Chai'. VII. 1 BINOCULAR PERSPECTIVE. 63 



CHAPTEE VII. 



1854 TO 1868. 



Second edition of 'The Eye' — Binocular Perspective — Soirde at which, ladies 

 were first present — Lecture on Education at London Institution — Originator 

 of educational lectures at the London Institution — Alfred Smee originates and 

 establishes a new form of printing the Bank of England notes — Decimal 

 coinage — Lecture on Monogenesis of Physical Forces — Visit to Paris — Eclipse 

 of the sun ; experiments at Blisworth — Loses his father. 



In the beginning of 1854 Alfred Smee brought out another edition 

 of ' The Eye.' This edition contained a long account of his inves- 

 tigations on Binocular Perspective, which will be found in the 

 Appendix, No. XIX. It will be sufficient, therefore, to notice here 

 that Mr. Smee possessed several paintings executed purposely for 

 him in this Binocular Perspective system, by the late Mr. Price 

 of the Bank of England. Mr. Smee had also many photographs 

 taken for him by the moving camera. These photographs were 

 shown by my father to the late lamented Prince Consort, who 

 was considerably interested in the system, and compared these 

 delicately shaded photographs to the soft tones of Eembrandt. 

 In June of the same year these paintings and photographs, illus- 

 trating the system of Binocular Perspective, were shown at a 

 large soiree held at Mr. Smee's residence in Pinsbury Circus. 

 I believe this was the first time that ladies were present at a 

 rev/mon hitherto only resorted to by distinguished members of 

 the sterner sex. 



Mr. Smee further devoted much attention to the system of 

 education, which he not only considered to be in a deficient state, 

 but too frequently based on a wrong principle. He contended 

 that in youth the observation and registration of facts should 

 be carefully cultivated and practised, and upheld the system in 

 Germany, " where the youths are taken out in the country to be 

 shown the flowers and plants, the rocks and stones and soils, so 



