, 1874-08-21
unanimous vote. 1ta ofrcc., an alroady stated. ia
to kill for tho prosent tho project for tho grading


Its Enrly IQtntorYs
I frdm H"dd tords.,
Now TINT tho beautiful art Of photography h1a
roacl.od tta pteaont high ata.o Of polfcctions 1t
may 10 Interesting to teato to tho proscnt Youcrl-
fon, which as sprung up sinco its discovery, tho
struggieb Of It's Founders In tho difficulties and
| porp'oxltlos which beaot their pathA--thoHn
paths which arc now comparatively smooth mud
| easy. ...-..
| We undertake the tnak because 1t will onablo
| us to give, from personal knowledge, rumbor
Of illustrations Of phase III tho aotonti}o lifo
| 8ir David UroTator. 1rllsch arc not recorded In
| anee, full Of ycara and honors, 10 paBsed away.
Shortly aftor Dl. DaguorrB mado hia great lts-
eovery, mud succeeded in liking tho hinges
formed by 3 lens in tie camera obaoura 1t oc-
CURED to an Epgllsh gcntleman, hir. Fo1 Tai
bot, that Ito aarilo thing could 10 done by DIFF
fcrcnt proceas, though tho principle In both pro-
ceBBcs was tho same.
Dagnerre lad auccoeded In producing sur-
faco 30 sensitive that picture could be- in1-
preased upon It by tho rayfi Of liglt Nv aubieot
metallic silver TO tho fumes OF iodine. Jtho CON
tact Of tho ofomontB produced tho iodito Ut ST.
ver, which was tue substance impresylolo by tho
action Of light. In thinking over lilo rationale
nfr. Talbot that the same thing could bo duno by
employing y sheet of papor tnstoad OF tho un-
yleldiug motallo pluto.
Without entering iato dotnils. hia proccsa con-
eiatcd III Batutating tho pores Of nheot Of paper
With wenk solHtlat ef Iodine, aud then doattug
It upon pretty Bt,ohK soldtioh Of nitrate Of si-
Tot. The silver ard iodino wo,e thuH Brought
In contact, mud the iodilo Of Bilyor WAS produced
In tho t1shue Of tho papor. Tho pictures thus
rtoddccd by Mr. Talbot. were fae in(orior In
tluccl by NJ. DaHuerre, bnt It why found that
thoy had o grand advantage, nnmoiy, from tho
original pctnte produced III tho cnmera all iu-
dolln'to humber 81 copies could, BY an easy pro-
cess, bo tnkenj without tho original being in
jurol.
Alr. Talbot Immediately communicated hin dia.
covary to Sir David Brewster, thou tho head Of
tho optical world. At tho time ho received tho
interesting communication, sir David WIS tho
guest OF Lord Kinllairl at lliB beautiful resi-
read 10 u acieutlnc, party there. assembled. the
pictures forwarded to Sir David exhibited and
tic prospcols Of tho now art freoly discussed.
Win Ills characteristic enthuslaa1n Lord Kin-
nnlrd resolved to go in for th6 uow ayt. Sir
David Kindly agreel to get an apparatus ooh.
sAuctcd For liis 1.ordship, and to procure Tho
requisite chemicals; and a arty wns arranged
70 eoinnlcneo operations when these should mr.
riye. Ia dato time !lloy nlndc thoir appearance,
weatliet operations began, But low slatl NC
describe tic anxiety With which the llrat results
wers looked for, aud tho disappointment which
foil On all hcarta and facos, whom tho blurred
and ard In lszy - outline s,, of a. ~ old laay
sunlight appeared? We had expected 9rent
things, anu sl,ch result was hard fuieGd to
nour. But It bocamn manifest, aftor fow nt-
tempts, tlat We were nevertheless at tho peri
would in tiuo DO Tiled with gems which no artist.
h0wovor exquisite. could rival.
Sir David was our tcaclor. Ho alone In those
carly days, knew anything Of tho procoss or Of
its philosophy; and most patient, and pains-
taling teacher ho wa6 showing ua how tho diff
feront parts Of tho manipulation wore to DO por-
formod and taEing hia full share OF all tho dirty
and ltsagsoeabo work.
Know, ye modern photographers, who havo
manipulated notllng but tho clean aid comfort
everything requisite prepared aud ready to
hand, that quarter OF q couturv ago you could
do nothing Of tho kind. In those days It was
oxpoliont to diuest yourself Of your cont sud tn
uest yourself in blouse or old groatcoat, to savo
your garments from tho greonisll-blaci stains mud
sau1guBs they wcre 8lre othcrwiso to 1oecI1o.
AL available tubs, buckets, foot-pails, wash
hasad haatna, aud every sort Of vessel which
contain water, we're laid hold OF for tho frequent
waahiuga and soahingn which wofo required.
Every room which could DO dnrkenod was ,lcoslcd
for tho drying IN the daik. Tic zeEioa OF osory
domestic III tho household WAS invaded, anl scr
Vauts weso kept running porpetnally with
paila. Of hot a.sd cold water, warm smooth
mont was turned topsy-turvy while ita
superiora were. bent OIL Photographic Btnliea.
nossie priory is ono Of tic afgest houses in
Scotland, Vet NC have often seou ii moved from
ono end to another, and all In IT, from its noble
owner to tho lulbleBs domestic, in q foyer Of
Excitement.
1t WIS delightful to sec Sir David, then litho
nnd aetiye old man. engaged, with al tho oaEor-
toss oi youth, in tho fascinating pursuit; for it
waT ,aoas fascinating s.noy because coafso
dMeed wero; when conspased with thoso now OBJ
tained by tic improved proceHst tho operator
was irroslatibly drawn onWafd By .he conviction
tint experience and care would load to much
turo was an Improvement upoa its predeccAaor,
bocauso tho time OF expoauso iu tho
canera, the proper amount OF develop
mont, and the duo strength Of tllo solu-
tom were bong aacertainad Tha art nsaa1feat-
" bud great capabilities. and the, operator WAS
pleased with the hope of being ahle to succeed
iu bringing tliom ont.
For soyosal weoAs the interesting operations
wero cnlrica Oh ut Rosfie p1sory. Thllo aa yat
fow or mono know anything abo,st tho art--lloas-
ming to attract aotco. Meanwhile tho picsutoa
steaiily Improved in quaiity, through increasing
oxporionco, aud tho ample nnpply Of tho beas
materials which could be procured. Lord Kin
na.ra not only furnished theso, bnt wrought
ging energy, aud discovered dsxterity of
manipulation which none OF uB conih Hnrpnns.
10 thoso Hnacq.aintca With tho early processes,
a tow words Of explanation may bo gson. aH this
will convey tho titlcaof the progress which hns
been ,na,e, and will bot!or enable tho reader to
understand what VIC bave to state.
4 few seota OF thin, closc-graiuod writing
paper were takon md cut up into pieces the Btzo
of the Intended pictures. Those wero hr'ahed
of iottno Of potassium. having III 1t A trace
Of nitrate OF silver. After tho Bnporfnous
moisture had boea removed by bott!ng~par
they woro laid in a largo yesaol Of rain-wutor to