THE 

 LONDON, EDINBURGH and DUBLIN 



PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE 



AND 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



[THIRD SERIES.] 



MAY 1844. 



XLVIII. On the practice of the Calotype Process of Photo- 

 graphy. By Geo. S. Cundell, Esq.* 

 (1.) TN the year 1839 was published in France the inven- 

 tion of M. Daguerre, now so well known by the 

 justly celebrated name of its author. Shortly afterwards, that 

 of Mr. Fox Talbot, called " the Calotype," was published in 

 England ; kindred arts having for their object the production 

 of permanent pictures by means of the camera obscura. If 

 the comparative merits of the Daguerreotype and of the Calo- 

 type were to be judged of by the interest which each has ex- 

 cited, or by the progress which has been made in the practice 

 of either, the English invention would justly be classed in a 

 very subordinate rank ; for, while the Daguerreotype was at 

 once understood, and successfully practised, over the whole 

 civilized world, most of the few persons who have attempted 

 the sister art, after failing of success, have given it up in dis- 

 appointment. 



2. But notwithstanding the little progress the calotype has 

 yet made, there is reason to believe that it only requires to be 

 better known to be appreciated as an art not less beautiful than 

 that of Daguerre, and that it is well deserving of a much 

 greater share than it has yet received of the public attention. 

 It requires but little apparatus; its materials are compara- 

 tively inexpensive; and it is possessed besides of the striking 

 advantage, of yielding a great number of perfect copies from 

 every original picture. , 



3. Had Mr. Talbot thought fit to publish directions for the 

 details and refinements of his process, as minute and explicit 

 as those given by M. Daguerre, his invention, it is probable, 

 would now have stood in a very different position ; there can 

 be little doubt that it also, would by this time have been greatly 



* Communicated by the Author. 

 Phil. Mag. S. 3. Vol. 24. No. 160. May 1844. Y 



