the history and practice of the art of photography-第2章

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　not　moved　during　the　operation。〃

Had　not　the　alchemists　been　so　intent　upon　the　desire　to　discover　the　far　famed　philosopher's　stone；　as　to　make　them　unmindful　of　the　accidental　dawnings　of　more　valuable　discoveries；　this　little　experiment　in　chemistry　might　have　induced　them　to　prosecute　a　more　thorough　search　into　the　principle；　and　Photogenic　art　would　not　now；　as　it　is；　be　a　new　one。

It　is　even　asserted　that　the　Jugglers　of　India　were　for　many　ages　in　possession　of　a　secret　by　which　they　were　enabled；　in　a　brief　space；　to　copy　the　likeness　of　any　individual　by　the　action　of　light。　This　fact；　if　fact　it　be；　may　account　for　the　celebrated　magic　mirrors　said　to　be　possessed　by　these　jugglers；　and　probable　cause　of　their　power　over　the　people。

However；　as　early　as　1556　the　fact　was　established　that　a　combination　of　chloride　and　silver。　called；　from　its　appearance；　horn　silver；　was　blackened　by　the　sun's　rays；　and　in　the　latter　part　of　the　last　century　Mrs。　Fulhame　published　an　experiment　by　which　a　change　of　color　was　effected　in　the　chloride　of　gold　by　the　agency　of　light；　and　gave　it　as　her　opinion　that　words　might　be　written　in　this　way。　These　incidents　are　considered　as　the　first　steps　towards　the　discovery　of　the　Photogenic　art。

Mr。　Wedgwood's　experiments　can　scarcely　be　said　to　be　any　improvement　on　them　since　he　failed　to　bring　them　to　practical　usefulness；　and　his　countrymen　will　have　to　be　satisfied　with　awarding　the　honor　of　its　complete　adaptation　to　practical　purposes；　to　MM。　Niepce　and　Daguerre　of　France；　and　to　Professors　Draper；　and　Morse　of　New…York。

These　gentlemenMM。　　Niepce　and　Daguerrepursued　the　subject　simultaneously；　without　either；　however　being　aware　of　the　experiments　of　his　colleague　in　science。　　For　several　years；　each　pursued　his　researches　individually　until　chance　made　them　acquainted；　when　they　entered　into　co…partnership；　and　conjointly　brought　the　art　almost　to　perfection。

M。　Niepce　presented　his　first　paper　on　the　subject　to　the　Royal　Society　in　1827；　naming　his　discovery　Heliography。　　What　led　him　to　the　study　of　the　principles　of　the　art　I　have　no　means；　at　present；　of　knowing；　but　it　was　probably　owing　to　the　facts　recorded　by　the　Alchemists；　Mrs。　Fulhame　and　others；　already　mentioned。　But　M。　Daguerre；　who　is　a　celebrated　dioramic　painter；　being　desirous　of　employing　some　of　the　singularly　changeable　salts　of　silver　to　produce　a　peculiar　class　of　effects　in　his　paintings；　was　led　to　pursue　an　investigation　which　resulted　in　the　discovery　of　the　Daguerreotype；　or　Photogenic　drawing　on　plates　of　copper　coated　with　silver。

To　this　gentlemanto　his　liberalityare　we　Americans　indebted　for　the　free　use　of　his　invention；　and　the　large　and　increasing　class　of　Daguerrean　artists　of　this　country　should　hold　him　in　the　most　profound　respect　for　it。　He　was　not　willing　that　it　should　be　confined　to　a　few　individuals　who　might　monopolise　the　benefits　to　be　derived　from　its　practice；　and　shut　out　all　chance　of　improvement。　Like　a　true；　noble　hearted　French　gentleman　he　desired　that　his　invention　should　spread　freely　throughout　the　whole　world。　With　these　views　he　opened　negociations　with　the　French　government　which　were　concluded　most　favorably　to　both　the　inventors；　and　France　has　the　〃glory　of　endowing　the　whole　world　of　science　and　art　with　one　of　the　most　surprising　discoveries　that　honor　the　land。〃

Notwithstanding　this；　it　has　been　patented　in　England　and　the　result　is　what　might　have　been　expected：　　English　pictures　are　far　below　the　standard　of　excellence　of　those　taken　by　American　artists。　I　have　seen　some　medium　portraits；　for　which　a　guinea　each　had　been　paid；　and　taken　too；　by　a　celebrated　artist；　that　our　poorest　Daguerreotypists　would　be　ashamed　to　show　to　a　second　person；　much　less　suffer　to　leave　their　rooms。

CALOTYPE；　the　name　given　to　one　of　the　methods　of　Photogenic　drawing　on　paper；　discovered；　and　perfected　by　Mr。　Fox　Talbot　of　England；　is　precisely　in　the　same　predicament；　not　only　in　that　country　but　in　the　United　States；　Mr。　Talbot　being　patentee　in　both。　He　is　a　man　of　some　wealth；　I　believe；　but　he　demands　so　high　a　price　for　a　single　right　in　this　country；　that　none　can　be　found　who　have　the　temerity　to　purchase。

