Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-11-05
From Hr Ta,ca'oo,G Flag II III, Caioa. ]
,I.ni, nIil'Il tER .pIIin AkI.

An opportunity IS At length presented TO our citi-
GERS OF witnessing fer themselves, what Gil have
heard so much ofihe wonderful results uf The rho.
.osraphlc process invented By Mr.. Dagnerre Of Pa
r.s. 10 many, u appears Ike miracle, that ~
n.eans Of o: lie simplcs, al optical arrange
mcnis a few seconds shnrd b. sufficient, to transfer
tie surface Of plate Of :nria, nlnnIciy accurate,
and t,lica!c!y drawn copy Of any "hj"ct IN Nature.
Nor wrn ever: STRIP Of The process IS iniy eS-
planned, docs the wonder cease Nalniy DOES The phn
sopher describe 10 u The substances winch he en-
pinys, and HE operations TO which he subjects them
There is beyond all ths, mystery which ne iaiis
TO penetrate. the graphic design - no, The WORK OF
hs hands. The exquisite iracery M the surface 81
lie metal i,nprcsscs itself there without his aid lie
arraGg.s the materials and Nature herself ociatFs IS
the artistic. The observer stands, confounded 10 be.
hold executed before lis eyes, and in space OF tune
altogether insignificant, work, which II would ha'
he Skill al the most pracsed engrayer to n'tlr, m
period If months, years; and this too done IN
manner, which he more comprehend alter the
experiment. than before and by the action OF lnedi-
um, which though surrounding him on all SIDES, IS
yet intangible and Subtle. that the scientific woa IS,
by no means yet satisfied whether il be material sub
stance or not.
There are n. least one hundred snbstances which
are known 10 be, in manner affected by le ac'
ton Of light; Of these some are exceedingly srhsivc
under gong rapid change III The sun rays hhsh UT
Daguerre commenced his experiments III photography
The idea not one, 10 attempt TO produce 9rl-
phc dcl.neations, rs tho unequal action Of light upon
some Of the substances Of the class Just mentioned
To pis tbs object /; was necessary 70 Cause 'it
lIgh Itself fall upon the surface oi tic substance III
such manner as 10 trace picture. THIS IS very
easily done far il u we'll knr Sn that the light winch
passes from any object through convex lens IS con
verged the other sdr az to produce an exact image
Of Ike object from which i rmanates inns image
becomes VISIBLE, ii the lens be in the shutter OF DARK
roam; and piece Of paper be held at proper
behind it, In place OF the paper, suppose surface, o.
one OF the substances in which light has the power OF
producing the changes above mentioned, 10 Dc suost
iuted Then in those parts where the image IS bright
est, the greatest amount OF change Will result anu 'nel
the picture will for The ,ime be Impressed on he sur
face But if this picture be exposed in the broad igh
Of day. an equal acton vii, shortly take pac over the
whole surface; and thus the impression viii soon &c
o5lteracd. Moreover, IL happens, IN general, init
when the color Of body is changed By the acmoh o.
| light, it assumes darker hue than before. mus
picture formed III this manner VIII present lic "i
and shades reversed.
The problem proposed 10 himself by Mr.. Daguerre
was therefore, one of no slight difficulty. The picture
first 10 he obtained. il was, secondly, 70 De rem
drrcd permanent; and thirdly, must present the lights
and shades in their natural relations In all lhese res
poets, his final success was triumphant.
He obtained an image by means OF a convex lens, as
above described. The simple optical INSTRUMENT caiieo
the camera obScurG, afforded im the most convenient
Of doing this. This image he caused to iaii upon
silvered surface first made very clear, and lheh e8
posed 10 the tnpnr nj lOuInp, ny winch
formed upon it excessively thin coating Of IODINE OF
silver. THIS substance is very readily dissolved by eH
poSure 10 light and thus exhibits, when long exposed
Tic camera picture with light and shades reversed
such picture IT was not the object Of hr d. 10 produce
lie removed Tie plate from the before The d.s
celebration commenced, and placed over feeble va
por Of mercury Here, perhaps occurs Tue most IN
accountable par, OF the process. The mercury adhere
To those portions, which the j. ht has acted, III
thin, white film, Of intensity exactly proporoned 'o
that Of the .ht, which has acted upon H. AI'ef INC
lapse Of few minutes, the picture is formed present.
my the lights aha shades they appear III Nature
But the plate still coated all over with the odne o.
silver, winch, exposure 10 light, assumes shortly,
Yr-y dark violet hue. In order 10 remove this, lie
plate is washed in snluIion Of the hyposulphale OF
soda, by which Tie iodine is ready dissolved, wh'le
The mercury is lett behind. The picture IS then IN
changeabe nv light or time.
IL no, At all surprising that, the announcement
OF THIS wonderful discovery, the report should nave
been received, Ivy almost all the world with incredu
iity 1t was OF The in which mankind woui'
I hardly yield to conviction, without occnlar proof
Sor, though the fact now beyond dispute, has :
ceased to become wonher TO all who behold The proofs
Of lis reality.
The practical utility Of this novel art Obvious
IL placed the hands OF men the means Of copying re
iIarkable objects, magnificent scenery, III cTcum
Stances which the tedious process OF drawing couie
not be resortrd to, and with fidelity which drawing
can equal. Rot lis value, means Of Transferring
ID the surface material the features
o; the human counenance, Is, perhaps still greater 81.
wonderful truth 10 Nature; lis power Of copying, mol
merely l'neamcn,s bu. expression the point IN whct
the portrait painter often fails affords the geiies
satisfaction 10 one who looks upon the face Of rent
thus teinea,cd What must II be 10 distant poster
~, thus 10 dwell upon the very councrparis at those
who have made their times glorious What woult
tie 10 us, could We have thus before now the faith
fu representations Of the great and The good, whose
| xtil never ;,nr; be seen y EARTH
Bu. it appeared shortly, and - IT seemed unfor'u
naey that the application Of ts ari 10 copying faces
!rorn the lie, much less easy than the execution
| out door views. Time was necessary 10 produce ths
perfect picture; and in moderate light, tie motiones
attitude of the sitter becomes 'rksome and the coun
tenance, many cases, assumed an expression OF I'M
| won,ed gravity, t. remedy the eyil the direct ligh