PRACTICAL HINTS 



THE DAGUERREOTYPE. 



NOTWITHSTANDING the many valuable discoveries with which the 

 researches of Sir John Herschell, Mr. FoxTalbot, Mr. Robert Hunt, 

 and other distinguished philosophers, native and foreign, have 

 recently enriched the science of Photography, or, as it is now 

 termed, Actino-Chemistry,* the Daguerreotype process, first di- 

 vulged in 1839, still retains the highest place in public estimation. 

 The extreme beauty and delicacy of the pictures produced by this 

 method, and the comparative simplicity and certainty of the 

 operation, fully justify this preference, and account for the large 

 number of amateurs who are pursuing it in the present day, with 

 more or less success. While, however, the process is simple in 

 itself, it requires much care and nicety of manipulation, which is 

 only to be acquired by continued practice, or by the most careful 

 attention to the directions which are given by proficients in the 

 art, and without which the operator is exposed to frequent annoy- 

 ance and disappointment. It is with the view of providing this 

 necessary assistance, that the following Hints have been thrown 

 together, in which all technicalities have been as much as pos- 

 sible avoided, and the directions made short and plain, so as to be 

 easily understood and followed. 



The history of this invention is well known : Monsieur Daguerre 

 had for some time devoted his attention to the subject of Photo- 

 graphy, particularly to the means of fixing the images obtained in 

 the camera obscura. While pursuing these enquiries in conjunction 

 with his partner, Mr. Niepce, he was led to adopt an entirely new 



* This term was suggested by Sir John Herschell, and adopted at a Meeting 

 of the British Association, in September, 1844, to indicate that department of 

 Chemistry which is connected with the influence of the solar rays. 



A2 



