ,james ,glaisher1 ,f4,r4,s41 made the following remarks on the melancholy event3--,there is1 ,i am sure1 but one feeling in regard to the fact that the gentleman who usually sits on my right is not here to-night4 ,our ,secretary1 ,w4 ,f4 ,donkin1 is1 ,i fear1 irretrievably lost in the ,caucasus4 ,the feeling of every member of this ,society is one of respect and esteem towards him4 ,during the time he held the post of ,secretary1 his uniform courtesy won him the respect of all4 ,i fear we shall see him no more4 ,this fear was afterwards confirmed by the search party1 which was headed by ,mr4 ,c4 ,t4 ,dent1 ,president of the ,alpine ,club4 ,the late ,mr4 ,donkin was both an expert ,alpine climber and photographer1 and many of his photographs of ,alpine scenery have been published and admired4 ,every year compels me to record the death of some old and experienced photographer1 or some artist associated with photography from its earliest introduction4 ,among the latter was ,norman ,macbeth1 ,r4,s4,a41 an eminent portrait painter1 who was quick to see and ready to avail himself of the invaluable services of a new art1 or means of improving art1 both in drawing and detail1 and make the newly-discovered power a help in his own labours1 and an economiser of the time of his sitters4 ,the first time ,i had the pleasure of meeting him was in ,glasgow in #ahee1 when he brought one of his sitters to me to be ,daguerreotyped1 and he preferred a ,daguerreotype as long as he could get one1 on account of its extreme delicacy and details in the shadows2 but he could not obtain any more ,daguerreotypes after #aheg1 for at that time ,i abandoned the ,daguerreotype for ever1 and was the last to practise the process in ,glasgow1 and probably throughout ,great ,britain4 ,from the time that ,mr4 ,macbeth commenced taking photographs himself1 he took a keen interest in photography to the last1 and only about a month before he died1 he read an able1 instructive1 and interesting paper on the ,construction and ,requirements of ,portrait ,art before the members of the ,london and ,provincial ,photographic ,association2 and that paper should be in the possession1 and frequent perusal1 of every student of photographic portraiture4 ,although an artist in feeling and by profession1 ,mr4 ,macbeth was no niggard in his praises of artistic photography1 and ,i have frequently heard him expatiate lovingly on the artistic productions of ,rejlander1 ,robinson1 and ,hubbard2 but1 like all artists1 he abominated retouching1 and denounced it in the strongest terms1 and regretted its prevalence and practice as destructive of truth1 and truth in photography1 he used to say1 was its greatest recommendation4 ,the annals of #ahhi--the jubilee year of published and commercial photography--commence with the record of death4 ,on the #bast of ,january1 ,mr4 ,john ,robert ,sawyer died at ,naples in the #fast year of his age4 ,mr4 ,sawyer had been for many years a member of the ,autotype ,company1 and his foresight and indefatigability were largely instrumental in making that ,company a commercial success4 ,it was anything but a success from the time that it was commenced by the late ,mr4 ,winsor and ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,johnson1 but from the moment that ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,sawyer became director of works1 the company rapidly became a flourishing concern1 and possesses now a world-wide reputation4 ,mr4 ,sawyer was one of the early workers in photography1 and for several years conducted a photographic business in the city of ,norwich4 ,it was there that circumstances induced him to give his attention to some form of permanent photography with the view of employing it to illustrate a work on the carving and sculpture in ,norwich ,cathedral1 particularly the fine work in the roof of the nave4 ,mr4 ,sawyer naturally turned his attention1 in the first place1 to the autotype process1 but it was then in its infancy1 and the price prohibitory4 ,the collotype process then became his hope and refuge1 but that also was in its infancy1 and not practised in ,england4 ,mr4 ,sawyer therefore started for ,berlin early in #ahfi1 and there met a certain ,herr ,ghemoser1 a clever expert in the collotype process1 from whom he obtained valuable information and working instructions4 ,on his return home1 ,mr4 ,sawyer laboured at the collotype process until he overcame most of its difficulties1 and on ,january #ast1 #ahga1 he entered into partnership with ,mr4 ,walter ,bird1 and removed to ,london with the intention of making the collotype process a feature in the business4 ,messrs4 ,sawyer and ,bird commenced their ,london experiences in ,regent ,street1 but on ,january #ast1 #ahgb1 they entered into an agreement with the ,autotype ,fine ,art ,company to work the collotype process as a branch of their business4 ,meanwhile1 another partner1 ,mr4 ,john ,spencer1 had joined the firm1 and at the end of that year ,messrs4 ,spencer1 ,sawyer1 ,bird and ,co4 purchased the ,autotype patents1 plant1 and stock at ,ealing ,dene1 and all its interest in the wholesale trade2 and1 in #ahgd1 they bought up the whole of the ,fine ,art business1 including the stock in ,rathbone ,place1 and became the ,autotype ,company4 ,the great photographic feature of this year was the ,convention held on ,august #aith in ,st4 ,james's ,hall1 ,regent ,street1 ,london1 in celebration of the jubilee of practical photography1 which was inaugurated by the delivery of an address by the president1 ,mr4 ,andrew ,pringle4 ,the address was a fairly good resume of all that had been done for the advancement of photography during the past fifty years4 ,the exhibition of photographs was somewhat of a failure2 little was shown that possessed any historical interest1 and that little was contributed by myself4 ,there was a considerable display of apparatus of almost every description1 but there was nothing that had not been seen1 or could have been seen1 in the shops of the exhibitors4 ,the papers that were read were of considerable interest1 and imparted no small amount of information1 especially ,mr4 ,thos4 ,r4 ,dallmeyer's on ,false ,rendering of ,photographic ,images by the ,misapplication of ,lenses2 ,mr4 ,c4 ,h4 ,bothamley's on ,orthochromatic ,photography with ,gelatine ,plates2 ,mr4 ,thomas ,bolas's on ,the ,photo-mechanical ,printing ,methods as employed in the ,jubilee ,year of ,photography2 but by far the most popular1 wonderful1 and instructive1 was ,professor ,e4 ,muybridge's lecture1 with illustrations1 on ,the ,movements of ,animals4 ,the sight of the formidable batteries of lenses was startling enough1 but when the actions of the horse1 and other animals1 were shown in the ,zoopraxiscope1 the effect on the sense of sight was both astounding and convincing1 and ,i began to marvel how artists could have lived and laboured in the wrong direction for so many years1 especially when the lecturer showed that a prehistoric artist had scratched on a bone a rude but truthful representation of an animal in motion4 ,both the sight and intelligence of that prehistoric artist must have been keener than the senses of animal painters of the nineteenth century4 ,taking it all in all1 the ,jubilee ,convention was an immense success1 and brought photographers and amateurs to ,london from the most distant parts of the country4 ,looking round the ,hall on the opening night1 and scanning the features of those present1 ,i was coming to the conclusion that ,i was the oldest photographer present1 when ,i espied ,mr4 ,baynham ,jones1 a man of eighty-three winters1 and certainly the oldest amateur photographer living2 so ,i willingly ceded the honour of seniority to him1 and as soon as he espied me he clambered over the rails to come and sit at my side and talk over the past1 and quite unknown to many present1 aspects and difficulties of photography4 ,mr4 ,baynham ,jones was an enthusiastic photographer from the very first1 for in #ahci1 as soon as ,daguerre's process was published1 he made himself a camera out of a cigar-box and the lens of his opera-glass1 and1 being unable to obtain a ,daguerreotype plate in the country1 he cut up a silver salver and worked away on a solid silver plate until he succeeded in making a ,daguerreotype picture4 ,mr4 ,baynham ,jones was not the first photographer in this country1 for the ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade preceded him by about two years2 but ,i have not the slightest doubt of his being the first ,daguerreotypist in ,england1 and in that jubilee year of #ahhi he was working with gelatine plates and films1 and enthusiastic enough to come all the way from ,cheltenham to ,london to attend the meetings of the ,jubilee ,convention of ,photography4 ,with this brief allusion to the doings and attractions of the ,jubilee ,convention1 ,i fear ,i must bring my reminiscences of photography to a close2 but before doing so ,i feel it incumbent on me to call attention to the fact that two years after celebrating the jubilee of photography we should1 paradoxical as it may appear1 celebrate its centenary1 for in #agia the first photographic picture that ever was made1 seen1 or heard tell of1 was produced by ,thomas ,wedgwood1 and though he was unable to fix it and enable us to look upon that wonder to-day1 the honour of being the first photographer1 in its truest sense1 is unquestionably due to an ,englishman4 ,thomas ,wedgwood made photographic pictures on paper1 and there they remained until light or time obliterated them2 whereas ,j4 ,h4 ,schulze1 a ,german physician1 only obtained impressions of letters on a semi-liquid chloride of silver in a bottle1 and at every shake of the hand the meagre impression was instantly destroyed4 ,if we consider such men as ,niepce1 ,reade1 ,daguerre1 and ,fox ,talbot the fathers of photography1 we cannot but look upon ,thomas ,wedgwood as the ,grand ,father1 and the centenary of his first achievement should be celebrated with becoming honour as the ,english centenary of photography4 ,,chronological ,,record ,,of ,,inventions1 ,,discoveries1 ,,publications1 ,,and ,,appliances1 ,,forming ,,factors ,,in ,,the ,,inception1 ,,discovery1 ,,and ,,development ,,of ,,photography4 #adcb ,b4,c4 ,iron said to have been first discovered4 #dbd ,b4,c4 ,lenses made and used by the ,greeks4 ,and a lens has been found in the ruins of ,nineveh4 #gi ,a4,d4 ,glass known and used by the ,romans4 #fig4 ,glass brought to ,england4 #aajj4 ,alcohol first obtained by the alchemist1 ,abucasis4 #abhg4 ,nitric acid first obtained by ,raymond ,lully4 ,present properties made known by ,dr4 ,priestley1 #aghe4 #abig4 ,camera-obscura constructed by ,roger ,bacon4 #adjj4 ,chloride of gold solution known to ,basil ,valentine4 #aejj4 ,camera-obscura improved by ,baptista ,porta4 #aeee4 ,chloride of silver blackening by the action of light4 ,doubtless it was the knowledge of this that induced ,thomas ,wedgwood and ,sir ,humphry ,davy to make their experiments4 #aeij4 ,paper first made in ,england1 at ,dartford1 ,kent1 by ,sir ,john ,speilman4 ,it is said that the ,chinese made paper #agj years ,b4,c4 #afdf4 ,magic lantern invented by ,athanasius ,kircher4 #afff4 ,sir ,isaac ,newton divided a sunbeam into its seven component parts1 and re-constructed the camera-obscura4 #afgj4 ,salt mines of ,staffordshire discovered4 #agbg4 ,j4 ,h4 ,schulze1 a ,german physician1 observed that light blackened chalk impregnated with nitrate of silver solution and gold chloride4 #agcg4 ,solution of nitrate of silver applied to paper1 by ,hellot4 #agci4 ,chloride of mercury made by ,k4 ,neumann4 #agda4 ,platinum first known in ,europe3 ,m4 ,h4 ,st4 ,claire ,deville's new method of obtaining it from the ore1 #ahei4 #agej4 ,j4 ,dolland1 ,london1 first made double achromatic compound lenses4 #ageg4 ,chloride of silver made by ,j4 ,b4 ,beccarius4 #aggd4 ,dr4 ,priestly discovered ammonia to be composed of nitrogen and hydrogen2 but ammonia is as old as the first decomposition of organic matter4 #aggg4 ,charles ,william ,scheele observed that the violet end of the spectrum blackened chloride of silver more rapidly than the red end4 ,chlorine discovered4 #aggi4 ,oxalate of silver made by ,bergmann4 #aghi4 ,uranium obtained from pitch-blende by ,klaproth4 #agia4 ,thomas ,wedgwood commenced experiments with a solution of nitrate of silver spread upon paper and white leather1 and obtained impressions of semi-transparent objects and cast shadows4 ,sir ,humphry ,davy joined him later4 #agig4 ,nitrate of silver on silk by ,fulhame4 #agii4 ,hyposulphite of soda discovered by ,m4 ,chaussier4 #ahjj4 ,john ,william ,ritter1 of ,samitz1 in ,silesia1 observed that chloride of silver blackened beyond the violet end of the spectrum1 thus discovering the action of the ultra violet ray4 #ahja4 ,potassium discovered by ,sir ,humphry ,davy4 #ahjb4 ,examples of ,heliotypes1 by ,wedgwood and ,davy1 exhibited at the ,royal ,institution1 and process published4 #ahjc4 ,palladium discovered in platinum by ,dr4 ,wollaston4 #ahjh4 ,strontium obtained from carbonate of strontia by ,sir ,humphry ,davy4 #ahab4 ,iodine discovered by ,m4 ,d4 ,curtois1 of ,paris4 -- ,nitrate of silver and albumen employed by ,d4 ,fischer4 #ahac4 ,ditto investigated by ,m4 ,clement4 #ahad4 ,joseph ,nicephore de ,niepce commenced experiments with the hope of securing the pictures as seen in the camera-obscura4 -- ,iodide of silver made by ,sir ,h4 ,davy4 #ahai4 ,sir ,john ,herschel published the fact that hyposulphite of soda dissolved chloride and other salts of silver4 #ahbd4 ,niepce obtained pictures in the camera-obscura upon metal plates coated with asphaltum1 or bitumen of ,judea4 -- ,l4 ,g4 ,m4 ,daguerre commenced his researches4 -- ,permanganate of potash4 ,fromenkerz4 #ahbf4 ,bromine discovered in sea-water by ,m4 ,balard4 -- ,bromine of silver made4 #ahbg4 ,niepce exhibited his pictures in ,england1 and left one or more1 now in the ,british ,museum4 #ahbi4 ,niepce and ,daguerre entered into an alliance to pursue their researches mutually4 #ahcb4 ,evidence of ,daguerre employing iodine4 #ahcg4 ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,reade1 of ,clapham1 ,london1 obtained a photograph in the solar microscope1 and employed tannin as an accelerator and hyposulphite of soda as a fixer for the first time in photography4 #ahch4 ,reflecting stereoscope exhibited by ,charles ,wheatstone4 -- ,mungo ,ponton observed that light altered and hardened bichromate of potash1 and produced yellow photographs with that material4 ,this discovery led to the invention of the ,autotype1 ,woodburytype1 ,collotype1 and other methods of photo-mechanical printing4 #ahci4 ,daguerre's success communicated to the ,academy of ,science1 ,paris1 by ,m4 ,arago1 ,january #gth4 -- ,electrotype process announced4 -- ,professor ,faraday described ,fox ,talbot's new method of photogenic drawing to the members of the ,royal ,institution1 ,january #beth4 -- ,fox ,talbot read a paper1 giving a full description of his process1 before the ,royal ,society1 ,january #cast4 -- ,sir ,john ,herschel introduced hyposulphite of soda as a fixing agent1 ,february #adth4 -- ,dr4 ,alfred ,swaine ,taylor employed ammonia nitrate of silver in preference to chloride of silver for making photogenic drawings1 and employed hyposulphite of lime in preference to hyposulphite of soda for fixing4 -- ,daguerre's process published in ,august1 and patent1 for ,england1 granted to ,mr4 ,beard1 ,london1 ,august #adth4 -- ,history and ,practice of ,photogenic ,drawing2 ,l4 ,s4 ,m4 ,daguerre4 ,published ,september4 -- ,first photographic portrait taken on a ,daguerreotype plate by ,professor4 ,j4 ,w4 ,draper1 ,new ,york1 ,u4,s41 in the autumn of this year4 #ahdj4 ,on the ,art of ,photogenic ,drawing1 by ,alfred ,s4 ,taylor1 lecturer on chemistry1 c41 at ,guy's ,hospital4 ,published by ,jeffrey1 ,george ,yard1 ,lombard ,street1 ,london4 -- ,the ,handbook of ,heliography1 or the ,art of ,writing or ,drawing by the ,effect of ,sunlight1 with the ,art of ,dioramic ,painting1 as practised by ,m4 ,daguerre4 ,anon4 -- ,wolcott's reflecting camera brought from ,america to ,england and secured by ,mr4 ,beard1 patentee of the ,daguerreotype process4 -- ,the moon photographed for the first time by ,dr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,draper1 of ,new ,york1 on a ,daguerreotype plate4 -- ,john ,frederick ,goddard1 of ,london1 inventor of the polariscope and lecturer on chemistry1 employed chlorine added to iodine1 and afterwards bromine1 as accelerators in the ,daguerreotype process4 #ahdj4 ,antoine ,f4 ,j4 ,claudet1 ,f4,r4,s41 of ,london1 employed chlorine for the same purpose4 -- ,m4 ,fizeau1 of ,paris1 deposited a film of gold over the ,daguerreotype picture after the removal of the iodine1 which imparted increased brilliancy and permanency4 -- ,chloride of platinum employed by ,herschel4 -- ,fox ,talbot's developer published ,september #bjth4 #ahda4 ,calotype process patented by ,fox ,talbot1 ,september #bjth4 -- ,first photographic compound portrait lens made by ,andrew ,ross1 ,london4 -- ,towson1 of ,liverpool1 noted that chemical and visual foci did not coincide4 ,defect corrected by ,j4 ,petzval1 of ,vienna1 for ,voightlander4 -- ,a ,popular ,treatise on the ,art of ,photography1 including ,daguerreotype and all the ,new ,methods of ,producing ,pictures by the ,chemical ,agency of ,light1 by ,robert ,hunt1 published by ,r4 ,griffin1 ,glasgow4 -- ,daguerre announced an instantaneous process1 but it was not successful4 #ahdb4 ,sir ,john ,herschel exhibited blue1 red1 and purple photographs at the ,royal ,institution4 -- ,photography ,familiarly ,explained1 by ,w4 ,r4 ,baxter1 ,london4 #ahdc4 ,photogenic ,manipulation1 by ,g4 ,t4 ,fisher ,knight1 ,foster ,lane4 -- ,treatise on ,photography by ,n4 ,p4 ,lerebours1 translated by ,j4 ,egerton4 #ahdd4 ,fox ,talbot issued ,the ,pencil of ,nature1 a book of silver prints from calotype negatives4 -- ,c4 ,cundell1 of ,london1 employed and published the use of bromide of potassium in the calotype process4 #ahdd4 ,researches on ,light and its ,chemical ,relations1 by ,robert ,hunt4 ,first edition2 second ditto1 #ahed4 -- ,robert ,hunt recommended proto-sulphate of iron as a developer for ,talbot's calotype negatives2 also oxalate of iron and acetate of lead for other purposes4 -- ,a4 ,f4 ,j4 ,claudet patented a red light for dark room1 but at that date a red light was not necessary1 so the old photographers continued the use of yellow lights4 #ahde4 ,photogenic ,manipulations3 ,part #a1 ,calotype1 c42 ,part #b1 ,daguerreotype4 ,by ,george ,thomas ,fisher1 jun4 ,published by ,george ,knight and ,sons1 ,london4 -- ,manual of ,photography1 including ,daguerreotype1 ,calotype1 c41 by ,jabez ,hogg4 ,first edition4 ,second ditto1 including ,archer's collodion process1 bichloride of mercury bleaching and intensifying1 and gutta-percha transfer process1 #ahef4 #ahde4 ,practical ,hints on the ,daguerreotype2 ,willats's ,scientific ,manuals4 -- ,plain ,directions for ,obtaining ,photographic ,pictures by the ,calotype and other processes1 on paper2 ,willats's ,scientific ,manuals4 ,published by ,willats1 #ih1 ,cheapside2 and ,sherwood1 ,gilbert1 and ,piper1 ,paternoster ,row4 #ahdf4 ,gun-cotton made known by ,professor ,schoenbein1 of ,basel4 #ahdg4 ,collodion made by dissolving gun-cotton in ether and alcohol1 by ,mr4 ,maynard1 of ,boston1 ,u4,s4 #ahdh4 ,photogenic ,manipulation3 ,part ,,ii41 ,daguerreotype1 by ,robert ,bingham4 ,published by ,george ,knight and ,sons1 ,london4 -- ,albumen on glass plates first employed for making negatives by ,m4 ,niepce de ,saint ,victor4 ,process published ,june #acth4 -- ,frederick ,scott ,archer experimented with paper pulp1 tanno-gelatine1 and iodised collodion1 and made collodion negatives in the autumn4 #ahdi4 ,collodion positive of ,hever ,castle1 ,kent1 made by ,frederick ,scott ,archer early in the year4 -- ,m4 ,gustave ,le ,gray suggested the application of collodion to photography4 #ahej4 ,a ,practical ,treatise on ,photography upon ,paper and ,glass1 by ,gustave ,le ,gray4 ,translated from the ,french by ,thomas ,cousins1 and published by ,t4 and ,r4 ,willats4 ,this book is said to contain the first printed notice of collodion being used in photography4 -- ,r4 ,j4 ,bingham1 ,london1 suggested the use of collodion and gelatine in photography4 -- ,m4 ,poitevin's gelatine process1 published ,january #beth4 #ahea4 ,frederick ,scott ,archer published his collodion process in the ,march number of ,the ,chemist1 and introduced pyrogallic acid as a developer ,december #bjth4 -- ,fox ,talbot announced his instantaneous process1 and obtained1 at the ,royal ,institution1 a copy of the ,times newspaper1 while revolving rapidly1 by the light of an electric spark4 -- ,niepce de ,st4 ,victor's heliochromic process1 published ,june #bbnd4 ,examples sent to the judges of the ,international ,exhibition of #ahfb4 ,see ,jurors' ,report thereon1 pp4 #hh-i4 -- ,sir ,david ,brewster's improved stereoscope applied to photography4 #ahea4 ,photography1 a ,treatise on the ,chemical ,changes produced by ,solar ,radiation1 and the ,production of ,pictures from ,nature1 by the ,daguerreotype1 ,calotype1 and other ,photographic ,processes1 by ,robert ,hunt4 ,published by ,j4 ,j4 ,griffin and ,co41 ,london and ,glasgow4 #aheb4 ,archer's ,hand-,book of ,collodion ,process4 ,published ,may #adth4 ,second edition1 enlarged2 published #ahed4 -- ,archer's ,collodion ,positive ,process4 ,published ,july #bjth4 -- ,fox ,talbot's photo-engraving on steel process2 patented ,october #bith4 #ahec4 ,a ,manual of ,photography1 by ,robert ,hunt1 published4 -- ,photographic ,society of ,london founded4 ,sir ,charles ,eastlake1 ,p4,r4,a41 ,president2 ,roger ,fenton1 ,esq41 ,secretary4 ,first number of the ,society's ,journal published ,march #crd4 -- ,cutting's ,american patent for use of bromides in collodion obtained ,june #aath1 and his ,ambrotype process introduced in ,america4 -- ,the ,waxed-,paper ,process1 by ,gustave ,le ,gray4 ,translated from the ,french with a supplement1 by ,james ,how4 ,published by ,g4 ,knight and ,co41 ,foster ,lane1 ,cheapside4 -- ,frederick ,scott ,archer introduced a triple lens to shorten the focus of a double combination lens4 #ahed4 ,e4 ,r41 of ,tavistock1 published directions for the use of isinglass as a substitute for collodion4 -- ,first series of photographic views of ,kenilworth ,castle1 c41 from collodion negatives1 published by ,frederick ,scott ,archer4 -- ,liverpool ,photographic ,journal1 first published by ,henry ,greenwood1 bi-monthly4 -- ,first roller-slide patented by ,messrs4 ,spencer and ,melhuish1 ,may #bbnd4 -- ,fox ,talbot first applied albumen to paper to obtain a finer surface for photographic printing4 -- ,photo-,enamel process2 first patent ,december #acth4 -- ,dry collodion plates first introduced4 #ahee4 ,m4 ,poitevin's helioplastic process patented ,february #bjth4 -- ,dr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,taupenot's dry plate process introduced4 -- ,photo-galvanic process patented ,june #eth4 -- ,hardwich's ,photographic ,chemistry4 ,first edition1 published ,march #abth4 -- ,ferrotype process introduced in ,america by ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,griswold4 #ahef4 ,photographic ,notes4 ,edited by ,thomas ,sutton4 ,commenced ,january #ast2 bi-monthly4 #ahef4 ,sutton's ,calotype process1 published ,march4 #ahef4 ,dr4 ,hill ,norris's dry plate process4 ,patented ,september #ast4 #ahef4 ,caranza published method of toning silver prints with chloride of platinum4 #aheg4 ,moule's photogene1 artificial light for portraiture4 ,patented ,february #ahth4 -- ,carte-de-visite portraits introduced by ,m4 ,ferrier1 of ,nice4 -- ,kinnear ,camera introduced4 ,made by ,bell1 ,edinburgh4 #aheh4 ,pouncy's ,carbon process patented ,april #ajth4 -- ,skaife's ,pistolgraph camera introduced4 #aheh4 ,j4 ,c4 ,burnett exposed the back of the carbon paper and obtained half-tones4 -- ,fox ,talbot's photo-etching process1 patented ,april #bjth4 -- ,paul ,pretsch's photo-engraving process introduced4 -- ,sutton's ,dictionary of ,photography1 published ,august #agth4 -- ,the ,photographic ,news1 founded1 weekly4 ,first number published ,september #ajth1 by ,cassell1 ,petter1 and ,galpin1 ,london4 -- ,fothergill ,dry ,process1 by ,alfred ,keene1 published ,august4 #ahei4 ,sutton's panoramic camera patented1 ,september #bhth4 -- ,photo-lithographic ,transfer process patented by ,osborne1 in ,melbourne1 ,australia4 -- ,wm4 ,blair1 of ,perth1 secured half-tone in carbon printing by allowing the light to pass through the back of the paper on which the pigment was spread4 -- ,asser1 of ,amsterdam1 also invented a photo-lithographic transfer process about this time4 #ahfj4 ,principles and ,practice of ,photography1 by ,jabez ,hughes4 ,first edition published2 fourteenth edition1 #ahhg4 -- ,fargier coated carbon surface with collodion1 exposed1 and transferred to glass to develop4 -- ,spectroscope invented by ,kertchoff and ,bunsen4 #ahfj4 ,year-,book of ,photography1 edited by ,g4 ,wharton ,simpson1 first published4 -- ,improved ,kinnear camera with swing front and back by ,meagher4 #ahfa4 ,captain ,dixon's iodide emulsion process patented1 ,april #bith4 -- ,m4 ,gaudin1 of ,paris1 employed gelatine in his photogene1 and published in ,la ,lumiere his collodio-iodide and collodio-chloride processes4 -- ,h4 ,anthony1 ,new ,york1 discovered that ,tannin dry plates could be developed by moisture and ammonia vapour4 #ahfb4 ,alkaline ,development1 published by ,major ,russell4 -- ,meagher's square bellows camera1 with folding bottom board1 exhibited at the ,international ,exhibition4 ,noticed in ,jurors' ,report4 -- ,parkesine1 the forerunner of celluloid films1 invented by ,alexander ,parkes1 of ,birmingham4 #ahfc4 ,pouncy's fatty ink process2 patented ,january #bith4 -- ,toovey's photo-lithographic process2 patented ,june #bith4 -- ,tannin ,process1 published by ,major ,russell4 -- ,popular ,treatise on ,photography1 by ,d4 ,van ,monckhoven4 ,translated from the ,french by ,w4 ,h4 ,thornthwaite1 ,london4 #ahfd4 ,swan's improved carbon process2 patented ,august #bgth4 -- ,collodio-,bromide ,emulsion1 by ,messrs4 ,b4 ,j4 ,sayce and ,w4 ,b4 ,bolton2 published ,september #ith4 -- ,collodio-,chloride ,emulsion1 by ,george ,wharton ,simpson2 published in ,the ,photographic ,news1 ,october #bhth4 -- ,willis's aniline process2 patented ,november #aath4 -- ,obernetter's chromo-photo process2 published4 -- ,instantaneous dry collodion processes by ,thomas ,sutton1 ,b4,a4 ,sampson1 ,low1 ,son1 and ,marston1 ,london4 #ahfe4 ,paper read on ,collodio-,chloride ,emulsion1 by ,george ,wharton ,simpson1 at the ,photographic ,society1 ,march #adth4 #ahfe4 ,photography1 a lecture1 by the ,hon4 ,j4 ,w4 ,strutt1 now ,lord ,rayleigh1 delivered ,april #ahth2 and afterwards published4 -- ,eburneum process2 published by ,j4 ,burgess1 ,norwich1 in ,the ,photographic ,news1 ,may #eth4 -- ,bromide as a restrainer in the developer2 published by ,major ,russell4 #ahfe4 ,interior of ,pyramids of ,egypt1 photographed by ,professor ,piazzi ,smyth with the magnesium light4 -- ,w4 ,h4 ,smith patented a gelatino-bromide or gelatino-chloride of silver process for wood blocks1 c4 #ahff4 ,magic photographs revived and popularised4 -- ,woodburytype process patented by ,walter ,bentley ,woodbury1 of ,manchester1 ,july #bdth4 -- ,photography reviewed1 in ,british ,quarterly ,review1 by ,george ,wharton ,simpson1 ,october #ast4 #ahfg4 ,m4 ,poitevin obtained the balance of the ,duc de ,luynes's prize for permanent printing4 -- ,cabinet portraits introduced by ,f4 ,r4 ,window1 photographer1 ,baker ,street1 ,london4 #ahfh4 ,w4 ,h4 ,harrison experimented with gelatino-bromide of silver and obtained results1 though somewhat rough and unsatisfactory4 #ahfi4 ,john ,robert ,johnson's carbon process double transfer patented4 -- ,pictorial ,effect in ,photography1 by ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson1 first edition4 ,london3 ,piper and ,carter4 #ahgj4 ,thomas ,sutton described ,gaudin's gelatino-iodide process4 -- ,jabez ,hughes toned collodion transfers with chloride of palladium4 -- ,john ,robert ,johnson's single transfer process for carbon printing patented4 #ahga4 ,dr4 ,r4 ,l4 ,maddox1 of ,southampton1 published his experiments with gelatino-bromide of silver in the ,british ,journal of ,photography1 ,september #hth4 #ahgb4 ,emaux ,photographiques 7photographic enamels71 second edition1 by ,geymet and ,alker1 ,paris4 #ahgc4 ,j4 ,burgess1 of ,peckham1 advertised his gelatino-bromide of silver emulsion1 but it would not keep1 so had to be withdrawn4 -- ,ostendo non ,ostento published a gelatino-bromide of silver formula with alcohol4 -- ,platinotype process patented by ,w4 ,willis1 junior1 ,june #ast4 #ahgc4 ,r4 ,kennett's gelatino-bromide of silver pellicle patented ,november #bjth4 -- ,the ,ferrotypers' ,guide published by ,scovill ,manufacturing ,company1 ,new ,york4 #ahgd4 ,r4 ,kennett issued his gelatino-bromide of silver dry plates in ,march4 -- ,gelatino-bromide of silver paper first announced by ,peter ,mawdsley1 of ,liverpool ,dry ,plate ,company4 -- ,backgrounds by ,powder ,process published by ,j4 ,werge1 ,london4 -- ,flexible supports in carbon printing patented by ,john ,robert ,sawyer1 of the ,autotype ,company4 -- ,leon ,lambert's carbon printing process patented4 #ahge4 ,demonstrations in carbon printing by ,l4 ,lambert given in ,london and elsewhere4 -- ,eder and ,toth intensified collodion negatives and toned lantern slides with chloride of platinum4 #ahgf4 ,practical ,treatise on ,enamelling and ,retouching1 by ,p4 ,piquepe1 ,piper and ,carter1 ,london4 #ahgg4 ,ferrous oxalate developer published ,june #bith4 -- ,wratten precipitated the gelatine emulsion with alcohol1 and so avoided the necessity of dialysing4 #ahgh4 ,improvement in platinotype patented by ,w4 ,willis1 junior1 ,july4 -- ,abney's ,treatise on ,photography published4 -- ,abney's ,emulsion ,process published4 #ahgi4 ,j4 ,werge's non-actinic developing tray introduced at the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society4 #ahhj4 ,principles and ,practice of ,photography1 by ,jabez ,hughes1 comprising instructions to make and manipulate gelatino dry plates1 by ,j4 ,werge4 ,london3 ,simpkin and ,marshall1 and ,j4 ,werge4 -- ,gelatino-bromide of silver paper introduced by ,messrs4 ,morgan and ,kidd4 -- ,platinotype improvement patent granted4 -- ,iodides added to gelatino-bromide of silver emulsions by ,captain ,w4 de ,w4 ,abney4 #ahhj4 ,warnerke's sensitometer introduced4 -- ,the ,argentic ,gelatino-,bromide ,workers' ,guide1 by ,john ,burgess4 ,w4 ,t4 ,morgan and ,co41 ,greenwich4 -- ,photography2 its ,origin1 ,progress1 and ,practice1 by ,j4 ,werge4 ,london3 ,simpkin1 ,marshall1 and ,co4 -- ,hydroquinone developer introduced by ,dr4 ,eder and ,captain ,toth4 #ahha4 ,stannotype process introduced by ,walter ,woodbury4 -- ,photographers in ,great ,britain and ,ireland #g1fad as per census returns4 -- ,modern ,dry ,plates2 or ,emulsion ,photography1 by ,dr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,eder1 translated from the ,german by ,h4 ,wilmer1 edited by ,h4 ,b4 ,pritchard4 ,london3 ,piper and ,carter4 -- ,pictorial ,effect in ,photography1 by ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson 7cheap edition74 ,piper and ,carter4 -- ,the ,art and ,practice of ,silver ,printing1 by ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson and ,captain ,abney4 ,piper and ,carter4 #ahhb4 ,herbert ,b4 ,berkeley recommended the use of sulphite of soda with pyrogallic acid to prevent discolouration of film4 -- ,recent ,advances in ,photography 7,cantor ,lectures1 ,society of ,arts71 ,captain ,abney4 ,london3 ,piper and ,carter4 #ahhb4 ,the ,a ,b ,c of ,modern ,photography1 comprising practical instructions for working gelatine dry plates1 by ,w4 ,k4 ,burton4 ,london3 ,piper and ,carter4 #ahhb4 ,elementary ,treatise on ,photographic ,chemistry1 by ,a4 ,spiller4 ,london3 ,piper and ,carter4 #ahhc4 ,translation of ,captain ,pizzighelli and ,baron ,a4 ,hubl's booklet on ,platinotype2 published in ,the ,photographic ,journal4 -- ,orthochromatic dry plates2 ,english patent granted to ,tailfer and ,clayton1 ,january #hth4 -- ,the ,chemical ,effect of the ,spectrum1 by ,dr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,eder4 7,translated from the ,german by ,captain ,abney74 ,london3 ,harrison and ,sons4 #ahhc4 ,the ,chemistry of ,light and ,photography1 by ,dr4 ,h4 ,vogel4 ,london3 ,kegan ,paul4 #ahhd4 ,recent ,improvements in ,photo-,mechanical ,printing ,methods1 by ,thomas ,bolas1 ,society of ,arts1 ,london4 -- ,picture-,making by ,photography1 by ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson4 ,london3 ,piper and ,carter4 #ahhe4 ,photography and the ,spectroscope1 by ,capt4 ,abney1 ,society of ,arts4 -- ,the ,spectroscope and its ,relation to ,photography1 by ,c4 ,ray ,woods4 ,london3 ,piper and ,carter4 -- ,photo-,micrography1 by ,a4 ,c4 ,malley2 second edition4 ,london3 ,h4 ,k4 ,lewis4 #ahhf4 ,orthochromatic results exhibited by ,dixon and ,sons at the photographic exhibition in ,october4 -- ,english patent rights of ,tailfer and ,clayton's orthochromatic process secured by ,b4 ,j4 ,edwards and ,co41 ,nov4 #ahth4 #ahhg4 ,platinotype improvements2 two patents4 #ahhh4 ,pizzighelli's visible platinotype printing paper put on the market in ,june4 #ahhi4 ,eikonogen developer patented by ,dr4 ,andresen1 of ,berlin1 ,germany1 ,march #bfth4 -- ,wire frames and supports in camera extensions patented by ,thomas ,rudolph ,dallmeyer and ,francis ,beauchamp1 ,november #fth4 ,,contributions ,,to ,,photographic ,,literature4 ,,by ,,john ,,werge4 ,originally published in the ,photographic ,news1 ,british ,journal of ,photography1 ,photographic ,year-,book1 and ,photographic ,almanac4 ,,pictures ,,of ,,niagara4 ,taken with ,camera1 ,pen1 and ,pencil4 ,many very beautiful and interesting photographic views of ,niagara ,falls1 and other places of romantic and marvellous interest1 have been taken and exhibited to the world4 ,indeed1 they are to be seen now in almost every print-seller's window2 and in the albums1 stereoscopes1 or folios of almost every private collector4 ,but ,i question very much if it ever occurred to the mind of anyone1 while looking at those pictures1 what an amount of labour1 expense1 and danger had to be endured and encountered to obtain them--the many hairbreadth 'scapes by flood and field1 of a very positive character1 which had to be risked before some of the negatives could be boxed4 ,doubtless ,mr4 ,england1 ,mr4 ,stephen ,thompson1 and ,mr4 ,wilson have many very vivid recollections of the critical situations they have been in while photographing the picturesque scenery of the ,alpine passes of ,switzerland1 and the ,highlands and glens of ,scotland4 ,mr4 ,stephen ,thompson has narrated to me one or two of his narrow escapes while photographing his ,swiss scenes1 and ,i am sure ,mr4 ,england did not procure his many and beautiful points of view of ,niagara ,falls without exposing himself to considerable risk4 ,i had the good fortune to be one of the earlier pioneers1 in company with a ,yankee friend1 ,mr4 ,easterly1 in taking photographs of the ,falls2 and my recollections of the manner in which we went about1 poised ourselves and cameras on points of rock and ledges of bluffs1 and felled trees1 and lopped off branches overhanging precipices1 to gain a point1 even at the distant date are somewhat thrilling4 ,to take a photograph of what is called ,visitors' ,view is safe and easy enough4 ,you might plant a dozen cameras on the open space at the brink of the ,american ,fall1 and photograph the scene1 visitors and all1 as they stand1 fixed with wonder1 gazing at the ,falls1 ,american1 ,centre1 and ,horseshoe1 ,goat ,island1 and the shores of ,canada included1 for this point embraces in one view all those subjects4 ,but to get at the out-of-the-way places1 to take the ,falls in detail1 and obtain some of the grandest views of them1 is a very different matter4 ,i remember1 when we started1 taking a hatchet with us1 like backwoodsmen1 to take a view of ,prospect ,tower1 on the ,american side of the great ,horseshoe ,fall1 how we had to hew down the trees that obstructed the light2 how we actually hung over the precipice1 holding on to each other's hands1 to lop off a branch still in sight where it was not wanted4 ,the manner in which we accomplished this was what some bystanders pronounced awful4 ,i hugged a sapling of a silver birch1 growing on the brink of the precipice1 with my left arm1 while friend ,easterly1 holding my right hand with one of the ,masonic grips--,i won't say which--hung over the precipice1 and stretching out as far as he could reach1 lopped off the offending branch4 ,yet in this perilous position my lively companion must crack his joke by punning upon my name1 and a ,cockney weakness at the same time1 for he guessed he was below the werge of the precipice4 ,the branch down1 and we had resumed our perpendicular positions1 he simply remarked1 if that was not holding on to a man's hand in friendship1 he did not know what was4 ,but the work was not done yet2 to get the view of the ,tower we wanted1 we had to make a temporary platform over the precipice4 ,this we managed by laying a piece of lumber across a fallen tree1 and1 unshipping the camera1 shoved it along the plank until it was in position1 balancing the shore end of the plank with heavy stones4 ,when all was ready for exposure1 ,i went round and stood on the point of a jutting rock to give some idea of the great depth of the ,fall1 but ,i very nearly discovered1 and just escaped being myself the plummet4 ,in the excitement of the moment1 and not thinking that the rock would be slimy and slippery with the everlasting spray1 ,i went too rapidly forward1 and the rock having a slight decline1 ,i slipped1 but was fortunately brought up by a juniper bush growing within a foot of the edge4 ,for a second or two ,i lay on my back wondering if ,i could slide out of my difficulty as easily as ,i had slidden into it4 ,in a moment ,i determined to go backwards on my back1 hands1 and feet1 until ,i laid hold of another bush1 and could safely assume a perpendicular position4 ,after giving the signal that all was right1 the plate was exposed1 and ,i cautiously left a spot ,i have no desire to revisit4 ,but it is astonishing how the majesty and grandeur of the scene divest the mind of all sense of fear1 and to this feeling1 to a great extent1 is attributed the many accidents and terrible deaths that have befallen numerous visitors to the ,falls4 ,the ,indians1 the tribe of the ,iroquois1 who were the aboriginal inhabitants of that part of the country1 had a tradition that the ,great ,spirit of the ,mighty ,waters required the sacrifice of two human lives every year4 ,to give rise to such a tradition1 doubtless1 many a red man1 in his skiff1 had gone over the ,falls1 centuries before they were discovered by the ,jesuit missionary1 ,father ,hennepin1 in #afgh2 and1 even in these days of ,christian civilization1 and all but total extirpation of the aboriginals1 the ,great ,spirit does not appear to be any less exacting4 ,nearly every year one or more persons are swept over those awful cataracts1 making an average of at least one per annum4 ,many visitors and local residents have lost their lives under the most painful and afflicting circumstances1 the most remarkable of which occurred just before my visit4 ,one morning1 at daylight1 a man was discovered in the middle of the rapids1 a little way above the brink of the ,american ,fall4 ,he was perched upon a log which was jammed between two rocks4 ,one end of the log was out of the water1 and the poor fellow was comparatively dry1 but with very little hope of being rescued from his dreadful situation4 ,no one could possibly reach him in a boat4 ,the foaming and leaping waters were rushing past him at the rate of eighteen or twenty miles an hour1 and he knew as well as anyone that to attempt a rescue in a boat or skiff would be certain destruction1 yet every effort was made to save him4 ,rafts were made and let down1 but they were either submerged1 or the ropes got fast in the rocks4 ,the life-boat was brought from ,buffalo1 ,lake ,erie1 and that was let down to him by ropes from the bridge1 but they could not manage the boat in that rush of waters1 and gave it up in despair4 ,one of the thousands of agonized spectators1 a ,southern planter1 offered a thousand dollars reward to anyone that would save the man on the log4 ,another raft was let down to him1 and this time was successfully guided to the spot4 ,he got on it1 but being weak from exposure and want1 he was unable to make himself fast or retain his hold1 and the doomed man was swept off the raft and over the ,falls almost instantly1 before the eyes of thousands1 who wished1 but were powerless and unable1 to rescue him from his frightful death4 ,his name was ,avery4 ,he and another man were taking a pleasure sail on the ,upper ,niagara river1 their boat got into the current1 was sucked into the rapids1 and smashed against the log or the rock4 ,the other man went over the ,falls at the time of the accident2 but ,avery clung to the log1 where he remained for about eighteen hours in such a state of mind as no one could possibly imagine4 ,none could cheer him with a word of hope1 for the roar of the rapids and thunder of the cataracts rendered all other sounds inaudible4 ,mr4 ,babbitt1 a resident photographer1 took several ,daguerreotypes of the man on the log1 one of which he kindly presented to me4 ,few of the bodies are ever recovered4 ,one or two that went over the ,great ,horse ,shoe ,fall were found1 their bodies in a state of complete nudity4 ,the weight or force of the water strips them of every particle of clothing2 but that is not to be wondered at1 considering the immense weight of water that rolls over every second1 the distance it has to fall1 and the depth of the foaming cauldron below4 ,the fall of the ,horse ,shoe to the surface of the lower river is #aeh feet1 and the depth of the cauldron into which the ,upper ,niagara leaps about #cjj feet1 making a total of #deh feet from the upper to the lower bed of the ,niagara ,river at the ,great ,horse ,shoe ,fall4 ,it has been computed that one hundred million1 two hundred thousand tons of water pass over the ,falls every hour4 ,the depth of the ,american ,fall is #afd feet2 but that falls on to a mass of broken rocks a few feet above the level of the lower river4 ,our next effort was to get a view of the ,centre ,fall1 or ,cave of the ,winds1 from the south1 looking at the ,centre and ,american ,falls1 down the river as far as the ,suspension ,bridge1 about two miles below1 and the ,lower or ,long ,rapids1 for there are rapids both above and below the ,falls4 ,in this we succeeded tolerably well1 and without any difficulty4 ,then1 descending the ,biddle ,stairs to the foot of the two ,american cataracts1 we tried the ,cave of the ,winds itself2 but1 our process not being a wet one1 had no sympathy with the blinding and drenching spray about us4 ,however1 ,i secured a pencil sketch of the scene we could not photograph1 and afterwards took one of the most novel and fearful shower-baths to be had in the world4 ,dressed--or1 rather1 undressed--for the purpose1 and accompanied by a guide1 ,i passed down by the foot of the precipice1 under the ,centre ,fall1 and along a wet and slippery pole laid across a chasm1 straddling it by a process ,i cannot describe--for ,i was deaf with the roar and blind with the spray--we reached in safety a flat rock on the other side1 and then stood erect between the two sheets of falling water4 ,to say that ,i saw anything while there would be a mistake2 but ,i know and felt by some demonstrations1 other than ocular1 that ,i was indulging in a bath of the wildest and grandest description4 ,recrossing the chasm by the pole1 we now entered the ,cave of the ,winds1 which is immediately under the ,centre ,fall4 ,the height and width of the cave is one hundred feet1 and the depth sixty feet4 ,it takes its name from the great rush of wind into the cave1 caused by the fall of the waters from above4 ,standing in the cave1 which is almost dry1 you can view the white waters1 like avalanches of snow1 tumbling over and over in rapid succession4 ,the force of the current of the rapids above shoots the water at least twenty feet from the rock1 describing1 as it were1 the segment of a circle4 ,by this circumstance only are you able to pass under the ,centre ,fall1 and a portion of the ,horse ,shoe ,fall on the ,canadian side4 ,to return1 we ascended the ,biddle ,stairs1 a spiral staircase of #aae steps1 on the west side of ,goat ,island1 crossed the latter1 and by a small bridge passed to ,bath ,island1 which we left by the grand bridge which crosses the rapids about #bej yards above the ,american ,fall4 ,reaching the ,american shore again in safety1 after a hard day's work1 we availed ourselves of ,mr4 ,babbitt's kindness and hospitality to develop our plates in his dark room1 and afterwards developed ourselves1 sociably and agreeably1 refreshing the inner man1 and narrating our day's adventures4 ,i shall now endeavour to describe our next trip1 which was to the ,canadian side--how we got there1 what we did1 and what were the impressions produced while contemplating those wonderful works of nature4 ,in the first place1 to describe how we descended to the ferry and crossed the river4 ,on the north side of the ,american ,fall a railway has been constructed by an enterprising ,american1 where the cars are let down a steep decline by means of water-power1 the proprietor of the railway having utilized the very smallest amount of the immense force so near at hand4 ,placing our traps in the car1 and seating ourselves therein1 the lever was moved by the operator1 and away we went down the decline as if we were going plump into the river below2 but at the proper time the water was turned off1 and we were brought to a standstill close by the boat waiting to ferry us across4 ,shifting our traps and selves into the boat and sitting down1 the ferryman bent to the oars and off we dashed into the dancing and foaming waters1 keeping her head well to the stream1 and drawing slowly up until we came right abreast of the ,american ,fall2 then letting her drop gently down the stream1 still keeping her head to the current1 we gained the ,canadian shore2 our course on the river describing the figure of a cone1 the apex towards the ,horse ,shoe4 ,ascending the banks by a rather uphill road1 we reached the ,clifton ,hotel1 where we took some refreshments1 and then commenced our labours of photographing the ,grand ,rapids and the ,falls1 from ,table ,rock1 or what remained of it4 ,on arriving at the spot1 we set down our traps and looked about bewildered for the best point4 ,to attempt to describe the scene now before us would be next to folly1 nor could the camera1 from the limited angle of our lens1 possibly convey an adequate idea of the grandeur and terrific beauty of the ,grand ,rapids1 as you see them rushing and foaming1 white with rage1 for about two and a half miles before they make their final plunge over the precipice4 ,many years ago an ,indian was seen standing up in his canoe in the midst of these fearful rapids4 ,nearing the brink of the terrible ,fall1 and looking about him1 he saw that all hope was lost1 for he had passed ,gull ,island1 his only chance of respite2 waving his hand1 he was seen to lie down in the bottom of his canoe1 which shot like an arrow into the wild waters below1 and he was lost for ever4 ,neither he nor his canoe was ever seen again4 ,in #ahbi the ship ,detroit1 loaded with a live buffalo1 bear1 deer1 fox1 c41 was sent over the ,falls4 ,she was almost dashed to pieces in the rapids1 but many persons saw the remains of the ship rolled over into the abyss of waters4 ,no one knew what became of the animals on board4 ,and in #ahci1 during the ,canadian ,rebellion1 the steamer ,caroline was set fire to in the night and cast adrift4 ,she was drawn into the rapids1 but struck on ,gull ,island1 and was much shattered by the collision4 ,the bulk of the burning mass was swept over the ,falls1 but few witnessed the sight4 ,doubtless no fire on board a ship was ever extinguished so suddenly4 ,the view from ,table ,rock is too extensive to be rendered on one plate by an ordinary camera2 but the pantascopic camera would give the very best views that could possibly be obtained4 ,taking ,table ,rock as the centre1 the entire sweep of the ,fall is about #ahj degrees1 and stretching from point to point for nearly three-quarters of a mile--from the north side of the ,american ,fall to the termination of the ,horse ,shoe ,fall on the west side4 ,the ,american and ,centre ,falls present a nearly straight line running almost due north and south1 while the ,great ,horse ,shoe ,fall presents a line or figure resembling a sickle laid down with the left hand1 the convex part of the bow lying direct south1 the handle lying due east and west1 with the point or termination to the west2 the waters of the two ,american ,falls rushing from east to west1 and the waters of the ,canadian ,fall bounding towards the north4 ,by this description it will be seen that but for the intervention of ,goat and ,luna ,islands the three sheets of water would embrace each other like mighty giants locked in a death struggle1 before they fell into the lower river4 ,the whole aspect of the ,falls from ,table ,rock is