The　execution　of　his　pictures　is　also　inferior　to　those　taken　by　the　German　artists；　and　I　would　remark　en　passant；　that　the　Messrs。　Mead　exhibited　at　the　last　fair　of　the　American　Institute；　（of　1848；）　four　Calotypes；　which　one　of　the　firm　brought　from　Germany　last　Spring；　that　for　beauty；　depth　of　tone　and　excellence　of　execution　surpass　the　finest　steel　engraving。

When　Mr。　Talbot's　patent　for　the　United　States　expires　and　our　ingenious　Yankee　boys　have　the　opportunity；　I　have　not　the　slightest　doubt　of　the　Calotype；　in　their　hands；　entirely　superceding　the　Daguerreotype。

Let　them；　therefore；　study　the　principles　of　the　art　as　laid　down　in　this　little　work；　experiment；　practice　and　perfect　themselves　in　it；　and　when　that　time　does　arrive　be　prepared　to　produce　that　degree　of　excellence　in　Calotype　they　have　already　obtained　in　Daguerreotype。

It　is　to　Professor　Samuel　F。　B。　Morse；　the　distinguished　inventor　of　the　Magnetic　Telegraph；　of　New　York；　that　we　are　indebted　for　the　application　of　Photography；　to　portrait　taking。　He　was　in　Paris；　for　the　purpose　of　presenting　to　the　scientific　world　his　Electro…Magnetic　Telegraph；　at　the　time；　（1838；）　M。　Daguerre　announced　his　splendid　discovery；　and　its　astounding　results　having　an　important　bearing　on　the　arts　of　design　arrested　his　attention。　In　his　letter　to　me　on　the　subject；　the　Professor　gives　the　following　interesting　facts。

〃The　process　was　a　secret；　and　negociations　were　then　in　progress；　for　the　disclosure　of　it　to　the　public　between　the　French　government　and　the　distinguished　discoverer。　　M。　Daguerre　had　shown　his　results　to　the　king；　and　to　a　few　only　of　the　distinguished　savans；　and　by　the　advice　of　M。　Arago；　had　determined　to　wait　the　action　of　the　French　Chambers；　before　showing　them　to　any　other　persons。　I　was　exceedingly　desirous　of　seeing　them；　but　knew　not　how　to　approach　M。　Daguerre　who　was　a　stranger　to　me。　On　mentioning　my　desire　to　Robert　Walsh；　Esq。；　our　worthy　Consul；　he　said　to　me；　'state　that　you　are　an　American；　the　inventor　of　the　Telegraph；　request　to　see　them；　and　invite　him　in　turn　to　see　the　Telegraph；　and　I　know　enough　of　the　urbanity　and　liberal　feelings　of　the　French；　to　insure　you　an　invitation。'　I　was　successfull　in　my　application；　and　with　a　young　friend；　since　deceased；　the　promising　son　of　Edward　Delevan；　Esq。；　I　passed　a　most　delightful　hour　with　M。　Daguerre；　and　his　enchanting　sun…pictures。　My　letter　containing　an　account　of　this　visit；　and　these　pictures；　was　the　first　announcement　in　this　country　of　this　splendid　discovery。〃

〃I　may　here　add　the　singular　sequel　to　this　visit。　　On　the　succeeding　day　M。　Daguerre　paid　me　a　visit　to　see　the　Telegraph　and　witness　its　operations。　He　seemed　much　gratified　and　remained　with　me　perhaps　two　hours；　two　melancholy　hours　to　him；　as　they　afterwards　proved；　or　while　he　was　with　me；　his　buildings；　including　his　diorama；　his　studio；　his　laboratory；　with　all　the　beautiful　pictures　I　had　seen　the　day　before；　were　consumed　by　fire。　　Fortunately　for　mankind；　matter　only　was　consumed；　the　soul　and　mind　of　the　genius；　and　the　process　were　still　in　existence。〃

On　his　return　home；　Professor　Morse　waited　with　impatience　for　the　revelation　of　M。　Daguerre's　process；　and　no　sooner　was　it　published　than　he　procured　a　copy　of　the　work　containing　it；　and　at　once　commenced　taking　Daguerreotype　pictures。　At　first　his　object　was　solely　to　furnish　his　studio　with　studies　from　nature；　but　his　experiments　led　him　into　a　belief　of　the　practicability　of　procuring　portraits　by　the　process；　and　he　was　undoubtedly　the　first　whose　attempts　were　attended　with　success。　　Thinking；　at　that　time；　that　it　was　necessary　to　place　the　sitters　in　a　very　strong　light；　they　were　all　taken　with　their　eyes　closed。

Others　were　experimenting　at　the　same　time；　among　them　Mr。　Wolcott　and　Prof。　Draper；　and　Mr。　Morse；　with　his　acustomed　modesty；　thinks　that　it　would　be　difficult　to　say　to　whom　is　due　the　credit　of　the　first　Daguerreotype　portrait。　At　al