370 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[May 1, 1885. 



" You -n-oukl he very much surprized," fays I, " if I 

 should tell you probable is not a very modest term. Is it 

 simply probable that there ever was such a man as 

 Alexander the Grent 1 You hold it very certain that there 

 was, and upon what is this certainty founded 1 Because 

 you have all the proofs which you could desire in a like 

 matter, and there does not the least subject for doubt 

 present itself, to suspend or arrest your determination ■? 

 For you never c"uld see this Alexander, and you have not 

 one mathematical demonstration that there ever was such 

 a man. Now, what would you say if the inhabitants of 

 the planets were almost in the very same easel We can- 

 not pretend to make you see them, and you cannot insist 

 upon the demonstration here as you would in a mathe- 

 matical question. But you have all the proofs you could 

 desire in our world." 



(To le contintied.) 



THE AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHIC 

 EXHIBITION. 



PHOTOGEAPHY, which during the first years of its 

 existence was limited to the practice of a few 

 experts and a large number of professionals of more or 

 less doubtful skill, has, owing to the modern invention of 

 dry plates, become no longer a " black art," fraught with 

 dirt and dangers to hands and clothes, and beset with 

 difiiculties, but an art of comparatively easy acquirement 

 and pleasant practice. Hence the evolution of that recent 

 production, the amateur photograjAer, a species that has 

 increased to such an enormous extent in a short time that 

 it can no longer be regarded as phenomenal, except by its 

 rapid development. We have now amateur photographers 

 of both sexes and all ages, and the population has grown 

 so large that it is able to support its own newspaper. 

 One of the influences which has been most active in pro- 

 ducing this happy state of affairs is that of the London 

 Stereoscopic and Photographic Company, who, some time 

 ago, threw open its doors to the general public, arranged 

 comfortable studios, and provided competent masters for 

 the instruction of all comers. So many have availed them- 

 selves of this instruction, that a suggestion was made to 

 hold an exhibition of the students' work. The company, 

 however, improved upon this suggestion, and determined 

 to hold an exhibition on a large scale, to which all amateurs 

 should be invited to contribute. The invitation was so 

 warmly responded to that about 1,.500 frames, most of 

 them containing several pictures, were sent in, with the 

 result that on April 2.3, the largest exhibition of photo- 

 graphs which has ever been held was opened at 103, New 

 Bond-street (Mr. GuUick's Galleries). The Exhibition, 

 which will remain open until the 9th inst., is a thorough 

 success in every respect, and will, we hope, encourage its 

 promoters to make it an annual affair. 



The exhibits are divided into thirteen classes, in each of 

 which valuable jirizes are given by the Company, and in 

 some cases also by outsiders, as we shall point out here- 

 after. 



Class I. is open to pupils of the London Stereoscopic and 

 Photographic Company, and the Silver Medal in this class 

 is awarded to a lady, Mrs. Harrison, No. 1b, for a group of 

 photographs called " The Lawyer's Home, Crief, N.B. ; " 

 especially notable is her picture of a drawing-room interior; 

 the bronze medals to Messrs. Sidney Piatt, No. 19, A. 

 Turnham, 6a, and A. Batchelor, 7a. Class I. is parti- 

 cularly interesting, as to a great extent the work shown is 

 that of beginners, and it clearly illustrates the progress 



which may be made in a very short time by those endowed 

 with artistic taste, together with a little jierseverance. 

 Among several very attractive exhibits in this class is a 

 necessarily instantaneous photograph of a flash of lightning, 

 which is probably the best of its kind that han ever been 

 taken, and can easily be appreciated by those who know 

 the extreme difficulties of the subject. The lijihtning is 

 seen playing through the rigging of H.M.S. Xeptune, from 

 the deck of which it was taken by Mr. Francis R. M. 

 Puddicombe, Surgeon R.N., on the night of November 14 

 last, during heavy rain, when the ship was between 

 Madeira and Gibraltar. A melancholy interest is attached 

 to No. 20, " Nine Views in the Soudan," taken by the late 

 Mr. Cameron, war correspondent of the Standard, who met 

 a gallant death before Metemmeh. Mr. Cameron was a 

 pupil of Mr. Humphreys, at the Stereoscopic Company, 

 and his negatives were sent to them, by whom they were 

 printed. These photographs are unfortunately somewhat 

 wanting in clearness, owing to their having been exposed 

 in the too bright light of the Eastern sun. No. 13 is a 

 charming portrait of an old lady, by Mr. W. B. Roger. 

 The jihotographs of a tour in Spain (IS), bv Mr. Tomlinson, 

 well deserve the high commendation they have received. 



Class II. Marine Pictures. A silver medal is awarded 

 to Mr. P. H. Emerson, for his series, " A Misty Morning," 

 &c.. No. 2. These photographs are exquisitely done in 

 Platinotype, and look like very fine engravings. Another 

 silver medal has been well won by Mr. W. Gaddum for his 

 series, " Genoa Harbour," kc. (27). The brot ze medals 

 were awarded to Mr. Matthew Whiting for No. 4, Mr. W. 

 C. Williams, No. 19, beautiful instantaneous effects, and to 

 Mr. R. Leventhorpe, No. 1. Noticeable exhibits in this 

 group are Mr. H. Vanner's " Regatta Day, Lowestoft " (32); 

 the crowd and donkeys in which come out with great effect, 

 and Mr. F. Briglman's " By Moonlight on the Sea " (39), 

 a perfect little gem. 



Class III. The country-house group. The gold medal is 

 awarded to Mr. J. E. Brindson for his excellent pictures 

 Nos. 28-42 ; the silver medal to Mr. J. Taylor for his 

 "Mare and Foal " (49). No. 10, "Some old Friends at 

 the Zoo," by C. Hinxman, is a most attractive series con- 

 taining the white bear, an elephant with its keeper, sur- 

 mounted by a cargo of boys, a zebra with its keeper, and a 

 beautiful group of storks round a pool. The photographs 

 are most artistically grouped, and are extremely creditable, 

 considering the ditficulties under which they must have 

 been taken, for, next to babies, animals are the most 

 troublesome things to get fixed that can possibly be 

 imagined. The only fault we detect in them is that they 

 are perhaps printed a little too dark. This exhibit obtained 

 a bronze medal. Mr. A. Mathison's " Fisher Lassies," 

 No. S."), is a charming group, well deserving the bronze 

 medal awarded to it. 



Class IV. The Coventry Machinists' Company's prize, 

 one of their best tricycles, has been awarded to Mr. E. 

 Brightman for a fine series, Nos. 38 — 43 ; a set of photo- 

 graphic apparatus to Mr. W. S. Anderson (15) ; and bronze 

 medals to Messrs. T. M. Brownrigg (19) and T. Huson 

 (32). This class, which was open to all cyclists, will 

 doubtless prove of great interest to riders of the iron steed. 



Class V. Army and Navy prize. — The gold medal for 

 the best general work has been awarded to Major-General 

 Sir Charles Key,=, who also obtained a bronze medal in 

 Class III. for his " Cricket Match " (27). This gentleman 

 shows numerous exhibits in various classes, and all his 

 work is done in a most masterly manner ; especially notable 

 are his "Moorish Heads" in Class IX, Major Stewart 

 has been awarded a bronze medal for the general excellenc* 

 of his work. 