panoramic4 ,turning to the left1 you see the ,american rapids rushing down furiously under the bridge1 between ,bath ,island and the ,american shore1 with a force and velocity apparently great enough to sweep away the bridge and four small islands lying a little above the brink1 and pitch them all down on to the rocks below4 ,turning slowly to the right1 you see the ,centre ,fall leaping madly down between ,luna and ,goat ,islands1 covering the ,cave of the ,winds from view4 ,a little more to the right1 the rocky and precipitous face of ,goat or ,iris ,island1 with the ,biddle ,stairs like a perpendicular line running down the precipice2 and to the extreme right the immense sweeps of the ,great ,horse ,shoe4 ,doubtless this fall took its name from its former resemblance to the shape of a horse shoe4 ,it is1 however1 nothing like that now1 but is exactly the figure of a sickle1 as previously described4 ,looking far up the river you observe the waters becoming broken and white1 and so they continue to foam and rush and leap with increasing impetuosity1 rushing madly past the ,three ,sisters--three islands on the left--and ,gull ,island in the middle of the rapids1 on which it is supposed no man has ever trodden1 until1 with a roar of everlasting thunder1 which shakes the earth1 they fall headlong into the vortex beneath4 ,at the foot of this ,fall1 and for a considerable distance beyond1 the river is as white as the eternal snows1 and as troubled as an angry sea4 ,indeed1 ,i never but once saw the ,atlantic in such a state1 and that was in a storm in which we had to lay to for four days in the ,gulf ,stream4 ,the colours and beauty of ,niagara in sunlight are indescribable4 ,you may convey some idea of its form1 power1 and majesty1 by describing lines and giving figures of quantity and proportion1 but to give the faintest impression of its beauty and colours is almost hopeless4 ,the rich1 lovely green on the very brink of the ,horse ,shoe ,fall is beyond conception4 ,all the emeralds in the world1 clustered together and bathed in sunlight1 would fall far short of the beauty and brilliancy of that pure and dazzling colour4 ,it can only be compared to an immense1 unknown brilliant of the emerald hue1 in a stupendous setting of the purest frosted1 yet sparkling silver4 ,here1 too1 is to be seen the marvellous beauty of the prismatic colours almost daily4 ,here you might think the ,covenant had been made1 and set up to shine for ever and ever at the ,throne of the ,most ,mighty1 and here only can be seen the complete circle of the colours of the rainbow4 ,i saw this but once1 when on board the ,maid of the ,mist1 and almost within the great vortex at the foot of the ,falls4 ,a brilliant sun shining through the spray all round1 placed us in a moment as it were in the very centre of that beautiful circle of colour1 which1 with the thunder of the cataract1 and the sublimity of the scene1 made the soul feel as if it were in the presence of the ,great ,spirit1 and this the sign and seal of an eternal compact4 ,here1 also1 is to be seen the softer1 but not the less beautiful ,lunar ,rainbow4 ,whenever the moon is high enough in the heavens1 the lunar bow can be seen1 not fitful as elsewhere1 but constant and beautiful as long as the moon is shedding her soft light upon the spray4 ,on one occasion ,i saw two lunar bows at once1 one on the spray from the ,american ,fall1 and the other on the spray of the great ,horse ,shoe ,fall4 ,this ,i believe is not usual1 but an eddy of the wind brought the two clouds of spray under the moon's rays4 ,yet these are not all the beauties of the mist4 ,one morning at sunrise ,i saw one of the most beautiful forms the spray could possibly assume4 ,the night had been unusually calm1 the morning was as still as it could be1 and the mist from the ,horse ,shoe had risen in a straight column to a height of at least #cjj feet1 and then spread out into a mass of huge rolling clouds1 immediately above the cataracts4 ,the rising sun shed a red lustre on the under edges of the cloud1 which was truly wonderful4 ,it more resembled one huge1 solitary column supporting a canopy of silvery grey cloud1 the edges of which were like burnished copper1 and highly suggestive of the ,temple of the ,most ,high1 where man must bow down and worship the great ,creator of all these wondrous works4 ,it is not in a passing glance at ,niagara that all its marvellous beauties can be seen4 ,you must stay there long enough to see it in all its aspects--in sunshine and in moonlight1 in daylight and in darkness1 in storm and in calm4 ,no picture of language can possibly convey a just conception of the grandeur and vastness of these mighty cataracts4 ,no poem has ever suggested a shadow of their majesty and sublimity4 ,no painting has ever excited in the mind1 of one that has not seen those marvellous works of ,god1 the faintest idea of their dazzling beauties4 ,descriptive writers1 both in prose and verse1 have failed to depict the glories of this ,sovereign of the ,world of ,floods4 ,painters have essayed with their most gorgeous colours1 but have fallen far short of the intense beauty1 transparency1 and purity of the water1 and the wonderful radiance and brilliancy of the ,rainbow in the ,mist4 ,and ,i fear the beauties of ,niagara in natural colours can never be obtained in the camera2 but what a glorious triumph for photography if they were4 ,mr4 ,church's picture1 painted a few years ago1 is the most faithful exponent of nature's gorgeous colouring of ,niagara that has yet been produced4 ,indeed1 the brilliant and harmonious colouring of this grand picture can scarcely be surpassed by the hand and skill of man4 ,after obtaining our views of the ,grand ,rapids and the ,falls from ,table ,rock1 we put up our traps1 and leaving them in charge of the courteous proprietor of the ,museum1 we prepared to go under the great ,horse ,shoe ,fall4 ,clothing ourselves in india-rubber suits1 furnished by our guide1 we descended the stairs near ,table ,rock1 eighty-seven steps1 and1 led by a negro1 we went under the great sheet of water as far as we could go to ,termination ,rock1 and standing there for a while in that vast cave of watery darkness1 holding on to the negro's hand1 we felt lost in wonder and amazement1 but not fear4 ,how long we might have remained in that bewildering situation it would be impossible to say1 but being gently drawn back by our sable conductor1 we returned to the light and consciousness of our position4 ,the volume of water being much greater here than at the ,cave of the ,winds1 and the spray being all around1 we could not see anything but darkness visible below1 and an immense moving mass before1 which we knew by feeling to be water4 ,there is some fascination about the place1 for after coming out into the daylight ,i went back again alone1 but the guide1 hurrying after me1 brought me back1 and held my hand until we reached the stairs to return to the ,museum4 ,on our way back our guide told us that more than twice-told tale of ,niagara and ,vesuvius4 ,if ,i may be pardoned for mixing up the ridiculous with the sublime1 ,i may as well repeat the story1 for having just come from under the ,falls we were prepared to believe the truth of it1 if the geographical difficulty could have been overcome4 ,an ,italian visiting the ,falls and going under the ,horse ,shoe1 was asked1 on coming out1 what he thought of the sight4 ,the ,italian replied it was very grand and wonderful1 but nothing to the sight of ,mount ,vesuvius in a grand eruption4 ,the guide's retort was1 ,i guess if you bring your ,vesuvius here1 our ,niagara will soon put his fires out4 ,i do not vouch for the truth of the story1 but give it as nearly as possible as ,i was told4 ,returning to the ,museum and making ourselves as we were1 and comforting ourselves with something inside after the wetting we had got out1 we took up our traps1 and wending our way back to the ferry1 recrossed the river in much the same manner that we crossed over in the morning2 and sending our baggage up in the cars we thought we would walk up the long stairs1 #bij steps1 by the side of the railway4 ,on nearing the top1 we felt as if we must cave in1 but having trodden so far the back of a lion1 we determined to see the end of his tail1 and pushing on to the top1 we had the satisfaction of having accomplished the task we had set ourselves4 ,perhaps before abandoning the ,canadian side of ,niagara1 ,i should have said something about ,table ,rock1 which1 as ,i have said1 is on the ,canadian side1 and very near to the ,horse ,shoe ,fall4 ,it took its name from the table-like form it originally presented4 ,it was formerly much larger than it is now1 but has1 from time to time1 fallen away4 ,at one time it was very extensive and projected over the precipice fifty or sixty feet1 and was about #bdj feet long and #ajj feet thick4 ,on the #bfth of ,june1 #ahej1 this tremendous mass of rock1 nearly half an acre1 fell into the river with a crash and a noise like the sound of an earthquake4 ,the whole of that immense mass of rock was buried in the depths of the river1 and completely hidden from sight4 ,no one was killed1 which was a miracle1 for several persons had been standing on the rock just a few minutes before it fell4 ,the vicinity is still called ,table ,rock1 though the projecting part that gave rise to the name is gone4 ,it is1 nevertheless1 the best point on the ,canada side for obtaining a grand and comprehensive view of ,niagara ,falls4 ,the next scenes of our photographic labours were ,suspension ,bridge1 the ,long ,rapids1 ,the ,whirlpool1 and ,devil's ,hole4 ,these subjects1 though not so grand as ,niagara1 are still interestingly and closely associated with the topographical history and legendary interest of the ,falls4 ,and we thought a few impressions of the scenes1 and a visit to the various places1 would amply repay us for the amount of fatigue we should have to undergo on such a trip under the scorching sun of ,august in ,america4 ,descending to the shore1 and stepping on board the steamer ,maid of the ,mist1 which plies up and down the river for about two miles1 on the tranquil water between the ,falls and the ,lower ,rapids1 we were cast off1 and in a little time reached the landing stage1 a short distance above the ,long ,rapids4 ,landing on the ,american side1 we ascended the steep road1 which has been cut out of the precipice1 and arriving at ,suspension ,bridge1 proceeded to examine that wonderful specimen of engineering skill4 ,it was not then finished1 but the lower level was complete1 and foot passengers and carriages could go along4 ,they were busy making the railway track overhead1 so that1 when finished 7which it is now71 it would be a bridge of two stories--the lower one for passengers on foot and carriages1 the upper one for the cars4 ,i did not see a snorting monster going along that spider's-web-like structure1 but can very well imagine what must be the sensations of railway passengers as they pass along the giddy height4 ,the span of the bridge1 from bank to bank1 is #hjj feet1 and it is #bcj feet from the river to the lower or carriage road4 ,the estimated cost was two hundred thousand dollars1 about ,l#dj1jjj4 ,a boy's toy carried the first wire across the river4 ,when the wind was blowing straight across1 a wire was attached to a kite1 and thus the connecting thread between the two sides was secured1 and afterwards by means of a running wheel1 or traveller1 wire after wire was sent across until each strand was made thick enough to carry the whole weight of the bridge1 railway trains1 and other traffic which now pass along4 ,we went on to the bridge1 and looked down on the rapids below1 for the bridge spans the river at the narrowest point1 and right over the commencement of the ,lower ,rapids4 ,it was more of a test to my nerves to stand at the edge of the bridge and look down on those fearful rapids than it was to go under the ,falls4 ,to us1 it seemed a miracle of ingenuity and skill how1 from so frail a connection1 a mere wire1 so stupendous a structure could have been formed2 and yet1 viewing it from below1 or at a distance1 it looked like a bridge of threads4 ,during its erection several accidents occurred4 ,on one occasion1 when the workmen were just venturing on to the cables to lay the flooring1 and before a plank was made fast1 one of those sudden storms1 so peculiar to ,america1 came up and carried away all the flooring into the ,rapids4 ,four of the men were left hanging to the wires1 which were swaying backwards and forwards in the hurricane in the most frightful manner4 ,their cries for help could scarcely be heard1 from the noise of the ,rapids and the howling of the wind1 but the workmen on shore1 seeing the perilous condition of their comrades1 sent a basket1 with a man in it1 down the wire to rescue them from death4 ,thus1 one by one1 they were saved4 ,leaving the ,bridge1 and proceeding to the vicinity of the ,whirlpool1 still keeping the ,american side of the river1 we pitched the camera1 not over the precipice1 as ,i heard of one brother photographer doing1 but on it1 and took a view of the ,bridge and the ,rapids looking up towards the ,falls1 but a bend in the river prevented them being seen from this point4 ,not very far above the angry flood we saw the ,maid of the ,mist lying quietly at her moorings4 ,we next turned our attention to the great ,whirlpool1 which is about a mile below ,suspension ,bridge4 ,photographically considered1 this is not nearly of so much interest as the ,falls2 but it is highly interesting1 nevertheless1 as a connecting link between their present and past history4 ,it is supposed that ages ago--probably before the word went forth1 ,let there be light1 and there was light--the ,falls were as low down as the ,whirlpool1 a distance of over three miles below where they now are1 or even lower down the river still4 ,geological observation almost proves this2 and1 that the present ,whirlpool was once the great basin into which the ,falls tumbled4 ,in fact1 that this was1 in former ages1 what the vortex at the foot of the ,great ,horse ,shoe ,fall is now4 ,there seems to be no doubt whatever that the ,falls are gradually though slowly receding1 and they were just as likely to have been at the foot of the ,long ,rapids before the deluge1 as not2 especially when it is considered that the general aspect of the ,falls has changed considerably1 by gradual undermining of the soft shale and frequent falling and settling of the harder rocks during the last fifty years4 ,looking at the high and precipitous boundaries of the ,long ,rapids1 it is difficult to come to any other conclusion than that1 ages before the red man ever saw the ,falls of ,niagara1 they rolled over a precipice between these rocky barriers in a more compact1 but not less majestic body4 ,the same vast quantity of water had to force its way through this narrower outlet1 and it doubtless had a much greater distance to fall1 for the precipices on each side of the river at this point are nearly #bej feet high1 and the width of the gorge for a mile above and below the ,whirlpool is not more than #gjj feet4 ,considering that the ,falls are now spread over an area of nearly three-quarters of a mile1 and that this is the only outlet for all the superfluous waters of the great inland seas of ,canada and ,america--,lakes ,superior1 ,michigan1 ,huron1 and ,erie--and the hundreds of tributaries thereto1 it may easily be conceived how great the rush of waters through so narrow a defile must necessarily be2 their turbulence and impatience rather aptly reminding you of a spoilt child--not in size or form1 but in behaviour4 ,they have so long had their own way1 and done as they liked on the upper river and at the ,falls1 they seem as if they could not brook the restraint put upon them now by the giant rocks and lofty precipices that stand erect1 on either side1 hurling them back defiantly in tumultuous waves1 seething1 and hissing1 and roaring in anger1 lashing themselves into foam1 and swelling with rage1 higher in the middle1 as if they sought an unpolluted way to the lake below1 where they might calm their angry and resentful passions1 and lay their chafed heads on the soft and gently heaving bosom of their lovely sister ,ontario4 ,it is a remarkable circumstance that the waters of the ,rapids1 both above and below the ,whirlpool1 in this defile are actually higher in the middle1 by eight or nine feet1 than at the sides1 as if the space afforded them by their stern sentinels on each side were not enough to allow them to pass through in order and on a level4 ,they seem to come down the upper part of the gorge like a surging and panic-stricken multitude1 until they are stopped for a time by the gigantic precipice forming the lower boundary of the ,whirlpool1 which throws them back1 and there they remain whirling and whirling about until they get away by an under current from the vortex2 and1 rising again in the lower part of the gorge1 which runs off at right angles to the upper1 they again show their angry heads1 and rush madly and tumultuously away towards ,lake ,ontario4 ,the bed of these rapids must be fearfully rugged1 or the surface of the waters could not possibly be in such a broken state1 for the water is at least #ajj feet deep1 by measurement made above and below the ,rapids4 ,but nobody has ventured to heave the lead either in the ,rapids themselves or in the ,whirlpool1 the depth of which is not known4 ,there is not much picturesque beauty at this point4 ,indeed1 the ,whirlpool itself is rather of a fearful and horrible character1 with little to see but the mad torrent struggling and writhing in the most furious manner1 to force its way down between its rocky boundaries4 ,i saw logs of wood and other wreck1 probably portions of canal boats that had come down the river and been swept over the ,falls1 whirling around but not coming to the centre4 ,when they are seen to get to the vortex they are tipped up almost perpendicularly and then vanish from sight1 at last released from their continually diminishing and circular imprisonment4 ,it has sometimes happened that the dead bodies of people drowned in the upper part of the river have been seen whirling about in this frightful pool for many days4 ,in #ahda1 three soldiers1 deserters from the ,british army1 attempting to swim across the river above these rapids1 were drowned4 ,their bodies were carried down to the ,whirlpool1 where they were seen whirling about for nearly a fortnight4 ,leaving this gloomy and soul-depressing locality we proceeded for about half a mile further down the river1 and visited that frightful chasm called ,devil's ,hole1 or ,bloody ,run4 ,the former name it takes from a horrible deed of fiendish and savage ferocity that was committed there by the ,indians1 and the latter name from the circumstance of that deed causing a stream of human blood to run through the ravine and mingle with the fierce water of the ,rapids4 ,exactly one hundred years ago1 during the ,french and ,canadian wars1 a party of #bej officers1 men1 women1 and children1 were retreating from ,fort ,schlosser1 on the ,upper ,niagara ,river1 and1 being decoyed into an ambush1 were driven over into this dreadful chasm1 and fell to the bottom1 a distance of nearly #bjj feet4 ,only two escaped4 ,a drummer was caught by one of the trees growing on the side of the precipice1 and the other1 a soldier named ,steadman1 escaped during the conflict1 at the commencement of the treacherous onslaught4 ,he was mounted1 and the ,indians surrounding him1 seized the bridle1 and were attempting to drag him off his horse2 but1 cutting the reins1 and giving his charger the rowels deep1 the animal dashed forward1 and carried him back in safety to ,fort ,schlosser4 ,the ,indians afterwards gave him all the land he encircled in his flight1 and he took up his abode among them4 ,in after years he put the goats on ,goat ,island--hence its name--by dropping carefully down the middle of the upper stream in a boat4 ,after landing the goats he returned to the mainland1 pushing his boat up the stream where the ,rapids divide1 until he reached safe water4 ,the events of the foregoing episode occurred in #agfe1 and it is to be hoped that the ,indians were the chief instigators and perpetrators of the massacre of ,bloody ,run4 ,while we were looking about the chasm to see if there were any fossil remains in the place1 an unlooked-for incident occurred4 ,i saw two men coming up from the bottom of the ravine carrying fish--and the oddest fish and the whitest fish ,i ever saw4 ,the idea of anyone fishing in those headlong rapids had never occurred to us2 but probably these men knew some fissures in the rocks where the waters were quiet1 and where the fish put into as a place of refuge from the stormy waters into which they had been drawn4 ,no wonder the poor finny creatures were white1 for ,i should think they had been frightened almost out of their lives before they were seized by their captors4 ,i don't think ,i should have liked to have partaken of the meal they furnished1 for they were very shy-an'-hide looking fishes4 ,but soon we were obliged to give up both our geological studies and piscatorial speculations1 for black clouds were gathering overhead1 shutting off the light1 and making the dark ravine too gloomy to induce us to prolong our stay in that fearful chasm1 with its melancholy associations of dark deeds of bloodshed and wholesale murder4 ,before we gained the road the rain came down1 the lightning flashed1 and the thunder clapped1 reverberating sharp and loud from the rocks above1 and we hurried away from the dismal place4 ,on reaching the landing stage1 we took refuge from the storm and rain by again going on board the ,maid of the ,mist4 ,she soon started on her last trip for the day1 and we reached our hotel1 glad to get out of a positive bath1 and indulge in a toning mixture of alcohol1 sugar1 and warm water4 ,we had no gold but our paper being good1 we did not require any4 ,after a delightful sojourn of three weeks at the ,falls1 and visiting many other places of minor interest in their neighbourhood1 ,i bade adieu to the kind friends ,i had made and met1 with many pleasant recollections of their kindness1 and a never-to-be-forgotten remembrance of the charms and beauties1 mysteries and majesty1 power and grandeur1 and terror and sublimity of ,niagara4--,photographic ,news1 #ahfe4 ,,pictures ,,of ,,the ,,st4 ,,lawrence4 ,taken in ,autumn4 ,photographs of the ,river ,st4 ,lawrence conveying an adequate idea of its extent and varied aspects1 could not be taken in a week1 a month1 or a year4 ,it is only possible in this sketch to call attention to the most novel and striking features of this great and interesting river1 passing them hurriedly1 as ,i did1 in the express boat1 by which ,i sailed from the ,niagara ,river to ,montreal4 ,lake ,ontario being the great head waters of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 and the natural connection between that river and ,niagara1 ,i shall endeavour to illustrate1 with pen and pencil1 my sail down the ,niagara ,river1 ,lake ,ontario1 and the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,stepping on board the steamer lying at ,lewiston1 seven miles below ,niagara1 and bound for ,montreal1 ,i went to the clerk's office1 paid seven and a half dollars--about thirty shillings sterling--and secured my bed1 board1 and passage for the trip1 the above small sum being all that is charged for a first-class passage on board those magnificent steamers4 ,i don't remember the name of our boat1 but that is of very little consequence1 though ,i dare say it was the ,fulton1 that being in steamboat nomenclature what ,washington is to men1 cities1 and towns1 and even territory1 in ,america4 ,but she was a splendid vessel1 nevertheless1 with a handsome dining saloon1 a fine upper saloon running the whole length of the upper deck1 about two hundred feet1 an elegant ladies' saloon1 a stateroom cabin as well1 and a powerful walking engine4 ,all aboard1 and let go2 splash went the paddle-wheels1 and we moved off majestically1 going slowly down the river until we passed ,fort ,niagara on the ,american side1 and ,fort ,george on the ,british1 at the foot of the river1 and near the entrance to the ,lake4 ,on ,fort ,niagara the ,star ,spangled ,banner was floating1 its bright blue field blending with the clear blue sky of an autumn afternoon1 its starry representatives of each ,state shining like stars in the deep blue vault of heaven1 its red and white bars1 thirteen in number1 as pure in colour as the white clouds and crimson streaks of the west4 ,the mingled crosses of ,st4 ,andrew and ,st4 ,george were waving proudly over the fort opposite4 ,brave old flag1 long may you wave6 ,these forts played their respective parts amidst the din of battle during the wars of #ahab and #ahac2 but with these we have neither time nor inclination to deal2 we1 like the waters of the ,niagara1 are in a hurry to reach the bosom of ,lake ,ontario4 ,passing the forts1 we were soon on the expanse of waters1 and being fairly at sea1 we began to settle ourselves and take stock1 as it were1 of our fellow travellers4 ,it is useless to describe the aspect of the ,lake2 ,i might as well describe the ,german ,ocean1 for ,i could not see much difference between that and ,lake ,ontario1 except that ,i could not sniff the iodine from the weeds drying in the sun while we hugged the shore1 or taste salt air after we were out in mid ocean--the land is no longer in view4 ,to be at sea is to be at sea1 no matter whether it is on a fresh water ocean or a salt one4 ,the sights1 the sensations1 and consequences are much the same4 ,there1 a ship or two in full sail2 here1 a passenger or two1 of both sexes1 with the wind taken out of their sails4 ,the old salts or old freshes behave themselves much as usual1 and so do the green ones of both atmospheres--the latter by preparing for a bath of perspiration and throwing everything down the sink1 or into the sea2 and the former by picking out companions for the voyage4 ,being myself an old salt1 and tumbling in with one or two of a fellow feeling wondrous kind1 we were soon on as good terms as if we had known each other for years4 ,after supper1 a sumptuous repast at #f p4m41 we went on to the hurricane deck to enjoy the calm and pleasant evening outside4 ,there was a gentle swell on the ,lake--not much1 but enough to upset a few4 ,after dark1 we went into the ladies' cabin--an elegant saloon1 beautifully furnished1 and not without a grand piano1 where the old freshes of the softer sex--young and pretty ones too--were amusing themselves with playing and singing4 ,an impromptu concert was soon formed1 and a few very good pieces of music well played and sung4 ,all went off very well while nothing but ,english1 or1 ,i should more properly say1 ,american and ,canadian1 were sung1 but one young lady1 unfortunately1 essayed one of the sweetest and most plaintive of ,scotch songs--,annie ,laurie4 ,now fancy the love-sick callant for the sake of ,annie ,laurie lying down to die2 just fancy ,annie ,laurie without the ,scotch2 only fancy ,annie ,laurie in a sort of mixture of ,canadianisms and ,americanisms2 fancy toddy without the whisky1 and you have some idea of ,annie ,laurie as sung on board the ,fulton while splashing away on ,lake ,ontario1 somewhere between ,america and ,canada4 ,there being little more to induce us to remain there1 and by the ship's regulations it was getting near the time for all lights out in the cabins1 we took an early turn in1 with the view of making an early turn-out1 so as to be alive and about when we should enter the ,st4 ,lawrence1 which we did at #f o'clock a4m41 on a fine bright morning1 the sun just rising to light up and heighten all the glorious tints of the trees on the ,thousand and ,one ,islands1 among which we were now sailing4 ,it is impossible to form a correct idea of the width of the ,st4 ,lawrence at the head of the river4 ,the islands are so large and numerous1 it is difficult to come to a conclusion whether you are on a river or on a lake4 ,many of these islands are thickly wooded1 so that they look more like the mainland on each side of you as the steamer glides down mid channel between them4 ,the various and brilliant tints of the foliage of the trees of ,america in autumn are gorgeous1 such as never can be seen in this country2 and their chromotones present an insurmountable difficulty to a photographer with his double achromatic lens and camera4 ,imagine our oaks clothed with leaves possessing all the varieties of red tints1 from brilliant carmine down to burnt sienna--the brightest copper bays that grow in ,england are cool in tone compared with them2 fancy our beeches1 birches1 and ashes thick with leaves of a bright yellow colour1 from gamboge down to yellow ochre2 our pines1 firs1 larches1 and spruces1 carrying all the varieties of green1 from emerald down to terra verte2 in fact1 all the tints that are1 can be seen on the trees when they are going into the sere and yellow leaf of autumn1 excepting blue1 and even that is supplied by the bluebirds 7,sialia wilsonii7 flitting about among the leaves1 and in the deep cool tint of the sky1 repeated and blended with the reflection of the many-coloured trees in the calm1 still water of the river4 ,some of the trees--the maples1 for instance--exhibit in themselves1 most vividly1 the brightest shades of red1 green1 and yellow2 but when the wind blows these resplendent colours about1 the atmosphere is like a mammoth kaleidoscope that is never allowed to rest long enough to present to the eye a symmetrical figure or pattern1 a perfect chaos of the most vivid and brilliant colours too gorgeous to depict4 ,long before this we had got clear of the islands at the foot of the lake and head of the river1 and were steaming swiftly down the broad ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,it is difficult to say how broad1 but it varied from three to five or six miles in width2 indeed1 the river very much resembles the ,balloch ,end1 which is the broadest of ,lochlomond2 and some of the passages between the islands are very similar to the straits between the ,pass of ,balmaha and the island of ,inchcailliach4 ,the river is not hemmed in with such mountains as ,ben ,lomond and ,ben ,dhu1 but1 in many respects1 the ,st4 ,lawrence very much resembles parts of our widest lakes1 ,lochlomond and ,windermere4 ,having enjoyed the sight of the bright1 beautiful scenery and the fresh morning air for a couple of hours1 we were summoned to breakfast by the sound of the steward's ,big ,ben4 ,descending to the lower cabin1 we seated ourselves at the breakfast table1 and partook of a most hearty meal4 ,all the meals on board these steamers are served in the most sumptuous style4 ,during the repast some talked politics1 some dollars and cents1 others were speculating on how we should get down the ,rapids1 and when we should make them4 ,among the latter was myself1 for ,i had seen rapids which ,i had not the slightest desire to be in or on2 and1 what sort of rapids we were coming to was of some importance to all who had not been on them4 ,but everybody seemed anxious to be on deck1 and again look out for the quickening of the stream1 or when the first white lippers1 should give indication of their whereabouts4 ,my fellow passengers were from all parts of the ,union2 the ,yankee guessed1 the ,southerner reckoned1 and the ,western man calculated we should soon be among the jumpers4 ,each one every now and then strained his eyes ahead1 down stream1 to see if he could descry broken water4 ,at last an old river-man sung out1 ,there they are4 ,there are the ,longue ,sault ,rapids1 the first we reach4 ,having plenty of daylight1 we did not feel much anxiety as we neared them1 which we quickly did1 for the stream runs fast4 ,we were soon among the jumping waters1 and it is somewhat difficult to describe the sensation1 somewhat difficult to find a comparison of a suitable character4 ,it is not like being at sea in a ship in a dead calm4 ,the vessel does not roll with such solemn dignity1 nor does she pitch and rise again so buoyantly as an ,atlantic steamer 7strange enough1 ,i once crossed the ,atlantic in the steamship ,niagara71 as she ploughs her way westward or eastward in a head wind1 and through a head sea4 ,she rather kicks and jerks1 and is let down a peg or two1 with a shake and a fling4 ,did you ever ride a spavined horse down a hill8 ,if so1 you can form some idea of the manner in which we were let down the ,longue ,sault and ,cedar ,rapids and the ,st4 ,louis ,cascades4 ,one of our fellow passengers--a ,scotchman--told that somewhat apropos and humorous story of the ,hielandman's first trip across the ,firth of ,forth in a nasty sea4 ,feeling a little uneasy about the stomach1 and his bile being rather disturbed1 the prostrate mountaineer cried out to the man at the tiller to stop tickling the beast's tail--what was he making the animal kick that way for8 ,and so1 telling our stories1 and cracking our jokes1 we spent the time until our swift vessel brought us to a landing1 where we leave her and go on board a smaller boat1 one more suitable for the descent of the more dangerous rapids1 which we have yet to come to4 ,all aboard1 and away we go again as fast as steam and a strong current can take us1 passing an island here and there1 a town or a village half ,french and ,english1 with a sprinkling of the ,indian tribes1 on the banks of the river now and then4 ,but by this time it is necessary to go below again and dine4 ,bed1 board1 and travelling1 are all included in the fare1 so everyone goes to dinner4 ,there is1 however1 so much to see during this delightful trip1 that nobody likes to be below any longer than can be avoided4 ,immediately after dinner most are on deck again1 anxious to see all that is to be seen on this magnificent river4 ,the sights are various and highly interesting to the mind or objectives of either artist or photographer4 ,perhaps one of the most novel subjects for the camera and a day's photographing would be ,life on a ,raft1 as you see them drifting down the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,there is an immense raft--a long1 low1 flat1 floating island1 studded with twenty or thirty sails1 and half a dozen huts1 peopled with men1 women1 and children1 the little ones playing about as if they were on a plank road1 or in a garden4 ,it is washing day1 and the clean clothes are drying in the sun and breeze--indicative of the strictest domestic economy1 and scrupulous cleanliness of those little huts1 the many-coloured garments giving the raft quite a gay appearance1 as if it were decked with the flags of all nations4 ,but what a life of tedious monotony it must be1 drifting down the river in this way for hundreds of miles1 from the upper part of ,lake ,ontario to ,montreal or ,quebec4 ,how they get down the rapids of the ,st4 ,lawrence ,i do not know1 but ,i should think they run considerable risk of being washed off2 the raft seems too low in the water1 and if not extremely well fastened1 might part and be broken up4 ,we passed two or three of these rafts1 one a very large one1 made up of thousands of timbers laid across and across like warp and weft2 yet the people seemed happy enough on these timber islands2 we passed them near enough to see their faces and hear their voices1 and ,i regretted ,i could not catch their shadows1 or stop and have an hour or two's work among them with the camera or the pencil2 but we passed them by as if they were a fixture in the river1 and they gave us a shout of ,god speed1 as if they did not envy our better pace in the least4 ,there is abundance of work for the camera at all times of the year on the ,st4 ,lawrence2 ,i have seen it in summer and autumn1 and have attempted to describe some of its attractions4 ,and ,i was told that when the river--not the rapids--is ice-bound1 the banks covered with snow1 and the trees clad in icicles1 they present a beautiful scene in the sunshine4 ,and in the spring1 when the ice is breaking up1 and the floes piling high on one another1 it is a splendid sight to see them coming down1 hurled about and smashed in the rapids1 showing that the water in its liquid state is by far the most powerful4 ,but now we are coming to the most exciting part of our voyage4 ,the steam is shut off1 the engine motionless1 the paddle-wheels are still1 and we are gliding swiftly and noiselessly down with the current4 ,yonder speck on the waters is the ,indian coming in his canoe to pilot us down the dangerous rapids4 ,we near each other1 and he can now be seen paddling swiftly1 and his canoe shoots like an arrow towards us4 ,now he is alongside1 he leaps lightly on board1 his canoe is drawn up after him1 and he takes command of the boat4 ,everybody on board knows the critical moment is approaching4 ,the passengers gather forward1 the ladies cling to the arms of their natural protectors1 conversation is stopped1 the countenances of everyone exhibit intense excitement and anxiety1 and every eye is fixed ahead1 or oscillating between the pilot and the rushing waters which can now be seen from the prow of the vessel4 ,the ,indian and three other men are at the wheel in the pilot house1 holding the helm steady1 and we are rushing down the stream unaided by any other propelling power than the force of the current1 at a rate of twenty miles an hour4 ,now we hear the rushing and plunging sound of the waters1 and in a moment the keen eye of the ,indian catches sight of the land mark1 which is the signal for putting the helm hard a port2 the wheel flies round like lightning1 and we are instantly dropped down a perpendicular fall of ten or twelve feet1 the vessel careening almost on her beam ends1 in the midst of these wild1 white waters1 an immense rock or rocky island right ahead4 ,but that is safely rounded1 and we are again in comparatively quiet water4 ,the steam is turned into the cylinders1 and we go on our course in a sober1 sensible1 and steamboat-like fashion4 ,when we were safely past the rapids and round the rock1 a gentleman remarked to me that once in a lifetime was enough of that4 ,it was interesting to watch the countenances of the passengers1 and mark the difference of expression before and after the passage of the rapids4 ,before1 it was all excitement and anxiety1 mingled with a wish-it-was-over sort of look2 and all were silent4 ,after1 everybody laughed and talked1 and seemed delighted at having passed the ,lachine ,rapids in safety2 yet most people are anxious to undergo the excitement and incur the risk and danger of the passage4 ,you can1 if you like1 leave the boat above ,lachine and proceed to ,montreal by the cars1 but ,i don't think any of our numerous passengers ever thought of doing such a thing4 ,as long as ever this magnificent water way is free from ice1 and the passage can be made1 it is done4 ,i don't know that more than one accident has ever occurred1 but the risk seems considerable4 ,there is a very great strain on the tiller ropes1 and if one of them were to give out at the critical time1 nothing could save the vessel from being dashed to pieces against the rock ahead1 and scarcely a life could be saved4 ,no one can approach the spot except from above1 and then there is no stopping to help others2 you must go with the waters1 rushing madly down over and among the rocks4 ,the ,indians often took these rapids1 in their canoes1 to descend to the lower part of the ,st4 ,lawrence2 and one of them undertook to pilot the first steamer down in safety4 ,his effort was successful1 and he secured for his tribe 7the ,iroquois7 a charter endowing them with the privileges and emoluments in perpetuity4 ,i wish ,i could have obtained photographic impressions of these scenes and groups1 but the only lens ,i could draw a focus with was the eye1 and the only plate ,i had ready for use was the retina4 ,however1 the impressions obtained on that were so vigorous and well-defined1 ,i can at any moment call them up1 like spirits from the vasty deep1 and reproduce them in my mental camera4 ,the remaining nine miles of the voyage were soon accomplished4 ,passing the first abutment of the ,victoria ,bridge1 which now crosses the ,st4 ,lawrence1 at this point two miles wide1 we quickly reached the fine quay and canal locks at ,montreal1 where we landed just as it was growing dark1 after a delightful and exciting voyage of about thirty hours' duration1 and a distance of more than four hundred miles4 ,quick work2 but it must be borne in mind how much our speed was accelerated by the velocity of the current1 and that the return trip by the canal1 past the rapids1 cannot be performed in anything like the time4 ,on reaching the quay ,i parted with my agreeable fellow travellers1 and sought an hotel1 where once more1 after a long interval1 ,i slept under a roof over which floated the flag which every ,englishman is proud of--the ,union ,jack4 ,next morning ,i rose early1 and1 with a photographic eye1 scanned the city of ,montreal4 ,the streets are narrow1 but clean1 and well built of stone4 ,most of the suburban streets and villa residences are frame buildings1 but there are many handsome villas of stone about the base of the mountain4 ,i visited the principal buildings and the ,cathedral of ,notre ,dame1 ascended to the top of the ,bell ,tower1 looked down upon the city1 and had a fine view of its splendid quays and magnificent river frontage1 and across the country southwards for a great distance1 as far as the ,adirondack ,mountains1 where the ,hudson ,river bubbles into existence at ,hendrick ,spring1 whence it creeps and gathers strength as it glides and falls and rushes alternately until it enters the ,atlantic below ,new ,york1 over three hundred miles south of its source4 ,but the mountain at the back of ,montreal prevented my seeing anything beyond the city in that direction4 ,i afterwards ascended the mountain1 from the summit of which ,i could see an immense distance up the river1 far beyond ,lachine1 and across the ,st4 ,lawrence1 and southwards into the ,states4 ,being homeward bound1 and having no desire at that time to prolong my stay in the western hemisphere1 ,i did not wait to obtain any photographs of ,montreal or the neighbourhood2 but1 taking ship for old ,england1 ,i leave the lower ,st4 ,lawrence and its beauties2 ,quebec1 with its glorious associations of ,wolfe and the plains of ,abraham1 its fortifications1 which are now being so fully described and discussed in the ,house of ,commons1 and the ,gulf of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 where vessels have sometimes to be navigated from the masthead1 in consequence of the low-lying sea fog which frequently prevails there4 ,a man is sent up aloft where he can see over the fog1 which lies like a stratum of white cloud on the gulf1 and pilot the ship safely through the fleet of merchantmen which are constantly sailing up and down while the river is open4 ,the fog may not be much above the maintop1 but is so dense it is impossible to see beyond the end of the bowsprit from the deck of the ship you are aboard2 but from the masthead the look-out can see the highland and the masts and sails of the other ships1 and avoid the danger of going ashore or coming into collision by crying out to the man at the wheel such sea phrases as ,port1 ,starboard1 ,steady1 c42 and when tacking up or down the gulf1 such as luff1 higher1 let her off4 ,indeed1 the whole trip of the ,st4 ,lawrence--from ,lake ,ontario to the ,atlantic--is intensely exciting4 ,while off the coast of ,newfoundland1 ,i witnessed one of those beautiful sights of nature in her sternest mood1 which ,i think has yet to be rendered in the camera--icebergs in the sunlight4 ,a great deal has been said about their beauty and colour1 but nothing too much4 ,anyone who saw ,church's picture of ,the ,icebergs1 exhibited in ,london last year1 may accept that as a faithful reflection of all their beautiful colours and dreadful desolation4 ,all sailors like to give them as wide a berth as possible1 and never admire their beauty1 but shun them for their treachery4 ,sometimes their base extends far beyond their perpendicular lines1 and many a good ship has struck on the shoal of ice under water1 when the ,captain thought he was far enough away from it4 ,the largest one ,i saw was above a hundred feet above the water-line1 and as they never exhibit more than one-third of their ponderous mass of frozen particles1 there would be over two hundred feet of it below water1 probably shoaling far out in all directions4 ,we had a quick run across the ,atlantic1 and ,i landed in ,liverpool1 in the month of ,november1 amid fog1 and smoke1 and gloom4 ,what a contrast in the light6 ,here it was all fog and darkness1 and photography impossible4 ,there--on the other side of the waters--the light is always abundant both in winter and summer2 and it is only during a snow or rain storm that our transatlantic brother photographers are brought to a standstill4--,photographic ,news1 #ahfe4 ,,photographic ,,impressions4 ,the ,hudson1 ,developed on the ,voyage4 ,we'll have a trip up the ,hudson1 said a friend of mine1 one of the best operators in ,new ,york2 we'll have a trip up the ,hudson1 and go and spend a few days with the 'old folk' in ,vermont1 and then you will see us ',yankees'--our homes and hospitalities--in a somewhat different light from what you see them in this ,gotham4 ,so it was arranged1 and on the day appointed we walked down ,broadway1 turned down ,courtland ,street to the ,north ,river1 and went on board the splendid river steamer ,isaac ,newton1 named1 in graceful compliment1 after one of ,england's celebrities4 ,two dollars 7eight and fourpence7 each secured us a first-class passage in one of those floating palaces1 for a trip of #add miles up one of the most picturesque rivers in ,america4 ,wishing for a thorough change of scene and occupation1 and being tired of posing and arranging lights and drawing a focus on the faces of men1 women1 and children in a stifling and pent-up city1 we left the camera with its racks and pinions behind1 determined to revel in the beautiful and lovely only of nature1 and breathe the fresh and exhilarating air as we steamed up the river1 seated at the prow1 and fanned by the breeze freshened by the speed of our swift-sailing boat4 ,leaving ,new ,york1 with its hundred piers jutting out into the broad stream1 and its thousand masts and church spires on the one side1 and ,jersey ,city on the other1 we are soon abreast of ,hoboken and the ,elysian ,fields1 where the ,germans assemble to drink lager beer and spend their ,sundays and holidays4 ,on the right or east side of the river is ,spuyten ,duyvil ,creek1 which forms a junction with the waters of the ,sound or ,east ,river1 and separates the tongue of land on which ,new ,york stands from the main1 making the island of ,manhattan4 ,this island is a little over thirteen miles long and two and a half miles wide4 ,the ,dutch bought the whole of it for ,l#d #afs41 and that contemptible sum was not paid to the poor1 ignorant1 and confiding ,indians in hard cash1 but in toys and trumpery articles not worth half the money4 ,truly it may be said that the ,empire ,city of the ,united ,states did not cost a cent4 an acre not more than two hundred and fifty years ago1 and now some parts of it are worth a dollar a square foot4 ,at ,spuyten ,duyvil ,creek ,henry ,hudson had a skirmish with the ,indians1 while his ship1 the ,half ,moon1 was lying at anchor4 ,now we come to the picturesque and the beautiful1 subjects fit for the camera of the photographer1 the pencil of the artist1 and the pen of the historian4 ,on the western side of the ,hudson1 above ,hoboken1 we catch the first glimpse of that singular and picturesque natural river wall called the ,palisades1 a series of bold and lofty escarpments1 extending for about thirty-five miles up the river1 and varying in an almost perpendicular height from four to over six hundred feet1 portions of them presenting a very similar appearance to ,honister ,craig1 facing the ,vale of ,buttermere and ,salisbury ,craigs1 near ,edinburgh4 ,about two and a half miles above ,manhattan ,island1 on the east bank of the ,hudson1 ,i noticed a castellated building of considerable pretensions1 but somewhat resembling one of those stage scenes of ,dunsinane in ,macbeth1 or the ,castle of ,ravenswood in the ,bride of ,lammermoor4 ,on enquiring to whom this fortified-looking residence belonged1 ,i was told it was ,fort ,hill1 the retreat of ,edwin ,forest1 the celebrated ,american tragedian4 ,it is built of blue granite1 and must have been a costly fancy4 ,now we come to the pretty village of ,yonkers1 where there are plenty of subjects for the camera1 on ,sawmill ,river1 and the hills behind the village4 ,here1 off ,yonkers1 in #afji1 ,henry ,hudson came to the premature conclusion1 from the strong tidal current1 that he had discovered the north-west passage1 which was the primary object of his voyage1 and which led to the discovery of the river which now bears his name4 ,at ,dobb's ,ferry there is not much to our liking2 but passing that1 and before reaching ,tarrytown1 we are within the charming atmosphere of ,sunnyside1 where ,washington ,irving lived and wrote many of his delightful works4 ,tarrytown is the next place we make1 and here1 during the war for independence1 the enthusiastic but unfortunate soldier1 ,major ,andre1 was captured2 and at ,tappan1 nearly opposite1 