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try ; and what was tranflated from thofe of other 

 countries, was from authors of ancient date,^ 

 wrote, I believe, before artifts in that way had 

 arrived at the perfedion of knowledge they have 

 now attained -, and many of thefe authors feem 

 not to have pra6tifed it themfelves ; for I have 

 been led by them through many labyrinths (from 

 which I found it difficult to extricate myfclf ) 

 before I attained the ready pra6tice of etching, 

 which I am here willing to communicate, in as 

 Ihort and plain terms as I can, for the benefit of 

 many curious young gentlemen who are my 

 friends and acquaintance. 



Firft of all, it will be proper to fay fomething 

 of copper-plates. — Authors on the fubjeft of 

 etching, tell us how to fmooth, fcour, and po- 

 lifiî them for ufe; which is, I believe, a thing 

 hardly any gentleman will trouble himfelf 

 about, feeing that feveral people, in and about 

 London, make it their bufinefs to fquare 

 and fmooth plates of all fizes, for perfons 

 who want them. Examine your plates when 

 you buy them, to fee if they are perfedlly free 

 from fcratches, dents or holes 5 and if they are 



bad. 



