39 



applied, which transfers the lead lines from the paper to 

 the wax. The engraver now takes a fine steel point, and 

 (the tracing paper being removed) goes over the subject 

 lightty, so as to penetrate the wax, and touch the steel- 

 plate. By this means a perfect and delicate outline is 

 drawn upon the plate, and, the wax being melted off, the 

 subject is ready to be proceeded with, and finished. The 

 instrument used in line engraving is called the graver, or 

 burin, and is made of highly tempered steel, ending in 

 an unequal sized pyramidal point. This instrument is 

 held in the hand at a small inclination to the plane of the 

 copper, and is pushed forward in the direction required 

 to cut the lines on the plate. As the burin cuts the line 

 it raises on each side a ridge of metal, technically known 

 as the bur. To remove this, the engraver has recourse to 

 the scraper, a triangular instrument of steel about six 

 inches long, and having the angles ground down to sharp 

 cutting edges. After removing the bur he uses a third 

 instrument, also of steel, called the burnisher, to soften 

 down the lines, and remove accidental scratches from the 

 plate. There are few mechanical inventions used in line 

 engraving, for the engraver depends upon the burin only 

 for his effects, and by the different depths, lengths, or 

 widths of line he produces all the various lights or 

 shades of the original picture. There are inventions, 

 however, to lighten the labor of the line engraver, and 

 where a series of parallel lines are wanted, in architec- 

 tural subjects, or in skies, a ruling machine is substituted. 

 Those engravers who work for reputation seldom employ 

 these artificial helps, and the older engravers never used 

 them, for they were not then invented. 



Next to line engraving comes engraving in stipple, 

 which is nearly as difficult as the first named art. It is 

 used in representing the flesh in portraits, for delicate 