he was hung as a spy on the #bnd of ,october1 #aghj4 ,all the world knows the unfortunate connection between ,benedict ,arnold1 the ,american traitor1 and ,major ,andre1 the frank1 gallant1 and enterprising ,british officer2 so ,i shall leave those subjects to the students of history1 and pass on as fast as our boat will carry us to the next place of note on the east bank of the river1 ,sing ,sing1 which is the ,new ,york ,state prison1 where the refractory and not over honest members of ,state society are sent to be operated upon by the salutary treatment of confinement and employment4 ,some of them are doing time in dark rooms1 which are very unsuitable for photographic operations1 and where a little more light1 no matter how yellow or non-actinic1 would be gladly received4 ,the silent cell system is not practised so much in this ,state as in some of the others2 but the authorities do their best to improve the negative or refractory character of the subjects placed under their care4 ,it is1 however1 very questionable whether their efforts are not entirely negatived1 and the bad character of the subject more fully developed and intensified by contact with the more powerful reducing agents by which they are surrounded4 ,their prison is1 however1 very pleasantly situated on the banks of the ,hudson1 about thirty-three miles above ,new ,york ,city4 ,opposite ,sing ,sing is ,rockland ,lake1 one hundred and fifty feet above the river1 at the back of the ,palisades4 ,this lake is celebrated for three things--leeches and water lilies in summer1 and ice in winter4 ,rockland ,lake ice is prized by the thirsty denizens of ,new ,york ,city in the sultry summer months1 and even in this country it is becoming known as a cooler and refresher4 ,nearly opposite ,sing ,sing is the boldest and highest buttress of the ,palisades2 it is called ,vexatious ,point1 and stands six hundred and sixty feet above the water4 ,about eleven miles above ,sing ,sing we come to ,peekskill1 which is at the foot of the ,peekskill ,mountains4 ,backed up by those picturesque hills it has a pretty appearance from the river4 ,this was also a very important place during the wars4 ,at this point the ,americans set fire to a small fleet rather than let it fall into the hands of the ,british4 ,a little higher up on the west side is the important military station of ,west ,point4 ,this place1 as well as being most charmingly situated1 is also famous as the great military training school of the ,united ,states4 ,probably you have noticed1 in reading the accounts of the war now raging between ,north and ,south1 that this or that general or officer was a ,west ,point man4 ,general ,george ,m',clellan received his military education at ,west ,point2 but1 whatever military knowledge he gained at this college1 strengthened by experience and observation at the ,crimea1 he was not allowed to make much use of while he held command of the army of the ,potomac4 ,his great opponent1 ,general ,lee1 was also a ,west ,point man1 and it does not require much consideration to determine which of the ,pointsmen was the smarter4 ,washington has also made ,west ,point famous in the time of the war for independence4 ,benedict ,arnold held command of this point and other places in the neighbourhood1 when he made overtures to ,sir ,henry ,clinton to hand over to the ,british1 for a pecuniary consideration of ,l#aj1jjj1 ,west ,point and all its outposts4 ,a little higher up is ,cold ,spring1 on the east side of the ,hudson2 but we will pass that by1 and now we are off ,newburg on the west bank4 ,this is a large and flourishing town also at the foot of high hills--indeed1 we are now in the highlands of the ,hudson1 and it would be difficult to find a town or a village that is not backed up by hills4 ,at the time ,i first visited these scenes there was a large photographic apparatus manufactory at ,newburg1 where they made coating boxes1 buff wheels1 ,pecks blocks1 c41 on a very extensive scale1 for the benefit of themselves and all who were interested in the cleaning1 buffing1 and coating of ,daguerreotype plates4 ,opposite ,newburg is ,fishkill2 but we shall pass rapidly up past ,poughkeepsie on the right1 and other places right and left1 until we come to ,hudson1 on the east side of the river4 ,opposite ,hudson are the ,catskill ,mountains1 and here the river is hemmed in by mountains on all sides1 resembling the head of ,ullswater lake1 or the head of ,loch ,lomond or ,loch ,katrine2 and here we have a photographic curiosity to descant upon4 ,down through the gorges of these mountains came a blast like the sound from a brazen trumpet1 which electrified the photographers of the day4 ,among these hills resided the ,rev4 ,levi ,hill1 who lately died in ,new ,york1 the so-called inventor or discoverer of the ,hillotype1 or ,daguerreotypes in natural colours4 ,so much were the ,daguerreans of ,new ,york startled by the announcement of this wonderful discovery1 that they formed themselves into a sort of company to buy up the highly coloured invention4 ,a deputation of some of the most respectable and influential ,daguerreotypists of ,new ,york was appointed to wait upon the reverend discoverer1 and offer him ,i don't remember how many thousand dollars for his discovery as it stood2 and it is said that he showed them specimens of coloured ,daguerreotypes1--but refused to sell or impart to them the secret until he had completed his discovery1 and made it perfect by working out the mode of producing the only lacking colour1 chrome yellow4 ,but in that he never succeeded1 and so this wonderful discovery was neither given nor sold to the world4 ,many believed the truth of the man's statements--whether he believed it himself or not1 ,god only knows4 ,one skilful ,daguerreotypist1 in the ,state of ,new ,york1 assured me he had seen the specimens1 and had seen the rev4 gentleman at work in his laboratory labouring and buffing away at a mass of something like a piece of lava1 until by dint of hard rubbing and scrubbing the colours were said to appear like spirits1 one by one1 until all but the stubborn chrome yellow showed themselves on the surface4 ,i could not help laughing at my friend's statement and evident credulity1 but after seeing jumping ,quakers1 disciples of ,joe ,smith1 and believers in the doctrine of ,johanna ,southcote1 ,i could not be much surprised at any creed either in art or religion1 or that men should fall into error in the ,hillotype faith as easily as into errors of ethics or morality4 ,i was assured by my friend 7not my travelling companion7 that they were beautiful specimens of colouring4 ,granted2 but that did not prove that they were not done by hand4 ,indeed1 a suspicion got abroad that the specimens shown by ,mr4 ,hill were hand-coloured pictures brought from ,europe4 ,and from all that ,i could learn they were more like the beautifully coloured ,daguerreotypes of ,m4 ,mansion1 who was then colourist to ,mr4 ,beard1 than anything else ,i could see or hear of4 ,being no mean hand myself at colouring a ,daguerreotype in those days1 ,i was most anxious to see one of those wonderful specimens of photography in natural colours1 but ,i never could2 and the inventor lived in such an out-of-the way place1 among the ,catskills1 that ,i had no opportunity of paying him a visit4 ,i have every reason to believe that the hand-coloured pictures by ,m4 ,mansion and myself were the only ,hillotypes that were ever exhibited in ,america4 ,many of my coloured ,daguerreotypes were exhibited at the ,state ,fair in ,castle ,garden1 and at the ,great ,exhibition at ,new ,york in #ahec4 ,but perhaps the late ,rev4 ,levi ,hill was desirous of securing a posthumous fame1 and may have left something behind him after all2 for surely1 no man in his senses would have made such a noise about ,daguerreotypes in natural colours as he did if he had not some reason for doing so4 ,if so1 and if he has left anything behind him that will lead us into nature's hidden mine of natural colours1 now is the time for the heirs and administrators of the deceased gentlemen to secure for their deceased relative a fame as enduring as the ,catskill ,mountains themselves4 ,the ,katzbergs1 as the ,dutch called the ,catskill ,mountains1 on account of the number of wild cats they found among them1 have more than a photographic interest4 ,the late ,washington ,irving has imparted to them an attraction of a romantic character almost as bewitching as that conferred upon the mountains in the vicinity of ,loch ,lomond and ,loch ,katrine by ,sir ,walter ,scott4 ,it is true that the delicate fancy of ,irving has not peopled the ,katzbergs with such warriors true as stood ,along ,benledi's living side2 nor has he sped the fiery cross over dale1 glen1 and valley2 neither has he tracked ,the antler'd monarch of the waste from hill to hill2 but the war-whoop of the ,mohegans has startled the wild beasts from their lair1 and the tawny hunters of the tribe have followed up the trail of the panther until with bow and arrow swift they have slain him in his mountain hiding place4 ,and ,irving's quaint fancy has re-peopled the mountains again with the phantom figures of ,hendrick ,hudson and his crew1 and put ,rip van ,winkle to sleep1 like a big baby1 in one of nature's huge cradles1 where he slept for twenty years1 and slept away the reign of good ,king ,george ,,iii4 over the colonies1 and awoke to find himself a bewildered citizen of the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,and the place where he slept1 and the place where he saw the solemn1 silent crew of the ,half ,moon playing at ninepins1 will be sought for and pointed out in all time coming4 ,and why should these scenes of natural beauty and charming romance not be photographed on the spot8 ,it has not been done to my knowledge1 yet they are well worthy the attention of photographers1 either amateur or professional4 ,we leave the ,catskill ,mountains with some regret1 because of the disappointment of their not yielding us the promised triumph of chemistry1 photography in natural colours1 and because of their beauty and varying effects of chiaroscuro not having been sufficiently rendered in the monochromes we have so long had an opportunity of obtaining in the camera4 ,passing ,coxsackie1 on the west bank of the ,hudson1 and many pleasant residences and places on each side of the river1 we are soon at ,albany1 the capital of the ,state of ,new ,york1 and the termination of our voyage on board the ,isaac ,newton4 ,and well had our splendid steamer performed her part of the contract4 ,here we were1 in ten hours1 at ,albany1 #add miles from ,new ,york ,city4 ,what a contrast1 in the rate of speed1 between the ,isaac ,newton and the first boat that steamed up the ,hudson6 ,the ,claremont took over thirty-six hours1 wind and weather permitting1 to perform the voyage between ,new ,york and ,albany2 and we had done it in ten4 ,what a contrast1 too1 in the size1 style1 and deportment of the two boats6 ,the ,claremont was a little1 panting1 puffing1 half-clad1 always-out-of-breath sort of thing1 that splashed and struggled and groaned through the water1 and threw its naked and diminutive paddle-wheels in and out of the river--like a man that can neither swim nor is willing to be drowned1 throwing his arms in and out of the water in agony--and only reached her destination after a number of stoppings-to-breathe and spasmodic start-agains4 ,the ,isaac ,newton had glided swiftly and smoothly through the waters of the ,hudson1 her gigantic paddle-wheels performing as many revolutions in a minute as the other's did in twenty4 ,but these were the advanced strides and improvements brought about by the workings and experiences of half a century4 ,if the marine steam engine be such a wonderfully-improved machine in that period of time1 what may not photography be when the art-science is fifty years old8 ,what have not the thousands of active brains devoted to its advancement done for it already8 ,what have not been the improvements and wonderful workings of photography in a quarter of a century8 ,what improvements have not been effected in the lifetime of any old ,daguerreotypist8 ,when ,i first knew photography it was a ghostly thing--a shimmering phantom--that was flashed in and out of your eyes with the rapidity of lightning1 as you tried to catch a sight of the image between the total darkness of the black polish of the silvered plate1 and the blinding light of the sky1 which was reflected as from a mirror into your eyes4 ,but how these phantom figures vanished6 ,how rapidly they changed from ghostly and almost invisible shadows to solid1 visible1 and all but tangible forms under the magical influence of ,goddard's and ,claudet's bromine accelerator1 and ,fizeau's fixing or gilding process6 ,how ,mercury flew to the lovely and joint creations of chemistry and optics1 and took kindly to the timid1 hiding beauties of ,iodine1 ,bromine1 ,silver1 and ,light1 and brought them out1 and showed them to the world1 proudly1 as things of beauty1 and a joy for ever6 ,how ,mercury clung to these latent beauties1 and developed their charms1 and became attached to them1 and almost immovable2 and consented1 at last1 to be tinted like a ,gibson's ,venus to enhance the charms and witcheries of his proteges6 ,anon was ,mercury driven from ,beauty's fair domain1 and bright shining ,silver1 in another form1 took up with two fuming1 puffy fellows1 who styled themselves ,ether and ,alcohol1 with a villainous taint of methyl and something very much akin to gunpowder running through their veins4 ,a most abominable compound they were1 and some of the vilest of the vile were among their progeny2 indeed1 they were all a hard lot1 for ,i don't know how many rods--,i may say tons--of iron had to be used before they could be brought into the civilized world at all4 ,but1 happily1 they had a short life4 ,now they have almost passed away from off the face of the earth1 and it is to be hoped that the place that knew them once will know them no more2 for they were a dangerous set--fragile in substance1 frightful abortions1 and an incubus on the fair fame of photography4 ,they bathed in the foulest of baths1 and what served for one served for all4 ,the poisonous and disgusting fluid was used over and over again4 ,loathsome and pestiferous vapours hovered about them1 and they took up their abode in the back slums of our cities1 and herded with the multitude1 and a vast majority of them were not worth the consideration of the most callous officer of the sanitary commission4 ,everything that breathes the breath of life has its moments of agony1 and these were the throes that agonised ,photography in that fell epoch of her history4 ,from the ashes of this burning shame ,photography arose1 ,phoenix-like1 and with ,silver1 seven times purified1 took her ethereal form into the hearts and ateliers of artists1 who welcomed her sunny presence in their abodes of refinement and taste4 ,they treated her kindly and considerately1 and lovingly placed her in her proper sphere2 and1 by their kind and delicate treatment1 made her forget the miseries of her degradation and the agonies of her travail4 ,then art aided photography and photography aided art1 and the happy1 delightful reciprocity has brought down showers of golden rain amidst the sunshine of prosperity to thousands who follow with love and devotion the chastened and purified form of ,photography1 accompanied in all her thoughts and doings by her elder sister--,art4 ,i must apologise for this seeming digression4 ,however1 as ,i have not entirely abandoned my photographic impressions1 ,i take it for granted that ,i have not presumed too much on the good nature of my readers1 and will now endeavour to further develop and redevelop the ,hudson1 and point out the many phases of beauty that are fit subjects for the camera which may be seen on the waters and highland boundaries of that beautiful river in all seasons of the year4 ,albany is the capital of the ,state4 ,it is a large and flourishing city1 and one of the oldest1 being an early ,dutch settlement1 which is sufficiently attested by the prevalence of such cognomens as ,vanderdonck and ,onderdunk over the doors of the traders4 ,about six or eight miles above ,albany the ,hudson ceases to be navigable for steamers and sailing craft1 and the influence of the tide becomes imperceptible4 ,troy is on the east bank of the river2 and about two miles above1 the ,mohawk ,river joins the ,hudson1 coming down from the ,western part of the ,state of ,new ,york4 ,for about two hundred miles the ,hudson runs almost due north and south from a little below ,fort ,edward2 but1 from the ,adirondack ,mountains1 where it takes its spring1 it comes down in a north-westerly direction by rushing rapids1 cascades1 and falls innumerable for about two hundred miles more through some of the wildest country that can possibly be imagined4 ,we did not proceed up the ,upper ,hudson1 but ,i was told it would well repay a trip with the camera1 as some of the wildest and most picturesque scenery would be found in tracking the ,hudson to its source among the ,adirondack ,mountains4 ,i afterwards sailed up and down the navigable part of the ,hudson many times and at all periods of the year1 except when it was ice-bound1 by daylight and by moonlight1 and a more beautiful moonlight sail cannot possibly be conceived4 ,to be sailing up under the shadow of the ,palisades on a bright moonlight night1 and see the eastern shore and bays bathed in the magnesium-like light of a bright western moon1 is in itself enough to inspire the most ordinary mind with a love of all that is beautiful and poetical in nature4 ,moonlight excursions are frequently made from ,new ,york to various points on the ,hudson1 and ,sleepy ,hollow is one of the most favourite trips4 ,i have been in that neighbourhood1 but never saw the headless horseman that was said to haunt the place2 but that may be accounted for by the circumstance of some superior officer having recently commanded the trooper without a head to do duty in ,texas4 ,my next trip up the ,hudson was in winter1 when the surface of the river was in the state of glacial1 solid at #ej deg4 for two or three feet down1 but the temperature was considerably lower1 frequently #ae deg4 and #bj deg4 below zero--and that was nipping cold and no mistake1 making the very breath glacial1 plugging up the nostrils with chunks of ice1 and binding the beard and moustache together1 making a glacier on your face1 which you had to break through every now and then to make a breathing hole4 ,on this arctic trip the whole aspect of the river and its boundaries is marvellously changed1 without losing any of its picturesque attractions4 ,instead of the clear1 deep river having its glassy surface broken by the splash of paddle-wheels1 it is converted into a solid highway4 ,instead of the sound of the pilot's gong1 and the cries of a sail on the port bow1 there is nothing to be heard but the jingling sound of the sleigh bells1 and the merry laugh and prattle of the fair occupants of the sleighs1 as they skim past on the smooth surface of the ice1 wrapped cosily up in their gay buffalo robes4 ,the great excitement of winter in ,canada or the ,states is to take a sleigh ride2 and ,i think there is nothing more delightful1 when the wind is still1 than to skim along the ice in the bright1 winter sunshine1 behind a pair of spanking trotters4 ,the horses seem to enjoy it as much as the people1 arching their necks a little more proudly than usual1 and stepping lightly to the merry sound of the sleigh bells4 ,at this time of the year large sleighs1 holding fifteen to twenty people1 and drawn by four horses1 take the place of steamers1 omnibuses1 and ferry boats4 ,the steam ferries are housed1 except at ,new ,york1 and there they keep grinding their way through the ice all winter1 as if they would not let winter reign over their destinies if they could help it4 ,large sleighs cross and recross on the ice higher up the ,hudson1 and thus keep up the connection between the various points and opposite shores4 ,as the mercury falls the spirits of the people seem to rise1 and they shout and halloo at each other as they pass or race on the ice4 ,these are animated scenes for the skill of a ,blanchard or any other artist equally good in the production of instantaneous photographs4 ,another of the scenes on the ,hudson worthy of the camera is ploughing the ice4 ,it is a singular sight to an ,englishman to see a man driving a team of horses on the ice1 and see the white powder rising before the ice-plough like spray from the prow of a vessel as she rushes through the water1 cutting the ice into blocks or squares1 to stow away in chunks1 and afterwards1 when the hot sultry weather of ,july and ,august is prostrating you1 have them brought out to make those wonderful mixtures called ice-creams1 sherry-cobblers1 and brandy-cocktails4 ,the ,hudson is beautiful in winter as well as in summer1 and ,i wonder its various and picturesque beauties have not been photographed more abundantly4 ,but there it is4 ,prophets are never honoured in their own country1 and artists and photographers never see the beauties of their country at home4 ,i am sure if the ,hudson were photographed from the sea to its source it would be one of the most valuable1 interesting1 and picturesque series of photographs that ever was published4 ,its aspects in summer are lovely and charming1 and the wet process can then be employed with success4 ,and in winter1 though the temperature is low1 the river is perfectly dry on the surface1 the hills and trees are glistening with snow and icicles1 the people are on the very happiest terms with one another1 and frequently exhibit an abundance of dry1 good humour4 ,this is the time to work the dry process most successfully1 and1 instead of the ammonia developers1 try the hot and strong ones4 ,with these few hints to my photographic friends1 ,i leave the beauties of the ,hudson to their kind consideration4--,british ,journal of ,photography1 #ahfe4 ,,pictures ,,of ,,the ,,potomac ,,in ,,peace ,,and ,,war4 ,when first ,i visited that lovely region which has so recently been torn and trampled down--blackened and defaced by the ruthlessness of war--peace lay in the valleys of the ,potomac4 ,nothing was borne on the calm1 clear bosom of the broad and listless river but the produce of the rich and smiling valleys of ,virginia4 ,its banks were peaceful1 silent1 and beautiful4 ,the peach orchards were white with the blossoms that promised a rich harvest of their delicious fruit4 ,the neat and pretty houses that studded the sloping boundaries of the river were almost blinding with their dazzling whiteness as the full blaze of the sun fell upon them4 ,their inhabitants were happy1 and dreamt not of the storm so soon to overtake them4 ,the forts were occupied by only a few1 very few soldiers4 ,the guns were laid aside1 all rusty and uncared for2 and pilgrims to the tomb of ,washington1 the good and great1 stopped on their return at ,fort ,washington to examine the fortifications in idleness and peaceful curiosity4 ,the ,capitol at ,washington echoed nothing but the sounds of peace and good will4 ,the senators of both ,north and ,south sat in council together1 and considered only the welfare and prosperity of their great confederation4 ,the same harmonious fellowship influenced the appearance and actions of all2 and at that happy conjuncture ,i made my first acquaintance with ,washington1 the capital of the ,united ,states4 ,i shall not attempt a description of its geographical position3 everybody knows that it is in the district of ,columbia1 and on the banks of the ,potomac4 ,it is a city of vast and pretentious appearance1 straggling over an unnecessary amount of ground1 and is divided into avenues and streets4 ,the avenues are named after the principal ,states1 and take their spring from the ,capitol1 running off in all directions in angular form1 like the spokes of a wheel1 the ,capitol being the angular point4 ,the streets running between and across the avenues rejoice in the euphonious names of ,first1 ,second1 and ,third1 and ,a1 ,b1 and ,c streets1 the straight lines of which are broken by trees of the most luxurious growth all along the side-walks4 ,these trees form a delightful sun-shade in summer1 and have a very novel and pleasing effect at night1 when their green and leafy arches are illuminated by the gas lamps underneath4 ,excepting the ,capitol1 ,white ,house1 ,court ,house1 ,post ,office1 ,patent ,office1 and ,smithsonian ,institute1 there is nothing in the city of photographic interest4 ,the ,united ,states1 the ,national1 and ,willards1 are large and commodious hotels on ,pennsylvania ,avenue2 but not worth a plate1 photographically speaking1 unless the landlords wish to illustrate their bar bills4 ,the ,capitol is out of all proportion the largest and most imposing structure in ,washington--it may safely be said in the ,united ,states4 ,situated on an elevated site1 at the top of ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 it forms a grand termination to that noble thoroughfare at its eastern extremity4 ,the building consists of a grand centre of freestone painted white1 surmounted by a vast dome of beautiful proportions4 ,two large wings of white marble complete the grand facade4 ,ascending the noble flight of marble steps to the principal entrance1 the great portico is reached1 which is supported by about eighteen ,corinthian columns4 ,the pediment is ornamented with a statue of ,america in the centre1 with the figures of ,faith on her left1 and ,justice on her right4 ,on each side of the entrance is a group of statuary4 ,on one side an ,indian savage is about to massacre a mother and her child1 but his arm is arrested by the figure of ,civilization4 ,on the other side the group consists of a man holding up a globe1 representing ,columbus and the figure of an ,indian girl looking up to it4 ,the large rotunda1 immediately underneath the dome1 is divided into panels1 which are filled with paintings1 such as the ,landing of the ,pilgrim ,fathers1 ,the ,baptism of the ,indian ,princess ,pocahontas1 and other subjects illustrative of ,american history4 ,on either side of the ,rotunda are passages leading to the ,house of ,representatives on the one side1 and the ,senate ,chamber on the other4 ,congress being assembled1 ,i looked in to see the collective wisdom of the ,states during a morning sitting4 ,in many respects the ,house of ,representatives very much resembled our own ,house of ,commons4 ,there was a ,mr4 ,speaker in the chair1 and one gentleman had the floor1 and was addressing the ,house4 ,other members were seated in their desk seats1 making notes1 or busying themselves with their own bills4 ,in one essential point1 however1 ,i found a difference1 and that was in the ease of access to this assembly4 ,no member's order was required4 ,strangers and citizens are at all times freely admitted4 ,there is also a magnificent library1 which is free to everyone4 ,during the ,session there is ,divine service in the ,senate ,chamber on ,sunday mornings4 ,on one occasion ,i attended1 and heard a most excellent discourse by the appointed chaplain4 ,the ,president and his family were there4 ,in some side offices1 connected with the ,capitol1 ,i found a government photographer at work1 copying plans1 and photographing portions of the unfinished building1 for the benefit of the architects and others whose duty it was to examine the progress of the works4 ,from this gentleman ,i received much courteous attention1 and was shown many large and excellent negatives1 all of which were developed with the ordinary iron developer4 ,i next visited the ,patent ,office1 and the museum connected therewith1 which contains a vast collection of models of all kinds of inventions that have received protection--among them several things1 in apparatus and implements1 connected with photography4 ,the ,american patent laws require a model of every new invention to be lodged in this museum1 which is of immense value to inventors and intending patentees2 for they can there see what has already been protected2 and as the ,patent ,office refuses to grant protection to anything of a similar form1 use1 or application1 much litigation1 expense1 and annoyance are saved the patentees4 ,our ,government would do well to take a leaf out of ,brother ,jonathan's book on this subject2 for not only is there increased protection given to inventors1 but the fees are considerably less than in this country4 ,the presidential residence1 called the ,white ,house1 was the next interesting subject of observation4 ,it is situated at the west end of ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 and a good mile from the ,capitol4 ,the building is of white marble1 and of very unpretending size and architectural attractions1 but in every respect sufficient for the simple wants of the chief magistrate of the ,united ,states1 whose official salary is only twenty-five thousand dollars per annum4 ,during congressional session the ,president holds weekly levees2 and one of these ,i determined to attend1 prompted as much by curiosity to see how such things were done1 as desire to pay my respects4 ,accordingly1 on a certain night1 at eight o'clock precisely1 ,i went to the ,white ,house1 and was admitted without hesitation4 ,on reaching the door of the reception room1 ,i gave my card to the district marshal1 who conducted me to ,president ,pierce1 to whom ,i was introduced4 ,i was received with a hearty welcome1 and a shake of the hand4 ,indeed1 ,i noticed that he had a kindly word of greeting for all who came4 ,not having any very important communication to make that would be either startling or interesting to the ,president of the ,united ,states1 ,i bowed1 and retired to the promenade room1 where ,i found numbers of people who had been presented walking about and chatting in groups on all sorts of subjects--political1 foreign1 and domestic1 and anything they liked4 ,some were in evening dress1 others not2 but all seemed perfectly easy and affable one with another4 ,there was no restraint1 and the only passport required to these levees was decent behaviour and respectability4 ,there was music also4 ,a band was playing in the vestibule1 and everyone evidently enjoyed the reunion1 and felt perfectly at home4 ,never having been presented at court1 ,i am not able to make any comparison pro or con4 ,there is also an observatory at ,washington1 which ,i visited2 but not being fortunate enough to meet the--what shall ,i say8 astronomer-royal1 comes readiest1 but that is not correct3 well1 then1 the--astronomer republic1 ,i did not see the large telescope and other astronomical instruments worked4 ,the photographic galleries were all situated on ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 and they were numerous enough4 ,at that time they rejoiced in the name of ,daguerrean ,galleries2 and the proprietor1 or operator1 was called a ,daguerrean4 ,their reception rooms were designated saloons1 which were invariably well furnished--some of them superbly--and filled with specimens4 ,their studios and workshops behind the scenes were fitted with all sorts of ingenious contrivances for buffing and coating and expediting the work4 ,although the greatest number of mechanical appliances were employed in the ,daguerreotype branch of photography1 art was not altogether ignored in its practice4 ,one house made a business feature of very beautifully coloured ,daguerreotypes1 tinted with dry colours1 quite equal to those done in ,europe4 ,another house made a feature of ,daguerreotypes painted in oil2 and the likeness was most admirably preserved4 ,i saw one of the ,president1 and several of the members of ,congress1 which ,i knew to be unmistakable portraits4 ,although the ,daguerreotype was most tenaciously adhered to as the best means of producing photographic portraits1 the collodion process--or the crystaltype1 as they then called it--was not neglected4 ,it was used by a few for portraits1 but chiefly for views4 ,having seen all that was worth seeing in the city1 ,i made excursions into the country1 in search of subjects for the camera or pencil4 ,georgetown1 a little way from ,washington1 and its picturesque cemetery1 offer several pretty bits for the camera4 ,arlington ,heights1 the ,long ,bridge1 and many nooks about there1 are sufficiently tempting2 but of all the excursions about ,washington1 ,mount ,vernon--a few miles down the ,potomac1 on the ,virginia side--is by far the most interesting4 ,mount ,vernon is the name of the place where ,general ,george ,washington lived and died1 and is the ,mecca of the ,americans4 ,nearly every day there are pilgrims from some or all parts of the ,states to the tomb of ,washington1 which is in the grounds of ,mount ,vernon4 ,they visit this place with a kind of religious awe and veneration1 and come from far and wide to say they have seen it4 ,for1 in truth1 there is little to see but the strangest-looking and ugliest brick building ,i ever beheld1 with open iron gates that allow you to look into the darkness of the interior1 and see nothing4 ,i took a view of the tomb1 and here it is3--,a red brick building1 squat and low1 of the most unsightly design and proportions imaginable--resembling one of our country deadhouses more than anything else ,i could compare it to4 ,it was stuck away from the house among trees and brushwood1 and in an advanced state of dilapidation--a disgrace to the nation that had sprung from that great man's honest devotion6 ,over the ,gothic entrance is a white slab1 with the following inscription on it3-- ,within this ,enclosure ,rest the remains of ,general ,george ,washington4 ,the remains of ,lady ,washington lie there also2 and there are several white obelisks about to the memory of other members of the family4 ,the house itself is a frame building of two storeys1 with a piazza running along the front of it1 and is on the whole a mean-looking edifice2 but was probably grand enough for the simple tastes of the man who dwelt in it1 and has hallowed the place with the greatness and goodness of his life4 ,the interior of the house looked as if it had once been a comfortable and cozy habitation4 ,in the hall was put up a desk1 with a visitors' book1 wherein they were expected to enter their names2 and few failed to pay such a cheap tribute to the memory of the father of their country4 ,the grounds1 which were full of natural beauties1 had been allowed to run into a state of wild tangle-wood2 and ,i had some trouble to pick my way over broken paths down to the riverside again1 where ,i took the boat1 and returned to the city1 touching at ,fort ,washington on the way4 ,the day had been remarkably fine2 the evening was calm and lovely2 the silence of the river disturbed only by the splash of our paddles1 and the song of the fishermen on shore as they drew in their laden nets2 and the moon shone as only she can shine in those latitudes4 ,nothing could denote more peace and quietude as ,i sailed on the ,potomac on that lovely evening4 ,there was such a perfect lull of the natural elements--such a happy combination of all that was beautiful and promising--it seemed impossible for such a hurricane of men's passions--such yells of strife and shouts of victory1 such a swoop of death as afterwards rushed down those valleys--ever to come to pass4 ,such sad reverse was1 however1 seen on my second visit to the ,potomac4 ,the narration of the stirring scenes then presented will form a picture less peaceful and happy1 but unfortunately intensely real and painfully true4 ,my second visit to the ,potomac was paid after the lapse of several years1 and under very different circumstances4 ,when the ,capitol echoed loudly the fierce and deadly sentiments of the men of the ,north against the men of the ,south4 ,when both had shouted-- ,strike up the drums1 and let the tongue of war ,plead for our int'rest4 ,when the deliberations of the senators were war estimates1 arming of troops1 and hurrying them to the front with all possible despatch4 ,when the city of ,washington presented all the appearance of a place threatened with a siege4 ,when every unoccupied building was turned into barracks1 and every piece of unoccupied land was made a camp ground4 ,when the inhabitants were in terror and dismay1 dreading the approach of an invading host4 ,when hasty earth-works were thrown up in front of the city1 and the heights were bristling with cannon4 ,when the woods and peach orchards on the opposite side of the ,potomac were red with the glare of the camp fires at night1 and the flashing of bayonets was almost blinding in the hot sun at noon4 ,when the vessels sailing on the river were laden with armed men1 shot1 shell1 and villainous saltpetre4 ,when the incessant roll of drums and rattle of musketry deadened almost every other sound4 ,when sentinels guarded every road and access to the capital1 and passports were required from the military authorities to enable you to move from one place to another4 ,in short1 when the whole atmosphere was filled with sounds of martial strife1 and everything took the form of desolating war4 ,in spite of all these untoward events1 ,i found photography actively engaged in the city1 in the camp1 and on the field1 fulfilling a mission of mercy and consolation in the midst of carnage and tumult--fulfilling such a mission of holy work as never before fell to the lot of any art or art-science to perform4 ,for what aspect of life is photography not called upon to witness8--what phase of this world's weal or woe is photography not required to depict8 ,photography has become a handmaiden to the present generation--a ministering angel to all conditions of life1 from the cradle to the grave4 ,an aide-de-camp of the loveliest character to the great light of the world1 humanizing and elevating the minds of all1 administering consolation to the sorrowing1 increasing the joy of the joyous1 lessening the pangs of separation caused by distance or death1 strengthening the ties of immediate fellowship1 helping the world to know its benefactors1 and the world's benefactors to know the world4 ,when grim death stalks into the gilded palaces of the great and powerful1 or into the thatched cottages and miserable dwellings of the poor1 photography is the assuager of the griefs of the sorrowing survivors1 and the ameliorator of their miseries1 by preserving to them so faithful a resemblance of the lost one4 ,when the bride1 in her youth and loveliness1 is attired for the bridal1 photography is the recorder of her trustful looks and ,april smiles1 the fashion of her dress1 the wreath and jewels that she wore2 and1 come what change in her appearance that may1 the husband can look upon his bride whene'er he likes in after years1 as vividly and as distinctly as on that day1 connecting the present with the past with a kind of running chord of happy recollections4 ,photography is now the historian of earth and animated nature1 the biographer of man1 the registrar of his growth from childhood to man's estate1 the delineator of his physical1 moral1 and social progress1 the book of fashion1 and the mirror of the times4 ,the uses and applications of photography are almost indescribable2 scarcely an art1 or a science1 or a trade or profession that does not enlist photography into its service4 ,photography does not merely pander to the gratification of earthly vanity1 but is an alleviator of human misery4 ,photography enters our hospitals and registers faithfully the progress of disease1 its growth and change from day to day1 until it is cured1 or ripe for the knife of the surgeon2 its pictures are lessons to the professor1 and a book of study for the students1 charts for their guidance through the painful and tedious cases of others similarly afflicted1 teaching them what to do and what to avoid1 to relieve the suffering of other patients4 ,photography is dragged into our criminal law courts1 and sits on the right hand of ,justice1 giving evidence of the most undeniable character1 without being under oath1 and free from the suspicion of perjury1 convicting murderers and felons1 and acquitting the innocent without prejudice2 and in our courts of equity1 cases are frequently decided by the truth-telling evidence of photography4 ,astronomers1 geographers1 and electricians freely acknowledge how much they are indebted to photography in making their celestial and terrestrial observations4 ,engineers1 civil and military1 employ photography largely in their plans and studies4 ,art1 also1 has recourse to photography1 and is the only one of the liberal professions that is half ashamed to admit the aid it gains from the camera4 ,if art admits it at all1 it is done grudgingly1 apologetically1 and thanklessly4 ,but there it is the old1 old story of family quarrels and family jealousies4 ,old art might be likened to an old aunt that has grown withered and wrinkled1 and peevish with disappointment1 who1 in spite of all her long-studied rules and principles of light and shade1 harmony of colour1 painting1 glazing1 and scumbling1 has failed to win the first prize--that prize which a woman's ambition pants after from the moment she enters her teens until her dream is realized--that living model1 moulded after ,god's own image1 which1 not having won in her mature age1 she becomes jealous of the growing graces1 the fresh and rollicking charms1 the unstudied and ingenuous truthfulness of form exhibited by her niece4 ,old ,art the aunt1 ,photography the niece4 ,readers1 draw the moral for yourselves4 ,i have digressed1 but could not help it4 ,photography is so young and lovely1 so bewitchingly beautiful in all her moods1 so fascinating and enslaving--and she has enslaved thousands since she first sprung from the source that gives her life4 ,but to return to my theme4 ,the practice of photography1 like the aspects of the country and condition of the people1 was changed4 ,old things had passed away1 and all things had become new4 ,the shining silver plates1 buffing wheels1 coating boxes1 mercury pans1 c41 of the old dispensation had given place to the baths1 nitrate of silver solutions1 and iron developers of the new4 ,ambrotypes1 or glass positives1 and photographs on paper1 had taken the place of the now antiquated ,daguerreotype4 ,mammoth photographs were the ambition of all photographers4 ,the first full-length life-sized photograph ,i ever saw was in ,washington1 and was the work of ,mr4 ,gardner1 the manager of ,mr4 ,brady's gallery4 ,but a more republican idea of photography1 which1 strange to say1 originated in an empire not remarkable for freedom of thought1 soon became the dominant power4 ,cartes-de-visite1 the many1 ruled over mammoth1 the few4 ,the price of mammoth photographs was beyond the reach of millions1 but the prices of cartes-de-visite were within the grasp of all2 and that1 combined with their convenient size and prettiness of form1 made them at once popular1 and created a mania4 ,the carte-de-visite form of picture became the rage in ,america about the time the civil war commenced1 and as the young soldiers were proud of their new uniforms1 and those who had been in action were prouder still of their stains and scars1 the photographers did a good business among them1 both in the city and in the camp4 ,i saw a little of this camp work and camp life myself1 and some of the havoc of war as well4 ,photographers are adventurous1 and frequently getting into odd kinds of positions1 as well as their sitters4 ,it was my destiny1 under the guidance of the ,great ,source of ,light1 to witness the results of the first great conflict between the opposing armies of the ,federals and ,confederates2 to hear the thunder of their artillery1 and see the clouds of smoke hovering over the battle field1 without being in the battle itself4 ,to see the rout and panic of the ,northern troops1 who had so recently marched proudly on to fancied victory2 to witness the disgraceful and disastrous stampede of the ,northern army from the field of ,bull ,run2 to listen to the agonized groans of the severely wounded as they were hurried past to the temporary hospitals in ,washington and ,georgetown2 to be an eye-witness to the demoralized condition of men who1 naturally brave1 were under the influence of a panic caused by the vague apprehension of a danger that did not exist2 to hear the citizens exclaim1 ,what shall we do8 and ,for ,god's sake don't tell your people at home what you have seen6 and comparing the reverse of their national arms to a regular ,waterloo defeat1 which was anything but a happy simile4 ,to see the panic-stricken men themselves1 when they discovered their error1 and began to realize their shame1 weeping like women at the folly they had committed4 ,but they atoned for all this1 afterwards1 by deeds of glorious valour which were never surpassed1 and which ended in restoring their country to peace and reunion4 ,the #bast of ,july1 #ahfa1 was a ,sunday1 and as calm and beautiful a day as could be wished for4 ,from its associations it ought to have been a day of rest and peace to all2 but it was not4 ,there was terrible slaughter among men that ,sunday in ,virginia4 ,during the morning1 ,i took advantage of an opportunity offered me to go down to ,alexandria1 in ,virginia1 about five or six miles below ,washington1 which was then occupied by a portion of the ,federal ,army4 ,everything in the place had the appearance of war4 ,there were more soldiers than civilians about4 ,hotels were turned into barracks and military storehouses4 ,the hotel where ,colonel ,ellsworth1 of the ,new ,york ,fire ,zouaves1 was shot by the proprietor for hauling down the ,confederate flag--which the latter had hoisted over his house--had been taken possession of by the military authorities1 and the whole place was under martial law4 ,it was there ,i first heard rumours of a battle being fought in the neighbourhood of ,manassas ,junction4 ,these rumours were soon confirmed by the roar of cannon in the distance1 and the hurrying of fresh troops from ,washington to the field of battle4 ,but they were not needed4 ,before they could reach the field the stampede had commenced1 and the retreating hosts came like a rushing tide upon the advancing few1 and carried them back1 absorbed in the unshapen mass of confusion4 ,the night came1 and little was known by the inhabitants of ,washington of the rout and rush of terrified men towards the city2 but the next morning revealed the fact4 ,wet and wretched was the morning after the battle4 ,the heavens seemed to weep over the disgrace as the men poured into the city1 singly and in groups1 unofficered1 and without their firearms1 which many had lost1 or thrown away in their flight4 ,the citizens gathered round them1 anxious to learn all about the defeat1 and the whereabouts of the ,confederate army1 and invited them into their houses to take refreshment and rest4 ,several instances of this impromptu hospitality and sympathy ,i witnessed myself2 and many of the weary and wounded soldiers ,i talked to4 ,they that were only slightly wounded in the hands and arms had their wounds washed and dressed by the wives and daughters of many of the residents4 ,the hotels were crowded1 and the bars were besieged by the drenched and fatigued soldiers1 whom the curious and sympathizing citizens invited to liquor4 ,the men all told wonderful stories of the fight and of their own escape1 but none could tell satisfactorily what had created the panic4 ,some said that a few teamsters took the alarm1 and1 riding to the rear in hot haste1 conveyed the impression that an exterminating pursuit by the ,confederates had commenced4 ,in a day or two the majority of the men were mustered together again1 and occupied their old camping grounds1 where ,i visited them1 and heard many of their stories1 and got some of the relics of the battle field4 ,fresh troops were raised1 and placed under the command of another general4 ,but it was long before another onward march to ,richmond was attempted4 ,the ,north had learned something of the strength and prowess of the ,south1 and began to prepare for a longer and fiercer struggle with ,secession4 ,such are the two pictures of the ,potomac which ,i have endeavoured to reproduce1 and which fell under my observation during my professional peregrinations in connection with the practice of photography4 ,,rambles ,,among ,,the ,,studios ,,of ,,america4 ,boston4 ,my impressions of ,america1 from a photographic point of observation1 were taken at two distinct periods--which ,i might call the two epochs of photographic history--the dry and the wet2 the first being the ,daguerreotype1 and the second what may be termed the present era of photography1 which includes the processes now known and practised4 ,i take ,boston as my starting point for several reasons4 ,first1 because it was the first ,american city ,i visited2 secondly1 it was in ,boston that the change first came over photography which wrought such a revolution in the art all over the ,united ,states2 thirdly and severally1 in ,boston ,i noticed many things in connection with photography which differed widely from what ,i had known and practised in ,england4 ,visiting the gallery of ,mr4 ,whipple1 then in ,washington ,street1 the busiest thoroughfare in ,boston1 ,i was struck with the very large collection of ,daguerreotype portraits there exhibited1 but particularly with a large display of ,daguerreotypes of the moon in various aspects4 ,i had heard of ,mr4 ,whipple's