Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-04-18
SCIENTIFIC.
THE NEW ART; OR, THE PENCIL
OF NATURE."

There has been published an account
from French paper of a. wonderful dis
covery made recently byTM. Daguerre-
that Of transferring the picture Of any OBJ
ject to paper, by The action of the solar
light acting by means of the camera OBJ
scura; which paper, being prepared and
endowed with certain chemical properties,
will retain the impression for an indefinite
length Of time; and thus perfect copy
from Nature may be produced. This
discovery, it is obvious, will be Of the
greatest advantage TO the arts: aud, unless
the accounts which we have received from
abroad are grossly exaggerated, it has al,
ready been brought to very great perlec-
ton.
The London Literary Gazette Of Cd
February contains long and very inter
esting account Of a similar discovery, which
has recently been made in England by
H. Fox Talbot, gentleman of great
scientific requirements. 1t appears that
Mr.. Talbot has for some years devoted
much labor and attention TO the perfection
of this invention, and having brought it to
poiul deserving the notice Of the scien.
ltic world, and while actually engaged in
drawing up an account OF it to be preseu-
ted to The Royal Society, the same inven-
ton has been announced byM. Daguerre in
France! Who is entitled TO the honor oi
the original discovery,is grave question to
he settled by scientific men.
Mr.. Talbot has produced q number OF
exquisite specimens, which mark his pro-
gress and demonstrate his success-from
which i, appears that there is a very con-
siderable difference between the materials
employed by MIR. Talbot, the means used,
aud the results obtained, and those of NJ.
Daguerrc. At the Royal institution, a
variety OF specimens were exhibited by
MIR. Talbot, which differed from those OF
NJ. Daguerre, especially in This, that Mr..
Talbot rererSeS the natural effect-repre-
sentiug dark objects light and light objects
dark. Different preparations of silver are
supposed to be used 10 effect this singular
result; aud Mr.. Talbot has succeeded ad-
mirably in devising method Of fixing his
drawings 50 that the sun eau affect or alter
them no more. He copies from engra-
wings, by first getting them with the lights
and shades reversed, and then again copy
ing from The reversed impression.
MIR. Talbot, in a letter which is publish
ed in the Literary Gazette. after speaking
of various instruments which have been
devised at various times 10 ai,ridsc tie la
bor of the artist in copying natural objects,
aud showing that, alter all. all tina, they
can do is TO guide his eye and correct his
Judgment, but that they do not ,rork for
him, goes on to say: From all these pri-
or ones, the present invention differs total
ly in this respect, viz, thar by means Of
this contrivance, tits not the artist who
makes The picture, but the picture :es
itself! All that the artist does, is 10 dis
pose of the apparatus before lne object
whose image he requires; he then leaves it
for certain length oftine, at the end of
which he returns, takes out his picture and
finds it finished! The agent in this opera
lionis solar light, which being thrown by
lens on sheet of prepared paper, stamps
upon it the image ofthe object. whatever
that may chance to be, that is placed be-
fore it."
Again, Mr.. Talbot says, in another part
of his communication, .No matter wheth
er the subject be large or small. simple or
compound; whether the Aower-branch you
wish to copy contains one flower or a
thousand, you set the instrument in action,
the allotted time elapses, and you find the
picture finished in every point. and in every
minute particular.
In paper relating to the transactions Of
The Royal Society it sslated that pictures
which Mr. Talbot has had in his possession
for years are now as vivid as when they
were first produced. The image obtained
is white: but the ground is beautifully col
ored, and readily obtainable, either sky
blue, yellow. rose-color, or black-green
is excluded. Objects the most minute
arc obtained--the delineations Of the