The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-28 00:00:00

PHOTOGRAPHY.

We remember, not a very great many years ago, an
advertisement appearing in several of the morning pa.
pers announcing that a new discovery had been made
in the mode of taking likenesses, by which the individual
sitting would only be required to sit for a minute, and
survey himself in a mirror, and, by a wonderful process
the likeness, a veritable copy of the living subject, should
be arrested, and baF ed upon the surface, and made a
permanent picture for ever. A particular day was named
when the wonderful artist was to open to the public
at a house in the Strand. The day arrived, and at
the hour specified, the vicinity of the residence described
was beset by a vast concourse of people in carriages,
and pedestrians of all ranks, all eager to behold what ap-
peared to be a miraculous achievement of science—and
not a few artists went to behold, with sorrow, what
they conceived to be the deatb.knell to their profes-
sion as portrait painters. The visitors, however, soon
discovered that they had been made the victims of a
practical joke—the entire matter was a hoax : the
wag who had perpetrated the trick got great credit for
his address and ingenuity in managing the affair, and
the whole world laughed at and wondered that there
could have been any credulous fool found so soft as to
have been bitten by an announcement of anything so
palpably preposterous. Photography, however, leas
changed the matter altogether—lied it been introduced
in the language of mystery, or had it been known in an
age when superstition reigned more powerfully than in
our own time, it would have admitted of a most mi-
raculous interpretation. The description of the Strand
hoax would almost in every particular apply to the
process of photography. The sitter does not re-
quire even to look into a mittor f he is seated
at his case and required to remiild only about
one minute in the same position, apart from ail
apparatus of being touched by anything, and An accu-
rate miniature likeness in light and shade is produCO
and furnished in a frame at a small charge. We will
not attempt to describe the process at present, further
than to state that it is effected by a combination of che-
mical action and the influence of an optical apparatus
Upon a finely polished silver surface, which is overlaid a
sheet of copper. We saw several likenesses taken and
can vouch ftr their accuracy. The existence of such
an att; eattied out to such perfection, we repeat, could
seocely be alcrediteti. it Mould require to be seen to
be believed.

THE DISSOLVING VIEWS.
It any pfoOf Were %canting that science is the creator
df many a reflood and delightful amusement, the exhi-
bition Of the Dissolving ViewS, at the Royal Polytech-
nic Institution, might be i nstaseed as a clinching deep in
point. By the aid of the magnifying powers and light
of the oxy-hydrogen microscope, a display of sequent
picitireij ill hi etirtiftet, aim the large disc in the
theatre of the establishment, is converted into one of
the most attractive and alluring exhibitiotis possible.
The inventors o: this new method of magnified illustra- '
lion are Messrs: Cary, the well-known opticians ;
and the novel!), consists In imperceptibly creating
a picture on the canvass, while another picture, the
predecessor of the new corner, as imperceptibly dis-
vew of the spectator ; and this,
appears from the
be it remembered, on the same surface and
without the slightest assistance from transparencies.
Most of our renders must have witnessed, the annual
displays at the theatreti of tooting dioramas, introduced
principally into pantomimes, where a succession of
Scenes or (vents is represented by the canvas being
gradually Mitt:4W before the audierice. , Effect of a
similar nature,-.but totally differcilti in their nietbo4 of
production, are the result of this nom" Invention, the
canvas being perfectly still, and thapactures the7con
appearing and fading of 66.seive,, and without ens
apparer4 cause. The only title, snffieiently eornprc-
hensive, that we can apply to this. most interesting ex-.
. itti?ition, is that of " natural magic ;” for So- extraordi-
nary are its numerous metamorphoses, that our fore-
fathers- are entitled to a full measure of forgiveness for
=helief iii-monkish miracles, if such unaccountable things
[ etiefhese were ever
-, -
revealed to them by the magician,
. .
_ . ,

_BANK OE' IRELAND—REDUCTION OF, DLS-
Oat.uttT.L--fitle- Irish banks generally are redueirlrtheir rate of
,interest Orl dueounts. The Bank of Ireland have just issued
4knoticcr, announcing, that the interest on discount. of all bills
is redu, led.frclh sixho Aye per cent; -