success in ,daguerreotyping the moon before ,i left ,europe1 but had no idea that so much had been achieved in lunar photography at that early date until ,i saw ,mr4 ,whipple's case of photographs of the moon in many phases4 ,those ,daguerreotypes were remarkable for their sharpness and delicacy1 and the many trying conditions under which they were taken4 ,they were all obtained at ,cambridge ,college under the superintendance of ,professor ,bond1 but in what manner ,i had better allow ,mr4 ,whipple to speak for himself1 by making an extract from a letter of his1 published in ,the ,photographic ,art ,journal of ,america1 ,july1 #ahec4 ,mr4 ,whipple says3 ,my first attempt at ,daguerreotyping the moon was with a reflecting telescope2 the mirror was five feet focus1 and seven inches diameter4 ,by putting the prepared plate directly in the focus of the reflector1 and giving it an exposure of from three to five seconds1 ,i obtained quite distinct impressions2 but owing to the smallness of the image1 which was only about five-eighths of an inch in diameter1 and the want of clockwork to regulate the motion of the telescope1 the results were very far from satisfactory4 ,having obtained permission of ,professor ,bond to use the large ,cambridge reflector for that purpose1 ,i renewed my experiments with high hopes of success1 but soon found it no easy matter to obtain a clear1 well-defined1 beautiful ,daguerreotype of the moon4 ,nothing could be more interesting than its appearance through that magnificent instrument3 but to transfer it to the silver plate1 to make something tangible of it1 was quite a different thing4 ,the governor1 that regulates the motion of the telescope1 although sufficiently accurate for observing purposes1 was entirely unsuitable for ,daguerreotyping2 as when the plate is exposed to the moon's image1 if the instrument does not follow exactly to counteract the earth's motion1 even to the nicety of a hair's breadth1 the beauty of the impression is much injured1 or entirely spoiled4 ,the governor had a tendency to move the instrument a little too fast1 then to fall slightly behind4 ,by closely noticing its motion1 and by exposing my plates those few seconds that it exactly followed between the accelerated and retarded motion1 ,i might obtain one or two perfect proofs in the trial of a dozen plates1 other things being right4 ,but a more serious obstacle to my success was the usual state of the atmosphere in the locality--the sea breeze1 the hot and cold air commingling1 although its effects were not visible to the eye2 but when the moon was viewed through the telescope it had the same appearance as objects when seen through the heated air from a chimney1 in a constant tremor1 precluding the possibility of successful ,daguerreotyping4 ,this state of the atmosphere often continued week after week in a greater or less degree1 so that an evening of perfect quiet was hailed with the greatest delight4 ,after oft-repeated failures1 ,i finally obtained the ,daguerreotype from which the crystallotypes ,i send for your journal were copies2 it was taken in ,march1 #ahea4 ,the object glass only of the telescope was used4 ,it is fifteen inches in diameter1 and about twenty-three feet focal length2 the image it gives of the moon varies but little from three inches1 and the prepared plate had an exposure of thirteen seconds4 ,copies of several of these crystallotypes of the moon ,i afterwards obtained and exhibited at the ,photographic ,exhibition in connection with the ,british ,association which met in ,glasgow in #ahee4 ,the crystallotypes were simply enlarged photographs1 about eight or nine inches in diameter1 and conveyed to the mind an excellent idea of the moon's surface4 ,the orange-like form and the principal craters were distinctly marked4 ,indeed1 so much were they admired as portraits of the moon1 that one of the savans bought the set at the close of the exhibition4 ,mr4 ,whipple is still a successful practitioner of our delightful art in the ,athens of the ,western ,world1 and has reaped the reward of his continuity and devotion to his favourite art4 ,the late decision of the ,american law courts on the validity of ,mr4 ,cutting's patent for the use of bromides in collodion must have laid ,mr4 ,whipple under serious liabilities1 for he used bromo-iodized negative collodion for iron development as far back as #ahec4 ,there were many other professional photographers in the chief city of ,massachusetts2 but ,i have described the characteristics of the principal and oldest concerns4 ,doubtless there are many new ones since ,i visited the city where ,benjamin ,franklin served his apprenticeship as a printer2 where the colonists in #aggc1 rather than pay the obnoxious tea tax1 pitched all the tea out of the ships into the waters of ,boston ,bay1 and commenced that long struggle against oppression and unjust taxation which eventually ended in severing the ,north ,american ,colonies from the mother country4 ,with the knowledge of all this1 it is the more surprising that they should now so quietly submit to what must be an obnoxious and troublesome system of taxation2 for1 not only have photographers to pay an annual licence of about two guineas for carrying on their trade1 but also to affix a government stamp on each picture sent out1 which is a further tax of about one penny on each4 ,surely the patience of our brother photographers on the other side of the ,atlantic must be sorely tried1 what with the troubles of their business1 the whims and eccentricities of their sitters1 ,mr4 ,cutting's unkind cut1 and the prowling visitations of the tax-collector4 ,new ,york4 ,what a wonderful place ,new ,york is for photographic galleries6 ,their number is legion1 and their size is mammoth4 ,everything is mammoth4 ,their saloons are mammoth4 ,their skylights are mammoth4 ,their tubes1 or lenses1 are mammoth4 ,their boxes1 or cameras1 are mammoth2 and mammoth is the amount of business that is done in some of those galleries4 ,the stores of the dealers in photographic stock are mammoth2 and the most mammoth of all is the store of ,messrs4 ,e4 ,h4 ,t4 ,anthony1 on ,broadway4 ,this establishment is one of the many palaces of commerce on that splendid thoroughfare4 ,the building is of iron1 tall and graceful1 of the ,corinthian order1 with ,corinthian pilasters1 pillars1 and capitals4 ,it is five storeys high1 with a frontage of about thirty feet1 and a depth of two hundred feet1 running right through the block from ,broadway to the next street on the west side of it4 ,this is the largest store of the kind in ,new ,york2 ,i think ,i may safely say1 in either of the two continents1 east or west1 containing a stock of all sorts of photographic goods1 from sixpenny slides to mammoth tubes1 varying in aggregate value from one hundred and fifty thousand to two hundred thousand dollars4 ,the heads of the firm are most enterprising1 one taking the direction of the commercial department1 and the other the scientific and experimental4 ,nearly all novelties in apparatus and photographic requisites pass through this house into the hands of our ,american confreres of the camera1 and not unfrequently find their way to the realms of ,queen ,victoria on both sides of the ,atlantic4 ,when the carte-de-visite pictures were introduced1 the oldest and largest houses held aloof from them1 and only reluctantly1 and under pressure1 took hold of them at last4 ,why1 it is difficult to say1 unless their very small size was too violent a contrast to the mammoth pictures they were accustomed to handle4 ,messrs4 ,rockwood and ,co41 of ,broadway1 were the first to make a great feature of the carte-de-visite in ,new ,york4 ,they also introduced the ,funnygraph1 but the latter had a very short life4 ,in the ,daguerreotype days there was a portrait factory on ,broadway1 where likenesses were turned out as fast as coining1 for the small charge of twenty-five cents a head4 ,the arrangements for such rapid work were very complete4 ,i had a dollar's worth of these factory portraits4 ,at the desk ,i paid my money1 and received four tickets1 which entitled me to as many sittings when my turn came4 ,i was shown into a waiting room crowded with people4 ,the customers were seated on forms placed round the room1 sidling their way to the entrance of the operating room1 and answering the cry of the next in much the same manner that people do at our public baths4 ,i being the next1 at last went into the operating room1 where ,i found the operator stationed at the camera1 which he never left all day long1 except occasionally to adjust a stupid sitter4 ,he told the next to ,sit down and ,look thar1 focussed1 and1 putting his hand into a hole in the wall which communicated with the coating room1 he found a dark slide ready filled with a sensitised plate1 and putting it into the camera1 exposed1 and saying ,that will dew1 took the dark slide out of the camera1 and shoved it through another hole in the wall communicating with the mercury or developing room4 ,this was repeated as many times as ,i wanted sittings1 which he knew by the number of tickets ,i had given to a boy in the room1 whose duty it was to look out for the next1 and collect the tickets4 ,the operator had nothing to do with the preparation of the plates1 developing1 fixing1 or finishing of the picture4 ,he was responsible only for the pose and time1 the developer1 checking and correcting the latter occasionally by crying out ,short or ,long as the case might be4 ,having had my number of sittings1 ,i was requested to leave the operating room by another door which opened into a passage that led me to the delivery desk1 where1 in a few minutes1 ,i got all my four portraits fitted up in matt1 glass1 and preserver1--the pictures having been passed from the developing room to the gilding room1 thence to the fitting room and the delivery desk1 where ,i received them4 ,thus they were all finished and carried away without the camera operator ever having seen them4 ,three of the four portraits were as fine ,daguerreotypes as could be produced anywhere4 ,ambrotypes1 or ,daguerreotypes on glass as some called them1 were afterwards produced in much the same manufacturing manner4 ,there were many other galleries on ,broadway3 ,canal ,street2 the ,bowery2 the ,avenues1 #a1 #b1 and #c2 ,a1 ,b1 and ,c1 ,water ,street2 ,hudson ,street1 by the shipping1 c41 the proprietors of which conducted their business in the style most suited to their location and the class of customers they had to deal with2 but in no case was there any attempt at that old clothesman--that ,petticoat ,lane--style of touting and dragging customers in by the collar4 ,all sorts of legitimate modes of advertising were resorted to--flags flying out of windows and from the roofs of houses2 handsome show cases at the doors2 glowing advertisements in the newspapers1 in prose and verse2 circulars freely distributed among the hotels1 c42 but none of that have your picture taken1 annoying1 and disreputable style adopted by the cheap and common establishments in ,london4 ,unhappily1 ,sunday trading is practised more extensively in ,new ,york than in ,london4 ,nearly all but the most respectable galleries are open on ,sundays1 and evidently do a thriving trade4 ,the authorities endeavoured to stop it frequently1 by summoning parties and inflicting fines1 but it was no use4 ,the fines were paid1 and ,sunday photography continued4 ,the glass houses of ,america differ entirely from what we understand by the name here2 indeed1 ,i never saw such a thing there1 either by chance1 accident1 or design--for chance has no glass houses in ,america1 only an agency2 there are no accidental glass houses1 and the operating rooms built by design are not glass houses at all4 ,the majority of the houses in ,new ,york and other ,american cities are built with nearly flat roofs1 and many of them with lessening storeys from front to back1 resembling a flight of two or three steps4 ,in one of these roofs1 according to circumstances1 a large skylight is fixed1 and pitched usually at an angle of #de deg41 and the rooms1 as a rule1 are large enough to allow the sitter to be placed anywhere within the radius of the light1 so that any effect or any view of the face can easily be obtained4 ,the light is not any more actinic there than here in good weather1 but they have a very great deal more light of a good quality all the year round than we have4 ,the operators work generally with a highly bromized collodion1 which1 as a rule1 they make themselves1 but not throughout4 ,they buy the gun-cotton of some good maker--,mr4 ,tomlinson1 agent for ,mr4 ,cutting1 generally supplied the best--then dissolve1 iodize1 and bromize to suit their working4 ,pyrogallic acid as an intensifier is very little used by the ,american operators1 so little that it is not kept in stock by the dealers4 ,requiring some once1 ,i had quite a hunt for it1 but found some at last1 stowed away as ,not ,wanted1 in ,messrs4 ,anthony's store4 ,the general intensifier is what they laconically call sulph41 which is sulphuret of potassium in a very dilute solution1 either flowed over the plate1 or the plate is immersed in a dipping bath1 after fixing1 which is by far the pleasantest way to employ the sulph4 solution4 ,throwing it about as some of them do is anything but agreeable4 ,in such cases1 sulph4 was the first thing that saluted my olfactories on putting my head inside one of their dark rooms4 ,up to #ahfj the ,american photographic prints were all on plain paper1 and obtained by the ammonia nitrate of silver bath1 and toned and fixed with the hyposulphite of soda and gold4 ,the introduction of the cartes-de-visite forced the operators to make use of albumenized paper2 but even then they seemed determined to adhere to the ammonia process if possible1 for they commenced all sorts of experiments with that volatile accelerator1 both wet and dry1 some by adding ammonia and ether to an #hj-;grain silver bath1 others by fuming1 and toning with an acetate and gold bath1 and fixing with hypo afterwards4 ,with the following musings on wrappers 7not spirit wrappers1 nor railway wrappers1 but carte-de-visite wrappers71 ,i shall conclude my rambles among the galleries of ,new ,york4 ,wrappers generally afford an excellent opportunity for ornamental display4 ,many of the wrappers of our magazines are elegantly and artistically ornamented4 ,nearly every pack of playing cards is done up in a beautiful wrapper4 ,the ,french have given their attention to the subject of carte-de-visite wrappers1 and turned out a few unique patterns1 which1 however1 never came much into use in this country4 ,the ,americans1 more alive to fanciful and tasteful objects of ornamentation1 and close imitators of the ,french in these matters1 have made more use of carte-de-visite wrappers than we have4 ,many wrappers of an artistic and literary character are used by the photographers in ,america--some with ornamental designs2 some with the address of the houses tastefully executed2 others with poetical effusions1 in which the cartes-de-visite are neatly wrapped up1 and handed over to the sitter4 ,surely a useful suggestion is here given1 for wrappers are useful things in their way1 and1 if made up tastefully1 would attract attention to the photographic establishments that issue them4 ,photography is so closely allied to art that it is desirable to have everything in connection with it of an elegant and artistic description4 ,the plain paper envelopes--gummed up at the ends1 and difficult to get open again--are very inartistic1 and anything but suitable to envelop such pretty little pictures as cartes-de-visite4 ,let photography encourage art and art manufactures1 and art will enter into a treaty of reciprocity for their mutual advancement4--,photographic ,news1 #ahfe4 ,,to ,,dublin ,,and ,,back1 ,,with ,a ,,glance ,,at ,,the ,,exhibition4 ,the bell rings2 a shrill shriek2 puff1 puff goes the engine1 and we dart away from the station at ,euston ,square1 provided with a return ticket to ,dublin1 issued by the ,london and ,north ,western ,railway1 available for one month1 for the very reasonable charge of ,l#c1 first-class and cabin2 ,l#b #gs4 #f;d4 second class and cabin2 or forty shillings third class and steerage1 via ,holyhead4 ,these charges include steamboat fare and steward's fee4 ,the ,exhibition ,committee have made arrangements with the railway companies to run excursion trains once a fortnight at still lower rates2 twenty-one shillings from ,london to ,dublin and back1 and from other places in proportion4 ,this ticket will be good for a fortnight1 and will entitle the holder to another ticket1 giving him two admissions to the ,exhibition for one shilling4 ,with the ordinary monthly ticket1 which is issued daily1 it is quite optional whether you go by the morning or evening train2 but by all means take the morning train1 so that you may pass through ,north ,wales and the ,island of ,anglesea in daylight4 ,passing through ,england by ,rugby1 ,stafford1 ,crewe1 and ,chester1 nothing remarkable occurs during our rapid run through that part of the country4 ,but an ,irish ,gentleman1 a fellow traveller1 learning our destination1 kindly volunteered to enlighten us how we could best see ,dublin and its lions in the shortest possible time1 and advised us by all manes not to lave ,dublin without seeing ,faynix ,park1 and taking a car drive to ,howth and other places round the ,bee of ,dublin4 ,accordingly we agreed to take his advice2 but as our primary object in visiting ,dublin is to see the ,exhibition1 we will first attend to that on our arrival in the ,irish capital2 and if1 after that1 time will permit1 the extraneous lions will receive our attention4 ,first of all1 we must describe how we got there1 what we saw on the way1 and what were our impressions on entering ,dublin ,bay4 ,as we said before1 nothing particular occurred during our journey through ,england to excite our attention or curiosity2 but on passing into ,wales--,flintshire--our attention is at once arrested by the difference of the scenery through which we pass4 ,soon after leaving ,chester1 we get a sight of the river ,dee on our right1 and continue to run down by its side past ,flint1 ,bagillt1 ,holywell1 and ,mostyn1 then we take a bend to the left and skirt a part of the ,irish ,channel past ,rhyl1 ,abergele1 and ,colwyn to ,conway1 with its extensive ruins of a once vast and noble castle1 through1 under1 and about the ruins of which the double lines of iron rails twist and twine and sinuously encoil themselves like a boa constrictor of civilization and demolisher of wrecks1 ruins1 and vestiges of the feudal ages and semi-barbarism4 ,our iron charger dashes up to the very walls of the ancient stronghold1 close past the base of a tower1 and right under the hanging ruins of another1 which is in truth a baseless fabric1 but no vision1 for there it is suspended in mid air1 a fabric without a base1 holding on to its surroundings by the cohesive power of their early attachments4 ,we rush into the very bowels of the keep itself1 snorting and puffing defiance to the memoried sternness of the grim warriors who once held the place against all intruders4 ,anyone who has not had an opportunity before of visiting ,north ,wales should keep a sharp look-out right and left1 and they will get a peep at most of the principal places on the route3 the ,welsh mountains on the left1 their summits illuminated by the sun sinking towards the west1 and the mass of them thrown into shadow in fine contrast4 ,now we are at ,penmaenmawr1 that pretty little watering place1 with its neat-looking houses snugly nestling in the laps of the hills1 and we pass along so close to the sea1 we can feel the spray from the waves as they break on the shore4 ,passing ,llanfairfechan and ,aber we are at ,bangor1 and almost immediately afterwards make a dive into the long1 dark chamber of the ,tubular ,bridge1 with a shriek and rumbling rattle that is almost startling4 ,in a few seconds we are out into the daylight again1 and get a view of the ,straits of ,menai2 and on the right-hand side1 looking back1 get an excellent sight of the ,tubular ,bridge4 ,at the moment of our passing1 a ship in full sail was running before the wind through the ,straits1 which added considerably to the picturesque beauty of the scene4 ,on the left a fine view of the ,suspension ,bridge is obtained4 ,we are soon past ,llanfair1 and across that bleak and desolate part of the island of ,anglesea between the ,menai ,straits and the ,valley4 ,arriving at ,holyhead1 we go on board the steamer which is to carry us across the ,channel to ,dublin4 ,the boat not starting immediately1 but giving us a little time to look around1 we go on shore again1 and saunter up and down the narrow hilly streets of ,holyhead1 listening in vain for the sound of a word spoken in our mother tongue4 ,not a word could we hear1 not a word of ,english could we get without asking for it4 ,the most of the people can speak ,english with a foreign-like accent1 but you seldom hear it unless you address them in ,english4 ,even the urchins in the streets carry on their games and play in the ,welsh and unintelligible sounds resembling language4 ,we also had time to examine the stupendous breakwater which the ,government is building at ,holyhead to form a harbour of refuge4 ,the wall is a mile and three-quarters in length1 and of immense thickness1 in the form of three terraces1 the highest towards the sea4 ,at one place we noticed that the solid slatey rocks were hewn and dressed into shape1 and thus formed part of the wall itself1 a mixture of ,nature's handiwork and the work of man4 ,time to go on board again1 and as the wind was blowing rather strong1 we expected to have a rough voyage of it2 and sure enough we had1 for we were scarcely clear of the sheltering kindliness of the sea wall and the north stack till our vessel began to pitch and toss1 and roll and creak1 and groan in agony2 and so highly sympathetic were we that we did the same1 and could not help it1 do what we could4 ,strong tea1 brandy and water1 were all no use4 ,down we went1 like prostrate sinners as we were1 on our knees1 with clasped hands1 praying for the winds and the waves to be still2 but they did not heed our prayer in the least1 and kept up their inhumane howling1 dancing1 and jumbling until1 by the time we reached the middle of the ,channel1 we began to think that the captain had lost his course1 and that we were somewhere between ,holyhead and purgatory1 if not in purgatory itself1 being purged of our sins1 and becoming internally pure and externally foul4 ,but we discovered that we1 and not the captain1 had lost the course and the even tenour of our way1 for we fancied--perhaps it was only fancy--that we could hear him humming snatches of old song1 among them ,oh6 steer my bark to ,erin's ,isle6 and soon the mountains of ,wicklow are in sight4 ,as we near1 and get under the lee of the land--for it was a stiff sou'-wester that bothered us--our sensations and feelings begin to improve1 and we pick ourselves up out of the mire1 and turn our eyes eagerly and hopefully towards the ,emerald ,isle1 and ,dublin ,bay more particularly4 ,as we approach the ,bay1 the ,carlingford ,hills can be seen on the right1 and a little more southwards ,lambay and ,ireland's ,eye4 ,the latter island is rugged and precipitous1 seaward1 in the extreme--a barren and desolate-looking spot1 possessing an unenviable notoriety on account of the murder of a lady by her husband having been committed there a few years ago3 ,howth1 the light-house1 and the ,bailey ,rock1 where the ,queen ,victoria steamer was wrecked1 now attract our attention4 ,and1 as nearly as we can remember1 these are the most striking features on the north side of the ,bay4 ,on the south the ,harbour of ,kingstown is distinctly visible1 and we saw the mail steamer which crosses from ,holyhead to ,kingstown1 a distance of sixty miles1 in three and a half hours1 blowing off her steam4 ,by paying a little extra you can cross in the mail steamers1 if you wish1 but it is not worth while paying the difference1 as the ordinary steamers cross from ,holyhead to ,dublin in about five and a half hours4 ,all round the south side of the ,bay we could trace the ,kingstown and ,dublin railway1 which is the oldest line but one in the ,united ,queendoms of ,great ,britain and ,ireland4 ,an obelisk commemorates the visit of the last of the four ,georges to ,ireland in #ahba4 ,right over ,kingstown the ,killinny ,hills are to be seen1 and all along the water-line the ,bay is studded with pretty little villas1 and the scene is truly beautiful4 ,if possible1 arrange your entrance into the ,bay of ,dublin in the early morning1 for then the sun1 rising in the east1 lights up the subjects to the very best advantage1 and throws a charm about them which they do not exhibit at any other time of the day4 ,by waiting at ,holyhead for the early morning boat you can easily manage this4 ,but now we are at the ,north ,wall1 and on landing are besieged by ,carmen to have a rowl1 and jumping on to one of those light1 odd-looking1 jaunting cars which are one of the institutions of the country1 we are rowled up the ,north ,wall for nearly a mile1 past the ,docks1 over the drawbridges1 and past the ,custom ,house--a large stone building1 too large for the business of the port--along ,carlisle ,bridge1 down ,westmoreland ,street1 past the ,bank of ,ireland--once the ,houses of ,parliament--and up ,dame ,street1 leaving the ,college on our left1 and passing ,king ,william's statue1 representing a mounted ,roman with gilded laurels and ornamental toga1 we arrive at ,jury's ,hotel1 a commercial and family house of superior arrangements which was well recommended to us before we left ,london2 and here we rest4 ,after breakfast1 and having made ourselves internally and externally comfortable1 we start for the ,exhibition1 which is within easy walking distance of the hotel2 but the car fares are so very moderate that we prefer a rowl4 ,the fare is sixpence a set down2 that is1 you may ride from one end of the city to the other for sixpence1 but if you get off to post a letter1 or buy an umbrella to keep the rain off--for the cars have no covering--that is a set down2 and so every time you get down and get up again you have sixpence to pay1 no matter how short the distance you are taken each time4 ,so we hailed a car at the door of the hotel1 determined to be rowled to the ,exhibition for sixpence each4 ,we go down ,dame ,street1 across ,college ,green1 up ,grafton ,street1 along the west and south sides of ,st4 ,stephen's ,green or ,square to ,earlsfort ,terrace and the principal entrance to the ,dublin ,exhibition1 which occupies the site of what was formerly ,coburg ,gardens4 ,arriving at the entrance-hall1 we pay our admission fee1 and on passing the registering turnstiles we are at once in the sculpture hall on the ground floor1 the contents of which we shall notice more particularly by-and-by4 ,passing through the ,sculpture ,hall we are within the western transept1 or winter garden portion of the ,exhibition4 ,this transept is #ejj feet long and of lofty proportions1 with galleries on each side1 and tastefully hung with the banners and flags of the nations exhibiting4 ,the northern court is about #cjj feet long1 also of iron and glass1 with galleries running round both sides similar to the western transept4 ,the ground floor and part of the galleries of the northern court are devoted to the productions of the ,united ,kingdom4 ,on the north side of the northern court is the machinery department1 both at rest and in motion4 ,here machines of the most delicate and ponderous nature are at work4 ,there a forge-hammer daintily cracking nuts1 or coming down with a crushing force at the will of the attendant4 ,in another place a delicate curving-machine is at work2 and another can be seen making steel pens4 ,there are high pressure engines1 sewing machines1 and photographic rolling-presses4 ,indeed1 there is almost everything to be seen and everything going on that is instructive1 edifying1 and amusing4 ,the ,exhibition building is small1 but well arranged and compact1 and partakes of the character of an art and industrial exhibition and place of amusement and recreation1 like our ,crystal ,palace at ,sydenham1 with ornamental gardens and archery grounds attached4 ,the gardens are small--a little larger than the area of the building itself--but most tastefully laid out4 ,and there are fountains and grottoes1 and rockeries and cascades1 with flowers growing about them1 which give the whole place a pleasant1 healthy1 and delightful appearance4 ,stepping out of the western transept into the gardens1 we found the band of the #ghth ,highlanders playing in the centre1 and their pipers walking about the grounds ready to take up the strains of music in another key1 for presently we saw them marching about1 playing ,hielan' ,skirls1 and sounding the loud pibroch1 with a five-bag power that was more stunning than the nocturnal wailings of a dozen or two ,kilkenny cats4 ,the directors furnish music and offer other inducements to secure a good attendance1 and their efforts ought to be successful1 and it is to be hoped they will be so4 ,on the first day of our visit there was a grand archery meeting1 and the turn-out of ,dublin belles was double in numbers4 ,there was a large attendance of bowmen1 too1 and belles and beaux were banging away at the targets most unmercifully in keen contest for the prize2 whether it was a medal1 a ring1 or an heiress1 we could not learn2 but if nothing more than the privilege of entering the lists against such lovely competitors1 the bowmen ought to have been satisfied2 but we don't suppose they were1 for men are both ambitious and avaricious1 and probably some of them hoped to win a prize medal1 kill a beauty1 and catch an heiress all at once1 with one swift arrow sent whizzing and quivering into the very heart and gilded centre of the gaily-painted target4 ,perched up on the top of the cascades we noticed a double sliding-front stereoscopic camera1 and doubtless ,mr4 ,york was busy photographing the scene we have been describing--impressions of which the ,london ,stereoscopic ,company will probably issue ere long4 ,we must1 however1 leave this gay scene and turn our attention to other things1 certainly not more attractive2 but duty calls us away from beauty1 and we must submit4 ,re-entering the ,exhibition building1 we seek the photographic department1 which we readily find on the ground floor1 between the music hall and the first-class refreshment-room4 ,entering from the ,belgian department in the western transept1 we find three rooms in the main building devoted to the exhibition of photographs1 and a lobby between the rooms pretty well filled with apparatus4 ,to ,sir ,j4 ,jocelyn ,coghill are photographers indebted for obtaining so much space for their works1 and in such a get-at-able situation2 but it is a pity the rooms are not better lighted4 ,many of the pictures on the screens are very indistinctly seen1 and some are in dark corners scarcely to be seen at all4 ,the foreign department1 which is the first room we enter1 is mainly made up of reproductions of old and modern engravings1 and copies of drawings and paintings4 ,one very remarkable photograph on the wall of this room is an immense magnification of a flea1 by ,a4 ,duvette4 ,what a subject for the camera6--one that suggests in sporting phraseology something more than the find1 the chase1 and the death4 ,a panoramic view of ,rome1 by ,m4 ,petagna1 is a great achievement in panoramic photography4 ,there are seven impressions from #ae by #ab plates1 all carefully joined1 and of equal tone4 ,the point of view is ,tasso's ,oak1 and the panorama gives us an excellent idea of ,rome at the present day4 ,the ,british part of the ,photographic ,exhibition in ,dublin might be very properly denominated an enlargement of the ,society's exhibition now open in ,conduit ,street1 ,london4 ,nearly all the principal exhibitors there have sent duplicates of their chief works to the ,dublin ,exhibition4 ,there is ,robinson's beautiful picture of ,brenda1 his ,may ,gatherers1 ,sunshine1 ,autumn1 ,somebody ,coming1 ,bringing home the ,may1 c41 all old and familiar pictures1 every one of which we have seen before4 ,robinson himself in his study--a beautiful piece of photography1 even to his black velvet coat4 ,blanchard also repeats his ,zealot1 and other subjects1 and sends a frame full of his exquisite stereographs4 ,england also sends some of his charming stereoscopic pictures of ,switzerland and ,savoy4 ,bedford's contribution is much the same as his pictures in the ,london exhibition4 ,among them are his lovely ,warwickshire pictures4 ,wet-plate photography is well represented1 both in landscape1 portraiture1 and composition4 ,among the latter1 ,rejlander is most prominent4 ,one frame containing some pictures showing the expression of the hands1 illustrates ,rejlander's artistic knowledge and ability more than many of his other pictures4 ,none but a thoughtful and accomplished artist could have disposed of those members in such a skilful manner4 ,his pictures of ,grief1 ,the ,mote1 ,the ,wayfarer1 ',tis ,light within--,dark without1 and his ,home1 ,sweet ,home1 reveal exquisite feeling in his treatment of such subjects4 ,thurston ,thompson also exhibits some of his fine reproductions of ,turner4 ,there is ,crossing the ,brook1 and ,childe ,harold's ,pilgrimage2 but a much larger collection of these beautiful copies of ,turner's pictures are now on view at ,marion's1 in ,soho ,square4 ,dry plate photography is exemplified in all its phases1 from the oldest form of albumen alone1 to the latest modifications with collodion1 collodio-albumen1 ,fothergill1 tannin1 malt1 c4 ,the most prominent and largest contributor to this department is ,mr4 ,mudd4 ,in addition to the duplicates in the ,london ,exhibition1 he sends a few others1 the most remarkable of which is a large view of ,borrowdale1 a noble picture1 exquisitely treated1 showing masses of light and shade and pleasing composition which stamp it at once as a work of art4 ,mr4 ,g4 ,s4 ,penny exhibits some very fine examples of the tannin and malt process4 ,they are soft and delicate1 and possess sufficient force to give powerful contrasts when necessary4 ,mr4 ,bull's tannin and malt pictures are also very good2 his ,menai ,bridge particularly so4 ,the amateur photographers1 both wet and dry1 make a good show4 ,and among the ,irish followers of our delightful art are ,sir ,j4 ,j4 ,coghill1 who exhibits twelve very pretty views of the neighbourhood of ,castletownsend4 ,dr4 ,hemphill1 of ,clonmel1 also exhibits a variety of subjects1 many of them pretty compositions and excellent photography4 ,dr4 ,bailey1 of ,monaghan1 contributes both landscapes and portraits of very good quality4 ,mr4 ,t4 ,m4 ,brownrigg shows seventeen photographs all excellent examples of the wet collodion process4 ,many of them are exquisite bits of photography1 and evince an amount of thought and care in selecting the best point of view1 arranging the lines of the subject1 and catching the best effect of light so as to make them pictures1 which is seldom attended to by professional photographers4 ,amongst the ,irish professional photographers in landscape work1 ,mr4 ,f4 ,mares1 of ,dublin1 stands pre-eminent4 ,his pictures of ,killarney1 and views in the county of ,wicklow1 are very beautiful1 and give evidence of a cultivated eye and artistic taste in the selection of his subjects and points of view4 ,there are other excellent views and architectural subjects by ,irish photographers2 but we are sorry to observe some that really ought not to have been admitted4 ,they are not even average photography1 being utterly destitute of manipulative skill1 and as deficient in art-excellence as they can well be4 ,one branch of landscape1 or1 we should say1 marine photography1 is without competition4 ,we refer to those exquisite and charming transparencies by ,mr4 ,c4 ,s4 ,breese4 ,his moonlight effect is wonderfully managed2 the water looks alive1 and the moonlight is dancing on the waves just as we have seen it far away upon the sea4 ,his ,breaking ,wave is marvellous1 coming to shore with its cavernous curl2 we almost fancy we hear its angry howl as it dashes itself into foam on the beach4 ,we have seen such a wave sweep the deck of a ship before now1 and know well with what a ponderous weight and velocity it comes2 and we wonder the more at ,mr4 ,breese's success in catching the wave in such a position4 ,we cannot1 however1 speak so highly of the ,sunlight effects by the same artist4 ,the transparencies as photographs are inimitable2 but there is colour introduced into the skies which ought to have been taken up by the rocks1 and so carried into the foregrounds of the pictures1 to be natural4 ,such warm skies and cold middle distances and foregrounds are too antagonistic for the harmony of nature4 ,in portraiture1 our ,irish brethren of the camera contribute somewhat liberally4 ,in that branch we noticed the works of ,messrs4 ,robertson and ,co41 ,s4 ,lawrence1 and ,g4 ,schroeder1 of ,grafton ,street2 ,millard and ,robinson1 ,nelson and ,marshall1 and ,s4 ,chancellor1 of ,sackville ,street1 ,dublin4 ,t4 ,cranfield1 ,grafton ,street1 also exhibits some photographs beautifully coloured in oil4 ,the most eminent ,english photographers also show up well4 ,we saw the well-known works of ,mayall1 ,silvy1 ,claudet1 ,maull and ,co41 and others1 eminent in plain photography4 ,messrs4 ,lock and ,whitfield exhibit a ,royal case of exquisitely coloured photographs of the ,prince and ,princess of ,wales1 and ,prince ,albert ,victor4 ,mr4 ,g4 ,wharton ,simpson also exhibits a few specimens of his beautiful collodio-chloride of silver printing process4 ,there are some lovely specimens of that process with such a frightfully ugly name1 but which1 in plain parlance1 are pictures on opal glass1 though ,mr4 ,helsby has christened them ,helioaristotypia miniatures4 ,as a set-off to this1 the next dry process that is discovered should be called ,hydrophobiatypia4 ,in amateur portraiture1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,cooper1 ,jun41 exhibits a large number of his clever life studies1 as well as those quiet and charming representations of his friends in their habits as they live4 ,solar camera enlargements are very numerously contributed4 ,mr4 ,claudet sends some good pictures enlarged by solar camera1 and developed with gallic acid4 ,mr4 ,salomon also has some very good examples of enlarging4 ,dr4 ,d4 ,van ,monckhoven is an exhibitor of the capabilities of his direct printing camera4 ,mr4 ,mayall exhibits two series of very interesting enlargements by the ,monckhoven camera1 printed direct on albumenized paper2 one is ,tennyson1 in eight different sizes1 from a one-ninth to a life-size head on a whole sheet of paper2 of the other1 ,captain ,grant1 there are seven similar pictures4 ,these photographs are all bold and vigorous and uniform in colour1 and come nearer to our idea of what an enlargement should be than anything we have yet seen4 ,of the two1 that of the ,poet-,laureate is the best2 the other is harsher1 which is in all probability due to the difference in the subjects themselves4 ,we can easily imagine that the face of ,captain ,grant1 bronzed and weather-beaten as it must be1 will present more obstacles to the obtaining of a soft negative than that of ,tennyson4 ,specimens of photo-sculpture are also to be seen at the ,dublin ,exhibition1 many of which are very pretty and life-like statuettes2 but some of the figures seem much too large in the busts1 and the plinths on which the figures of ladies stand are in very bad taste2 being diminishing beads of a circular form1 they suggest the idea of a huge crinoline just dropped4 ,nearly all the denominations of photography have their representative forms and impressions in this ,exhibition2 and the history of the art1 from the early days of the ,daguerreotype to the latest vagary of the present day1 may be traced in the collection of photographs spread before you on the walls and screens of the ,dublin ,international ,exhibition4 ,there is the ,daguerreotype1 the ,ambrotype1 and the collodiotype1 which ought to have been known as the ,archertype2 for the wet collodion process1 although it is the most important of all the discoveries in photography that have been made since the first pictures were obtained by ,wedgwood1 is without a name conferring honour on the man who first applied collodion to photography4 ,archer's name is generally associated with it1 but without taking that definite and appellative form it ought to4 ,we know that another claimant has been cutting in for the honour1 but unless that claim can be backed up by data1 we are not disposed to believe that it was anterior to #ahea--the year of the first exhibition2 at that date we know that ,mr4 ,archer took photographs on collodionized glass plates4 ,then why should we not honour ,archer as the ,french honoured ,daguerre1 and call the wet collodion process the ,archertype8 ,in printing and toning1 there are samples of nearly all the formulae that have been discovered since the days of printing on plain salted paper and fixing in hypo only4 ,there are prints on plain paper and on albumenized paper1 toned and fixed in every conceivable way4 ,there are prints on glass1 porcelain1 and ivory2 prints in carbon1 from the negative direct2 and impressions in printer's ink from plates1 blocks1 and lithographic stones1 which have had the subjects transferred to them by the aid of photography4 ,there are ,wothlytypes1 and ,simpsontypes1 and ,tooveytypes1 and all the other types that have sprung from a desire to introduce novelties into the art4 ,in graphs and the various forms and fanciful applications of photography to portraiture1 c41 there are stereographs and micrographs1 and the old-fashioned sit-on-a-chair graphs1 the stand-not-at-ease graphs1 the small carte graph1 the large carte graph1 the casket gem graph1 the magnesium graph1 the cameo graph1 the double-stupid graph1 and the latest of all novelties1 the turn-me-round graph4 ,the latter is a great curiosity1 and must have been suggested by a recollection of that scientific toy of ancient manufacture with which we used to awaken the wonder of our little brothers and sisters at ,christmas parties when we were boys1 by twirling before their astonished eyes a piece of cardboard with a bird painted on one side and a cage on the other1 both pictures being seen at the same time during the rapid revolution of the card4 ,in apparatus there is not much to talk about1 the ,pantascopic camera being the chief novelty4 ,there are several of the manufacturers exhibiting in the photographic department1 but we could not reconcile ourselves to the circumstance of ,mr4 ,dallmeyer not exhibiting in the right place4 ,his name is honoured by photographers1 and he should have honoured ,photography by going in under her colours4 ,if he must go to the scientific department1 he ought to have gone there with his scientific instruments alone1 and shown his photographic apparatus in the place assigned for that purpose4 ,true1 he makes a handsome show1 but that does not atone for his mistake4 ,photographers are queer animals--jealous of their rights1 and as sensitive to slight as their plates are to light2 and we fear we are ourselves not much better4 ,a large majority of photographers stand by ,mr4 ,dallmeyer1 and very justly believe in his #a and #b ,b's as shippers do in ,a #a's at ,lloyd's2 and his stand should have been in the photographic department4 ,in other parts of the ,exhibition building there are various subjects highly interesting to photographers4 ,the chemical department has its attractions in samples of collodio-chloride of silver1 prepared by ,messrs4 ,mawson and ,swan1 for the opal printing process and the ,simpsontype4 ,specimens of each type are also to be seen there2 and there are other chemicals used in photography1 even to dextrine and starch3 the purity of the latter is known by the size and length of its crystals4 ,in metallurgy there is also something to interest photographers4 ,messrs4 ,johnson and ,sons exhibit some very fine samples of nitrate of silver1 double and treble crystallized1 silver dippers1 chloride of gold1 nitrate of uranium1 and other scarce metals4 ,messrs4 ,johnson1 ,matthey1 and ,co4 also exhibit some fine samples of nitrate of silver and chloride of gold2 and some wonderful specimens of magnesium1 in various forms1 in wire and ribbon4 ,one coil of ribbon is #d1hjj feet long1 and weighs #dj ounces2 and there is an obelisk of magnesium about #bj inches high1 and weighing #afb ounces4 ,there are many other things in this case of great value which have a photographic bearing--amongst these a platinum boiler1 valued at ,l#a1ejj1 for the concentration and rectification of sulphuric acid2 a platinum alembic1 value ,l#cej1 for the separation and refining of gold and silver2 also an ingot of platinum1 weighing #c1bjj ounces1 and valued at ,l#c1hdj4 ,the exhibitors say that such a mass of fused platinum is never likely to be again produced4 ,the whole of the contents of ,messrs4 ,johnson1 ,matthey1 and ,co4's case of precious metals1 most of which have a direct or indirect application to photography1 are estimated at the enormous value of ,l#af1jjj6 ,mining1 too1 has its attractions for us2 and as we near the ,nova ,scotia division of the ,exhibition building the needle of our observation dips towards a bar of pure gold1 weighing #dh pounds1 and valued at ,l#b1bjj sterling4 ,by the gentlemanly courtesy of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,honeyman1 ,honorary ,secretary and ,commissioner in ,dublin1 from the province of ,nova ,scotia1 we were favoured with a lift of this valuable lump of gold1 and we could not help exclaiming1 ,what a lot of chloride this would make6 ,but we had to drop it very quickly1 for the muscles of our fingers could not bear the strain of holding it more than a few seconds4 ,this bar of gold was obtained from very rich quartz1 specimens of which are to be seen near it2 and ,dr4 ,honeyman informed us that the average daily remuneration from such quartz was thirty shillings sterling per man4 ,it is not generally known that the province of ,nova ,scotia is so rich in gold2 but1 from statistics by the ,chief ,commissioner of ,mines for the province1 we find that the average yield of the ,nova ,scotia quartz is over #ai dwt4 per ton1 and richer than the quartz of ,australia2 and the deeper the shafts are sunk the richer the quartz becomes4 ,in #ahfd the total yield from all the gold districts of ,nova ,scotia was #bj1jbb ounces1 #ah dwts41 #ac grs4 ,gold dust and scales have also been found in the sands on the sea coast of the province1 and in the sands of ,sable ,island1 which is eighty miles distant1 in the ,atlantic ,ocean4 ,having in our own colonies such an abundance of one of the precious metals so extensively used in the practice of our art1 photographers need not be under any apprehension of having their supplies cut off4 ,continuing our general survey1 we stumble upon many things of considerable interest4 ,but1 as our space will only allow us to particularize those articles which have a photographic attraction1 direct or indirect1 we must as far as possible imagine ourselves something like animated photometers for the time being1 registering the aspects1 changes1 and remarkable phenomena connected with our art1 and whatever can be applied to photography and the use of photographers2 or whatever photography can be applied to1 artistically or commercially considered4 ,of some things non-photographic1 but of interest to photographers as well as others1 we may be induced to say a little2 but of most subjects foreign to our profession we shall simply say to our readers1 ,we have seen such wondrous things1 go ye and do likewise4 ,we finished our last paper with a few comments on what was photographically interesting in the province of ,nova ,scotia4 ,passing from that to the provinces of the ,lower and ,upper ,canadas1 which are very properly placed next door to each other1 we are struck with some very good and interesting photographs of ,canadian scenery1 both plain and in colours1 and a frame of portraits of the delegates of the ,british ,north ,american ,confederation4 ,samples of all kinds of native and ,indian manufactures1 and specimens of mineral ores1 chiefly iron and copper1 are also displayed here4 ,pursuing our way southwards from the ,colonial division of the galleries1 we come to ,china and ,japan4 ,the geographical and relative positions of the countries exhibiting are not strictly adhered to in the plan of the ,exhibition1 so we must1 of necessity1 make some long legs1 and experience some imaginary transitions of temperature during our journey of observation4 ,in ,japan we stop to look at a life-size group of female figures1 representing a princess at her toilette1 attended by four female slaves1 books illustrated with wood-cuts1 plain and coloured1 bronzes1 and many other articles of art and manufacture1 by the ,japanese1 of much interest4 ,in ,china1 there is a ,state bedstead of great beauty1 books of paintings upon rice-paper1 and many beautiful bronzes1 carvings1 and other specimens of ,chinese art4 ,we pass through ,turkey1 and next come to ,siam1 but the latter country does not exhibit much1 except of a seedy character4 ,we admit we are sometimes addicted to making puns1 