Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-30
The Stereoscope.


Artists of good pictures, seem generally in
our town to keep pace with the spirit Of
the age; yet we have not observed in
! this region the Stereotype, q beautiful op'
tical instrument, invented to improve the
appearance Of Daguerreotype pictures.
The principal upon which the Siere'
oscope is constructed, is this the primary
qualities # the material world cognized
by vision ere externally, color, extension
and solid ~. Thelsst named quality, un-
til recently, has been denied as being
within the power Of the faculty Of vision
The general opinion has been, that only
the different shades of eo'or, as represen-
ted on a plane surface, as perceived in 0
painting, are coenizedby vision; and thai
soliday is cognized indnecay after hav.
ing learned by the sense of touch to asso-
ciatc the shading with the form and shape.
Prof. Wheatstone, Of Kings College, by
successful researches, has over;hrown thi'
prevalent and opinion. BY
his wonderful discovery, a new function
has been added to the organ of vision, that
by the eye alone, solidify as well as ex-
tension is cognized, and that the form oil
bodies, within a certain distance, are de.
termined by the power of Linocular vision.
I, is obvious, that the images, which an
external object forms on the two eyes, ore
slightly dissimilar, because the right and
LEFT eye occupy different positions in space.
BY looking at a knife in the hand, clos.
ing first the right eye and then the left, q
difference between the right and left is
clearly discovered. This occurs when
the n Of sight is in its normal condi-
ton. Prof. Wheatstone has taken advan-
tage of ihis law of optics, arising from
5inoealar vision, and constructed the Ste
rsOseops. BY looking through the instru.
ment al two pictures, of one object, Sta
ken at that distance from the object, al
which the optic axis Of each eye meet
neither picture is seen, but q combined
image Of both. Two pictures are taken
of an object as seen from the right ard
left eye; and when either is seen sept
raiely it appears as a mere drawing on a
plane surface. When both images Of the
object are seen al the same time, by bO;h
eyes, we do not observe two plane draw
ings, but a distinct and palPable solid
This effect is produced only when the Oh
iect is at a short distance, and of such
magnitude, that both images can be form
ed. The rays of light become parallel
when the object is far off, hence, the effect
of ~binocular vision does not occur, and
the same image is formed OIL both eyes.
lf a well executed picture be viewed
from a particular position, each picture
appears to stand out from the canvass ;
but if viewed from a short distance, the
illusion vanishes. The figures, if solid,
q, all distances form different images on
the two eyes, and when no such differ,
ance is observed, the surface is known to
b, a plane. Persons with but one eye, in
order to distinguish solidity, are obliged
to observe The shading of an object, and
then to move the head rapidly in a bori,
zontal direction, thereby forming different
images on the same eye.
This discovery led TO the invention Of
the S~tereoscope, whereby the effect Of
DaguerreOtypes are vastly improved
Two pictures, slightly different, are ia
ken separately for each eye, and looked
at together through glasses adjusted for
The effect, yet but mt image is seen, but it
possesses the real appearance of sOlidity.
Daguerreoiypes of staiuary, when seen
through the StereoscoPe, gives all the eff,
fecis Of the original marble.
The Warren Artists, we believe, would
do well TO have a few of these beautiful
optical instruments. Tho instrument
would certainly be a dcsideratum in the
eyes of amateurs of a good Daguerreo-
type or A~mbrotype.