July 16. 1853.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



61 



to avoid all the focal distortion so much complained 

 of, — while the due enlargement of a portrait taken 

 on glass has the efFect, moreover, of depriving it 

 of that hardness of outline so objectionable in a 

 collodion portrait, giving it more artistic effect, 

 and this without quitting the perfect focal point as 

 has been suggested. 



"But there are many other advantages obtained 

 by this process. For copying by engraving, &c. the 

 exact dimension required of any picture may at 

 once be given to be copied from. 



" A very small photographic apparatus can thus 

 be employed when a lai-ge one might be inconve- 

 nient or impracticable, the power of reproducing 

 on a larger scale being always in reserve. Inde- 

 pendent of this power of varying the size, positives 

 so taken of the same dimension as the negative 

 reproduce, as will be readily understood, much 

 more completely the finer and more delicate details 

 of the negatives than positives taken by any other 

 process that I am acquainted with. 



"The negative also may be reversed in its position 

 at a so as to produce upon glass a positive to be 

 seen either upon or under the glass. And while 

 the rapidity and facility of printing are the same 

 as in the case of positives taken on paper prepared 

 with the iodide of silver, the negatives, those on 

 glass particularly, being so easily injured, are much 

 better preserved, all actual contact with the posi- 

 tive being avoided. For the same reason, by this 

 process positive impressions can be obtained not 

 only upon wet paper, &c., but also upon hard in- 

 flexible substances, such as porcelain, ivory, glass, 

 &c., — and upon this last, the positives being trans- 

 parent are applicable to the stereoscope, magic 

 lantern, &c. 



"By adopting the following arrangement, this 

 process may be used largely to increase the power 

 and speed of reproduction with little loss of effect. 

 From a positive thus obtained, say on collodion, 

 several himdi-ed negatives may be produced either 

 on paper or on albumenised glass. If on the latter, 

 and the dimension of the original negative is pre- 

 served, the loss in minuteness of detail and har- 

 mony is almost imperceptible, and even when con- 

 siderably enlarged, is so trifling as in the majority 

 of cases to prove no objection in comparison with 

 the advantage gained in size, while in not a few 

 cases, as already stated, the picture actually gains 

 by an augmentation of size. Thus, by the simul- 

 taneous action, if necessary, of some hundreds of 

 negatives, many thousand impressions of the same 

 picture may be produced in the course of a day. 



" I cannot but think, therefore, that this simple 

 but ingenious discovery will prove a valuable ad- 

 dition to our stock of photographic manipulatory 

 processes. It happily turns to account and utilises 

 one of the chief excellencies of collodion — that ex- 

 treme minuteness of detail which from its excess 

 becomes almost a defect at times,— toning it down 



by increase of size till the harshness is much dimi- 

 nished, and landscapes, always more or less un- 

 pleasing on collodion from that cause, are rendered 

 somewhat less dry and crude. 



" A very little practice will suffice to show the 

 operator the quality of glass negatives — I mean as 

 to vigour and development — best adapted for re- 

 producing positives by this method. He will also 

 find that a great power of correction is obtained, 

 by which overdone parts in the negative can be 

 reduced and others brought up. Indeed, in conse- 

 quence of this and other advantages, I have little 

 doubt that this process will be very generally 

 adopted in portrait taking. 



" Should your old idea of preserving public 

 records in a concentrated form on microscopic 

 negatives ever be adopted, the immediate positive 

 reproduction on an enlarged readable scale, with- 

 out the possibility of injury to the plate, will be 

 of service. 



" I am, &c. " John Stewakt." 



The Ring Finger (Vol. vii., p. 601.). — The 

 Greek Chuixh directs that the ring be put on the 

 right hand (Schmid, Liturgik, iii. 352. : Nassau, 

 1842); and although the direction of the Sarum 

 Manual is by no means clear (see Palmer's Origines 

 LiturgiccB, ii. 213., ed. 2.), such may have formerly 

 been the practice in England, since Rastell, in his 

 counter- challenge to Bishop Jewel, notes it as a 

 novelty of the Reformation, — 



" That the man should put the wedding-ring on the 

 fourth finger in the left hand of the woman, and not on 

 the right hand, as hath been many hundreds of years 

 continued." — Heylyn, Hist. R«f., ii. 430. 8vo. ed. 



But the practice of the Roman communion 

 in general agrees with that of the Anglican. 

 (Schmid, iii. 350-2.) Martene quotes from an 

 ancient pontifical an order that the bridegroom 

 should place the ring successively on three fingers 

 of the right hand, and then shall leave it on the 

 fourth finger of the left, in order to mark the 

 difference between the marriage ring, the symbol 

 of a love which is mixed with carnal affection, and 

 the episcopal ring, the symbol of entire chastity. 

 (Mart, de Antiquis Eccl. Ritibus, ii. 128., ed. Venet. 

 1783 ; Schmid, p. 352.) J. C. R. 



The Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Vol. vii., 

 pp. 407. 628.). — As my old neighbour R. L. P. 

 dates from the banks of the Lake of Constance, 

 and may possibly not see W. W.'s communication 

 for some time, I in the meanwhile take the liberty 

 of informing W. W. that the order of St. John 

 was restored in England by Queen Mary, and, 

 with other orders revived by her, was again sup- 

 pressed by the act 1 Eliz. c. 24. J. C. R. 