but the ,siamese send puns for exhibition4 ,there is an article called pun1 which is prepared lime1 coloured pink with turmeric1 but to what use it is applied we have not been enlightened4 ,passing through ,france1 ,austria1 ,prussia1 ,belgium1 and ,holland1 without stopping to notice anything particularly1 and turning into the south corridor1 we enter the ,water ,colour ,gallery1 which we quickly leave1 sighing1 ,how unlike that beautiful and attractive section of the ,art ,treasure ,exhibition at ,manchester in #aheg6 ,hastening into the ,central ,picture ,gallery1 we are much struck with the different appearance it presents1 and find numbers of ladies and gentlemen admiring the numerous productions by painters belonging to the various foreign schools4 ,among these works are some grand subjects1 both in historical and ideal composition1 and landscape representations4 ,this gallery has a particularly noble and handsome appearance4 ,it is oblong1 well-lighted1 and open in the middle1 by which means the ,sculpture ,hall1 which is underneath1 is lighted4 ,the sides of the gallery next the open space are handsomely railed round1 and pedestals1 with marble busts and statuettes on them1 are tastefully arranged at intervals1 leaving room enough for you to look down into the ,sculpture ,hall below4 ,what with the fine pictures on the walls and staircase1 and the noble statues in marble about and below1 you cannot but come to the conclusion that this is a noble temple of art4 ,we next enter the east front room1 which contains the works of the ,belgian artists4 ,many of these paintings are very finely conceived and executed4 ,the largest and most striking of them is the ,defeat of the ,duke of ,alencon's ,troops by the ,citizens of ,antwerp1 painted by ,a4 ,dillens4 ,now we enter the ,great ,picture ,gallery1 which is devoted to the painters belonging to the ,british school4 ,here we find many of the well-known works from the ,national ,gallery and ,kensington ,museum4 ,there are examples of the works of ,callcott1 ,collins1 ,wilkie1 ,wilson1 ,turner1 ,landseer1 ,mulready1 ,etty1 ,egg1 ,ward1 ,leslie1 and a host of others4 ,her ,majesty the ,queen also sends several pictures from her private collection1 as examples of the works of ,winterhalter1 ,thomas1 and ,stanfield4 ,nearly all the ,british artists are creditably represented in the ,dublin ,international ,art ,exhibition4 ,we next come to the ,collection of ,ancient ,masters in the ,north ,gallery1 which we enter from the ,north ,corridor4 ,to this part of the ,fine ,art ,exhibition the ,earl of ,portarlington is the most liberal contributor4 ,he sends examples of ,titian1 ,rubens1 ,carlo ,dolci1 ,tintoretto1 ,canalette1 ,claude1 ,watteau1 ,rembrandt1 ,gerard ,dow1 ,schneiders1 ,vandevelde1 ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 ,sir ,peter ,lely1 and others4 ,the ,marquis of ,drogheda also sends several examples of the same masters1 some of them very fine ones4 ,sir ,charles ,coote sends a great many paintings2 among them a ,murillo1 a ,guido1 and a ,gainsborough4 ,thence we pass into the ,mediaeval ,court1 where we find nothing but croziers1 sacramental cups and plates1 carved panels for pulpits and clerks' desks1 reminding us of responses and amens4 ,these we leave to ,churchmen1 enthusiastic ,puseyites1 and devotees of ,catholicism4 ,and we wend our way round the galleries1 passing through ,switzerland and ,italy into the ,united ,kingdom1 where we stop to examine some of the art manufactures peculiar to ,ireland1 and are particularly interested in the specimens of ,irish bog oak1 carved most tastefully into various ornaments1 such as brooches1 pins1 paper-knives1 c41 and sculptured into humorous and characteristic statuettes4 ,the most noticeable of that class of ,irish art and industry is a clever group1 entitled1 ,where's the man that dare tread on my coat8 ,this really humorous and artistic statuette is one of a group of two4 ,one is a rollicking ,irishman brandishing his shillelagh over his head and trailing his coat on the ground1 which is the ,irishman's challenge for a fight at such places as ,donnybrook ,fair4 ,the other ,irishman1 who is equally ready for a row1 is in the act of treading on the coat1 as an acceptance of the challenge4 ,the story is so cleverly told1 that we almost fancy we see the fight begin1 and hear the shillelaghs cracking crowns in a genuine ,irish row4 ,pushing on through ,india to the ,british ,colonies again1 whence we started1 we descend to the ground floor1 and resume our survey of ,sweden1 ,norway1 ,italy1 and ,rome1 and turn into the ,music ,hall1 which is on the south side of the entrance and ,statuary ,hall4 ,here we find the organ builders at work on the grand organ1 blowing up one pipe after another1 and producing such volumes of inharmonious sounds that we are glad to leave them to the full and hearty enjoyment of their pipes1 chords1 discords1 and bellows-blowing4 ,the walls of the ,music ,hall are nearly covered with cartoons and paintings of a high-class1 some of them so high that we require an opera-glass to bring them within the range of our visual organs4 ,we next enter the ,sculpture ,hall with a view of examining the statues and describing them carefully4 ,but they are so numerous that we can only find space to call attention to the most striking4 ,there are over three hundred pieces of sculpture from various countries1 comprising colossal and life-size figures1 groups1 busts1 statuettes1 and alto-relievos in marble and bronze4 ,the most attractive of the marble statues are ,michael ,angelo1 when a child1 sculpturing the head of a ,faun 7his first work71 by ,emilio ,zocchi1 of ,florence4 ,the earnestness of purpose and devotion to his task are wonderfully expressed in the countenance of the boy-sculptor4 ,plying the hammer and chisel actively and vigorously1 every part of the figure betokens a thorough abandonment to his occupation4 ,a very remarkable work by a lady sculptor--,miss ,harriett ,hosmer--entitled ,the ,sleeping ,faun1 is the very opposite to the other1 in its complete abandonment to repose4 ,this fine statue has been purchased by ,mr4 ,guiness1 and we were told he had given a munificent sum for it4 ,another piece of exquisite beauty and daring skill in marble working is ,the ,swinging ,girl1 by ,pietro ,magni1 of ,milan1 the sculptor of ,the ,reading ,girl1 which attracted so much attention in the ,international ,exhibition of #ahfb4 ,the figure of the girl swinging is beautifully modelled1 and entirely free from contact with the base2 and is supported only by the swing attached to the branch of a tree1 and the hand of a boy giving action to the subject4 ,ophelia1 by ,w4 ,c4 ,marshall1 is perhaps the most poetic conception of the loveliest and most mournful of ,shakespeare's creations that has ever been sculptured4 ,it is almost impossible to look at this touching representation of ,ophelia in her madness without exclaiming1 in a modified quotation of her own description of ,hamlet-- ,o1 what a gentle mind is here o'erthrown4 ,but we must stop4 ,to go on in this way describing all the beautiful works of art in the ,dublin ,exhibition would fill a volume4 ,already we have allowed our admiration to carry us beyond the limits we had assigned ourselves4 ,we have been tempted to describe more than photographic works1 but none that have not a value artistically or otherwise to photographers4 ,we recommend all our readers that possibly can to go and see for themselves4 ,the trip is a very pleasant one1 and need not be expensive2 nor need much time be spent unnecessarily4 ,a week's absence from business will give you five clear days in ,dublin1 the other two only being occupied in travelling4 ,five days will be amply sufficient to see the ,exhibition and the extraneous lions of ,dublin also4 ,if your time is limited1 give a carman a job to rowl you to the principal places of interest4 ,but by all means select a rough1 ragged1 red-headed1 laughing-faced ,irishman for your jarvey1 and depend upon it he will keep you in good humour during the whole of your trip4 ,and every time you come to a public-house he will say his horse wants a dthrink1 and ,won't yer honours have a dthrop8 as if he was going to stand treat2 but of course you know what he means2 besides1 the idea of allowing a carman to treat his fare is not to be entertained for a moment1 nor can you resist the good-humoured intimation of his desire to drink your health1 for which honour1 as a matter of course1 you pay costs4 ,having endeavoured to conduct our readers to ,dublin1 and give them a glance at the ,exhibition1 photographically and generally1 we shall now take our leave of the capital of ,ireland1 and return to town in much the same manner as we went4 ,we leave the ,irish capital at #a4cj in the afternoon1 and1 after a pleasant and quiet run across the ,channel1 enter ,holyhead harbour about seven o'clock4 ,this arrangement gives you an opportunity of seeing the ,welsh coast to the best advantage as you approach4 ,stepping into the train which is waiting our arrival1 we are speedily on our way home4 ,at ,rugby we have to change1 and wait a little2 but before leaving there we pass the sign which only old masons and travellers know1 and are provided with a first-class bed and board1 and so make ourselves comfortable for the night4 ,we know nothing more of the remainder of the journey4 ,old ,somnus has charge of us inside1 and an old kind-hearted guard takes care of us outside1 until we are aroused by the guard's ,good morning1 gentlemen6 about six o'clock1 a4m41 within a few miles of ,euston ,square4 ,in conclusion1 we sincerely recommend as many of our readers as can to take a trip to ,dublin and back1 and a glance at the ,dublin ,international ,exhibition4 ,,photography ,,in ,,the ,,north4 ,on a recent journey northwards1 ,i was tempted to stop at ,york1 take a look at the ,exhibition there1 and see if there were anything worth notice in the ,photographic ,department4 ,that part of the ,exhibition is exceedingly scanty1 but the best ,yorkshire photographers are well represented1 both in landscape and portraiture4 ,among the contributors are the names of ,sarony1 ,glaisby1 ,holroyd1 ,gowland1 and other well-known names4 ,mr4 ,sarony exhibits a couple of frames containing several new photo-crayons1 cartes-de-visite vignettes1 which are very sketchy and effective1 exhibiting those free and dashy lines and hatchings so characteristic of the softening off of artistic crayon drawings4 ,this effect may be produced by a process of double printing1 but it is more likely to have been obtained direct in the camera from a screen1 having the edges of the aperture softened off with some free touches1 the screen1 in all probability1 being placed between the lens and the sitter4 ,mr4 ,sarony also exhibits some large photographs very beautifully finished in colours4 ,messrs4 ,gowland exhibit1 in a revolving case1 a very unique collection of medallions and vignettes1 both plain and coloured1 mounted on tinted grounds1 which give the pictures a very chaste and delicate appearance4 ,the photographs themselves are exquisite bits of artistic pose and careful manipulation4 ,they also exhibit a charming vignette of twenty-nine young ladies1 all cleverly arranged1 each figure sharp and distinct1 and evidently recognisable portraits4 ,this picture reminds one of ,watteau1 for the figures are in the woods1 only1 instead of semi-nude nymphs1 the sitters are all properly and fashionably dressed young ladies4 ,messrs4 ,holroyd contribute some very excellent cartes-de-visite and enlargements4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,c4 ,walker1 of ,liverpool1 exhibits some very beautiful opalotypes1 or photographs on enamelled glass4 ,mr4 ,swan1 ,charing ,cross1 ,london1 also sends specimens of his crystal cube portraits4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4 ,clarke1 a deaf and dumb photographer1 exhibits some very good groups of the ,princess of ,wales1 ,lady ,wharncliffe1 ,lady ,maud ,lascelles1 ,countess ,granville1 and the ,hon4 ,mrs4 ,hardinge1 taken in the conservatory1 when the ,princess and suite were on a visit to ,studley ,royal1 ,yorkshire4 ,amongst the landscape photographs are to be found some of ,bedford's finest views of ,egypt and ,jerusalem1 ,devonshire and ,warwickshire1 the beauties of which are so well-known to everyone interested in photography4 ,some of the local views by local artists are very fine2 ,w4 ,p4 ,glaisby's views of ,york ,minster are capital1 especially the interiors4 ,messrs4 ,jackson ,brothers1 of ,oldham1 exhibit some very fine views1 and show what atmospheric effects the camera is capable of rendering4 ,that view of ,birstall ,church is a perfect master-piece of photo-aerial perspective4 ,there are also a considerable number of photographic productions from the ,south ,kensington ,museum4 ,mr4 ,gregson1 of ,halifax1 exhibits some excellent photographs of machinery4 ,in apparatus there is nothing novel or striking1 there being but one case of cameras1 c41 exhibited by a ,london maker4 ,there is a water agitator in the machinery annexe1 for washing photographic prints1 but the invention is more ingenious than effective1 for the water is not agitated sufficiently1 except in the immediate neighbourhood of the fan or agitator1 which moves backwards and forwards in the water1 in a manner somewhat similar to the motion of the pendulum of a clock1 and so laves the water to and fro2 but the force is not sufficient to prevent the prints from lying close together at the extremities of the trough1 and imperfect washing is sure to be the result4 ,the motion is given to the agitator by the water falling on a small wheel1 something like ,williams's revolving print washing machine4 ,to describe the ,exhibition itself3 ,it is rather like a compound mixture of the church1 the shop1 and the show4 ,the ,great ,hall is something like the nave of a wooden cathedral1 with galleries running all round1 and a grand organ at the end1 peeling forth1 at intervals1 solemn strains of long measure4 ,over the organ1 in white letters on a red ground1 is the quotation1 ,he hath made all things beautiful in his time4 ,the show cases on the floor of the ,grand ,hall are arranged as indiscriminately as the shops in ,oxford ,street4 ,in one case there are exhibited samples of ,colman's mustard1 in that next to it samples of ,elkington and ,co4's plated goods1 and in another close by are samples of saddlery1 which give the place more the business aspect of a bazaar than the desirable and advantageous classification of an exhibition4 ,then you are reminded of the show by the frequent ringing of a loud bell1 and cries of ,this way to the fairy fountain1 just going to begin1 only twopence4 ,such things jar on the ears and nerves of quiet visitors1 and are only expected in such a place as the ,polytechnic in ,london4 ,the great features of the ,york ,exhibition are the picture galleries2 and here a better order of things prevails4 ,the collections are classified2 one gallery1 or part of it1 being devoted to the works of the old masters1 another to the modern1 and another to the water-colours4 ,among the old masters are some fine portraits by ,velasquez1 ,tintoretto1 ,rembrandt1 ,vandyke1 ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 ,gainsborough1 ,sir ,peter ,lely1 and others4 ,and some of those grand old landscapes by ,salvator ,rosa1 ,rubens1 ,claude1 ,wilson1 the ,english ,claude1 and ,george ,morland1 such pictures as are rarely seen out of private collections4 ,the modern masters are abundantly represented by ,wilkie1 ,etty1 ,frith1 ,westall1 ,faed1 ,cope1 ,e4 ,nicol1 ,stanfield1 ,linnell1 and a host of others4 ,amongst the water-colours are many fine examples of the works of ,turner1 the ,richardsons 7father and sons71 ,birket ,foster1 c41 c4 ,sculpture is very faintly represented1 but there is a charming little ,canova1 ,dirce1 exhibited by ,lord ,wenlock2 an antique bust of ,julius ,caesar1 which seems to have been found in fragments and carefully joined together4 ,this bust is exhibited by the ,hon4 ,p4 ,downay1 and was found in ,rome amongst some rubbish1 while some excavations were being made4 ,there is also an interesting series of marble busts of the ,twelve ,caesars1 exhibited by ,lord ,londesborough4 ,the ,exhibition is open in the evening1 and brilliantly lighted with gas till ten o'clock2 and1 taking it all in all1 it is a very creditable effort in the right direction1 and does honour to ,york and ,yorkshiremen4 ,further north still1 at ,newcastle-on-,tyne1 there is another exhibition of ,arts and ,manufactures1 the chief photographic feature of which is a considerable display of ,swan's ,carbon ,prints1 from several well-known negatives by ,bedford and ,robinson4 ,the promise of this process is very great1 and its commercial advantages were singularly demonstrated to me when visiting the printing establishment of ,mr4 ,swan1 which ,i happened to do on a dark and unfavourable day--one totally unfit for silver printing2 and yet ,i saw several very beautiful carbon prints that had been produced that day1 the rate of production being about eight to one over silver printing4 ,as a proof of the certainty and commercial application to which ,mr4 ,swan has reduced his beautiful process1 ,i need only mention that he has undertaken the printing of two thousand copies of the celebrated picture of ,the ,first ,general ,assembly of the ,church of ,scotland1 painted by ,d4 ,o4 ,hill4 ,this historical picture contains four hundred and fifty portraits3 the negatives were taken from the original painting by ,mr4 ,annan1 photographer1 ,glasgow1 and are #cb by #ad inches1 and #bd by #i inches2 and ,mr4 ,swan has to turn off one thousand copies of each within a given time4 ,the publishers of the work give a guarantee to their subscribers that every print shall be of a high standard1 for each one has to pass the examination of two competent judges4 ,they also very justly pride themselves on being the very first to translate and multiply such noble works of art by a process so beautiful1 and1 at the same time1 imperishable4 ,i saw several of the prints1 both in process of development and complete2 and anything more like rich1 soft1 and brilliant impressions of a fine mezzotint engraving ,i never saw1 by any process of photography4 ,mr4 ,swan's arrangements for conducting the various parts of his process are very extensive and complete2 and his mode of developing and transferring seems to be the very acme of perfection4 ,but1 as ,mr4 ,swan is about to publish a work containing a full description of the process1 with a beautiful specimen print as frontispiece1 ,i will not anticipate him1 or mar his own comprehensive account of the details of a process which he has brought to such a state of beauty and perfection1 by an amount of patient perseverance and thoughtful application rarely exhibited or possessed by one individual4 ,i also visited the photographic establishment of ,messrs4 ,downey in ,newcastle1 and there saw some cabinet pictures of the ,princess of ,wales1 taken recently at ,abergeldie ,castle4 ,messrs4 ,downey have just returned from ,balmoral with upwards of two hundred negatives1 including whole-plate1 half-plate1 and cabinet size1 which will be published in one or all those sizes1 as soon as the orders of ,her ,majesty have been executed4 ,from the well-known reputation of the ,messrs4 ,downey as photographers1 it is1 in all probability1 a treat in store for the lovers of photography1 to get a sight of their latest works at ,balmoral and ,abergeldie4 ,mr4 ,parry1 another excellent photographer in ,newcastle1 was also making arrangements to introduce the new cabinet size picture in a style that will insure its success4 ,altogether1 the movements of the best photographers in the ,north are highly commendable1 and1 with their notoriously practical minds1 there is little doubt of their undertakings becoming a success4 ,let us hope that the same elements of energy and push will speedily impregnate the minds of all photographers1 and create a combination that will develop a new form of popular beauty1 and result in forming a salt that will savour their labours1 produce deposits of gold1 and create innumerable orders of merit4 ,,errors ,,in ,,pictorial ,,backgrounds4 ,we have recently had a few papers on the necessity of art culture and art knowledge in relation to photography1 but they have chiefly been of a theoretical and speculative character1 few1 if any1 assuming a practical form4 ,apply the rod to teach the child is an old saying1 and our artist friends and teachers have applied the rod and belaboured photography most unmercifully1 but they have not taught the child4 ,they have contented themselves with abusing photographers for not doing what was right1 instead of teaching them how to avoid what was wrong4 ,it will be my endeavour to point out1 in this paper1 some errors that have crept into photographers' and artists' studios1 and ,i hope to be able to suggest a remedy that will lessen these evils1 and elevate photography in the scale of art4 ,the faults in pictorial backgrounds that ,i invite your attention to1 arise from the neglect of the principles of linear and aerial perspective4 ,i do not speak of the errors in perspective that may exist in the backgrounds themselves1 viewing them as pictures2 but ,i refer to the manifest fault of depicting the sitter--the principal object--according to one condition of perspective1 and the background that is placed behind him according to another4 ,an unpardonable error in any work of art1 whether photograph or painting1 is to represent a natural object in an unnatural position4 ,by this ,i do not mean an awkward and constrained attitude1 but a false position of the principal subject in relation to the other objects by which it is surrounded4 ,we frequently see portraits1 both full-length and three-quarter size1 with landscape backgrounds--or a bit of landscape to be seen through a painted or actual window--of the most unnatural proportions in relation to the figure itself4 ,the head of the subject is stuck high in the heavens--sometimes so high that1 in relation to the painted landscape1 nothing shorter than a church steeple could attain such an altitude4 ,the trees and castles of the pretty landscape1 supposed to be behind the sitter1 are like children's toys2 the mountains are like footballs in size1 and the horizon is not so much in relation to the figure as the width of a fishpond is to a man standing on one side of it4 ,it must be admitted that artists themselves have set this bad example of departing from truth to give increased importance to their subjects by placing their figures against diminutive backgrounds2 but that is a liberty taken with nature which photographers should neither imitate nor allow4 ,photography is1 in all other respects1 so rigidly truthful that it cannot consistently sanction such a violation of natural laws4 ,pictorial backgrounds have usually been painted on the same principle as a landscape picture1 and one of the earliest things the painter has to determine is1 where he shall represent that line where the sky and earth appear to meet--technically1 the horizontal line4 ,this settled1 all the lines1 not vertical or horizontal in the picture1 below this are made to appear to rise up to it1 and those above descend1 and if all these are in due proportion the perspective is correct1 no matter whether this governing line is assumed to be in the upper1 lower1 or middle part of the picture4 ,a painter can suppose this imaginary line to be at any height he pleases in his picture1 and paint accordingly4 ,in photography it is invariable1 and is always on a level with the lens of the camera4 ,to illustrate the relation of the horizontal line to the human figure1 when a pictorial background is to be introduced1 let us imagine that we are taking a portrait out-of-doors1 with a free and open country behind the person standing for his carte-de-visite4 ,the camera and the model are1 as a matter of course1 on the same level4 ,now focus the subject and observe the linear construction of the landscape background of nature4 ,see how all the lines of the objects below the level of the lens run up to it1 and the lines of the objects above run down to it4 ,right across the lens is the horizontal line1 and the centre is the point of sight1 where all the lines will appear to converge4 ,suppose the lens to be on a level with the face of the subject1 the horizontal line of the picture produced on the ground glass will be as near as possible as high as the eyes of the subject4 ,trees and hills in the distance will be above1 and the whole picture will be in harmony4 ,this applies to interior views as well1 but the ocular demonstration is not so conclusive1 for the converging lines will be cut or stopped by the perpendicular wall forming the background4 ,nevertheless1 all the converging lines that are visible will be seen to be on their way to the point of sight4 ,whether a natural background consisted of an interior1 or comprised both--such as a portion of the wall of a room and a peep through a window on one side of the figure--the conditions would be exactly the same4 ,all the lines above the lens must come down1 and all that are below must go up4 ,the following diagrams will illustrate this principle still more clearly4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #b4 ,fig4 #a is a section of the linear construction of a picture1 and will show how the lines converge from the point of observation to the point of sight4 ,artists1 in constructing a landscape of an ordinary form1 allot to the sky generally about twice the space between the base and horizontal lines4 ,but for portraits and groups1 where the figures are of the greatest importance and nearer to the eye1 the proportion of sky and earth is reversed1 so as to give increased value to the principal figures1 by making them apparently larger1 and still preserving the proper relation between them and the horizontal line 7see fig4 #b74 ,this diagram represents the conditions of a full-length carte portrait1 where the governing horizontal line is on a level with the camera4 ,if a pictorial background1 painted in the usual way1 with the horizontal line low in the picture1 is now placed behind the sitter1 the resulting photograph will be incongruous and offensive4 ,it will be seen1 on referring to fig4 #b1 that all the lines below the horizon must of necessity run up to it1 no matter how high the horizontal line may be1 for it is impossible to have two horizons in one picture2 that is1 a visible horizon in the landscape background1 and an imaginary one for the figure1 with the horizontal line of the background far below the head of the figure1 and the head far up in the sky4 ,the head of a human figure can only be seen so far above the horizontal line under certain conditions2 such as being elevated above the observer by being mounted on horseback1 standing on higher ground1 or otherwise placed considerably above the base line1 none of which conditions are present in a studio4 ,whenever the observed and observer are on the same level1 as must be the case when a photographer is taking the portrait of a sitter in his studio1 the head of the subject could not possibly be seen so high in the sky1 if the lens included a natural background instead of a painted one4 ,as1 for convenience1 the painted background is intended to take the place of a natural one1 care should be taken that the linear and aerial perspectives should be as true to nature as possible1 and in perfect harmony with the size of the figures4 ,the lens registers1 on the prepared plate1 the relative proportions of natural objects as faithfully as the retina receives them through the eye1 and if we wish to carry out the illusion of pictorial backgrounds correctly1 we must have the linear construction of the picture1 which is intended to represent nature1 as true in every respect as nature is herself4 ,aerial perspective has not been sufficiently attended to by the painters of pictorial backgrounds4 ,there are many other subjects in connection with art and photography that might be discussed with advantage--such as composition1 arrangement of accessories1 size1 form1 character1 and fitness of the things employed2 but ,i leave all these for another opportunity1 or to someone more able to handle the subjects4 ,for the present1 ,i am content to point out those errors that arise from neglecting true perspective1 and while showing the cause1 distinctively supply a remedy4 ,it is not the fault of perspective in the background where the lines are not in harmony with each other--these too frequently occur1 and are easily detected--but it is the error of painting a pictorial background as if it were an independent picture1 without reference to the conditions under which it is to be used4 ,the conditions of perspective are determined by the situation of the lens and the sitter4 ,if the actual objects existed behind the sitter1 and were photographed simultaneously with the sitter1 the same laws of perspective would govern the two4 ,what ,i urge is1 that if1 instead of the objects1 a representation of them be put behind the sitter1 that representation be also a correct one4 ,the laws of perspective teach how it may be made correctly1 and the starting point is the position of the lens in relation to the sitter4 ,some may say that these conditions of painting a background cannot be complied with1 as the lens and sitter are never twice exactly in the same relation to each other4 ,there is less force in this objection than at first appears4 ,each photographer uses the same lens for all his carte portraits--and pictorial backgrounds are very frequently used for these--and the height of his camera1 as well as the distance from his sitter1 are so nearly constant1 that the small amount of errors thus caused need not be recognized4 ,if the errors that exist were not far more grave1 there would be no necessity for this paper4 ,exceptional pictures should have corresponding backgrounds4 ,when a sitter is photographed standing in front of a pictorial background1 the photograph will represent him either standing in a natural scene1 or before a badly-painted picture4 ,nobody should wittingly punish his sitter by doing the latter when he could do the former1 and the first step to form the desirable illusion is pictorial truth4 ,there is no reason why the backgrounds should not be painted truthfully and according to correct principles1 for the one is as easy as the other4 ,i daresay the reason is that artists have not intentionally done wrong--it would be too bad to suppose that--but they have treated the backgrounds as independent pictures1 and it is for photographers to make what use of them they think proper4 ,the real principles are1 however1 now stated1 by which they can be painted so as to be more photographically useful1 and artists and photographers have alike the key to pictorial truth4 ,in conclusion1 ,i would suggest to photographers the necessity of studying nature more carefully--to observe her in their walks abroad1 to notice the gradual decrease of objects both in size and distinctness1 to remember that their lens is to their camera what their eye is to themselves1 to give as faithful a transcript of nature as they possibly can1 to watch the flow of nature's lines1 as well as natural light and shade1 and1 by a constant study and exhibition of truth and beauty in their works1 make photography eventually the teacher of art1 instead of art1 as is now the case1 being the reviler of photography4 ,,perspective4 ,to the ,editors4 ,gentlemen1--,at the end of ,mr4 ,alfred ,h4 ,wall's reply to ,mr4 ,carey ,lea's letter on ,artists and ,photographers1 ,i notice that he cautions your readers not to receive the very simple rules of perspective laid down in my paper1 entitled ,errors in ,pictorial ,backgrounds1 until they have acquired more information on the subject4 ,allow me to state that all ,i said on perspective in that paper only went to show that there should be but one horizon in the same picture2 that the lines of all objects below that horizon should run up to it2 that the lines of all objects above should run down1 no matter where that one horizon was placed2 and that the horizon of the landscape background should be in due relation to the sitter and on a level with the eye of the observer1 the observer being either the lens or the painter4 ,if your correspondent considers that ,i was in error by laying down such plain and common sense rules1 which everyone can see and judge for himself by looking down a street1 then ,i freely admit that your correspondent knows a great deal more about false perspective than ,i do1 or should like to do4 ,again1 if your correspondent cannot see why ,i volunteered to instruct artists or painters of backgrounds1 perhaps he will allow me to inform him that ,i did so simply because background painters have hitherto supplied photographers with backgrounds totally unfit for use in the photographic studio4 ,in spite of ,mr4 ,wall's assumption of superior knowledge on subjects relating to art1 ,i may still be able to give him a hint how to produce a pictorial background that will be much more natural1 proportionate1 and suitable for the use of photographers than any hitherto painted4 ,let ,mr4 ,wall1 or any other background painter1 go out with the camera and take a carte-de-visite portrait out-of-doors1 placing the subject in any well-chosen and suitable natural scene1 and photograph the sitter and the natural scene at the same time4 ,then bring the picture so obtained into his studio and enlarge it up to life-size1 which he can easily do by the old-fashioned system of squaring1 or1 better still1 by the aid of a magic lantern1 and with the help of a sketch of the scene as well1 to enable him to fill in correctly that part of the landscape concealed by the figure taken on the spot2 so that1 when reproduced by the photographer in his studio1 he will have a representation of a natural scene1 with everything seen in the background in correct perspective1 and in natural proportions in relation to the sitter4 ,this will also show how few objects can naturally be introduced into a landscape background2 and if the distant scenery be misty and undefined1 so much the better4 ,it is the sharpness1 hardness1 and superabundance of subjects introduced into pictorial backgrounds generally that ,i object to1 and endeavoured to point out in my paper2 and ,i consider it no small compliment to have had my views on that part of my subject so emphatically endorsed by so good an authority as ,mr4 ,wallis1 in his remarks on backgrounds at the last meeting of the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society4 ,i make no pretensions to the title of artist1 although ,i studied perspective1 drawing from the flat and round1 light and shade1 and other things in connection with a branch of art which ,i abandoned many years ago for the more lucrative profession of a photographer4 ,were ,i so disposed1 ,i could quote ,reynolds1 ,burnett1 and ,ruskin as glibly as your correspondent2 but ,i prefer putting my own views on any subject before my readers in language of my own4 ,i endeavour to be in all my words and actions thoroughly independent and consistent1 which is more than ,i can say for your correspondent ,a4 ,h4 ,w4 ,in proof of which1 ,i should like to call the attention of your readers to a passage in his ,practical ,art ,hints1 in the last issue of ,the ,british ,journal of ,photography1 where he says3--,it is perversion and degradation to an art like ours to make its truth and unity subservient to conventional tricks1 shams1 and mechanical dodges1 while at the last meeting of the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 when speaking of backgrounds1 he admitted they were all conventional4 ,now1 that is just what we do not want1 and which was the chief object ,i had in view when ,i wrote my paper4 ,we have had too many of those art-conventional backgrounds1 and want something more in accordance with natural truth and the requirements of photography4 ,in conclusion1 allow me to observe that ,i should be truly sorry were ,i to mislead anyone in the pursuit of knowledge relative to our profession1 either artistically or photographically4 ,but let it be borne in mind that it is admitted on all sides1 and by the best authorities1 that nearly all the pictorial backgrounds now in use are quite unnatural1 and totally unsuited for the purposes for which they are intended4 ,therefore the paper ,i read will have done the good ,i intended1 and answered the purpose for which it was written1 if it has been the means of calling attention to such glaring defects and absurdities as are now being perpetrated by background painters1 and bringing in their place more natural1 truthful1 and photographically useful backgrounds into the studios of all photographers4--,i am1 yours1 c41 ,j4 ,werge4 ,february #ajth1 #ahff4 ,,perspective ,,in ,,backgrounds4 ,to the ,editors4 ,gentlemen1--,i must beg of you to allow me to reply to ,mr4 ,wall once more1 and for the last time1 on this subject1 especially as that gentleman expects an answer from me4 ,to put myself into a fair position with regard to ,mr4 ,wall and your readers1 ,i will reply to the latter part of his letter first1 by stating that ,i endeavour to avoid all personality in this discussion1 and should be sorry to descend to anything of the kind knowingly4 ,when ,i spoke of independency and consistency1 ,i had not in view anything relative to his private character1 but simply that kind of independence which enables a man to trust to his own powers of utterance for the expression of his ideas1 instead of that incessant quoting the language of others1 to which your correspondent1 ,mr4 ,wall1 is so prone4 ,as to his inconsistency1 ,i mean that tendency which he exhibits to advocate a principle at one time1 and denounce it at another4 ,i shall prove that presently4 ,towards ,mr4 ,wall1 personally1 ,i have neither animosity nor pique1 and would take him by the hand as freely and frankly as ever ,i did were ,i to meet him at this moment4 ,with his actions as a private gentleman ,i have nothing to do4 ,i look upon him now as a controvertist only4 ,so far1 ,i hope ,i have made myself clearly understood by ,mr4 ,wall and all concerned4 ,i also should like to have had so important a question discussed without introducing so much of that frivolous smartness of style generally adopted by ,mr4 ,wall4 ,but1 as he has introduced two would-be-funny similes1 ,i beg to dispose of them before going into more serious matter4 ,taking the butcher first 7see the fifth paragraph in ,mr4 ,wall's last letter71 ,i should say that1 if ,i were eating the meat1 ,i should be able to judge of its quality1 and know whether it was good or bad1 in spite of all the butcher might say to the contrary2 and surely1 no man not an out-and-out vegetarian1 or lacking one of the five senses--to say nothing of common sense--will admit that it is necessary to be a butcher to enable him to be a judge of good meat4 ,on the same ground1 ,i contend that it is not necessary for a man to be an artist to have a thorough knowledge of perspective2 and ,i have known many artists who knew as little about perspective1 practically1 as their easel did4 ,they had a vague and dreamy idea of some governing principles1 but how to put those principles into practice they had not the slightest notion4 ,i once met an artist who could not put a tesselated pavement into perspective1 and yet he had some right to the title of artist1 for he could draw and paint the human figure well4 ,perspective is based on geometrical principles1 and can be as easily mastered by any man not an artist as the first book of ,euclid1 or the first four rules of arithmetic2 and1 for all that1 it is astonishing how many artists know so little about the working rules of perspective4 ,again3 ,mr4 ,wall is surely not prepared to advance the dictum that no one can know anything about art but a professional artist4 ,if so1 how does he reconcile that opinion with the fact of his great and oft-quoted authority1 ,ruskin1 not being an artist1 but simply1 in his public character1 a voluminous writer on art1 not always right1 as many artists and photographers very well know4 ,mr4 ,wall objects to my use of the word artist1 but he seems to have overlooked the fact that ,i used the quotation marks to show that ,i meant to apply it to the class of self-styled artists1 or men who arrogate to themselves a title they do not merit--not such men as ,landseer1 ,maclise1 ,faed1 ,philips1 ,millais1 and others of1 and not of1 the ,forty4 ,mr4 ,wall may be an artist4 ,i do not say he is not4 ,he also is1 or was1 a painter of backgrounds4 ,so he can apply to himself whichever title he likes best2 but whether he deserves either one or the other1 depends on what he has done to merit the appellative4 ,mr4 ,wall questions the accuracy of the principles ,i advocated in my paper4 ,i contend that ,i am perfectly correct1 and am the more astonished at ,mr4 ,wall when ,i refer to vol4 v41 page #abc1 of the ,photographic ,news4 ,there ,i find1 in an article bearing his own name1 and entitled ,the ,technology of ,art as ,applied to ,photography1 that he says3-- ,if you make use of a painted cloth to represent an interior or out-door view1 the horizontal line must be at somewhere about the height which your lens is most generally placed at1 and the vanishing point nearly opposite the spot occupied by the camera4 99 99 99 99 ,i have just said that the horizon of a landscape background and the vanishing point should be opposite the lens2 ,i may1 perhaps1 for the sake of such operators as are not acquainted with perspective1 explain why4 ,the figure and the background are supposed to be taken at one and the same time1 and the camera has the place of the spectator by whom they are taken4 ,now1 suppose we have a real figure before a real landscape3 if ,i look up at a figure ,i obtain one view of it1 but if ,i look down on it1 ,i get another and quite a different view1 and the horizon of the natural landscape behind the figure is always exactly the height of my eye4 ,to prove this1 you may sit down before a window1 and mark on the glass the height of the horizon2 then rise1 and1 as you do so1 you will find the horizon also rises1 and is again exactly opposite your eye4 ,a picture1 then1 in which the horizontal line of the background represents the spectator as looking up at the figure from a position near the base line1 while the figure itself indicates that the same spectator is at that identical time standing with his eyes on a level with the figure's breast or chin--such productions are evidently false to art1 and untrue to nature4 99 99 99 99 ,the general fault in the painted screens we see behind photographs arises from introducing too many objects4 ,now1 as ,i advanced neither more nor less in my paper1 why does ,mr4 ,wall turn round and caution your readers not to receive such simple truths uttered by me8 ,i was not aware that ,mr4 ,wall had forestalled me in laying down such rules2 for at that date ,i was in ,america1 and did not see the ,news2 but1 on turning over the volume for #ahfa the other day1 since this discussion began1 ,i there saw and read1 with surprise1 the above in his article on backgrounds4 ,i am perfectly aware that ,i did not say all that ,i might have said on perspective in my paper2 but the little ,i did say was true in principle1 and answered my purpose4 ,when ,mr4 ,wall 7in the second paragraph of his last letter7 speaks of the principal visual ray going from the point of distance to the point of sight1 and forming a right angle to the perspective plane1 it seems to me that he is not quite sure of the difference between the points of sight1 distance1 and observation1 or of the relation and application of one to the other4 ,however1 his coming articles on perspective will settle that4 ,it also appears to me that he has overlooked the fact that my diagrams were sections1 showing the perspective inclination and declination of the lines of a parallelogram towards the point of sight4 ,in my paper ,i said nothing about the point of distance2 with that ,i had nothing to do1 as it was not my purpose to go into all the dry details of perspective4 ,but ,i emphatically deny that anything like a bird's eye view of the figure could possibly be obtained by following any of the rules ,i laid down4 ,in my paper ,i contended for the camera being placed on a level with the head of the sitter1 and that would bring the line of the horizon in a pictorial background also as high as the head of the sitter4 ,and if the horizon of the pictorial background were placed anywhere else1 it would cause the apparent overlapping of two conditions of perspective in the resulting photograph4 ,these were the errors ,i endeavoured to point out4 ,i maintain that my views are perfectly correct1 and can be proved by geometrical demonstration1 and the highest artistic and scientific testimony4 ,i wish it to be clearly understood that ,i do not advocate the use of pictorial backgrounds1 and think ,i pretty strongly denounced them2 but if they must be used by photographers1 either to please themselves or their customers1 let them1 for the credit of our profession1 be as true to nature as possible4 ,i think ,i have now answered all the points worth considering in ,mr4 ,wall's letter1 and with this ,i beg to decline any further correspondence on the subject4--,i am1 yours1 c41 ,j4 ,werge4 ,march #eth1 #ahff4 ,,notes ,,on ,,pictures ,,in ,,the ,,national ,,gallery4 ,in the following notes on some of the pictures in the ,national ,gallery1 it is not my intention to assume the character of an art-critic1 but simply to record the impressions produced on the mind of a photographer while looking at the works of the great old masters1 with the view of calling the attention of photographers and others interested in art-photography to a few of the pictures which exhibit1 in a marked degree1 the relation of the horizon to the principal figures4 ,during an examination of those grand old pictures1 two questions naturally arise in the mind3 ,what is conventionality in art8 and--,in whose works do we see it8 ,the first question is easily answered by stating that it is a mode of treating pictorial subjects by established rule or custom1 so as to obtain certain pictorial effects without taking into consideration whether such effects can be produced by natural combinations or not4 ,in answer to the second question1 it may be boldly stated that there is very little of it to be seen in the works of the best masters2 and one cannot help exclaiming1 ,what close imitators of nature those grand old masters were6 ,in their works we never see that photographic eye-sore which may be called a binographic combination of two conditions of perspective1 or the whereabouts of two horizons in the same picture4 ,the old masters were evidently content with natural combinations and effects for their backgrounds1 and relied on the rendering of natural truths more than conventional falsehoods for the strength and beauty of their productions4 ,perhaps the simplest mode of illustrating this would be to proceed to a kind of photographic analysis of the pictures of the old masters1 and see how far the study of their works will enable the photographer to determine what he should employ and what he should reject as pictorial backgrounds in the practice of photography4 ,as a photographer1 then--for it is the photographic application of art we have to consider--,i will proceed to give my notes on pictures in the ,national ,gallery1 showing the importance of having the horizontal line in its proper relation to the sitter or figure4 ,perhaps the most beautiful example is the fine picture by ,annibale ,carracci of ,christ appearing to ,peter4 ,this admirable work of art as nearly as possible contains the proportions of a carte-de-visite or whole-plate picture enlarged1 and is well worthy the careful attention and study of every photographer2 not only for its proportions and the amount of landscape background introduced1 showing the proper position of the horizon and the small amount of sky visible1 but it is a wonderful example of light and shade1 foreshortening1 variety and contrast of expression1 purity of colour1 simplicity of design1 and truthfulness to nature4 ,neither of the figures lose any of their force or dignity1 although the horizontal line is as high as their heads1 and the whole of the space between is filled in with the scene around them4 ,in its linear perspective it is quite in keeping with the figures1 and the scenery is in harmonious subjection1 controlled and subdued by aerial perspective4 ,the large picture of ,erminia takes refuge with the ,shepherds1 by the same artist1 is also a fine example of a horizon high in the picture4 ,the figure of ,erminia is separated from the other figures1 and could be copied or reproduced alone without any loss of beauty and dignity1 or any violation of natural laws4 ,murillo's picture of ,st4 ,john and the ,lamb suggests an admirable background for the use of the photographer4 ,it consists of dark masses of rock and foliage4 ,nothing distinct or painfully visible1 the distant masses of foliage blend with the clouds1 and there is nothing in the background but masses of light and shade to support or relieve the principal objects4 ,in the picture of ,christ appearing to ,mary ,magdalene1 by ,titian1 the water-line is