ETCHING. 48*7' 



tides of dust or dirt of any kind settle upon it, as 

 that would be found very troublesome in etching ; 

 the room, therefore, in which it is laid should be 

 as still as possible, and free from dust. 



The ground being fioMr laid, and suffered to 

 cool, the next operation is tb transfer th^ design to 

 the pMe. 



For this purpose a tracing on oiled paper must 

 now be" rhade, frdm the design to be etclled, with 

 pen and ink, havitig a very small quantity of Ox f & 

 gall mied with it, to make the oiled paper take it; 

 also a piece of thirl paper, of the same size, must 

 be rubbed over with red chalk, powdered, by 

 means of some Cotton. Then laying the red 

 (Miked paper, with its chalked sid ilext the 

 gt-ound, dh the plate, put the tracing over it* arid 

 fasten them both together, arid t6 the pkte, by 

 little bit of the bordering Wax. 



When all this" is prepared, take a bltifit etcttHtg 

 needle* atld gb gently all ovei' the lines in the 

 tracing 5 by Which mea'ris the chalked p^ei 4 will 

 be pressed against the ground, and the lines of 

 the tracing will bfe transferred to it : oh taking 

 off the paperSj they will be se'e'n" distinctly. 



The plate is now prepared for drawing thitrugh 

 th lines Which have been fostfked upon the 

 ground. For this, the etching-points? dr needles 

 are employed, leaning hard 6t Iigfrtly; according 

 to the degfee of strength required in the lines. 

 Points of different sizgs and forms are also used, 

 for making lines of different thickness, though 

 commonly this is effected by the biting-in with the 

 aqua fortis. 



A margin or border of wa"x must now be formed 

 all round the plate, to hold the aqua fortis when it 

 is poured on. To do this, the bordering wax 



