46 



Mr. J. E. Ingpen thought this would prove a very useful 

 addition to the large number of drawing contrivances which 

 existed. He remembered that many years ago when the 

 subject was before the Club a number of these were exhibited, 

 and if he had known the sabject would be cropping up that 

 evening he could have brought up a considerable number of 

 examples. 



Mr. Michael said it was difficult to estimate the importance 

 of this contrivance, because a camera which did not distort and 

 did not require the head to be held quite steady was what 

 everybody who made drawings in that way was most anxious to 

 possess, and if anything could be done to get rid of the fatal 

 error of Dr. Beale's camera it would be a most valuable 

 achievement. 



The President said that Cook in 1865 tried a mirror for the 

 purpose of casting the image down upon the paper, but with 

 high powers there was insufficiency of light. With low powers, 

 however, it worked very well. 



Mr. Ingpen said that an interesting illustration of this method 

 was found in the case of " Varley's Graphic Telescope," which 

 was an instrument of about 6in. focus, with a mirror in front of 

 the object glass. There was a large specially-constructed eye- 

 piece, and then another mirror at an angle of 45 degrees coming 

 half over the eye-piece. Varley wrote a book on drawing instru- 

 ments, and was going to publish it in conjunction with Mr. 

 Home, but they quarrelled over it and destroyed all the copies 

 except a very few, one of which he was fortunate enough to 

 obtain through his friend Mr. Ackland. 



Mr. Karop thought anyone who could draw hardly required 

 any apparatus at all beyond cross-lines in the eye-piece and 

 some sectional paper. Possibly a camera might be useful for 

 making an outline, but all detail must be put in subsequently, 

 and it was to be borne in mind that the use of any special 

 appliance did not obviate inaccurate drawing in the least, 

 although it was often stated as a sort of guarantee. 



The President said that a great deal of the correctness 

 depended upon the person who made the drawing. He remem- 

 bered once seeing Mi-. N. E. Green make a most perfect drawing 

 from the microscope without once looking at the paper. 



Mr. Michael thought there could be no doubt that drawing 

 carefully upon square ruled paper gave more accurate results, 