above the head of ,christ1 but if the figure were standing upright1 the head of the ,saviour would break the horizontal line4 ,titian's ,bacchus and ,ariadne also has the water-line breast high1 almost to the neck of ,ariadne4 ,the figure of ,bacchus springing from the car1 as a matter of course1 is much higher in the sky4 ,this picture presents the perspective conditions of the painter having been seated while painting such figures from nature1 or similar to the results and effects obtained by taking a group with the lens on a level with the breast or lower part of the necks of figures standing4 ,in ,titian's portrait of ,ariosto there is a dark foliated background which gives great brilliancy to the picture1 but no sky is visible4 ,the ,portrait of a ,lady1 by ,paris ,bardone1 has an architectural background in which no sky is to be seen4 ,the picture is very brilliant1 and the monotony of a plain background is skilfully overcome4 ,the picture of ,st4 ,catharine of ,alexandria1 by ,raphael1 has a landscape background1 with the horizon about as high as the breast1 as if the artist had been seated and the model standing during the process of painting4 ,raphael's picture of ,the ,vision of a ,knight is another example of the fearlessness of that artist in putting in or backing up his figures with a large amount of landscape background4 ,the proportions of ,correggio's ,venus1 ,mercury1 and ,cupid1 are as nearly as possible those of a carte-de-visite enlarged2 and that picture has no sky in the background1 but a very suitable dark1 cool1 rocky scene1 well subdued1 for the rocks are quite near to the figures4 ,this background gives wonderful brilliancy to the figures1 and contrasts admirably with the warm and delicate flesh tints4 ,correggio's ,holy ,family has a landscape and architectural background1 with a very little sky visible in the right-hand corner4 ,in the ,judgment of ,paris1 by ,rubens1 the horizontal line of the background cuts the waist of the first female figure1 showing that the artist was seated4 ,the other two female figures are placed against a background of rocks and dark masses of foliage4 ,rubens' picture of the ,holy ,family and ,st4 ,george is also a good example of the kind of picture for the photographer to study as to the situation of the horizontal line4 ,the picture of ,the ,idle ,servant1 by ,nicolaes ,maes1 is also an excellent subject for study of this kind4 ,it shows the due relation of the horizon of an interior in a very marked degree1 and its shape and subject are very suitable to the size and form of a carte-de-visite4 ,so are his pictures of ,the ,cradle and ,a ,dutch ,housewife4 ,the picture of ,john ,arnolfini of ,lucca and his ,wife1 painted by ,john ,van ,eyck in the fifteenth century1 is an excellent specimen of an interior background1 with a peep out of a window on one side of the room4 ,this is a capital subject for the study of photographers who wish to use a background representing an interior4 ,the ,holy ,family at a ,fountain1 a picture of the ,dutch school1 painted by ,schoorel in the sixteenth century1 has an elaborate landscape background with the horizon above the heads of the figures1 as if the artist had been standing and the models sitting4 ,for an example of a portrait less than half-length1 with a landscape background1 look at the portrait of ,an ,italian ,gentleman1 by ,andrea da ,solario4 ,this picture shows how very conscientiously the old masters worked up to the truth of nature in representing the right amount of landscape in proportion to the figure2 but the background is much too hard and carefully worked out to be pleasing4 ,besides1 it is very destructive to the force and power of the picture1 which will be at once visible on going to the portraits by ,rembrandt1 which have a marvellous power1 and seem to stand right before the dark atmospheric backgrounds which that artist generally painted in his portraits4 ,there are other examples of half-length portraits with landscape backgrounds1 wherein the horizontal line passes right through the eyes of the principal figure1 one of which ,i will mention4 ,it is that of the ,virgin and ,child1 by ,lorenzo di ,credi4 ,in this picture the horizontal line passes right through the eyes of the ,virgin without interfering with the interest of the chief object4 ,several examples of an opposite character are to be seen in the ,national ,gallery1 with the horizon of the landscape background much too low in the picture4 ,it is needless to call special attention to them4 ,after carefully examining the works already named1 and comparing them with the natural effects to be observed daily1 it will be quickly seen which is a truthful picture in this respect1 and which is a false one4 ,,sharpness ,,and ,,softness ,v4 ,,hardness4 ,the discussion on ,sharpness3 what is it8 at the meeting of the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society in ,may1 #ahfa1 and the more recent discussion on ,focussing at the last meeting of the same ,society1 seem to me to have lost much of their value and importance to photographers for want of a better definition of the term hardness as applied to art1 and as used by artists in an artistic sense4 ,webster1 in his second definition of the word hardness1 gives it as difficulty to be understood4 ,in that sense ,mr4 ,wall succeeded admirably when he gave the term concentration1 in reply to ,mr4 ,hughes1 who asked ,mr4 ,wall what he meant by hardness4 ,fairholt gives the art meaning of the word as want of refinement2 academic drawing1 rather than artistic feeling4 ,but even that definition would not have been sufficiently comprehensive to convey an adequate idea of the meaning of the term in contradistinction to the word sharpness1 and ,i cannot but think that ,mr4 ,wall failed in his object in both papers1 and lost considerable ground in both discussions1 by not giving more attention to the nice distinctions of the two terms as used in art1 and explaining their artistic meanings more clearly4 ,sharpness need not be hardness2 on the contrary1 sharpness and softness can be harmoniously combined in the representation of any object desired4 ,on the other hand1 a subject may possess abundance of detail1 and yet convey to the mind an idea of hardness which the artist did not intend4 ,this kind of hardness ,i should attribute to a miscarriage of thought1 or a failure1 from want of manipulative skill1 to produce the desired effect4 ,for example3 one artist will paint a head1 model it carefully1 and carry out all the gradations of light and shade1 and for all that it will be hard--hard as stone1 resembling the transcript of a painted statue more than flesh4 ,with the same brushes and colours another artist will paint a head that may be no better in its drawing1 nor any more correct in its light and shade1 but it will resemble flesh1 and convey to the mind of the observer a correct impression of the substance represented--its flexibility and elasticity--that it is something that would be warm and pleasant to the touch1 and not make you recoil from it as if it were something cold1 hard1 and repulsive1 as in the former case4 ,again1 two artists will paint a fabric or an article of furniture 7say a table7 with the same brushes1 pigments1 and mediums3 the one artist will render it so faithfully in every respect that it would suggest to the mind the dull sound peculiar to wood when struck1 and not the sharp1 clear ring of metal which the work of the other artist would suggest4 ,another example3 one artist paints a feather1 and it appears to have all the feathery lightness and characteristics of the natural object2 the other will paint it the same size1 form1 and colour1 and yet it will be more like a painted chip1 wanting the downy texture and float-in-the-air suggestiveness of the other4 ,thus it will be seen that both artists had similar ideas1 had similar materials and means at their disposal to render on canvas the same or similar effects4 ,the one succeeded1 and the other failed1 in giving a faithful rendering of the same subjects2 but it was no fault in the materials with which they worked4 ,the works of one artist will convey to the mind an idea of the thing itself2 with its texture1 properties1 weight1 and proportions2 nothing undervalued2 nothing overrated1 nothing softer1 nothing harder1 than the thing in nature intended to be portrayed4 ,the other gives the same idea of form and size1 light and shade1 and colour1 but not the texture2 it is something harder1 as iron instead of wood1 or hard wood instead of soft wood1 or stone instead of flesh4 ,this1 then1 is the artistic meaning of hardness 7or concentration1 as ,mr4 ,wall said71 and that is an apparent packing together1 a compression or petrifaction of the atoms or fibre of which the natural materials are composed4 ,this difference in the works of artists is simply the effects of feeling1 of power over the materials employed1 and ability to transfer to canvas effects that are almost illusions4 ,and so it is with photographers in the production of the photographic image4 ,there is the same difference in feeling and manipulative skill1 the same difference of power over the materials employed1 that enables one photographer to surpass another in rendering more truthfully the difference of texture4 ,photographers may and do use the same lenses and chemicals1 and yet produce widely different results4 ,one1 by judgment in lighting and superior manipulation1 will transfer to his plates more texture and suggestiveness of the different substances represented than the other4 ,it is a fact well known to old photographers that in the best days of the ,daguerreotype practice two widely different classes of pictures were produced by the most skilful ,daguerreotypists1 both sharp and full of exquisite detail2 yet the one was hard1 in an artistic sense1 not that it wanted half-tone to link the lights and shades together1 but because it was of a bronzy hardness1 unlike flesh from which it was taken1 and suggested to the mind a picture taken from a bronze or iron statue of the individual1 rather than a picture taken from the warm1 soft flesh of the original4 ,the other would be equally sharp as far as focussing and sharp lenses could make it1 and possess as much detail1 but it would be different in colour and texture2 the detail would be soft1 downy1 and fleshy1 not irony1 if ,i may use that word in such a sense2 and this difference of effect arose entirely from a difference of feeling1 lighting1 preparation of the plate1 and development of the pictures4 ,they might all use the best of ,voightlander's or ,c4 ,c4 ,harrison's lenses1 the favourite lenses of that day4 ,they might all use the same make of plates1 the same iodine1 bromine1 and mercury1 yet there would be this difference in the character of the two classes of pictures4 ,both would be sharp and possess abundance of detail1 still one would be soft and the other hard in an artistic acceptation of the word hardness4 ,collodion positives exhibited a similar difference of character4 ,the works of one photographer would be cold and metallic looking1 while the works of another would be softer and less metallic1 giving a better idea of the texture of flesh and the difference of fabrics1 which many attributed to the superiority of the lens2 but the difference was really due to manipulation1 treatment1 and intelligence4 ,and so it is with the collodion negative4 ,a tree1 for instance1 may be photographed1 and its whole character changed by selecting a bad and unsuitable light1 or by bad manipulation4 ,the least over-development or piling up of a high light may give it a sparkling effect that would change it into the representation of a tree of cast iron1 rather than a growing tree1 covered with damp1 soft1 and moss-stained bark4 ,every object and every fabric1 natural or manufactured1 has its own peculiar form of high light or mode of reflecting light1 and care must be taken by both artist and photographer not to exceed the amount of light reflected by each particular object1 else a hardness1 foreign to the natural object1 will be represented4 ,but not only should the artist and photographer possess this feeling for nature in all her subtle beauties and modes of expressing herself1 to prevent a miscarriage in the true rendering of any object1 the photographic printer should also have a sympathy for the work in hand1 or he will1 by over-fixing1 or in various other ways1 mar the successful labours of the photographer1 and make a negative that is full of softness1 and tenderly expresses the truth of nature1 yield prints that are crude1 and convey to the mind a sense of hardness which neither the natural objects nor the negative really possess4 ,now1 ,i think it will be seen that hardness in a painting or a photograph does not mean sharpness2 nor is the artistic meaning of the word hardness confined to rigid or severe drawing1 but that it has a broader and more practical definition than concentration2 and that the converse to the art meaning of hardness is softness1 tenderness1 truthfulness in expressing the varied aspects of nature in all her forms1 all of which are coincident with sharpness4--,j4 ,werge 7,photographic ,news74 ,,union ,,of ,,the ,,north ,,and ,,south ,,london ,,photographic ,,societies4 ,to the ,editors1 ,british ,journal4 ,gentlemen1--,allow me to express my opinion on the suggestion to unite the ,north and ,south ,london ,societies1 and to point out a few of the advantages which1 ,i think1 would accrue from a more extensive amalgamation4 ,though ,i am a member of all the three ,london photographic societies1 ,i have long been of opinion that there are too many1 and that the objects of all are considerably weakened by such a diffusion of interests4 ,if the furtherance of the art and the free and mutual interchange of thought and experience among the members were the only things considered1 there would be but one society in ,london2 and with one society embodying all the members that now make the three1 how much more good might be done6 ,in the first place1 the amounts now paid for rent by the three would1 if united1 secure an excellent meeting room or chambers1 in a central position1 for the exclusive use of the society1 where the ordinary and special meetings1 annual exhibitions1 and soirees could be held much more independently than now1 and at a cost little or no more than what is now paid for the privilege of holding the ordinary meetings alone4 ,secondly3 ,if such a place of meeting were secured1 then that laudable scheme of an art library1 so strenuously advocated by ,mr4 ,wall and ,mr4 ,blanchard at the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 might be successfully carried into effect4 ,then a library and a collection of works of art might be gradually gathered together1 and one of the members could be chosen curator and librarian1 to attend the rooms one evening in the week1 or oftener1 as circumstances might require1 so as to give members access to the library to make exchanges1 extracts from bulky books1 c4 ,thirdly3 ,if the union were effected1 and the place of meeting more central1 there would be a larger attendance of members1 and more spirited and valuable proceedings would be the result4 ,papers to be read at the regular meetings would be much more certain1 and the discussions would be more comprehensive and complete4 ,the members would become personally acquainted with each other1 and a much better feeling would pervade the whole photographic community4 ,these1 gentlemen1 are a few of the advantages which ought to accrue from a union of the three societies2 but1 if that cannot be effected1 by all means let the triumvirate now existing be reduced to a biumvirate4 ,if it be not possible for the ,parent ,society and her offspring to reunite their interests and affection for the common good1 surely the other two can1 and thereby strengthen themselves1 and secure to their members a moiety of the advantages which would result from the triple alliance4 ,but1 before proceeding farther1 let me ask--,has such a thing as a triple alliance ever been considered8 ,has it been ascertained that an amicable amalgamation with the ,photographic ,society of ,london is impossible8 ,if so1 what are the motives of the proposers of the union of the ,north and ,south ,london ,societies8 ,do they wish to form a more powerful antagonism to the other society1 or do they simply and purely wish to further the advancement of our art-science1 and not to gratify personal pique or wounded pride8 ,i do not wish to impute such unworthy motives to anyone2 but it does seem singular that the proposition should come from the ,chairman of the ,north ,london ,photographic ,association almost simultaneously with the resignation of his seat at the council board of the ,parent ,society4 ,if1 however1 the motives are pure1 honest1 and earnest1 ,i heartily approve of the suggestion as a step in the right direction1 although ,i candidly admit that ,i would much rather see all the societies united in one1 and fully believe that that would be the most advantageous arrangement that could possibly be made for all concerned4--,i am1 yours1 c41 ,union ,jack 7,j4 ,werge74 ,london1 ,february #ahth1 #ahfg4 ,,union ,,of ,,the ,,london ,,photographic ,,societies4 ,to the ,editors of the ,british ,journal4 ,gentlemen1--,perhaps ,i am in courtesy bound to answer the questions of your correspondents1 ,mr4 ,homersham and ,blue ,pendant1 but in self-justification ,i do not think it necessary1 for it turns out that my suspicions of antagonism to the ,parent ,society were well founded2 and1 from their remarks1 and the observations of your contributor ,d41 ,i learn that the disaffection is more widely spread than ,i at first thought it was4 ,i may have been wrong in suspecting the ,chairman of the ,north ,london ,photographic ,association of unworthy motives2 if so1 ,i frankly beg that gentleman's pardon4 ,but ,i am not wrong in suspecting that antagonism is mixed up with the movement4 ,your contributor ,d4 chooses to construe my unwillingness to make a direct charge--my hope that there were no such unworthy motives--into timidity2 but ,i beg to remind ,d4 that there is not much1 if any1 of that apparent in my putting the plain questions ,i did1 which1 by-the-by1 have not yet been very satisfactorily answered4 ,i flatter myself that ,i know when and how to do battle1 and when to sue for peace1 as well as any in the service under whose flag ,i have the honour to sail2 and ,i1 as much as anyone1 admire the man that can fight courageously when in the right1 or apologise gracefully when in the wrong2 but1 as the object of this correspondence is neither to make recriminations1 nor indulge in personal abuse1 ,i return to the primary consideration of the subject1 and endeavour to sift the motives of the movers of the proposition to unite the ,north and ,south ,london ,societies1 and ascertain1 if possible1 whether they have the good of those societies and the furtherance of photography really at heart or not4 ,imprimis1 then1 let us consider the arguments of ,d41 who cites the resignation of three gentlemen in proof of the management of the ,london ,photographic ,society being out of joint4 ,he might as well say1 because a man is sick1 leave him and let him die4 ,if there were anything they disliked in the government of the ,society1 or any evil to be corrected1 their most manly course was to have held on1 and fought the evils down4 ,they all had seats at the ,council board1 and if they had wished well to the ,society1 they would not have resigned them1 but battled for the right1 and brought their grievances1 real or imagined1 before the members4 ,a special meeting has been called before now to consider personal grievances which affected the honour of the ,society1 and ,i should think it could have been done again4 ,i do not maintain that all is right in the ,society1 but ,i do think that they were wrong in resigning their seats because an article appeared in the ,society's journal condemnatory of a process to which they happened to be devotedly attached4 ,it can scarcely be supposed that the cause of reform1 or the general good of the country1 would have been forwarded had ,gladstone1 ,bright1 and ,earl ,russell resigned their seats as members of either ,house because they could not carry their ministerial bill of last session4 ,from this ,i argue that men who have the object they advocate1 and the best interests of the ,society1 thoroughly at heart1 will stick to it tenaciously1 whether in or out of office1 and1 by their watchfulness1 prevent bad becoming worse1 in spite of captious opposition1 fancied insults1 or journalistic abuse4 ,the next paragraph by ,d4 on which ,i shall comment contains that bold insinuation of timidity1 which ,i have already noticed as much as ,i intend to do4 ,but ,i wish to discuss the question of absorption a little more fully4 ,i cannot at all agree with the sentiments of ,d4 on that subject4 ,absorption is in many instances a direct and positive advantage to both the absorber and absorbed1 as the absorption of ,sicily by ,italy1 and ,frankfort and ,hanover by ,prussia4 ,nitric acid absorbs silver1 and how much more valuable and useful to the photographer is the product than either of the two in their isolated condition2 and so1 ,i hold1 it would be with the ,society were the two other ,societies to join the old one1 impart to it their chief characteristics1 re-model the constitution1 and elect the members of the ,council by ballot4 ,we should then have a society far more powerful and useful than could ever be obtained by the formation of a new one4 ,in the foregoing1 ,i think ,i have also answered the question of ,mr4 ,homersham1 as well as that part of ,blue ,pendant's letter relating to the establishment of a fourth society4 ,on that point my views harmonise with those of your contributor1 ,d4 ,on the subject of members of ,council1 ,i do not agree with either ,d4 or your correspondent ,blue ,pendant4 ,the ,council should be elected from and by the body of members1 and the only qualifications necessary should be willingness and ability to do the work required4 ,no consideration of class should ever be admitted4 ,the members are all recommended by personal knowledge1 and elected by ballot1 and that alone should be test sufficient on the score of respectability4 ,concerning papers written as puffs1 ,i cordially agree with ,blue ,pendant as far as he goes2 but ,i go further than that1 and would insist on each paper being scrutinised1 before it is read1 by a committee appointed for the purpose1 so as to prevent trade advertisements and such shamefully scurrilous papers as ,i have heard at the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society4 ,with reference to the questions put by ,blue ,pendant1 ,i beg to decline answering his second1 it not being pertinent2 but ,i shall reply to his first more particularly4 ,he seems to have forgotten or overlooked the fact that ,i thought the advantages ,i enumerated would result from a union of the three societies--not from an alliance of the two only4 ,that ,i still look upon suspiciously as antagonistic to the ,parent ,society2 and ,blue ,pendant's antagonism is proved beyond doubt when he says it is tottering to its fall1 and he almost gloatingly looks forward to its dissolution coming1 to use his own words1 sooner or later1 and perhaps the sooner the better4 ,but ,i venture to think that ,blue ,pendant is not likely to be gratified by seeing the aged ,parent decently laid in the ground in his time4 ,there is too much life in the old dog yet--even since the secession--for that to come to pass4 ,it cannot be denied that the ,parent ,society has amongst its members some of the best speakers1 thinkers1 writers1 and workers in the whole photographic community4 ,while discussing this subject1 allow me1 gentlemen1 to advert to an article in your contemporary of ,friday last4 ,in the ,echoes of the ,month1 by an ,old ,photographer1 the writer thinks that the advantages ,i pointed out as likely to accrue from a union of the societies are a pleasant prospect that will not bear the test of figures4 ,it is a fact that figures are subject to the rules of addition as well as of subtraction1 and ,i wish to show by figures that my ideas are not so impracticable as he imagines4 ,in addition to the eight guineas a year paid by the ,north and ,south ,london ,photographic ,societies for rent1 ,i notice in the report of the ,london ,photographic ,society1 published last month1 two items in the liabilities which are worth considering4 ,one is ,king's ,college1 rent and refreshment1 ,l#db #ds4 #f;d41 which1 ,i presume1 is for one year4 ,the other is ,king's ,college soiree account1 ,l#bj #aes4 #f;d41 part of which is undoubtedly for rent of rooms on that occasion4 ,now there is a clear showing of over ,l#ej #abs4 #f;d4 paid in one year by the three societies for rent and refreshment1 the latter not being absolutely necessary4 ,i may be mistaken in my estimate of the value of central property2 but ,i do think a sum exceeding ,l#ej is sufficient to secure a room or chambers large enough for the purposes of meeting1 and keeping a library1 c42 or1 if not1 would it not be worth while making a strain to pay a little more so as to secure the accommodation required8 ,if the ,coventry ,street experiment were a failure from apathy or other causes1 that is no proof that another attempt made by a more numerous1 wealthy1 and energetic body would also be abortive4 ,in sea phraseology1 the old ship has made a long leg to-day6 but ,i hope1 gentlemen1 you will not grudge the space required for the full and careful consideration of this subject4 ,the developing dish and the ordinary modus operandi of photography can well afford to stand aside for awhile to have this question discussed to the end4 ,i have not said all ,i can on the amalgamation project1 and may return to it again with your kind permission1 if necessary4--,i am1 yours1 c41 ,union ,jack 7,j4 ,werge74 ,london1 ,march #d1 #ahfg4 ,,the ,,society',s ,,exhibition4 ,impressions and ,convictions of ,lux ,graphicus4 ,the brief and all but impromptu ,exhibition of the ,photographic ,society1 recently held in the rooms of the ,architectural ,society1 #i1 ,conduit ,street1 ,regent ,street1 where the ,society's meetings are to be held in future1 was one of the pleasantest and most useful expositions in connection with photography that has been consummated for many years4 ,in the first place the idea of an exhibition evening free from the formalities of a soiree was a happy one2 the locale was happily chosen2 and the whole arrangements most happily successful4 ,everybody seemed to be pleased2 cordial expressions of agreeable surprise were freely exchanged2 and there were abundance and variety enough of pictorial display to satisfy the most fastidious visitor4 ,as might have been expected1 the works of ,m4 ,salomon1 exhibited by ,mr4 ,wharton ,simpson1 were the chief objects of attraction1 and during the whole of the evening an anxious group surrounded the collection2 and it was curious to remark with what eagerness these pictures were scrutinized1 so as to ascertain whether they were examples of photography pure and undefiled1 or helped by artistic labour afterwards4 ,that they are the very finest specimens of art-photography--both in the broad and masterly treatment of light and shade1 pose1 manipulation1 tone of print1 and after finish--that have ever been exhibited1 is unquestionable2 but to suppose that they are photographs unaided by art-labour afterwards is1 ,i think1 a mistake4 ,all of the heads1 hands1 and portions of the drapery bear unmistakable proofs of after-touching4 ,some of them give evidence of most elaborate retouching on the hands and faces1 on the surface of the print4 ,i examined the pictures by daylight most minutely with the aid of a magnifying glass1 and could detect the difference between the retouching on the negative1 and1 after printing1 on the positive4 ,the faces of nearly all the ladies present that appearance of dapple or stipple which nothing in the texture of natural flesh can give1 unless the sitter were in the condition of goose flesh at the moment of sitting1 which is a condition of things not at all likely4 ,again1 hatching is distinctly visible1 which is not the photographic reproduction of the hatch-like line of the cuticle4 ,in support of that ,i have two forms of evidence3 first1 comparison1 as the hatchings visible on the surface of the print are too long to be a reproduction of the hatch-like markings of the skin1 even on the hands1 which generally show that kind of nature's handiwork the most4 ,besides1 the immense reduction would render that invisible even under a magnifying glass1 no matter how delicate the deposit of silver might be on the negative2 or even if it were so1 the fibre of the paper would destroy the effect4 ,again1 the hatchings visible are not the form of nature's hatchings1 but all partake of that art-technical form called sectional hatchings4 ,i could name several of the prints that showed most conclusive evidence of what ,i say1 but that is not necessary1 because others saw these effects as well as ,i did4 ,but ,i wish it to be distinctly understood that ,i have not been at the pains to make these examinations and observations with the view of lessening the artistic merit of these pictures4 ,i unhesitatingly pronounce them the most beautiful achievements of the camera that have ever been obtained by combining artistic knowledge and skill with the mechanical aid of the camera and ability to handle the compounds of photographic chemistry4 ,there is unmistakable evidence of the keenest appreciation of art1 and all that is beautiful in it in the production of the negative2 and if the artist see or think that he can perfect his work by the aid of the brush1 he has a most undoubted right to do it4 ,this question of pure and simple photography has been mooted all the summer1 ever since the opening of the ,french ,exhibition1 and ,i am glad that ,i1 as well as others1 have had an opportunity of seeing these wonderful pictures1 and judging for myself4 ,photography is truth embodied1 and every question raised about the purity of its productions should be discussed as freely and settled as quickly as possible4 ,there was another picture in the exhibition very clever in its conception1 but not so in its execution1 and ,i am sorry to say ,i cannot endorse all the good that has been said of it4 ,i allude to ,mr4 ,robinson's picture of ,sleep4 ,how that clever photographer1 with such a keen eye to nature as he generally manifests in his composition pictures1 should have committed such a mistake ,i am at a loss to know4 ,his picture of ,sleep is so strangely untrue to nature1 that he must have been quite overcome by the sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care when he composed it4 ,in the centre of the picture he shows a stream of light entering a window--a ghost of a window1 for it is so unsubstantial as not to allow a shadow to be cast from its seemingly massive bars4 ,now1 if the moon shone through a window at all1 it would cast shadows of everything that stood before it1 and the shadows of the bars of the window would be cast upon the coverlet of the bed in broken lines1 rising and falling with the undulations of the folds of the covering1 and the forms of the figures of the children4 ,in representing moonlight1 or sunlight either1 there is no departing from this truth4 ,if the direct ray of either stream through a closed window and fall upon the bed1 so will the shadows of the intervening bars4 ,any picture1 either painted or photographed1 that does not render those shadows is simply untrue to nature2 and if the difficulty could not have been overcome1 the attempt should have been abandoned4 ,then the beams are not sharp enough for moonlight1 and the shadows on the coverlet and children are not deep enough1 and the reflections on the shadow side of the children's faces are much too strong4 ,in short1 ,i do not know when ,mr4 ,robinson more signally failed to carry out his first intentions4 ,wanting in truth as the composition is1 it proves another truth1 and that is1 the utter inability of photography to cope with such a subject4 ,mr4 ,robinson exhibited other pictures that would bear a very different kind of criticism2 but as they have been noticed at other times ,i shall not touch upon them here4 ,herr ,milster's picture bears the stamp of truth upon it1 and is a beautiful little gem1 convincing enough that the effect is perfectly natural4 ,mr4 ,ayling's pictures of the ,victoria ,tower and a portion of ,westminster ,abbey are really wonderful1 and the bit of aerial perspective ,across the ,water in the former picture is truly beautiful4 ,mrs4 ,cameron persists in sticking to the out-of-the-way path she has chosen1 but where it will lead her to at last is very difficult to determine4 ,one of the heads of ,henry ,taylor which she exhibited was undoubtedly the best of her contributions4 ,the pictures of yachts and interiors exhibited by ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes were quite equal to all that could be expected from the camera of that clever1 earnest1 and indefatigable photographer4 ,the portrait enlargements exhibited by that gentleman were exquisite1 and of a totally different character from any other exhibitor's4 ,mr4 ,england's dry plate pictures1 by his modified albumen process1 are undoubtedly the best of the kind that have been taken4 ,they lack that appearance of the representation of petrified scenes that most1 if not all1 previous dry processes exhibited1 and look as juicy as humid nature can well be rendered with the wet process4 ,mr4 ,frank ,howard exhibited four little gems that would be perfect but for the unnatural effect of the artificial skies he has introduced4 ,the ,stranded ,vessels is nicely chosen1 and one of the wood scenes is like a bit of ,creswick uncoloured4 ,messrs4 ,locke and ,whitfield exhibited some very finely and sketchily coloured photographs1 quite up to their usual standard of artistic excellence1 with the new feature of being painted on a ground of carbon printed from the negative by the patent carbon process of ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan4 ,mr4 ,adolphus ,wing's cabinet pictures were very excellent specimens1 and ,i think it a great pity that more of that very admirable style of portraiture was not exhibited4 ,mr4 ,henry ,dixon's copy of ,landseer's dog ,pixie1 from the original painting1 was very carefully and beautifully rendered4 ,mr4 ,faulkner's portraits1 though of a very different character1 were quite equal in artistic excellence to ,m4 ,salomon's4 ,mr4 ,bedford's landscapes presented their usual charm1 and the tone of his prints seemed to surpass the general beauty of his every-day work4 ,mr4 ,blanchard also exhibited some excellent landscapes1 and displayed his usual happy choice of subject and point of sight4 ,an immense number of photographs by amateurs1 ,mr4 ,brownrigg1 ,mr4 ,beasley1 and others1 were exhibited in folios and distributed about the walls1 but it is impossible for me to describe or criticise more4 ,i have already drawn my yarn a good length1 and shall conclude by repeating what ,i said at starting1 that a pleasanter evening1 or more useful and instructive exhibition1 has never been got up by the ,photographic ,society of ,london1 and it is to be hoped that the success and eclat attending it will encourage them to go and do likewise next year1 and every succeeding one of its natural life1 which ,i doubt not will be long and prosperous1 for the exhibition just closed has given unmistakable evidence of there being life in the old dog yet4 ,photographic ,news1 ,nov4 #bbnd1 #ahfg4 ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,clouds ,,in ,,landscapes4 ,the subject of printing skies and cloud effects from separate negatives having been again revived by the reading of papers on that subject at the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 ,i think it will not be out of place now to call attention to some points that have not been commented upon--or1 at any rate1 very imperfectly--by either the readers of the papers or by the speakers at the meetings1 when the subject was under discussion4 ,the introduction of clouds in a landscape by an artist is not so much to fill up the blank space above the object represented on the lower part of the canvas or paper1 as to assist in the composition of the picture1 both as regards linear and aerial perspective1 and in the arrangement of light and shade1 so as to secure a just balance and harmony of the whole1 according to artistic principles4 ,clouds are sometimes employed to repeat certain lines in the landscape composition1 so as to increase their strength and beauty1 and to unite the terrestrial part of the picture with the celestial4 ,at other times they are used to balance a composition1 both in form and effect1 to prevent the picture being divided into two distinct and diagonal portions1 as evidenced in many of the pictures by ,cuyp2 on other occasions they are introduced solely for chiaroscuro effects1 so as to enable the artist to place masses of dark upon light1 and vice versa4 ,of that use ,i think the works of ,turner will afford the most familiar and beautiful examples4 ,in the instances cited1 ,i make no allusion to the employment of clouds as repeaters of colour1 but merely confine my remarks to their use in assisting to carry out form and effect1 either in linear composition1 or in the arrangement of light and shade in simple monochrome1 as evidenced in the engraved translations of the works of ,rembrandt1 ,turner1 ,birket ,foster1 and others1 the study of those works being most applicable to the practice of photography1 and1 therefore1 offering the most valuable hints to both amateur and professional photographers in the management of their skies4 ,before pursuing this part of my subject further1 it may be as well1 perhaps1 to state my general opinions of the effects of so-called natural skies1 obtained by one exposure and one printing4 ,admitting that they are a vast improvement on the white-sky style of the early ages of photography1 they fall far short of what they should be in artistic effect and arrangement4 ,in nearly all the natural skies that ,i have seen1 their office appears to be no other than to use up the white paper above the terrestrial portion of the picture4 ,the masses of clouds1 if there1 seem always in the wrong place1 and never made use of for breadth of chiaroscuro4 ,no better illustrations of this can be adduced than those large photographs of ,swiss and ,alpine scenery by ,braun of ,dornach1 which nearly all contain natural clouds2 but1 on looking them over1 it will be seen that few 7if any7 really exhibit that artistic use of clouds in the composition of the pictures which evidence artistic knowledge4 ,the clouds are taken just as they happen to be1 without reference to their employment to enhance the effects of any of the objects in the lower portion of the view1 or as aids to the composition and general effect4 ,for the most part1 the clouds are small and spotty1 ill-assorting with the grandeur of the landscapes1 and never assisting the chiaroscuro in an artistic sense4 ,the most noticeable example of the latter defect may be seen in the picture entitled ,le ,mont ,pilate1 wherein a bald and almost white mountain is placed against a light sky1 much to the injury of its form1 effect1 and grandeur2 indeed1 the mountain is barely saved from being lost in the sky1 although it is the principal object in the picture4 ,had an artist attempted to paint such a subject1 he would have relieved such a large mass of light against a dark cloud4 ,an example of a different character is observable in another photograph1 wherein a dark conical mount would have been much more artistically rendered had it been placed against a large mass of light clouds4 ,there are two or three fleecy white clouds about the summit of the mountain1 but1 as far as pictorial effect goes1 they would have been better away1 for the mind is left in doubt whether they are really clouds1 or the sulphurous puffs that float about the crater of a slumbering volcano4 ,that photographs possessing all the effects required by the rules of art are difficult1 and almost impossible to obtain at one exposure in the camera1 ,i readily allow4 ,i know full well that a man might wait for days and weeks before the clouds would arrange themselves so as to relieve his principal object most advantageously2 and1 even if the desirable effects of light and shade were obtained1 the chances are that the forms would not harmonize with the leading lines of the landscape4 ,this being the case1 then1 it must be self-evident that the best mode of procedure will be to print in skies from separate negatives1 either taken from nature or from drawings made for the purpose by an artist that thoroughly understands art in all its principles4 ,by these means1 especially the latter1 skies may be introduced into the photographic picture that will not only be adapted to each individual scene1 but will1 in every instance where they are employed1 increase the artistic merit and value of the composition4 ,but to return to the subject chiefly under consideration4 ,clouds in landscape pictures1 like man in his time1 play many parts--they have their exits and their entrances4 ,and it is almost impossible to say enough in a short paper on a subject so important to all landscape photographers4 ,i will1 however1 as briefly and lucidly as ,i can1 endeavour to point out the chief uses of clouds in landscapes4 ,referring to their use for effects in light and shade1 ,i wrote1 at the commencement of this paper1 that the engraved translations of ,turner afford the most familiar and beautiful examples1 which they undoubtedly do4 ,but when ,i consider that ,turner's skies are nearly all sunsets1 the study of them will not be so readily turned to practical account by the photographer as the works of others1--,birket ,foster1 for instance4 ,his works are almost equal to ,turner's in light and shade2 he has been largely employed in the illustration of books1 and five shillings will procure more of his beautiful examples of sky effects than a guinea will of ,turner's4 ,take1 for example1 ,sampson ,low and ,son's five shilling edition of ,bloomfield's ,farmer's ,boy1 or ,gray's ,elegy in a ,churchyard1 profusely illustrated almost entirely by ,birket ,foster2 and in them will be seen such a varied and marvellous collection of beautiful sky effects as seem almost impossible to be the work of one man1 and all of them profitable studies for both artist and photographer in the varied uses made of clouds in landscapes4 ,in those works it will be observed that where the lower part of the picture is rich in variety of subject the sky is either quiet or void of form1 partaking of one tint only slightly broken up4 ,where the terrestrial part of the composition is tame1 flat1 and destitute of beautiful objects1 the sky is full of beauty and grandeur1 rich in form and masses of light and shade1 and generally shedding a light on the insignificant object below1 so as to invest it with interest in the picture1 and connect it with the story being told4 ,from both of these examples the photographer may obtain a suggestion1 and slightly tint the sky of his picture1 rich in objects of interest1 so as to resemble the tint produced by the ruled lines representing a clear blue sky in an engraving4 ,hitherto that kind of tinting has generally been overdone1 giving it more the appearance of a heavy fog lifting than a calm blue sky4 ,the darkest part of the tint should just be a little lower than the highest light on the principal object4 ,this tint may either be obtained in the negative itself at the time of exposure1 or produced by masking during the process of printing4 ,on the other hand1 when the subject has little to recommend it in itself1 it may be greatly increased in pictorial power and interest by a judicious introduction of beautiful cloud effects1 either obtained from nature1 or furnished by the skill of an artist4 ,if the aid of an artist be resorted to1 ,i would not recommend painting on the negative1 but let the artist be furnished with a plain white-sky print2 let him wash in a sky1 in sepia or india ink1 that will most harmonise1 both in form and effect1 with the subject represented1 take a negative from that sky alone1 and put it into each of the pictures by double printing4 ,this may seem a great deal of trouble and expense1 and not appear to the minds of some as altogether legitimate1 but ,i strenuously maintain that any means employed to increase the artistic merit and value of a photograph is strictly legitimate2 and that wherever and however art can be resorted to1 without doing violence to the truthfulness of nature1 the status of our art-science will be elevated1 and its professional disciples will cease to be the scorn of men who take pleasure in deriding the1 sometimes--may ,i say too often8--lame and inartistic productions of the camera4 ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,clouds ,,as ,,backgrounds ,,in ,,portraiture4 ,there has long been in the world an aphorism that everything in ,nature is beautiful4 ,collectively this is true1 and so it is individually1 so far as the adaptability and fitness of the object to its proper use are concerned2 but there are many things which are truly beautiful in themselves1 and in their natural uses1 which cease to be so when they are pressed into services for which they are not intended by the great ,creator of the universe4 ,for example1 what can be more beautiful than that compound modification of cloud forms commonly called a mackerel sky1 which is sometimes seen on a summer evening8 ,what can be more lovely1 or more admirably adapted to the purposes of reflecting and conducting the last flickering rays of the setting sun into the very zenith1 filling half the visible heavens with a fretwork of gorgeous crimson1 reflecting a warm1 mysterious light on everything below1 and filling the mind with wonder and admiration at the marvellous beauties which the heavens are showing8 ,yet1 can anything be more unsuitable for forming the background to a portrait1 where everything should be subdued1 secondary1 and subservient to the features of the individual represented--where everything should be lower in tone than the light on the face1 where neither colour nor light should be introduced that would tend to distract the attention of the observer--where neither accessory nor effect should appear that does not help to concentrate the mind on the grand object of the picture--the likeness8 ,still1 how often do we see a photographic portrait stuck against a sky as spotty1 flickering1 and unsuitable as the one just described6 ,how seriously are the importance and brilliancy of the head interfered with by the introduction of such an unsuitable background6 ,how often is the interest of the spectator divided between the portrait and the overdone sky1 so elaborately got up by the injudicious background painter6 ,such backgrounds are all out of place1 and ought to be abandoned--expelled from every studio4 ,as the photographer does not possess the advantages of the painter1 to produce his effects by contrast of colour1 it behoves him to be much more particular in his treatment of light and shade2 but most particularly in his choice of a background that will most harmonise with the dress1 spirit1 style1 and condition in life of his sitter4 ,it is always possible for a member of any class of the community to be surrounded or relieved by a plain1 quiet background2 but it is not possible1 in nine cases out of ten1 for some individuals who sit for their portraits ever to be dwellers in marble halls1 loungers in the most gorgeous conservatories1 or strollers in such delightful gardens4 ,in addition to the unfitness of such scenes to the character and every-day life of the sitter1 they are the most unsuitable for pictorial effect that can possibly be employed4 ,for1 instead of directing attention to the principal object1 they disturb the mind1 and set it wandering all over the picture1 and interfere most seriously with that quiet contemplation of the features which is so necessary to enable the beholder to discover all the characteristic points in the portrait4 ,when the likeness is a very bad one1 this may be advantageous1 on the principle of putting an ornamental border round a bad picture with the view of distracting the attention of the observer1 and preventing the eye from resting long enough on any one spot to discover the defects4 ,when clouds are introduced as backgrounds to portraits1 they should not be of that small1 flickering character previously alluded to1 but broad1 dark1 and massy1 so as to impart by contrast more strength of light to the head2 and the lighter parts of the clouds should be judiciously placed either above or below the head1 so as to carry the light into other parts of the picture1 and prevent the strongly-lighted head appearing a spot4 ,the best examples of that character will be found in the engraved portraits by ,reynolds1 ,lawrence1 ,gainsborough1 and others1 many of which are easily obtained at the old print shops2 some have appeared in the ,art ,journal4 ,as guides for introducing cloud effects1 accessories1 and landscape bits into the backgrounds of carte-de-visite and cabinet pictures1 no better examples can be cited than those exquisite little figure subjects