THE TECHNICS OF METAL ENGRA VING. 311 



ornamental arabesque. The grain of wood is elaborately en- 

 graved by Marc Antonio, with the same purpose, in the plate 

 given in your Standard Series. 



118. Next, however, you observe what difference of texture 

 and force exists between the smooth, continuous lines them- 

 selves, which are all really engraved. You must take some 

 pains to understand the nature of this operation. 



The line is first cut lightly through its whole course, by 

 absolute decision and steadiness of hand, which you may en- 

 deavour to imitate if you like, in its simplest phase, by draw- 

 ing a circle with your compass-pen ; and then, grasping your 

 penholder so that you can push the point like a plough, de- 

 scribing other circles inside or outside of it, in exact parallel- 

 ism with the mathematical line, and at exactly equal distances. 

 To approach, or depart, with your point at finely gradated 

 intervals, may be your next exercise, if you find the first un- 

 expectedly easy. 



119. When the line is thus described in its proper course, 

 it is ploughed deeper, where depth is needed, by a second 

 cut of the burin, first on one side, and then on the other, the 

 cut being given with gradated force so as to take away most 

 steel where the line is to be darkest. Every line of gradated 

 depth in the plate has to be thus cut eight or ten times over 

 at least, with retouchings to smooth and clear all in the close. 

 Jason has to plough his field ten-furrow deep, with his fiery 

 oxen well in hand, all the while. 



When the essential lines are thus produced, in their several 

 directions, those which have been drawn across each other, so 

 as to give depth of shade, or richness of texture, have to be 

 farther enriched by dots in the interstices ; else there would 

 be a painful appearance of network everywhere ; and these 

 dots require each four or five jags to produce them ; and each 

 of these jags must be done with what artists and engravers 

 alike call ' feeling,' the sensibility, that is, of a hand com- 

 pletely under mental government. So wrought, the dots look 

 soft, and like touches of paint ; but mechanically dug in, they 

 are vulgar and hard. 



120. Now, observe, that, for every piece of shadow through^. 



