Sir John Robison on Baguerre's Photography. 157 



Vacillating objects make indistinct pictures, e.g. a person 

 getting his boot cleaned by a decrotteur gave a good picture, 

 except that having moved his head in speaking to the shoe- 

 black, his hat was out of shape, and the decrotteur's right 

 arm and brush were represented by a half -tinted blot, through 

 which the foot of the gentleman was partially visible. 



There can be no doubt that, when M. Daguerre's process 

 is known to the public, it will be immediately applied to num- 

 berless useful purposes, as, by means of it, accurate views of 

 architectm-e, machinery, &c., may be taken, which, being 

 transferred to copper or to stone, may be disseminated at a 

 cheap rate ; and useful books on many subjects may be 

 got up with copious illustrations, which are now too costly 

 to be attainable : even the fine arts will gain, for the eyes 

 accustomed to the accuracy of Daguerrotype pictures, will 

 no longer be satisfied with bad drawing, however splendidly 

 it may be coloured. In one department, it will give va- 

 luable facility. Anatomical and surgical drawings, so diffi- 

 cult to make with the fidelity which it is desirable they 

 should possess, will then be easily produced by a little skill 

 and practice in the disposition of the subjects and of the 

 lights. 



It is a curious circumstance that, at the same time that M. 

 Daguerre has made this beautiful and useful discovery in the 

 art of delineation, another Parisian artist* has discovered a 

 process by which he majies solid casts in plaster of small ani- 

 mals or other objects, without seams or repairs, and without 

 destroying the model, (Moulage d'une seule piece, sans couture 

 ni reparage, et avec conservation parfaite du modele). I am 

 in possession of several specimens of his work, among which 

 are casts of the hand of an infant of six months, so delicately 

 executed, that the skin shews evident marks of being affected 

 by some slight eruptive disease. I am, dear Sir, very faith- 

 fully yours, 



Edivhtirgh, \$t June 1839. JoHN RoBISON, 



James Tod, Esq. Secretary to the Society of Arts. 



"" Hippolyte Vincent, Mouleur, Rue Neuve St Francois No. 14 (au Marai). 