by ,r4 ,westall1 ,r4,a41 illustrating ,sharpe's ,editions of the ,old ,poets4 ,the engravings are about the size of cartes-de-visite1 and are in themselves beautiful examples of composition1 light1 and shade1 and appropriateness of accessory to the condition and situation of the figures1 affording invaluable suggestions to the photographer in the arrangement of his sitter1 or groups1 and in the choice of suitable accessories and backgrounds4 ,such examples are easily obtained4 ,almost any old bookstall in ,london possesses one or more of those works1 and each little volume contains at least half-a-dozen of these exquisite little gems of art4 ,looking at those beautiful photographic cartes-de-visite by ,mr4 ,edge1 ,i am very strongly impressed with the idea that they were suggested by some such artistic little pictures as ,westall's ,illustrations of the ,poets4 ,they are really charming little photographs1 and show most admirably how much the interest and artistic merit of a photograph can be enhanced by the skilful and judicious introduction of a suitable background4 ,i may as well observe1 en passant1 that ,i have examined these pictures very carefully1 and have come to the conclusion that the effects are not produced by means of any of the ingeniously contrived appliances for poly-printing recently invented and suggested1 but that the effects are produced simply by double printing1 manipulated with consummate care and judgment1 the figure or figures being produced on a plain or graduated middle tint background in one negative1 and the landscape effect printed on from another negative after the first print has been taken out of the printing-frame2 the figures protected by a mask nicely adjusted4 ,my impressions on this subject are strengthened almost to conviction when ,i look at one of ,mr4 ,edge's photographs1 in particular a group of two ladies1 the sitting figure sketching4 ,in this picture1 the lower part of the added landscape--trees--being darker than the normal tint of the ground1 shows a line round the black dress of the lady1 as if the mask had overlapped it just a hair's breadth during the process of secondary printing4 ,be that as it may1 they are lovely little pictures1 and afford ample evidence of what may be done by skill and taste to vary the modes of treating photography more artistically1 by introducing natural scenery sufficiently subdued to harmonise with the portrait or group2 and1 by similar means1 backgrounds of clouds and interiors may be added to a plain photograph1 which would enrich its pictorial effect1 and enable the photographer to impart to his work a greater interest and beauty1 and1 at the same time1 be made the means of giving apparent occupation to his sitter4 ,this mode of treatment would enable him1 in a great measure1 to carry out the practice of nearly all the most celebrated portrait painters1 viz41 that of considering the form1 light1 shade1 and character of the background after the portrait was finished1 by adapting the light1 shade1 and composition of his background to the pose and condition of life of his sitter4 ,i shall now conclude my remarks with a quotation from ,du ,fresnoy's ,art of ,painting1 bearing directly on my subject and that of light and shade3-- ,permit not two conspicuous lights to shine ,with rival radiance in the same design2 ,but yield to one alone the power to blaze1 ,and spread th' extensive vigour of its rays2 ,there where the noblest figures are displayed1 ,thence gild the distant parts and lessening fade2 ,as fade the beams which ,phoebus from the east ,flings vivid forth to light the distant ,west1 ,gradual those vivid beams forget to shine1 ,so gradual let thy pictured lights decline4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,lux ,,graphicus ,,on ,,the ,,wing4 ,dear ,mr4 ,editor1--,i have often troubled you with some of my ideas and opinions concerning the progress and status of photography1 and you have pretty often transferred the same to the columns of the ,photographic ,news1 and troubled your readers in much the same manner4 ,this time1 however1 ,i am going to tell you a secret--a family secret4 ,they are always more curious1 interesting1 and important than other secrets1 state secrets and ,mr4 ,mc,lachlan's photographic secret not excepted4 ,but to my subject3 ,the ,secret4 ,well1 dear ,mr4 ,editor1 you know that my vocations have been rather arduous for some time past1 and ,i feel that a little relaxation from pressing cares and anxieties would be a great boon to me4 ,you know1 also1 that ,i am a great lover of nature1 almost a stickler for it1 to the exclusion of prejudicial art4 ,and now that the spring has come and winter has fled on the wings of the fieldfares and woodcocks--that's ,thomas ,hood's sentiment made seasonable--,i fain would leave the pent-up city1 where the colour of the sky can seldom be seen for the veil of yellow smoke which so constantly obscures it1 and betake myself to the country1 and inhale the fresh breezes of early spring2 gladden my heart and eyes with a sight of the bright blue sky1 the glistening snowdrops and glowing yellow crocuses1 and regale my ears and soul with the rich notes of the thrush and blackbird1 and the earliest song of the lark at the gates of heaven4 ,it is a pleasant thing to be able to shake off the mud and gloom of a winter's sojourn in a town1 in the bright1 fresh fields of the country1 and bathe your fevered and enfeebled body in the cool airs of spring1 as they come gushing down from the hills1 or across the rippling lake1 or dancing sea4 ,i always had such a keen relish for the country at all seasons of the year1 it is often a matter of wonder to me that ,i ever could bring my mind to the necessity of living in a town4 ,but bread and butter do not grow in hedgerows1 though bread and cheese do2 still the latter will not support animal life of a higher order than grub or caterpillars4 ,there's the rub4 ,the mind is1 after all1 the slave of the body1 for the mind must bend to the requirements of the body2 and1 as a man cannot live by gazing at a colt's foot1 and if he have no appetite for horseflesh1 he is obliged to succumb to his fate1 and abide in a dingy1 foggy1 slushy1 and bewildering world of mud1 bricks1 and mortar1 instead of revelling in the bright fields1 fresh air1 and gushing melodies which ,god created for man1 and gave man senses to enjoy his glorious works4 ,but1 ,mr4 ,editor1 ,i am mentally wandering among cowslips1 daises1 buttercups1 and wild strawberry blossoms1 and forgetting the stern necessity of confining my observations to a subject coming reasonably within the range of a class journal which you so ably conduct2 but it is pardonable and advantageous to allow mind to run before matter sometimes1 for the latter is more frequently inert than the former1 and when the mind has gone ahead1 the body is sure to follow4 ,melancholy instances of that present themselves to our notice too frequently4 ,for example1 when a poor lady's or gentleman's wits are gone1 lettres des cachets1 and some kind or unkind friends1 send the witless body to some retreat where the wits of all the inmates are gone4 ,i must1 however1 in all sober earnestness1 return to my subject1 or ,i fear you will say3 ,he is going to ,hanwell4 ,well1 perhaps ,i am1 for ,i know that photography is practised at that admirable institution2 and now that ,i have struck a professional chord1 ,i may as well play on it4 ,lenses and cameras1 like birds and flowers1 reappear in spring1 and1 as the season advances and the sun attains a higher altitude1 amateurs and professionals are quickened into a surprising activity4 ,renewed life is imparted to them1 and the gregarious habits of man are developed in another form1 and somewhat in the manner that the swallows return to their old haunts4 ,at first1 a solitary scout or reconnoitering party makes his appearance1 then another1 and another1 until a complete flock of amateur and professional photographers are abroad1 seeking what food they can devour3 some preferring the first green bits of foliage that begin to gem the woods with emeralds1 others waiting till the leaf is fully out1 and the trees are thickly clothed in their early summer loveliness3 while others prefer a more advanced state of beauty1 and like to depict nature in her russet hues1 when the trees are in their yellow leaf4 ,some are contented with the old-fashioned homesteads and sweet green lanes of ,england for their subjects2 others prefer the ruined abbeys and castles of the feudal ages1 with their deeply interesting associations2 others choose the more mythical monuments of superstition and the dark ages1 such as ,king ,arthur's round tables1 druidical circles1 and remains of their rude temples of stone4 ,some delight in pictorializing the lakes and mountains of the north1 while others are not satisfied with anything short of the sublime beauty and terrific grandeur of the ,alps and ,pyrenees4 ,truly1 sir1 ,i think it may be safely stated that photographers are lovers of nature1 and1 ,i think1 they are also lovers of art4 ,if some of them do not possess that art knowledge which is so necessary for them to pursue advantageously either branch of their profession1 it is much to be regretted2 but there is now no reason why they should continue in darkness any longer4 ,i know that it requires years of study and practice to become an artist1 but it does not require a very great amount of mental labour or sacrifice of time to become an artistic photographer4 ,a little hard study of the subject as it appears in the columns of your journal and those of your contemporaries--for ,i notice that they have all suddenly become alive to the necessity of imparting to photographers a knowledge of art principles--will soon take the scales off the eyes of a man that is blind in art1 and enable him to comprehend the mysteries of lines1 unity1 and light and shade1 and give him the power to compose his subject as readily as he could give a composing draught to an infant1 and teach him to determine at a glance the light1 shade1 and atmospheric effects that would most harmonize with the scene to be represented4 ,supposing that he is master of the mechanical manipulations of photography1 he has acquired half the skill of the artist2 and by studying and applying the rules of composition and light and shade to his mechanical skill1 he is then equal to the artist in the treatment of his subject1 so far as the means he employs will or can enable him to give an art rendering of nature1 fixed and immovable4 ,i do not profess to be a teacher1 but ,i do think it is much more genial in spirit1 and becoming the dignity of a man1 to impart what little knowledge he has to others1 than to scoff at those who do not know so much4 ,if1 therefore1 ,mr4 ,editor1 in the course of my peregrinations1 ,i see an opportunity of calling your attention1 and1 through you1 the attention of others1 to any glaring defects or absurdities in the practice of our dearly beloved art1 ,i shall not hesitate to do so2 not1 however1 with any desire to carp and cavil at them for cavilling's sake1 but with the more laudable desire of pointing them out1 that they may be avoided4 ,during the coming summer ,i shall have1 or hope to have1 many opportunities of seeing and judging1 and will endeavour to keep you duly advised of what is passing before me4 ,my letters may come from all parts--,n41 ,e41 ,w41 and ,s4--so that they will1 in that sense at least1 harmonize with the nomenclature of your periodical4 ,where ,i may be at the date of my writing1 the post-mark will reveal to you4 ,and now ,i must consider my signature3 much is in a name1 you know4 ,i can hardly call myself your ,special ,correspondent--that would be too much a la ,sala2 nor can ,i subscribe myself an ,old ,photographer1 for that would be taking possession of another man's property1 and might lead to confusion1 if not to difficulties2 neither can ,i style myself a ,peripatetic ,photographer--though ,i am one--for that name sometimes appears in the columns of a contemporary2 and my own name is such a long one1 consisting of nearly half the letters of the alphabet4 ,well1 ,i think1 all things considered1 ,i cannot do better than retain my old nom de plume4 ,and with many apologies for this long1 roundabout paper1 and every expression of regard1 ,i beg to subscribe myself your obliged and humble servant1 ,lux ,graphicus 7,j4 ,werge74 ,march #bgth1 #ahfh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,lux ,,graphicus ,,on ,,the ,,wing4 ,oxford and ,cambridge--,cabinet ,portraits--,mr4 ,mc,lachlan's ,secret4 ,dear ,mr4 ,editor1--,do not let the above heading alarm you4 ,i have no desire to convert the columns of your valuable journal into a kind of photographic ,bell's ,life or ,sporting ,chronicle4 ,although the great ,university boat race has just been decided for the eighth consecutive time in favour of ,oxford1 it is not of that aquatic struggle that ,i am going to write1 but of another matter in which the ,cantabs seem to be behind the ,oxonians in the race of life1 or the pursuit of novelties4 ,not only are the ,cantabs short in their stroke with the oars1 and unable to obtain the first place in the contests on the ,thames1 they are also slow in giving their orders for a certain article of commerce which is of very great importance to professional photographers1 especially those in the neighbourhood of the ,university of ,cambridge4 ,it is a remarkable fact1 that while ,oxford has gone in with a rush for those very charming portraits technically named cabinets1 ,cambridge holds aloof4 ,how is this1 ,i wonder4 ,there are as good photographers in ,cambridge--,mr4 ,mayland1 to wit1 whose work is all of the first class--as in ,oxford2 the sun shines as brightly in the region of the ,cam as he does in that of the ,isis4 ,have the ,cantabs made up their minds not to be cabinet men in opposition to ,oxford8 or is the fact due to the lukewarmness of the ,cambridge photographers themselves8 ,it seems somewhat strange that two places likely to be so similar in tastes and a refined appreciation of the beautiful should so differ in this respect4 ,are the men of the two great seats of learning in this country opposed in matters of photographic proportion as they are in other matters of minor importance--as in the proper pronunciation of either and neither1 for instance8 ,not having graduated at either1 ,i do not know which is correct1 neither do ,i care2 but ,i am concerned in this question of photography4 ,while at ,oxford the cabinet picture has taken deep root1 and has grown into a strong and vigorous article of demand1 it is a well-known fact that at ,cambridge it is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought1 and languishes on in a state trembling between life and death4 ,whether the producers or consumers are to blame for this langour in the demand for an article that is certainly worth being cultivated1 is more than ,i can say4 ,i know that the discrepancy exists1 and the rest ,i leave to those most immediately interested4 ,it cannot1 however1 be supposed that a demand for any particular size or style can spring up spontaneously2 that must be created by the producer1 by popularising the style in some attractive and judicious manner1 and the cabinet size is well deserving of a very strenuous effort being made in its favour4 ,of all the photographic sizes that have been introduced to the public1 the cabinet is the most artistic in its proportions4 ,as nearly as possible it falls under that art rule of producing an oblong or parallelogram of the most agreeable proportions1 which is as the diagonal is to the square4 ,the size of the cabinet is #e-a_/b by #d1 and if you measure the diagonal of the square of #d inches1 you will find that the length of the cabinet1 #e-a_/b inches1 is as near that as possible4 ,doubtless ,mr4 ,window had this in view when he introduced the size1 and whether for upright or horizontal pictures1 such proportions are decidedly the best4 ,many of the sizes already in use are too long1 others are too short and square4 ,in addition to the beautiful proportions of the cabinet size1 it gives the portrait photographer more room and opportunities to introduce harmonious forms and effects in the posing and arrangements of portraits and groups2 and ,i have seen some very charming views on the cabinet size1 #e-a_/b by #d inches horizontally2 as well as some very beautiful interiors of ,westminster ,abbey1 by ,mr4 ,v4 ,blanchard1 on the cabinet cards vertical1 which proves pretty conclusively that the proportions of the diagonal to the square of any size will suit both vertical and horizontal pictures4 ,i have not the least doubt but a much greater demand for those cabinet pictures1 both portrait and landscape1 could be created1 if photographers would set about introducing them with a will3 depend upon it if they will but put their heart into the matter1 they would put money into their pockets4 ,i know how much has been done by launching them fearlessly on the sea of public patronage in several localities1 and ,i feel certain the demand would be much more general if the cabinet picture were judiciously introduced4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,p4 ,robinson and ,mr4 ,nelson ,k4 ,cherrill1 having entered into partnership1 are on the point of opening a photographic establishment at ,tunbridge ,wells1 where they intend to incur considerable expense to introduce the cabinet portrait1 and give it that prominence it so justly merits4 ,since writing you last1 ,i learn from a friend who is intimate with ,mr4 ,mc,lachlan that there is every possibility of his secret being revealed ere long4 ,that this secret formula will be an immense boon to all photographers1 there can be little doubt4 ,if an absolute immunity from streaks in the direction of the dip1 brain-markings1 and pinholes--which are the advantages said to be derived from the process--can be guaranteed1 then will the manipulatory part of photography be at once made easy2 and ,mr4 ,mc,lachlan will have conferred a personal obligation on every photographic manipulator4 ,not only will photographers be benefitted by ,mr4 ,mc,lachlan's generous conduct1 the whole world will participate in the advantages he intends to place as a gift in the hands of photographers2 and even art1 that is so afraid of a photographic amalgamation1 will be honoured by the revelation4 ,but once let the mind of the operator be for ever free from the cares and anxieties of his negative being clean1 spotless1 and excellent in quality1 he will then have more time and inclination to put his art knowledge1 if he have any1 into practice1 by paying more attention to the pose of his sitters and the artistic choice and arrangement of accessories4 ,if he be without art knowledge he will be obliged to acquire it and put it into practice1 or be driven out of his field of operations4 ,for1 if the chemical difficulties and uncertainties are to be so summarily disposed of1 and all the manipulations reduced to a certainty and dead level1 a pre-eminence in the profession can only be maintained by him who exhibits a taste1 feeling1 and love for his labours superior to the desire to palm upon the public1 for mere gain1 works that are a disgrace and a scandal to the profession of which he is a member4 ,that such a condition of things photographic may be quickly brought about is much to be desired1 and if such be the result of ,mr4 ,mc,lachlan's very noble willingness to give to the photographic community experiences that have cost him much time and money in acquiring by close observation and experiment1 he will1 at the least1 be entitled to the sincere and hearty acknowledgments of all well-wishers and lovers of our art-science4 ,apropos of clean and easy development1 ,i should like to know if any of your numerous readers have tried the effect of sulphate of zinc with the iron developer4 ,i understand its use obviates the necessity of using acetic acid as a retardant2 that the deposit of silver is much more delicate than that produced by iron alone2 that the control over it is very great2 that any amount of intensity can be obtained by one or more applications1 without the aid of pyrogallic acid1 and without producing harshness or hardness4 ,with such recommendations it is certainly worth a trial4 ,i have had no time to try it myself1 but think it is of sufficient importance to give your readers an opportunity of experimenting with it1 and judging for themselves4 ,photographic ,news1 ,april #ajth1 #ahfh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,lux ,,graphicus ,,on ,,the ,,wing4 ,the ,late ,lord ,brougham--,new ,fields for ,photography--,natural ,objects ,coloured--,the ,monochrome and ,autotype--,mr4 ,mc,lachlan again4 ,death has just swept away one of the most gigantic intellects of the nineteenth century4 ,for me to state what the late ,lord ,brougham was1 or attempt to enumerate his vast attainments1 or measure the strength of his colossal mind1 would be a piece of intolerable presumption2 but ,i think ,i may safely say that he was an enthusiastic admirer of photography4 ,years ago1 in the midst of his parliamentary and other pressing duties1 whenever he could find time to enjoy the quiet of ,brougham ,hall1 near ,penrith1 his giant mind was not above indulging in the delightful relaxation it afforded2 and many a pleasant hour he used to spend chatting with ,mr4 ,jacob ,thompson1 an artist of great ability1 and also a very early amateur photographer1 on the wonderful results obtained by the new art4 ,the late ,lord ,brougham began his literary career by publishing a treatise on ,light1 before photography was known or thought to be practicable2 in after life he interested himself in its marvellous productions1 and his last literary labour was also about light4 ,not only did the great statesman know a little of everything1 he did a little in everything4 ,the deceased lord took a lively interest in the progress of photography during his lifetime1 from its earliest introduction to within a short period of his death2 and it would have been a graceful and fitting compliment to the memory of the great man of law1 politics1 literature1 and science1 if the ,english newspapers had embellished their memoirs of the late ,lord ,brougham with a photographic portrait of his lordship4 ,such a thing is quite practicable1 and has been done successfully by our more enterprising confreres in ,canada and the ,united ,states4 ,the ,montreal ,weekly ,herald of ,april #ahth illustrates its memoir of the late ,mr4 ,t4 d',arcy ,mc,ghee with a very excellent carte-de-visite portrait of the lamented and unfortunate ,canadian ,minister1 mounted on the upper corner of the front page1 surrounded with a deep black border4 ,what an appropriate accompaniment such a presentation would have been to the able articles and memoirs which appeared in the daily press on ,monday1 ,may #aath1 #ahfh6 ,how much more interesting and valuable those clever biographical sketches of great men1 as they pass away to their rest1 which appear in the ,daily ,telegraph and other daily and weekly papers1 would appear if illustrated with a photograph from life6 ,that it can be done the ,montreal ,weekly ,herald has recently and satisfactorily shown2 and surely there is enterprise1 spirit1 and wealth enough among the ,british newspaper proprietors to follow the very laudable example of our transatlantic cousins4 ,negatives of great men are always attainable1 and there need be no commercial difficulty between the photographer and newspaper proprietor on the score of supply4 ,a multiplication of negatives or ,woodbury's process1 would afford all the necessary facilities for producing the prints in large numbers4 ,many new fields for the good of photography are opening up4 ,pathological works have been photographically illustrated with some amount of success4 ,but far pleasanter fields are open to enterprising photographers in the faithful representation of natural objects1 such as flowers1 fruits1 ferns1 grasses1 shrubs1 trees1 shells1 seaweeds1 birds1 butterflies1 moths1 and every variety of animal life1 from the lowest orders to the highest4 ,i believe the time is not far distant when the best works on all the physical sciences will be illustrated by coloured photographs4 ,those very beautiful ,german photographs of flowers recently introduced show most conclusively of what photography is capable as a help to a study of the natural sciences4 ,the flowers are not only photographed from nature1 but exquisitely coloured after the same fountain of truth2 and the sense of reality1 roundness1 and relief which they convey is truly wonderful4 ,hitherto the colouring of natural objects photographed from nature has been a very difficult thing to accomplish2 but now it is done1 and with a marvellous success4 ,the monochromatic process is also making great strides in advance4 ,those very beautiful transparencies1 cabinet size1 of the ,queen and ,royal ,family are now to be seen in most of the photographic picture shop-windows in town and country4 ,these transparencies are the productions of the ,disderi ,company1 by ,woodbury's photo-relief process1 and the results now obtained are really beautiful1 both in effect and colour1 and sold at a very low price4 ,but the chef d'oeuvre of all monochromatic effects has just been achieved by the triple labours of ,mr4 ,macnee1 the artist1 and ,mr4 ,annan1 the photographer1 of ,glasgow1 and ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan1 of ,newcastle4 ,the subject in question is a work of art in every respect4 ,the original is a full-length portrait of ,lord ,belhaven1 painted by ,daniel ,macnee1 and now in the ,royal ,academy ,exhibition4 ,a photograph taken from the painting by ,mr4 ,annan was worked up in monochrome by the eminent artist1 from which another negative was taken by the same skilful photographer1 and placed in the hands of ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan to be printed in carbon1 which the latter gentleman has done in the most admirable manner4 ,altogether1 the result is the most satisfactory reproduction by photography that has ever been placed before the public1 and is less like a photograph and more like a fine mezzotint engraving than anything ,i ever saw4 ,mr4 ,annan is now publishing the work on his own responsibility1 and a specimen of it can be seen at the offices of ,the ,autotype ,printing and ,publishing ,co41 #e1 ,haymarket1 ,london4 ,mr4 ,hill1 of ,edinburgh1 is also about to publish1 in carbon1 a photograph of that beautifully painted picture entitled ,a ,fairy ,raid1 which was exhibited last year in the rooms of the ,royal ,academy by ,sir ,noel ,paton4 ,as in the former case1 ,mr4 ,annan copied the painting1 ,sir ,noel worked on a print in monochrome1 which was again photographed by ,mr4 ,annan1 and the negative passed to ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,swan to be printed in carbon4 ,i understand that ,poynter's celebrated picture of ,israel in ,egypt is about to be published1 in a similar manner1 by the ,autotype ,company4 ,it is therefore quite evident that photography is becoming1 in reality1 more and more a foe to graphic art1 and eclipsing the lights and deepening the shadows of the unluxy engraver4 ,mr4 ,mc,lachlan has again spoken without giving any very materially new facts1 or throwing much more light on his mysterious mode of working4 ,the great point is1 to throw light on the concentrated solution of nitrate of silver2 and until that has been done it will be impossible for any one to say from experience and practice that there is nothing in the principle4 ,mr4 ,mc,lachlan attributes a chemical property to the action of light on the bath that has never been thought of before1 and he seems to believe it so sincerely himself1 and expresses his convictions so earnestly1 that ,i think photographers are somewhat bound to wait patiently till time and light will enable them to comply with all the conditions he lays down1 and make a series of careful experiments1 before they can say whether they are under obligations to him or not4 ,at any rate1 natural justice suggests that they should not render a foregone verdict4 ,may #agth1 #ahfh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,exhibition of ,national ,portraits--,the ,tintype of ,america--,the ,spirit of ,photography in ,canada--,the ,wise ,week1 and the ,total ,eclipse of the ,sun4 ,dear ,mr4 ,editor1--,from various causes ,i have been absent from your columns as a contributor for some time1 but not as a reader4 ,the chief reason for this was the weather1 which of late has been so hot and prostrating as to dry up both my ink and my energies4 ,now that the atmosphere is more cool1 moist1 and pleasant1 my ink and my thoughts may flow together1 and the resulting epistle may find a place on some page of the ,photographic ,news2 if not1 ,i shall not be angry4 ,i know that the world--and photography is my world--is not always mindful of its atoms4 ,the great and immortal ,cicero discovered that even he could be absent from ,rome1 and all ,rome not know it4 ,how much easier1 then1 for your readers not to discover my absence from your pages4 ,but my inability to write and attend to other duties entailed more serious losses to myself4 ,amongst others ,i missed seeing the ,royal ,academy ,exhibition1 but found a compensating pleasure in going to see the ,exhibition of ,national ,portraits at ,south ,kensington4 ,what a school it is for photographers6 ,what a variety of pose1 arrangement1 management of light and shade1 is to be seen in that glorious collection of ,vandykes1 ,hogarths1 ,gainsboroughs1 ,reynolds1 ,opies1 ,wilkies1 ,raeburns1 ,northcotes1 ,lawrences1 ,phillips1 ,shees1 ,richmonds1 ,grants1 and many others of the present day6 ,i hope many photographers have seen the collection4 ,none ought to have missed the opportunity4 ,all that saw must have profited by the sight4 ,portraits of great men that have been familiar to me in black and white for years were there before me in the rich mellow colouring of ,vandyke1 ,reynolds1 ,wilkie1 and ,lawrence1 and the mind seemed carried back into the past while looking at the works of those great artists4 ,the exhibition will soon close1 and all that have not seen it should endeavour to do so at once4 ,there may never again be seen such a gathering together of the great of ,england1 painted by ,england's greatest portrait painters4 ,the ,manchester ,art ,treasures ,exhibition was a great assemblage of the glory of ,england1 but it was not so complete1 nor so instructive1 nor so comfortable to view as that now open at ,south ,kensington4 ,in addition to the paintings there is a large and valuable collection of rare engravings1 both in mezzotints and in line4 ,the latter collection alone would make a visit highly pleasing1 and1 in a sense1 remunerative to every photographer4 ,art is beginning to take root in the minds of those who follow photography1 either professionally or for amusement1 and those exhibitions are the salt that savoureth the earth1 which in due time will bring forth rich fruits4 ,the ,tintype is now being largely practised in ,america1 and is fitted into an envelope or slip1 carte-de-visite size4 ,the slip is formed of paper1 with an aperture to show the picture1 and a flap to fall over it as a protector4 ,i had some of these shown to me a short time ago4 ,the tintype is only another name for the ferrotype or melainotype1 which is a collodion positive picture taken on a piece of tin or iron1 coated with black japan on the front1 and a varnish on the back1 to prevent the metal from acting on the bath4 ,the carte-de-visite form of the tintype fitted in the envelope or holder is a very good and ready way of supplying all portraits wanted in a hurry1 and its adoption might be found very serviceable to many photographers in ,england4 ,the ,american examples that ,i have seen are very brilliant and beautiful1 and1 to my mind1 next in delicacy of detail and richness of colour to the long discarded but ever beautiful ,daguerreotype4 ,i must admit1 en passant1 that the ,americans always excelled in producing fine1 brilliant ,daguerreotypes1 and it is much the same with them in the production of glass positives1 ferrotypes1 or tintypes4 ,the spirit of photography in ,america and ,canada is admirable4 ,mr4 ,notman1 of ,montreal1 has long been doing some excellent cabinet pictures representing out-of-door-life1 pleasures1 and pastimes4 ,now ,mr4 ,inglis1 of ,montreal1 also produces most beautiful carte-de-visite and cabinet pictures of indoor and out-of-door scenes1 such as drawing-rooms1 libraries1 c41 with suitably arranged and occupied figures in the former1 and boating1 bathing1 and fishing parties in the latter4 ,some of these pictures have recently been shown to me4 ,they are all very fine examples of photography4 ,the tone and quality of some are beautiful4 ,many of them are admirably arranged1 and exhibit considerable knowledge of composition2 but some of them1 particularly the interiors1 are sadly at fault in their chiaroscuro4 ,they possess no dominant light1 or1 if they do1 it is in the wrong place1 leading the eye away from the principal object4 ,in most cases the lights are too scattered1 giving a spotty and flickering effect to the picture1 which is painful to look at4 ,with his out-of-door scenes ,mr4 ,inglis is more happy1 and probably1 from his antecedents1 more at home4 ,for example1 the ,boating ,party is very happily composed1 embracing the double form of angular composition--the triangle and the lozenge--and just a little more skill or care would have made it perfect in its lines4 ,the whole scene is well lighted and got up4 ,the boat1 foreground of pebbles1 stones1 shrubs1 and trees are all real2 the water is represented by tin-foil1 wet black oilcloth1 or something of the kind1 which reflects the forms and colours of objects placed upon or above it4 ,the reflections seem too sharp to be those of water4 ,the plan adopted by ,mr4 ,ross1 of ,edinburgh1 is the best4 ,that gentleman has a large shallow trough fitted up in his studio with water in it4 ,surely such pictures of groups of friends and families would take in ,london and the provinces if people only knew where to get them4 ,at present ,i know there is not a place in ,london where photographic pictures possessing such a variety and interest can be obtained4 ,mr4 ,faulkner is the only photographer that has yet attempted to produce such rural subjects in ,london1 but ,i am not aware that he has yet introduced the boat into his studio4 ,this is the ,wise ,week1 and it is to be hoped that the gathering together of the wisdom of the world at ,norwich will in some way be beneficial to photography4 ,you1 ,mr4 ,editor1 ,i presume1 will attend the meetings1 and ,i shall look forward with considerable interest to your gleanings from the harvest of science that will this year be garnered in the transactions of the ,british ,association4 ,as ,i think of the date to affix to my letter1 ,i am reminded that this is the day of the great total eclipse1 visible in ,india1 and that several expeditions are engaged in taking observations4 ,the photographic arrangements1 ,i notice1 are more than usually complete1 and ,i most sincerely hope that the astronomical photographers are favoured with bright and calm weather1 so that they may succeed in obtaining the best photographic representations of the phenomenon4 ,in this ,i am not influenced by the mere photographic idea of getting a picture1 but rather with the hope that photography may be the legitimate and honourable handmaiden to the savants1 astronomers1 and mathematicians in enabling them to ascertain the constitutional condition1 mode of sustenance1 and interminable length of life of the great source of all our labours and achievements4 ,then would the sun write his autobiography1 and his amanuensis would be his favoured child1 photography4 ,august #ahth1 #ahfh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,harvest is over1 the ,granaries are ,full1 yet ,famine is in our ,midst--,photographers' ,benevolent and ,provident ,societies--,photography ,ennobled--,revival of the ,eburneum ,process--,the ,societies and the ,coming ,session--,photographic ,apparatus v4 ,personal ,luggage4 ,dear ,mr4 ,editor1--,my quill is as restless as my wing1 and1 as ,i skim about like the swallows1 many things fall under my observation that would otherwise not do so1 some of which are noteworthy and of interest to the photographic profession1 many are not2 but harvest time is interesting to everyone1 and it is of this ,i am going to make a few remarks4 ,it is always a subject of grave importance and anxiety to a nation like ours1 with a very limited area of cereal land1 until it is known whether the harvest has been abundant or otherwise4 ,it is also equally important that the harvest1 however plentiful1 should be carefully reaped and garnered1 so that famine may not fall upon the people before another season of plenty shall come in its course4 ,the cereal harvest is over1 and has been wonderfully abundant1 in spite of the unusually long1 dry1 and hot summer4 ,the stack-yards are full1 and the granaries are teeming with plenty1 and there is bread enough for all that can afford to buy4 ,there1 that is the qualification that brings to my mind the most serious part of this subject4 ,although the season has been wonderfully fine and favourable for a rich harvest of all things1 famine is in our midst4 ,a cry of woe is mingled with our mirth4 ,a glorious summer and autumn have1 on the whole1 yielded a rich reward to the labourers in the pleasant and profitable fields of photography2 yet there is want among some of the workers4 ,in the columns of your contemporary ,i observe a letter begging alms on behalf of a poor widow and her little orphans4 ,it is a case of pure charity1 and far be it from me to say to anyone1 ,do not help her2 ,they have no claim on the sympathies of the photographic public2 ,neither she nor her late husband did anything to forward the progress of the art nor advance the interests of photographers in general4 ,i grant the latter hypothesis1 and say1 ,he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the ,lord4 ,nevertheless1 ,i cannot refrain from expressing my opinion that such painful appeals should not be allowed to appear in the columns of the photographic journals2 all such private cases could and should be provided for by any of the provident organisations so common to other trades4 ,the subject has been frequently mooted in your own columns1 but no action has been taken4 ,very recently a lady correspondent called attention to the subject again1 and now1 in the pages of your contemporary1 ,i notice an elaborate plan is laid down as the ground-work of a ,photographers' ,provident and ,benevolent ,society4 ,that plan is open to some objections1 but it is certainly desirable that such a society should be formed4 ,it is rather late in the season for photographers to make any provision for cases #a and #b1 as the correspondent in your contemporary suggests--this year1 at least2 but ,i think his other plan of making a provision1 however small1 for widows and orphans is highly to be commended1 and1 if only carried into effect1 would undoubtedly mitigate the anguish and lessen the fear of want in the minds of many deserving women1 and might prevent the recurrence of those painful appeals to which ,i have just alluded4 ,it is just as important and imperative a duty for every man to make some sort of provision for those dependent upon him as it is for the husbandman to reap and carefully house his harvest4 ,knowing the interest which you1 ,mr4 ,editor1 personally take in this subject1 ,i trust that you will exert your influence1 and see if it be possible to found a society at once that will grow in after years to be a monument to photography and to the goodness and forethought of the photographers of the present generation4 ,photography1 like the fine arts1 is honoured with a title of nobility4 ,a baronetcy has recently fallen to the lot of one who for years has followed photography as a profession1 taking cartes-de-visite and other photographs in the usual business-like manner4 ,of all the styles of distinction that are conferred upon men1 ,i think baronetcies have been subject to the greatest number of vicissitudes1 and spiced with the greatest amount of romance1 from the romantic succession of ,sir ,robert ,innes to ,sir ,william ,don1 a poor player2 and now the photographic profession includes among its members one of the baronets of ,england4 ,your description of the ,eburneum process1 given recently in your ,visits to ,noteworthy ,studios1 has awakened quite a new interest in that beautiful form of photograph1 introduced a few years ago by ,mr4 ,burgess4 ,several photographers whom ,i know have set about producing them4 ,the specimens which ,i have seen are very beautiful as cards1 but they are particularly suitable for lockets1 brooches1 studs1 pins1 rings1 c41 being sharp1 clear1 and delicate1 and easily cut to fit any size or shape4 ,next month some of the ,london photographic societies will commence the session of #ahfh-i1 and it might be asked1 ,what are their prospects8 ,it is to be hoped that the ,north ,london will do better than it did last session4 ,there was more than one nil meeting4 ,the ,south ,london will doubtless keep up its character1 and exhibit its usual vitality4 ,the personal interest taken in the meetings by their kind1 genial1 and courteous ,president is almost sure to develop all the latent force of the members4 ,it is also to be hoped that the ,society will make as brilliant a start as it did at the commencement of the session last ,november4 ,such an exhibition as that in ,conduit ,street may easily be repeated1 though it may not be such a startling one4 ,the question raised1 whether photographic apparatus be or be not considered personal luggage by the railway companies1 is one of very great importance to photographers1 but particularly to amateurs1 for if decided against them it will cause no end of inconvenience1 vexation1 and expense by delays and extra charges4 ,on the other hand1 it must be admitted that the view taken by the railway authorities is technically correct4 ,the very word personal shows that they mean such articles as are really and absolutely necessary for the personal comfort and convenience of travellers1 which can only rightly include wearing apparel1 changes of linen1 dressing-cases1 ladies' work boxes1 and writing desks4 ,these are absolutely indispensable for the comfort and convenience of travellers4 ,photographic apparatus1 and particularly chemicals1 do not come under that classification1 and ,i think it is of great consequence to the railway companies and their passengers to know what should1 or should not1 be put into the luggage van4 ,i know a case where an amateur photographer was travelling by rail with a #ab by #aj bath full of nitrate of silver solution packed among his clothes in a box in the luggage van4 ,the bath leaked1 the solution spoiled all his shirts1 and he was driven to the shift of papering the fronts4 ,now1 supposing the box containing the leaky bath had stood upon someone else's box--say a lady's--it might have run through and spoiled some valuable dresses2 at the least1 it would have spoiled the appearance of the box1 to the great annoyance of the lady passenger1 and the probable claim on the company for compensation4 ,there are always two sides to a question1 and though few men have travelled more with photographic apparatus in the luggage van than myself1 ,i think1 in this case1 the best of the argument may be fairly ceded to the railway companies4 ,september #ahth1 #ahfh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,lux ,,graphicus ,,on ,,the ,,wing4 ,his ,flight to and from the ,exhibition of the ,photographic ,society4 ,dear ,mr4 ,editor1--,on ,tuesday night last ,i took the liberty of looking into the rooms of the ,architectural ,society1 to see the photographs1 and listen to the gossip of the visitors at the conversazione of the ,photographic ,society4 ,to hear the complimentary remarks and the exclamations of pleasure was as delightful to my ear as the first song of the lark in spring4 ,the assemblage--not brilliant1 but genial1 pleasant1 and happy--was as refreshing to the eye as the first glimpse of the vernal flowers2 and the pictures hung upon the walls and screens1 and laid upon the tables1 were1 in more senses than one1 a feast to the mind almost without alloy4 ,for my own part1 ,i felt so joyful1 ,i could not help fluttering my wings1 shaking my feathers1 and flitting about from one place to another1 chirping1 chatting1 and pecking lovingly about this pretty thing1 and at that old friend1 till long after my usual time of going to roost4 ,and when ,i did at last tear myself away and fly home1 ,i could not help exclaiming1 ,well1 there never was a pleasanter evening nor a nicer exhibition in the whole history of the ,society6 ,but ,i could not sleep2 ,i put my head under my wing1 shook my feathers1 and tried to settle into the most comfortable and cosy positions1 but it was no use4 ,the pretty landscapes and pleasing portraits ,i had seen shone brighter and brighter before me2 ,i was compelled to mentally review them2 and here follows the result of my incubations4 ,my first thoughts were to work the pleasures of the evening by a kind of rule-of-three process1 by considering the value of the landscapes and portraits exhibited1 to arrive at the worth of the exhibition2 but not so much in a money point of view1 as in the merits of the works1 and their probable influences on the workers4 ,taking the landscape portion of the exhibition as first in the order into which ,i had mentally catalogued the pictures1 it was an easy and delightful thing to skim over such a vast extent of this world's surface that evening4 ,to journey to and from the glens of ,scotland1 the dales of ,england and ,wales1 the lakes of ,ireland1 the mountains of the ,tyrol1 to ,abyssinia and the famous heights of ,magdala1 was but the work of a few minutes1 thanks to the purveyors of that mental banquet4 ,but to do full justice to the exhibitors ,i must endeavour to enumerate their principal works1 and comment thereon with the utmost impartiality4 ,most unquestionably the gems of the landscape portion of the exhibition were eight exquisite little pictures by ,mr4 ,russell ,manners ,gordon1 affording unmistakable proof of what the gum-gallico dry process is capable of yielding in his hands4 ,it is almost1 if not quite1 equal to the wet process for detail and delicacy4 ,this is particularly noticeable in the view of ,carnarvon ,castle4 ,indeed1 ,mr4 ,bedford's picture of the same subject--which1 ,i presume1 is by the wet process--on the other side of the screen1 contrasts rather unfavourably with it4 ,mr4 ,gordon's selection of his point of sight1 and general treatment of that subject alone1 are unmistakable proofs of his refined taste and feeling for the art capabilities of landscape photography4 ,the wet collodion pictures by ,mr4 ,gordon are also beautiful examples of the art4 ,his cottages with sheep browsing in the foreground1 which is an instantaneous picture1 is remarkable for its beauty and arrangement4 ,these pictures are beautifully printed1 and possess a tone which harmonizes charmingly with the subjects4 ,amongst the other landscape photographers ,mr4 ,england and ,mr4 ,bedford stand unrivalled in their peculiar branches4 ,the views in the ,tyrol1 lately taken by ,mr4 ,england1 are so excellent that they cannot but add to that gentleman's high reputation4 ,mr4 ,bedford's views are also quite equal1 if not superior1 to his previously-exhibited works4 ,some pretty views of the ,lakes of ,killarney by ,mr4 ,archibald ,irvine were well worthy of notice4 ,mr4 ,f4 ,beasley1 ,junr41 exhibited some very excellent examples of the ,fothergill process2 some printed in silver1 and others in carbon1 from the same negatives4 ,i think the carbon prints were superior in colour1 but the silver prints possess most detail and depth4 ,views of ,wimbledon and other places by ,mr4 ,vernon ,heath were also good examples of that gentleman's photography4 ,some beautiful cloud effects by ,messrs4 ,robinson and ,cherrill1 of ,tunbridge ,wells1 and ,mr4 ,fox1 of ,brighton1 attracted considerable attention1 and elicited great praise4 ,the large composition picture1 ,returning ,home1 by ,mr4 ,robinson1 was greatly admired by nearly everyone that looked at it4 ,one or two ill-natured or ignorant remarks were made about that picture1 but ,i candidly think it is the very best picture that ,mr4 ,robinson has produced4 ,the sunshine on the one side1 and the rain storm sweeping over the other1 are both cleverly and artistically managed4 ,i am sorry ,i cannot say the same of the group of children which hung near the latter4 ,the group1 though perfect in its photographic details and tone1 is too suggestive of scissors and paste to be a good picture1 in my estimation4 ,mr4 ,wardley's large ,taupenot pictures were very excellent4 ,the very interesting pictures of ,abyssinia by the #ajth ,company of ,engineers were very attractive4 ,groups of the captives--political1 religious1 and artisan1 with their families--and the officers of the ,expedition1 formed interesting pictures4 ,the views of ,magdala1 ,theodore's house1 the mushroom fortifications1 and other flimsy defences1 as revealed by the truth-telling camera1 seemed to lessen considerably the glory of the capture of ,magdala4 ,having dismissed the landscape portion of the exhibition without mentioning all the many excellent contributions thereto1 ,i next turn my thoughts again to the contributions of portraits4 ,the examples of that branch of photography were nearly all of first-rate excellence1 a large number of them being a la ,salomon1 ,m4 ,adam-,salomon himself contributing no less than fifteen4 ,with one or two remarkable exceptions1 these pictures were not equal to those exhibited last year1 and a general feeling prevailed that they were neither his later works1 nor the best of his former2 still1 they were a very effective display1 and attracted great and deserved attention4 ,as ,i have1 on a former occasion1 expressed my opinion on the great excellence of ,m4 ,salomon's works1 ,i shall not comment further thereon at present1 but proceed to notice those which most nearly approached them in photographic and artistic essentials4 ,undoubtedly ,mr4 ,valentine ,blanchard's contributions1 both in number and quality1 come nearer to ,m4 ,salomon's works than any other contributor's4 ,mr4 ,blanchard exhibited ten portraits a la ,salomon1 some of which are quite equal to the ,french artist's best works1 without the elaborate working-up which the latter exhibit4 ,mr4 ,blanchard has not been at all times fortunate in his sitters1 which is very much to be regretted1 for we all know how much a beautiful subject helps a good photograph4 ,hitherto1 ,mr4 ,blanchard has been an exhibitor chiefly as a landscape and figure-study photographer4 ,now that he has taken more kindly to portraiture1 and exhibits such capabilities for its successful practice1 ,i hope he will find it sufficiently remunerative to induce him to be a steady and persevering disciple of ,m4 ,salomon4 ,messrs4 ,robinson and ,cherrill also exhibited two beautiful and ,salomon-like portraits3 one of ,m4 ,salomon himself1 and one of ,mr4 ,hain ,friswell2 the latter1 ,i think1 is decidedly the best4 ,mr4 ,mayland1 of ,cambridge1 sent six very excellent portraits in ,salomon's style1 all very good but one2 a gentleman in a velvet coat was particularly successful4 ,the pictures exhibited by ,mr4 ,briggs1 of ,leamington1 though extremely forcible and beautiful1 were not exactly an imitation of the style of ,m4 ,salomon4 ,mr4 ,leake1 of ,cornhill1 had a frame containing six very capital portraits in the style of the eminent ,french photographer1 but a little overdone in after-touching--too much elaborated4 ,in this respect he far outdid his great prototype4 ,messrs4 ,fradelle and ,leach also exhibited a number of whole-plate pictures a la ,salomon1 which were very good indeed4 ,messrs4 ,slingsby1 ,burgess1 ,ashdown1 ,dunmore1 and ,s4 ,fry1 were also exhibitors of the same style of portraits1 #aj by #h size2 but it is a pity the latter did himself the injustice of exhibiting so many1 for there was only one--an old gentleman with a grey beard--that was really worthy of him4 ,never did any man's joke recoil more forcibly on himself than that of ,mr4 ,fry's4 ,the faces of some of his female portraits--one in particular--were1 in my estimation1 as flat1 white1 and shadowless as a piece or knob of sal-ammoniac itself2 but ,i must say that the portrait of the gentleman above referred to was all that could be desired as an artistic photograph4 ,amongst the cabinet pictures exhibited by ,english photographers1 ,i think those by ,mr4 ,hubbard were decidedly the finest4 ,one entitled ,the ,toilet1 and another of a lady seated at a window1 which might be named ,a ,sultry ,day in ,town1 are charmingly artistic photographs4 ,a composition picture by the same artist was also very skilfully treated2 indeed1 it was mistaken by many to be a copy of a picture1 and might easily have been taken for a copy of a painting by ,t4 ,faed4 ,mr4 ,briggs1 ,mr4 ,godbold 7of ,hastings71 ,mr4 ,gillo1 ,messrs4 ,lucas and ,box1 also exhibited some beautiful cabinet pictures4 ,cartes-de-visite in their ordinary form were somewhat scarce1 but ,dr4 ,wallich1 ,mr4 ,charles ,heath1 ,mr4 ,bateman1 and others1 made a good show of vignettes4 ,mrs4 ,cameron exhibited some large pictures in her peculiar style2 but my own opinion and that of others was1 that she is improving4 ,mr4 ,ernest ,edwards exhibited a large collection of carbon pictures1 in black and other colours2 some mounted on chromo-tinted paper1 and some excellent enlargements in carbon4 ,the ,autotype ,company exhibited a fine copy of ,lord ,belhaven1 which ,i noticed some time ago2 also a very valuable and beautiful collection of copies from drawings by old masters1 all bound together1 making a handsome and very interesting collection4 ,mr4 ,rejlander had a large collection of his art photographs on view1 all of which were clever1 some facetious1 and many very beautiful conceptions4 ,a frame of coloured enamels by ,mr4 ,bailey1 and some in black-and-white by ,mr4 ,henderson and ,mr4 ,barnes1 also attracted considerable notice4 ,the eburneumtypes by ,mr4 ,burgess1 a coloured collodio-chloride portrait on ivory by ,mr4 ,j4 ,edwards1 and other collodio-chloride and opalotype pictures1 were very much admired4 ,the cabinet vignettes by ,reutlinger1 and the cabinet pictures by ,wenderoth1 were both in request at the table1 on account of their beauty and interest4 ,i must not forget to mention a very interesting series of twenty-four stereoscopic pictures by ,mr4 ,alfieri1 illustrative of ,the ,potter's ,art4 ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes and ,mr4 ,meagher were both exhibitors of very excellent and useful apparatus--cameras1 camera-stands1 and rolling-presses4 ,now ,i think such an exhibition as ,i have but partially described cannot fail to have produced a pleasing and beneficial effect on the minds of all who saw it1 and ought1 on the whole1 to have given infinite pleasure and satisfaction to both exhibitors and visitors4 ,yet ,i think ,i heard one or two growls of discontent about the hanging from someone whose pictures or whose friend's pictures were not on the line2 but ,i think ,i may safely say there never was a case of hanging yet that was not objected to by one individual at least4 ,even the hangers of the ,royal ,academy do not escape censure1 and they are supposed to have far more skill1 taste1 and experience in hanging than the volunteer hangers of the late photographic exhibition4 ,i think1 however1 that the hangers performed their duties both conscientiously and creditably1 especially when it is considered in how very short a time the work had to be done4 ,anyone who felt aggrieved1 and expressed himself churlishly on that point1 must surely have been in that unenviable state which the ,french very adroitly designate ,etre marque au ,b4 ,after these reflections ,i felt too drowsy to reflect any more1 and was barely awake enough to subscribe myself--,yours very truly4 ,november #ajth1 #ahfh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,refunding of the ,balance of the ,goddard ,fund--,the ,photographers' ,provident ,society--,a ,ferocious ,doorsman--,the ,south ,london ,dinner--,a ,christmas ,carol4 ,my ,dear ,sir1--,now that the balance of the ,goddard ,fund is returned to the contributors1 and all the trials and vexations the administration of the fund brought upon the chief promoters are known1 ,i think the very best thanks of the whole body of subscribers to that fund are due to the committee for their firm and sensible determination to provide for the wants of the poor imbecile recipient in the manner they did1 and for their withstanding the attempt made by a person who was not in the least related to the late ,mr4 ,goddard to obtain possession of the balance in hand4 ,i1 for one1 a subscriber to the fund1 return them my most hearty acknowledgments1 not for the money returned to me1 but for the straightforwardness of their report1 and the wise and judicious manner in which they dispensed the funds4 ,while congratulating myself and confreres on seeing the money not required for the relief of the late ,mr4 ,goddard returned to the subscribers instead of going into the possession of a person for whom it never was intended1 ,i think it is to be regretted that no responsible party had foreseen that much of this returned money would have been gladly placed to the credit of some benevolent or provident institution connected with photography4 ,the whole amount1 or even the half of it1 would have made a very handsome nucleus for the commencement of such a fund4 ,i have heard several wishes to that effect expressed during the last few days4 ,doubtless the committee did the very best thing they could have done for their own credit and the entire satisfaction of the whole of the subscribers2 but ,i am afraid an opportunity has been lost in the interest of the incipient relief fund by not having had a receiver for these stray and unexpected sums appointed4 ,the praiseworthy act of ,messrs4 ,ross and ,pringle1 as noticed in another journal1 confirms this impression4 ,while the subject of a photographers' provident or relief fund is before me1 ,i may mention that in the ,report of the ,friendly ,societies recently issued by ,mr4 ,tidd ,pratt1 he speaks in the highest terms of those societies which are managed by the members themselves without salaries1 and condemns the extravagance exhibited by the societies of a similar nature which are conducted by salaried officials4 ,now1 as it is a friendly society pure and simple that sick or needy photographers ought to look to for future help1 in my opinion the former is the kind of society that should be established4 ,the movement is not to be started as a business speculation1 and there should be no salaries attached to any of the offices4 ,each member joining the provident society should be prepared to submit to the tax on his time and energies1 if elected to office1 as part and parcel of the amount he subscribes for the general welfare of the body and relief of individual members4 ,for my part1 ,i object to the contemplated society taking the form of a relief fund depending upon donations1 collections at dinners1 c41 for its support4 ,such means for raising the necessary funds to start the society may be allowable2 but after it is commenced1 every individual connected with it should be a subscribing member1 and not allowed to receive any benefit1 except under the most urgent necessities1 until he has paid a certain number of subscriptions4 ,during one of my peregrinations about town lately ,i stumbled upon a very ferocious doorsman4 ,my attention was suddenly arrested1 while passing one of those photographic establishments which keep a kind of two-legged hyena prowling up and down before their doors1 by hearing the somewhat startling and cannibalistic exclamation of ,i'll eat yer6 ,looking round1 ,i saw that one of those prowling bipeds had fastened upon two quiet-looking young gentlemen1 evidently strangers in town and to town ways1 and had so importuned them to sit for a correct likeness1 until they turned upon him1 and threatened to give him in charge if he did not desist2 when he retaliated by threatening to eat them1 and used a great deal of sanguinary and abusive language as a substitute for more palatable suavity4 ,is such an outsider or hanger-on a fit and proper person to join a photographers' provident society1 or be the recipient of a benevolent relief fund8 ,the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society's annual dinner came off on ,saturday evening last at the ,salutation ,tavern1 ,newgate ,street4 ,twenty-three members and friends1 all told1 sat down to dinner1 and enjoyed a thoroughly ,english repast4 ,after the cloth was removed1 the pleasantest part of the evening commenced4 ,the worthy and honoured president1 the ,rev4 ,f4 ,f4 ,statham1 ,m4,a41 who occupied the chair1 was all geniality1 and gave the toast of the evening--,the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society--in his usually felicitous style4 ,to ,mr4 ,jabez ,hughes was allotted the task of proposing the next important toast--,photography--which he did in the most glowing and eloquent terms1 dwelling on the rise and progress of the art in ,england1 its position in a competitive point of view at the ,paris ,exhibition1 interspersed with some racy and facetious remarks on the different modes and kinds of rewards1 from the bronze1 silver1 and gold medals1 to the paper certificates1 which he considered the most honourable mentions that could be given by a discerning public4 ,from that he soared into the higher aspirations of photographers and sublime regions of photography1 giving1 with thrilling effect1 a description of the social joys1 scientific pursuits1 and human ameliorations to which photography administers4 ,mr4 ,baynham ,jones1 being the oldest photographer present1 had the honour of replying on behalf of the art4 ,mr4 ,g4 ,wharton ,simpson1 in very appropriate terms1 gave the toast1 ,art ,photography1 which was responded to by ,mr4 ,o4 ,g4 ,rejlander4 ,mr4 ,johnson1 of the ,autotype ,company1 had the honour of proposing the toast ,professional ,photography1 which was responded to by ,mr4 ,valentine ,blanchard1 who occupied the vice-chair4 ,other toasts of a professional and semi-professional character were given and responded to4 ,the intervals were filled up with part and instrumental music by members of the ,society4 ,mr4 ,cooper contributed greatly to the evening's enjoyment by giving two charming performances on the cornet-a-piston1 which were admirably accompanied by ,mr4 ,henry ,cooper on the piano4 ,taking it all in all1 it was one of the pleasantest and merriest evenings ,i have ever enjoyed at the convivial meetings of the ,south ,london ,photographic ,society1 and formed a delightful introduction to the season of universal festivity which is close at hand4 ,christmas1 all over the civilized world1 is not only a period of festive reunion1 but1 according to the only rational interpretation of the word1 a time of good will towards men1 and peace upon earth4 ,photographers1 like other men1 have had their little differences of opinion1 which have produced partial estrangements during a portion of the year which will so soon expire2 but let the approaching season1 which is held in commemoration of the birth of the greatest ,peacemaker that ever came among men1 be looked upon by all as the fittest time to forget and forgive all slights1 injuries1 or insults1 real or imaginary2 and let not the great festival of our common faith be clouded or eclipsed by an angry thought1 nor the immeasurable charity of true ,christianity be dimmed by one unforgiving feeling4 ,the light of the ,christian faith is a light that should penetrate to the dark cells of our hearts1 and dispel all the gloomy and corrosive accumulations of controversy that may have lodged there1 and unconsciously eaten away any part of our better nature4 ,few of us--none but the most presumptuous--can lay his hand upon his heart and say1 ,mine is immaculate6 ,none of us are without sin1 and charity and forgiveness are the greatest of the ,christian virtues2 and they should be the more carefully studied and practised by all who live in and by the ,light of the world4 ,december #aeth1 #ahfh4 ,,photography ,,and ,,the ,,immured ,,pompeiians4 ,everyone must be sensible of the many and varied applications of photography4 ,even photographers themselves1 familiar as they are with the capabilities of the art they practise1 must necessarily have their wonder excited occasionally at the scope of their art-science1 especially when they consider that the process1 as practised at the present day1 is not more than seventeen years old4 ,that it should be the historian of the life and manners of the present period more fully and faithfully than any written account1 is not so much a matter of surprise4 ,appealing1 as it does1 to the vanity and affections of the people1 it is at once a recorder of the changes of fashion1 a registrar of marriages1 births1 and deaths1 and a truthful illustrator of the times in which we live2 but that it should be brought to bear upon the past1 and make the inhabitants of the world in the nineteenth century familiar with the forms1 fashions1 manners1 life1 and death of the people of the first century of the ,christian ,era1 is something to be marvelled at1 and at first seems an impossibility4 ,yet such is the fact2 and photography has been made the cheap and easy means of informing the present generation of the manner in which the ancients behaved1 suffered1 and died in the midst of one of the most appalling catastrophes that ever overtook the inhabitants of any part of the world1 ancient or modern1 as vividly and undeniably as if the calamity had occurred but yesterday4 ,the foregoing reflections were excited by seeing very recently some photographs from plaster casts of the forms of human beings as they had fallen and died when ,pompeii and ,herculaneum were destroyed by the first known and terrible eruption of ,mount ,vesuvius4 ,the photographs alluded to reveal with a fearful fidelity the dreadful agonies of some of those who perished at ,pompeii1 and1 while looking at the pictures1 it is very difficult to divest the mind of the idea that they are not the works of some ancient photographer who plied his lens and camera immediately after the eruption had ceased1 so forcibly do they carry the mind back to the time and place of the awful immurement of both a town and its people4 ,that these photographs were not obtained from the lifeless forms of the ,pompeiians the reader will readily understand1 for their bodies have not been preserved entire from that day to this4 ,the question then naturally arises1 ,how could plaster casts be obtained from which the photographs were produced8 ,to answer that question ,i must briefly explain that ,pompeii was not1 as is generally understood1 destroyed by an overflow of red hot lava1 which would have burnt up every particle of human flesh with which it came in contact almost instantly1 without leaving a mould or impress of the form which it surrounded4 ,the black mud which flowed from ,vesuvius into the doomed town of ,pompeii entombed the houses and inhabitants--covered them up and formed a thick crust over them1 which gradually hardened1 and as the bodies crumbled away to dust a mould or matrix was left1 from which plaster casts of great beauty and finish might have been obtained of almost everything that was destroyed4 ,unfortunately1 this was not discovered until very recently1 after many of the beautiful moulds had been destroyed by the process of hurried1 thoughtless1 and unsystematic excavation4 ,it was only a short time ago1 since ,naples was united to ,italy1 that careful and intelligent excavation secured to future generations impressions from those matrices made by the most terrible process of natural mould making4 ,sig4 ,fiorelli1 who was appointed superintendent of excavations at ,pompeii1 happily thought of obtaining casts from these natural moulds by pouring in soft plaster of ,paris1 and thus secure more useful mementos than by preserving the moulds themselves4 ,amongst the first casts thus obtained were the forms of four human beings1 described as follows in the ,quarterly ,review for #ahfd3-- ,these four persons had perished in the streets4 ,driven from their homes1 they sought to flee when it was too late4 ,these victims of the eruption were not found together1 and they do not appear to have belonged to the same family or household4 ,the most interesting of the casts is that of two women1 probably mother and daughter1 lying feet to feet2 they appear from their garb to have been people of poor condition4 ,the elder seems to lie tranquilly on her side1 overcome by the noxious gases4 ,she probably fell and died without a struggle4 ,her limbs are extended1 and her left arm drops loosely4 ,on one finger is still seen her coarse iron ring4 ,her child was a girl of fifteen2 she seems1 poor thing1 to have struggled hard for life4 ,her legs are drawn up convulsively4 ,her little hands are clenched in agony4 ,in one she holds her veil1 or part of her dress with which she had covered her head1 burying her face in her arms to shield herself from the falling ashes and from the foul1 sulphurous smoke4 ,the form of her head is perfectly preserved4 ,the texture of her coarse linen garments may be traced1 and even the fashion of her dress1 with its long sleeves reaching to her wrists4 ,here and there it is torn1 and the smooth young skin appears in the plaster like polished marble4 ,on her tiny feet may still be seen her embroidered sandals4 ,at some distance from this group lay a third woman1 apparently about the age of twenty-five1 and belonging to a better class4 ,silver rings were on her fingers4 ,she lay on her side1 and had died in great agony4 ,her garments had been gathered up on one side1 leaving exposed a limb of the most beautiful form4 ,she had fled with her little treasure1 two silver cups1 a few jewels1 and some silver coins1 and her keys1 like a careful matron4 ,the fourth cast is that of a man of the people1 perhaps a common soldier4 ,he is almost of colossal size4 ,he lies on his back1 his arms extended by his side1 and his feet stretched out1 as if1 finding escape impossible1 he had laid himself down to meet death like a brave man4 ,his dress consists of a short coat or jerkin1 and tight-fitting breeches of some coarse stuff1 perhaps leather2 heavy sandals1 with soles studded with nails1 are laced tightly round his ankles4 ,on one finger is seen his iron ring4 ,his features are strongly marked1 his mouth open1 as in death4 ,some of his teeth still remain1 and even part of the moustache adheres to the plaster4 ,such is the description of the plaster casts2 and the photographs which ,i possess of those casts convey to the mind at one glance all that is there written4 ,wonderful photography6 ,how eloquent in their silence are thy pictures6 ,to what more dignified and sublime uses could any art be put8 ,only a few can look upon those casts of the dead ,pompeiians in the ,museum of ,naples1 but the whole world may view the photographs taken from them1 and look upon the ,pompeiians in their forms and habits as they died1 and read a page from the unwritten histories of those terrible death-struggles1 when the strong man1 the tender1 placid mother1 and the young and delicate maiden were all entombed in that fearful sea of mud1 amidst darkness and horrors that can never be adequately described4 ,such an awful catastrophe will never cease to interest the student of ancient history1 and photography will now be the means of deepening his interest1 and revealing to his mind with greater force and lucidity many scenes that actually occurred at the very moment of the appalling destruction of ,pompeii1 on the #bdth of ,august1 ,a4,d4 #gi4 ,a ,,simple ,,mode ,,of ,,intensifying ,,negatives4 ,undoubtedly the best possible practice of photography is that which requires no after intensification in the production of a first-class negative4 ,this1 however1 though a consummation devoutly to be wished1 is not always attained1 even by the most experienced photographer4 ,every operator knows that there is sometimes a condition of things that renders a simple and efficient process of intensifying afterwards indispensable4 ,of all the modes of intensifying--and their name is legion--,i think the readiest and most generally useful has been much neglected4 ,the persulphate of uranium and ferridcyanide of potassium process gave wonderfully charming results4 ,but what of that8 ,it was completely impracticable1 and a failure1 in consequence of its tendency to go on increasing in intensity in the hands of the printer4 ,the bichloride of mercury and iodine processes1 unlimited in number1 also went on increasing in an unlimited degree1 and no amount of roasting could reduce the negatives so treated to the desirable degree of transparency that would enable any printer to obtain good impressions4 ,there is1 however1 one of the bichloride of mercury processes1 published some years ago1 which ,i modified so as to give the most satisfactory results4 ,it rendered the negative sufficiently intense1 and preserved the most exquisite modelling1 without changing afterwards2 but the process was very troublesome1 and not very agreeable4 ,the simplest1 cheapest1 and most reliable process of intensifying negatives that ,i know of is with sulphuret of potassium 7liver of sulphur7 used in the following manner3-- ,make a very dilute solution of sulphuret of potassium1 put it into any old gutta-percha or porcelain bath2 and1 after the negative is developed as far as is desirable with the ordinary iron developer1 fixed1 and washed in the usual way1 immerse the plate in that state at once into the solution of sulphuret of potassium1 in the same manner as in sensitising the plate in the nitrate bath1 by using a dipper1 and leave it there until sufficiently intense1 which is generally in about the time required for coating and sensitising another plate1 so that1 if the operator be working single-handed1 very little1 if any1 time is lost in the process of intensifying4 ,the solution may also be flooded over the plate in the same manner as the developer1 after fixing and washing as before4 ,when sufficiently intense1 rinse the plate with water1 dry1 and varnish in the ordinary way4 ,but it is best to use the intensifier in the manner first described1 which is by far the most cleanly and economical plan1 both in the saving of time and solution4 ,by using it with the bath and dipper1 it is not offensive1 on account of its extreme dilution1 and not being disturbed so much1 or immediately under the olfactory nerves of the operator1 it may be worked in the ordinary dark room with the greatest safety and convenience4 ,a ,,string ,,of ,,old ,,beads4 ,he is a rash man who announces something new in these days4 ,i believe there is nothing new under the sun1 and in photography especially4 ,if any man be rash enough to rush into print with what he considers a new idea1 some other man rushes into print also and says the idea is old1 exploded1 useless1 worthless1 or worse4 ,i lay no claim to originality4 ,i have lived so long in the atmosphere of photography1 ,i don't know where or how ,i picked up my knowledge--such as it is4 ,some of it ,i may have stumbled on1 some of it ,i may have found1 and some of it ,i may have stolen4 ,if the latter1 ,i forget from whom1 when1 or where1 and in all such cases a bad memory is a good and convenient thing4 ,but ,i will endeavour to atone for such sins by publicly restoring all ,i may have filched from other men's brains for the benefit of all whom it may concern4 ,i shall not count the beads2 that would be like running over a rosary1 and ,i object to sub rosa revelations2 neither shall ,i attend to the order of stringing the beads1 but will put them on record just as they come to hand2 and the first is-- ,how to ,make ,vignette ,papers4--,take a piece of sensitised paper1 lay it under a piece of glass and let it blacken4 ,then take a camels'-hair pencil dipped in a weak solution of cyanide of potassium1 and paint the extreme size and shape of the desired aperture4 ,let it dry1 and with a little stronger solution of cyanide paint within the size and shape1 and then with a stronger solution paint the centre1 which will be perfectly white and semi-transparent4 ,the object of using the three strengths of solution and painting three separate times is to obtain gradation1 and the edges will be yellow and softened like a vignette glass4 ,these vignette papers can be attached to the back of the negative or to the outside of the printing-press1 and can be used either in shade or sunshine without materially prolonging the time of printing4 ,the cost of production is trifling1 as any waste piece of paper and spare time can be employed in making them1 and they do not occupy much time in making2 in fact1 one can be made in less time than will be spent in reading this description4 ,i need not expatiate on the advantages of being able to make a special vignette quickly4 ,every photographer must have experienced the difficulty of purchasing a special size and shape to suit a particular subject4 ,how to ,point a ,pencil4--,rub the pencil to a point in the groove of a corundum file4 ,this is a better and cheaper pointer than a ,yankee pencil-sharpener1 and it puts a finer point to a blacklead pencil than anything else ,i know4 ,retouchers1 try it4 ,how to ,ease a ,tight ,stopper4--,there is nothing more annoying in the practice of photography than to take up a bottle and find the stopper fixed4 ,in many instances the bottle is broken and time wasted in trying to remove the fixed stopper4 ,when such an obstinate stopper gets into your hands1 run a little glycerine round the top of the bottle4 ,set the bottle down1 and in a few minutes the stopper will be free4 ,prevention is better than cure4 ,keep a little glycerine on all your stoppers4 ,glycerine agrees with every chemical in photographic use1 and prevents stoppers and bottles coming to grief4 ,in a thousand and one ways a little glycerine is beyond all price4 ,how to ,prepare ,albumenized ,prints for ,colouring4--,pour over them a little matt varnish4 ,this removes the greasiness1 and gives a fine tooth and ivory-like surface for the artist to work upon4 ,how to ,remove ,silver ,stains from the ,white ,ground of a ,vignette4--,touch it with a solution of cyanide of potassium1 and wash off immediately4 ,the other parts of the picture will not be injured4 ,how to ,stipple a ,window ,white or ,yellow4--,for white1 mix a little dextrine and kaolin in water4 ,dab the mixture on the glass with a piece of cotton4 ,for the purpose of obscuration that is quite enough2 but if sightliness be essential1 finish by stippling with the ends of a hog's-hair brush4 ,for yellow1 mix a little dextrine and deep orange chrome in powder together in water1 and apply it to the window in the same manner4 ,dabbing once or twice with a piece of cotton will exclude white light and make a luminous dark room4 ,the same mixture makes an excellent backing for dry plates to prevent halation4 ,,lights ,,and ,,lighting4 ,a great deal has been written and said about lights and lighting--a great deal too much2 yet more must be said and written4 ,light is to the photographer what the sickle is to the shearer--a good reaper can cut well with an indifferent sickle1 but an indifferent reaper never gets a good sickle in his hand4 ,a good photographer1 who also understands light and shade1 can produce good pictures in an ordinary studio4 ,it is the indifferent photographer who runs after fancy lights1 and is1 like a benighted traveller in pursuit of a will-o'-the-wisp1 eventually left floundering in a bog4 ,it is folly to construct powerful concentrators if powerful reflectors have to be employed to counteract their defects4 ,if a limited amount of diffused light be absolutely necessary it is best to retain it and use it in its simplest and least expensive form4 ,when ,i commenced photography glass houses were scarcer in ,england than comets in the heavens1 and the few that were in existence were all constructed on false principles4 ,it was not until ,i visited ,america that ,i saw a properly-constructed studio4 ,the ,americans were1 and are1 prone to give stupid names to sensible things2 and the names they gave to their studios were no exceptions4 ,this1 that1 and the other photographer advertised his mammoth skylight4 ,i went to sit1 see1 and be satisfied that their mode of lighting was very superior to ours4 ,i was convinced instanter that the perpendicular sides and sloping roofs of our miserable little hothouses were mistakes and things to be abhorred1 while their spacious rooms and mammoth skylights were things to be admired and adopted4 ,in one of these rooms1 and almost without blinds or reflectors1 the sitter could be worked on a semi-circle or half oval1 and lighted either in front or on either side at pleasure1 and with the greatest facility4 ,i determined1 there and then1 to build my next studio on similar principles2 but until recently ,i have had no opportunity of carrying out my intentions4 ,to get what ,i required and to make the best of my situation ,i had to fence and fiddle the district surveyor3 but ,i gained my point1 and the victory was worth the foils and the fiddlestick4 ,my studio can be lighted from either side2 but the light of lights is the north one1 and that is a large fixed window #aa by #i feet with a single slope of two and a half feet in the height2 that is1 two and a half feet out of the perpendicular at the top1 with no other top light and no perpendicular side light4 ,with this light ,i do all ordinary work4 ,i can work round the light from one side of the room to the other1 as under a mammoth skylight1 without using either blind or reflector4 ,if ,i want ,rembrandt effects ,i have only to open a shutter on the south side1 and let in subdued sunlight4 ,that at once becomes the dominant light1 and the north light illumines the shadows4 ,the bottom of the north light is three feet from the floor4 ,the advantages of this form of studio are these4 ,it is cool1 because no more light is admitted than is absolutely necessary4 ,it is neat1 because no rag-like curtains are hanging about4 ,it is clean1 because there is nothing to collect dirt4 ,it is dry1 because the pitch of the roof renders leakage impossible4 ,it is pleasant to the sitter1 because of these desirabilities1 and that the light is not distressing4 ,it is agreeable to the operator1 because the work is easy and everything is comfortable4 ,printed by ,piper ,carter1 #e1 ,furnival ,street1 ,holborn1 ,london1 ,e4,c4 ,,seven ,,new ,,sizes1 ,,all ,,with ,,transparent ,,film4 ,illustration3 ,kodak ,film ,camera ,no apparatus connected with ,photography has ever excited so much interest as ,,the ,,kodak4 ,the ,no4 #a1 making a round picture1 was only the entering wedge1 and served its purpose admirably1 in introducing to the public the vast advantages of a ,camera using films over any form of ,camera using glass4 ,this year we beg to call your attention to ,,seven ,,new ,,sizes1 viz43-- ,no4 #b1 #c-a_/b inch ,circular ,picture1 one finder4 ,no4 #c1 ,regular1 #c-a_/d x #d-a_/d1 ,square ,picture1 two finders4 ,no4 #c1 ,junior1 ,no1 #d1 ,regular1 #d x #e1 ,no4 #d1 ,junior1 ,no4 #d1 ,folding1 ,no4 #e1 #e x #g1 ,send for the ,new ,,kodak ,,primer1 fully describing all sizes and styles4 ,,the ,,eastman ,,photographic ,,materials ,,company1 ,limited1 #aae1 ,oxford ,street1 ,london1 ,w4 ,,it ,,is ,,admitted by ,every ,competent ,authority ,,that ,,wratten',s ',,london' ,,plates ,,are ,,the ,,universal ,,standard ,,of ,,excellence ,,and ,,comparison4 ,this high reputation has been sustained against a host of competitors for twelve years3--a fact without parallel in the annals of the ,gelatine process4 ,messrs4 ,wratten ,wainwright's ,complete ,illustrated ,catalogue contains full ,particulars and ,prices of a large and varied ,stock of ,photographic ,requirements1 together with specially-written ,instructions for developing the ,london ,plates1 ,printing1 ,toning1 and other operations1 and will be forwarded free upon application to ,,wratten ,,wainwright1 ,,photographic ,,chemists ,,and ,,apparatus ,,makers1 ,,and ,sole ,proprietors and ,manufacturers of the ,london ,dry ,plates1 #ch1 ,,great ,,queen ,,street1 ,,long ,,acre1 ,,london1 ,w4,c4 ,,the ,,autotype ,,company ,,manufactures ,,autotype ,,tissues1 ,,transfer ,,papers1 ,,materials ,,for ,,permanent ,,photographic ,,printing4 ,,autotype ,,enlargements4--,portraits and ,views produced of any dimensions up to #e ft4 by #c ft4 #f in42 their grandeur1 beauty1 and unalterability secure public favour4 ,,autotype ,,dry ,,plates1 manufactured with ,burton's ,coating ,machine1 are rich in silver1 very rapid1 yielding clear vigorous negatives1 of uniform quality4 ,the plates are of superior glass1 and packed in strong metal-grooved boxes up to #ae by #ab inches4 ,to be obtained only of the ,autotype ,company4 ,,book ,,illustrations1 by ,sawyer's ,collotype ,process1 employed by the ,trustees of the ,british ,museum1 by the ,royal1 ,palaeographical1 ,hellenic1 ,numismatical1 and other learned ,societies1 and by the leading publishers4 ,prints direct on the paper with suitable margins4 ,,auto-,,gravure4--,the ,autotype process as applied to ,photographic ,engraving on ,copper is of wide application in the reproduction of ,works of ,art1 and is highly appreciated by the disciples of ,naturalistic ,photography as efficiently rendering the qualities of negatives direct from nature4 ,examples of ,auto-gravure1 in the reproduction of paintings by ,holman ,hunt1 the late ,frank ,holl1 ,r4,a41 ,w4 ,ouless1 ,r4,a41 ,val4 ,prinsep1 ,a4,r4,a41 of drawings by ,hy4 ,rylands1 of a frieze1 ,spring1 by ,herbert ,draper1 of a ,group from the frieze of the ,parthenon1 c41 c41 can be seen at #gd1 ,new ,oxford ,street4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,autotype ,,fine ,,art ,,gallery1 #gd1 ,new ,oxford ,street1 ,london1 is remarkable for its display of ,copies of celebrated ,works by ,,the ,,great ,,masters from the ,louvre1 ,vatican1 ,hermitage1 and the ,national ,galleries of ,italy1 ,spain1 ,holland1 and ,london1 including ,h4,m4 ,collections at ,buckingham ,palace and ,windsor ,castle4 ,albums of reference to the various ,galleries are provided1 are easily looked over1 and of great interest to lovers of ,art4 ,send for the new ,pamphlet1 ,,autotype3 a ,decorative and ,educational ,art1 per post to any address4 ,the ,,autotype ,,fine ,,art ,,catalogue1 #ahf pp41 free per post for #f;d4 ,,the ,,autotype ,,company1 ,,london4 ,offices3 #gd1 ,new ,oxford ,street1 w4 c4 -- ,works3 ,ealing ,dene1 ,middlesex4 ,grand ,prix ,gold ,medal1 ,paris ,exhibition1 #ahhi4 ,council ,medal and ,highest ,award1 ,great ,exhibition1 ,london1 #ahea4 ,gold ,medal1 ,paris ,exposition1 #ahfg4 ,medal and ,highest ,award1 ,exhibition1 ,london1 #ahfb4 ,medal and ,diploma1 ,antwerp4 #ahgh4 ,medal and ,diploma1 ,centennial ,exhibition1 ,philadelphia1 #ahge4 ,two ,gold ,medals1 ,paris ,exposition1 #ahgh4 ,medal and ,diploma1 ,sydney1 #ahgi4 ,gold ,medal1 ,highest ,award1 ,inventions ,exhibition1 #ahhe4 ,,ross' ,,lenses ,,and ,,apparatus4 ,,important ,,announcement4 ,in consequence of the greatly increased demand for their ,photographic ,cameras and ,apparatus1 ,ross ,co4 have fitted up the first floor of #aab1 ,new ,bond ,street1 as ,,special ,,show ,,rooms for exhibiting the newest and most improved forms of ,,cameras ,,and ,,accessories ,,of ,,all ,,descriptions4 ,for the convenience of purchasers1 they have also constructed ,a ,,fully ,,equipped ,,dark ,,room1 where the ,apparatus may be practically tested1 and ,,useful ,,instructions ,,given ,,to ,,beginners4 ,amateurs are invited to inspect ,,ross' ,,complete ,,outfits4 ,,ross' ,,improved ,,cameras4 ,extra ,light and ,portable2 ,double ,extension4 ,new ,form ,,double ,,slide1 ,less ,costly than the ,ordinary ,form of ,dark ,slide4 ,absolutely ,light-proof4 ,smaller than ,ordinary4 ,no ,superfluous ,openings4 ,no risk of ,plates being broken by pressure4 ,certainty of ,register4 ,lighter than ,ordinary4 ,no ,hinges or ,clips to get out of order4 ,no chance of ,warping4 ,,special ,,small ,,light ,,cameras1 ,for use with the ,new ,form ,double ,slide4 ,catalogues and ,full ,particulars1 with ,estimates1 on application to ,,ross ,,co41 #aab1 ,,new ,,bond ,,street1 ,,london4 ,works3 ,clapham ,common1 ,s4,w4 ,h4 ,,moorse1 ,photographic ,apparatus ,manufacturer ,,to ,,the ,,government 7,established over #be years71 #aed1 ,high ,holborn1 ,london1 ,w4,c4 7,near ,new ,oxford ,street and ,museum ,street47 ,,square ,,camera4 ,,light ,,camera4 ,both one price4 ,cash with ,order1 #aj per cent4 off4 ,illustration3 ,bellows ,cameras #d-a_/d x #c-a_/b #f-a_/b x #d-c_/d #h-a_/b x #f-a_/b ,l s4 d4 ,l s4 d4 ,l s4 d4 ,camera and ,three #f #j #j #g #aj #j #i #h #j ,double ,backs4 ,rectilinear ,lens #c #j #j #c #aj #j #e #j #j with ,iris ,diaphragm ,travelling ,bag4 ,brown ,canvas with #j #ah #j #a #j #j #a #b #j ,spring ,lock4 ,solid ,leather ,spring #a #e #j #a #h #j #a #ab #j ,lock4 ,rotating ,turn ,table #a #g #j #a #ab #j #a #ab #j with ,tripod ,stand4 ,brass ,binding ,camera #a #e #j #a #e #j #a #aj #j and ,slide4 #aj x #h #ab x #aj #ae x #ab #ah x #af #bd x #ah ,l s4 d4 ,l s4 d4 ,l s4 d4 ,l s4 d4 ,l s4 d4 ,camera and three #aa #ae #j #ad #ad #j #ah #ah #j #bd #j #j #bf #j #j ,double ,backs4 ,rectilinear ,lens #f #aj #j #h #aj #j #aj #aj #j #af #ae #j #be #j #j with ,iris ,diaphragm 7#b cases7 ,travelling ,bag4 ,brown ,canvas with #a #ae #j #b #aj #j #c #ab #j #d #ad #j #f #j #j ,spring ,lock4 ,solid ,leather ,spring #b #e #j #c #e #j #d #ae #j #f #e #j #h #j #j ,lock4 ,rotating ,turn ,table #b #j #j #b #e #j #b #aj #j #b #ae #j #c #e #j with ,tripod ,stand4 ,brass ,binding ,camera #a #ab #j #b #j #j #b #ab #j #c #c #j #d #d #j and ,slide4 ,,camera ,,bellows4 ,outside ,size4 ,length4 ,leather4 ,black ,cloth4 #f x #e #h #c_/c #b_/c #f x #f #i #c_/f #c_/- #g-a_/b x #g-a_/b #ab #h_/- #f_/- #i-a_/b x #i-a_/b #ah #ab_/- #h_/f #aa x #aa #ah #ad_/- #i_/- #ac x #ac #bj #ae_/- #aa_/- #ag x #ag #bb #bj_/- #ae_/- #ah x #bd #cj #dj_/- #cj_/- #bd x #bd #fj #ajj_/- #hj_/- ,,pocket ,,or ,,hand ,,cameras1 ,,with ,,three ,,double ,,backs4 #d-a_/d x #c-a_/d1 ,l#c #cs4 #f-a_/b x #d-c_/d1 ,l#d #ds4 ,,marion ,,co4',s ,,plates4 ,manufactured at their ,works1 ,southgate4 ,,britannia ,,ordinary ,,plates 7,yellow ,label47 ,,britannia ,,extra ,,rapid 7,white ,label47 ,,instantaneous 7,brown ,label47 ,prepared specially for extremely rapid work4 ,,academy ,,landscape ,,plates 7,cream ,label47 ,specially prepared for ,landscape work2 very thickly coated and rich in ,silver4 99 99 99 99 99 ,marion's ,argentic-,bromide ,opals4 ,principally used for ,enlargements and ,contact printing4 ,very effective4 ,,cowan',s ,,gelatino-,,chloride ,,plates 7,green ,label74 ,for ,lantern ,slide ,work4 ,,cowan',s ,,chloro-,,bromide ,,plates 7,violet ,label74 ,for making ,transparencies in the ,camera4 ,,cowan',s ,,gelatino-,,chloride ,,transparency ,,plates4 ,on ground glass4 ,,cowan',s ,,organic ,,chloride ,,opals 7,red ,label74 ,printed and toned like ordinary sensitised paper4 ,very artistic4 ,they must be used fresh4 ,,marion ,,co41 #bb and #bc1 ,soho ,square1 ,,london4 ,for ,,photographic ,,goods ,,and ,,prompt ,,attention ,,go ,,to ,j4 ,,werge1 ,,photographic ,,stores1 #aa;a1 ,berners ,street1 ,oxford ,street1 ,london4 ,w4 ,,werge',s ,sans ,ammonia ,developer is used by numerous expert amateurs4 ,a #a_/- bottle will develop #abh quarter-plates1 any make4 ,,werge',s ,dry ,plate ,varnish dries without heat1 and protects the negatives from silver and platinum stains1 #a_/- per bottle and upwards4 ,,werge',s ,retouching ,medium1 #a_/- per bottle4 ,,werge',s ,sensitised ,paper is the best4 #ab_/f per quire2 sample sheet #aj;d4 post free4 ,,werge',s ,borax ,toning ,solution gives the best tones1 and is simplest and most economical4 #a_/- per pint4 ,,werge',s ,ferro-,prussiate ,paper gives the best results with least trouble4 #a_/- per sheet4 ,,werge',s ,shilling ,lantern is the best ever introduced4 ,,werge',s ,dry ,plate ,instructions are the best ever published4 #a_/a-a_/b post free1 including ,jabez ,hughes's ,principles and ,practice of ,photography4 ,wet ,plate ,process1 ,printing1 c41 c4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,dallmeyer1 ,,optician1 #be1 ,,newman ,,street1 ,,london1 ,w4 ,has obtained the highest awards for his ,lenses wherever exhibited1 and at all the great ,international ,exhibitions4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cash ,,prices ,,of ,,the ,,principal ,,portrait ,,and ,,view ,,lenses3 ,,extra ,,rapid 7,c74 in4 in4 #b;,c1 ,for ,children1 #b-c_/d dia4 #d-a_/b f4 ,l#ae #ae #j #c;,c #c-a_/b #f f4 #bf #e #j ,,quick ,,acting 7,b74 in4 distance4 #a;,b1 for ,c4,d4,v4 #b dia4 #ab ft4 ,l#f #e #j #a;,b ,long1 #b-a_/h #ad ft4 #f #ae #j #b;,b1 #b-c_/d #ah ft4 #ab #af #j #b;,b ,patent1 #b-c_/d #ah ft4 #ac #e #j #c;,b ,cabts4 and #c-a_/b #ah ft4 #bj #j #j #d;,b larger #d-a_/b #be ft4 #dj #j #j ,,new ,,rapid ,,rectilinear ,,portrait ,,lenses4 ,see descriptive ,catalogue4 ,,ordinary ,,intensity 7,a7--,patent4 #a;,a1 for ,cabinets1 in short rooms4 dia4 #b-c_/d in41 distance #ad ft4 ,l#ac #j #j #b;,a1 for ,cabinets up to #h-a_/b x #f-a_/b1 dia4 #c-a_/b in41 distance #bj feet #ah #j #j #c;,a1 for ,cabinets up to #i x #g1 dia4 #d in41 distance #bd feet #bg #e #j #d;,a1 for ,imperial ,portraits and #aj x #h dia4 #d-a_/b in41 focus #ad in4 #ch #aj #j #e;,a1 for plates #ae x #ab and under1 dia4 #e in41 focus #ah in4 #ej #j #j #f;,a1 for plates #bj x #af and under1 dia4 #f in41 focus #bb in4 #fj #j #j ,,portrait ,,and ,,group 7,d7--,patent4 #c;,d1 ,portraits #h-a_/b x #f-a_/b1 ,views #aj x #h1 dia4 #b-a_/h in41 focus #aj-a_/b in4 #i #aj #j #d;,d1 ,portraits #aj x #h1 ,views #ab x #aj1 dia4 #b-g_/h in41 focus #ac in4 #ac #aj #j #e;,d1 ,portraits #ab x #aj1 ,views #ae x #ab1 dia4 #c-a_/d in41 focus #af in4 #ag #aj #j #f;,d1 ,portraits #ae x #ab1 ,view4 #ah x #af1 dia4 #d in41 focus #ai-a_/b in4 #bf #aj #j #g;,d1 ,portraits #ah x #af1 ,views #bb x #bj1 dia4 #e in41 focus #bd in4 #dh #j #j #h;,d1 ,portraits #bb x #bj1 ,views #be x #ba1 dia4 #f in41 focus #cj in4 #eh #j #j ,,stereoscopic ,,lenses4 ,patent ,stereographic ,lens1 #c-c_/d-;in4 f4 #d #e #j ,ditto1 with rack-and-pinion #d #ae #j ,no4 #a1 ,quick-acting ,single ,combination ,landscape ,lens1 #d-a_/b in4 focus #b #j #j ,no4 #b1 ,ditto ditto #f in4 focus #b #e #j ,rect4 ,stereo4 ,lenses1 #b in4 #b-a_/b in4 focus #d #j #j ,,new ,,rectilinear ,,landscape ,,lens 7,patent74 ,largest ,dimensions ,diameter ,equiv4 ,no4 of ,plate4 of ,lenses4 ,focus4 ,price4 -- -------------------- ----------- ---------- -------- #a #f-a_/b by #d-c_/d in4 #a-a_/b in4 #h-a_/b in4 ,l#d #ae #j #b #h-a_/b #f-a_/b #a-c_/d #aa-a_/b #f #j #j #c #aj #h #b #ac-a_/b #h #j #j #d #ab #aj #b-a_/d #af-a_/b #aj #e #j #e #ae #ab #b-b_/c #bj #ab #aj #j #f #ah #af #c #be #af #j #j #g #bb #bj #c-a_/b #cb #ba #j #j ,,optical ,,lantern ,,lenses ,,only 7,patent74 ,no4 #a ,lens1 #a-a_/b in4 and #a-c_/d in4 dia4 with ,rack ,motion ,l #d #j ,no4 #b do4 #a-c_/d in4 and #b in4 do4 do4 #e #j ,condensers--#c-a_/b in4 dia4 mounted1 ea4 ,l #e #j ,do4 #d in4 do4 do4 do4 #f #j ,,rapid ,,rectilinear 7,,patent74 ,the best ,lens for general use out-of-doors1 and for ,copying4 ,price1 ,size of ,view ,size of ,group ,equiv4 ,rigid or ,landscape4 or ,portrait4 ,focus4 ,setting4 -------------------- ------------------- ----------- -------- #d-a_/d by #c-a_/d in4 #c-a_/d by #c-a_/d in4 #d in4 ,l#c #ae #j #e #d #d-a_/d #c-a_/d #f #d #aj #j #f #e #e #d #h-a_/d #e #aj #j #h-a_/b #f-a_/b #h #e #aa #g #j #j #aj #h #h-a_/b #f-a_/b #ac #i #j #j #ab #aj #aj #h #af #aa #j #j #ac #aa ,french size #ag-a_/b #ab #j #j #ae #ab #ab by #aj in4 #ai-a_/b #ae #j #j #ah #af #ae #ab #bd #bj #j #j #bb #bj #ah #af #cj #bg #j #j #be #ba #bb #bj #cc #cb #j #j ,,wide ,,angle ,,rectilinear 7,patent74 ,for ,views in ,confined ,situations4 ,largest ,dimensions ,back ,equiv4 ,no4 of ,plate4 ,focus4 ,focus4 ,price --- ---------------- ---------- ----------- -------- ,a,,aa #g-a_/d by #d-a_/b #a-a_/b in4 #d in4 ,l#d #aj #j #a;,a #h-a_/b #f-a_/b #d-e_/h #e-a_/d #e #aj #j #a #ab #aj #f-a_/d #g #g #aj #j #b #ae #ab #g-a_/b #h-a_/b #aj #aj #j #c #ah #af #aa #ac #ad #j #j #d #bb #bj #ad #ae-a_/b #bj #j #j #e #be #ba #ag #ai #cj #j #j ,a ,to be had in pairs for ,stereoscopic ,views4 ,,wide ,,angle ,,landscape ,,lens 7,patent71 for ,landscapes1 pure and simple4 ,size of ,equivalent ,no4 ,plate4 ,focus4 ,price4 --- ---------------- ---------- -------- #a;,a #e by #d #e-a_/d in4 ,l#c #e #j #a #g-a_/d #d-a_/b #g #c #ae #j #b #h-a_/b #f-a_/b #h-a_/b #d #aj #j #c #aj #h #aj #e #aj #j #d #ab #aj #ab #g #j #j #e #ae #ab #ae #h #aj #j #e;,a #ae #ab #ah #i #aj #j #f #ah #af #ah #aj #aj #j #g #bb #bj #bb #ad #j #j #h #be #ba #be #ai #j #j ,,new ,,rapid ,,landscape ,,lens4 ,for ,distant ,objects and ,views4 ,largest ,dimensions ,diameter ,equiv4 ,price4 ,no4 of ,plate4 of ,lenses4 ,focus4 --- -------------------- ---------- ------ -------- #a #f-a_/b by #d-c_/d in4 #a4c in4 #i in4 ,l#d #aj #j #b #h-a_/b #f-a_/b #a4f #ab #e #ae #j #c #aj #h #b4abe #ae #g #aj #j #d #ab #aj #b4f #ah #i #aj #j #e #ae #ab #c #bb #aa #aj #j #f #ah #af #c4e #be #ad #j #j #g #bb #bj #d4be #cj #ag #aj #j ,,dallmeyer ,on the ,choice and ,use of ,photographic ,lenses4 ,eighth ,thousand 7,greatly ,enlarged71 #as4 ,descriptive ,catalogue on application4 #be1 ,,newman ,,street1 ,,oxford ,,street1 ,,london1 ,w4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,obvious typographical errors were corrected4 ,the spelling of ,french words has been made consistent4 ,also made consistent were those words which appear as hyphenated1 joined or as two individual words 7for example1 first class to first-class and some one to someone74 ,other corrections were made where inconsistent or incorrect spellings were used in the publication4 ,where the inconsistencies occur in publication titles or quoted text passages1 they were left as published4 ,all oe ligatures in the printed text were converted to the letters oe4 ,some of the entries in the ,,index appear to be missorted alphabetically4 ,they were left as printed4 ,on page #aad1 one line ends with modifica- and it is assumed tion was left off the next line4 ,typographical ,corrections ,page ,correction #aad modifica- modification #aca ,willat's ,willats's #acd intotroduced introduced #afc ,frith ,firth #agg ,coxackie ,coxsackie #ahf ,pearce ,pierce #bdh ,nicolas ,maas ,nicolaes ,maes