Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-10-04

NOM urhooNApHv WAS INVENTED.
Ths romantic story Of Aieys Bsss-
folder, The laveutor Of the modern ar Of
lnhoerAphy, illustrates the truth that
many, u not, indeed, moot, Of tho dis
coveries 10 the ans which embelllsh our
civilization, or In the sciences which
conducs To the comfort of oar exlstence,
and The sxteaslou of its scope aud use.
fulness, ars the rrsults Of fortunate
chance. About the year i;pd, Sem.
fielder vas [caldlns In Munich, 10 great
poverty. lie was an artlst Of consider
able genius, though bile talent led him
rather TO drawing and engravlng, than
10 color. Indeed, there must have been
many tiu,cs, during thls period Of hls
career, when he Was unable 10 purchase
painting materials, which, lu those
days, we're very dear. AZ all events, be
certainly Vas too poor To pay for print
Ing and reproducing the work of hls
pencil, aud he endeavorrd tn device some
means Of doing this hlmself. lie could
not AFFORD the expense of copper plates,
and be Get himself 10 discover some
cheaper substitute. Unlike the English
painter william Blake, Who believed
that he Was spiritually aided In HE
labors, Seuefelder WAS Q practical man,
aud sought to accomplish hls end by
purely practical methods. lie brooded
over the subject for many months, lounG.
Ing slowly along the narrow streets Of
the quaint old town, or pioddlng for
mlles Into the envir0ns, always With
dropping head and introvertcd gasc,
forever pondering the one thought.
One morning, az be vas about setting
out upon hls daily stroll, he paused q
moment on the threshold of his dwell
Ing. Il MAS early autumn, and there
had been storm over night. The early
sun gllttered upon the yet undricd pad
dies In the strcst, aud tbs leaves shorn
from the old lindens were scattered upon
the sidewalks. One large leaf lay upon
the stone stsp at the artists feet. Me-
chanicaliy be stopped and picked it up.
Where Il had rrposed, be beheld hs
perfect outline, With every rib aud vein,
drawn upon the smooth surface of the
stone In the raln-,lissolv-,i dust.
For moment he stood t~irling the
leaf In his nnEers, studying the impres-
sion On the stone With eyes In which
the light of q new hope glowed aud
deepened. Then he turned about aud
hurrietly re-enter-d the house. lie had
conceived an idea! 10 WAS simply To
use smooth slabs Of the cheap stone,
similar 10 the doorstep, In place of the
costly metal plates. IIis idea went no
farther at that time. Thus far accident
had guided him. Hut observe how Acci.
dent va. to befriehd him yet more 81
fytually!
senefelder Was not acquainted With
the composition of the varnish uscd by
engrA,ers fot etching, en- he Invented =
species of crayon made of wax and tai.
low. One morning hls mother entered
the room where he Was az work, aud
asked hun Ia write out the family wash
lng list. Senefelder tumbled over th.
litter on his table, In search of paper
and Ink; but, hnding none, be caught
up bit % his ,rayon aud scrawled the
lisi upon smooth block % HE stone.
som. days later, having need ~ the
block ~ stone, he Was about Ia clean on
the iist % stockings. sheets aud shirts,
when II occurred 10 him that the body
of the stone might bc eaten do~n by
dilut. nitric acid, leaving the greasy
lines 81 his crsyon writing In relief.
The experiment WAS succcssful but II
VA. not tlli i;o, that, In his discovery
OF the natural repulsion between water
and oily substances, the we'll nigh per.
Zee, modern art % photography wa.
born.
Senefclder's doorstep Was of the ar.
gilarous limestone variety, still ~
gsrdrsi a. the best for photographic pur.
poses. The most perfect specimens are
quarriei near Solenhofen, Bavaria
though = cosrser species IL obtained Ia
several parts Of EuroIe aud America.
The stones are sawn Ia q thickness al
Two aud q quarter Ia two aud hall
Inches, those 81 pesrl-gay tint giving
by far the hest results. Not only arr
they harder and more enduring. bu'
their hueness of grain records the artist
line. and touches With almost micro.
.coplc cxactliude. The soft, bun.yellow
stone, gu the other hand, produces
cosr.er work, more easily snaced
While the hard gray stone will print
some nine or ten thousand Impressions
the yellow block will begin Ia blur and
bl"tch la less than halt that number 81
Impressions. --Demorcst's Family Msgs
sine.